'Tis the season

Most of the time I find Colorado beautiful. The mountains in the west, the clear blue skies, the snow capped peaks... but there are a couple of weeks in the year that I feel Colorado is the most beautiful place on Earth. I can feel it coming just after Labor Day. The weather cools off at night and we wake up to crisp clear mornings. Mums pop up everywhere and bulbs are put in the ground. Talk of Halloween spreads like wildfire amongst the neighborhood children. And just beyond the city limits a magical color transition is occurring in the Aspen.

Every year we take a drive to see the fall colors, trying to catch the leaves right at their peak. We may have been a touch early this year, but we couldn't have picked a more beautiful evening.

This is why I live in Colorado!
(This and a million other reasons. :)

Have you voted?

If you're reading this and you haven't yet voted, consider yourself personally summonded to do so. Go to my friend Lori's photography blog by clicking here, scroll down to the bottom of the page and leave a quick comment. You can even say, "I was forced to do this" like my dad. Consider it a favor to us, good karma, paying it foward and I promise the universe will reward you in due time.

You're the best! (You really are... even if you don't vote :).

Count 'em... 9 months!

Dear August,

You are nine months old and I have no more words for these letters to you. No, not really. That's what we call an ex.ag.ger.a.tion. I am just having trouble putting these feelings to words. I am boiling over with love for you. I look at this picture - get overwhelmed with emotion - well up in tears - the screen gets blurry - and it's all over. Every day I fall more in love with you. With your beautiful eyes, your scrumptious chubby belly and thighs, your irresistible giggle, and your heart-melting cuddles.

You keep growing and changing by leaps and bounds. The last two weeks in particular have been incredible to watch. Before then, you were probably (technically) developmentally delayed. Did you hear me on the phone with the therapist or the pediatrician? Did you get tired of sitting in one place, crying and flapping your arms like a baby bird? Did you finally realize that your tummy wasn't so bad after all? Well, whatever the incentive, it is such a relief to see you move. You can flip yourself over so easily, push up to hands and knees, crawl forward (slowly), crawl backwards (a bit faster), pull yourself up to stand, and walk around furniture. All within two weeks!! At this pace, I'm tempted to strap a helmet to your head. What's next? Driving?

With all this work on motor development, your speech has stayed about the same... with one big exception... your first word! It's nothing phenomenal or flashy, but it is definitely a word. Every time you catch a glimpse of that ADORABLE baby in the mirror, you say "aiyee" in a high pitched voice (probably imitating me) and wave. You don't do this to anyone else or at any other time, but it's just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. You imitate inflection a lot in your babbling. You also must be telling little jokes, because sometimes you make yourself chuckle after a particularly long sentence.

You laugh easily, startle with loud or unexpected noises, and scream bloody murder if you think you've been left or forgotten. You are the most ticklish baby I've ever met. Two bottom teeth now accompany your gorgeous smile. A hat is your most favorite article of clothing. You LOVE to eat, but are clear when you're full. You still grab your ears when you're tired. The pacifier makes almost everything better. And Eden continues to be the highlight of your waking hours.

Thanks for being the highlight of mine.

The end of summer, 2010

Nothing says Summer like...

Bright blooming flowers...


and family day hikes.


Mountain cabins with cousins...


and t-ball with the boys.


Pretty summer dresses...


and seer-suckered babies.


Afternoon water play...



and late night sparklers.


Backyard BBQs...


and neighborhood bike rides.


Blow-up swimming pools...


and butterfly face-paint.


Hot sweaty hugs...


and freezing cold sprinklers.



Lake vacations...


floaties...


and ice-cream sundaes!


Free flying frisbees...


and diving beyond fears.


Summer of 2010...

we have no regrets and tons of great memories.

On the move!

After talks with therapists, lots of encouragement, and a little worrying (okay, a lot). August finally decided he was ready to crawl. Here he is on the eve of his 9 month birthday.

We are in BIG trouble - and I love it!

Hil.arious.

I came back from a run this morning to find this in our front yard:



As much as I would love to live in a "show home", this mistake did make us chuckle a little this morning. I kept thinking of all the things we could "show" the tour... like our living room/dance floor, dinning room/breast pumping station, or family room/laundry folding area/bead board construction zone.

As it turns out, the sign was meant for another house down the street, but we did get a fair amount of traffic before the mishap was remedied. (Even with the ladder on the porch and half-painted trim!)

While the Cat is away...

The Mouse will play...

VOTE for August & Family

Aren't these two kiddos the cutest?
(Not cuter than your own kids and grandchildren, of course...)

Like, say, cute enough to vote for in a contest?
(Not a beauty contest or child modeling sorta thing...)


Go to: http://www.lorikphotography.com/blog/2010/08/creative-family-portraits-city-park-denver/
Scroll down the bottom of the page.
Leave an adoring comment about us.
Easy, peasy.

If we get the most comments we win a canvas print!
(If not, you have to buy us one for Christmas!)

So go vote and tell your friends!

We are loosing big-time... we need your help!

7 down and a lifetime to go!

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

I just about melted after hearing this story and then forced Brian to sit for five whole minutes and watch it too. Here, Danny and Annie, recount their 27 years of marriage... from their first date 'til death do them part. I can only hope Brian and I are this sweet after 20 more years together. If this past weekend of celebrating was a test - Me allergic to the outdoors and sick to my stomach, Brian covered in hives, August waking up 2 times a night and Eden talking/screaming in her sleep, all of us cozied up in one room - we should be just fine.

Happy Anniversary, Sweetie. You are the best choice I've ever made. I love you.

Goodbye August

Although I love you, I am happy to say farewell.

You start out so hopeful.
You have given our family a time to celebrate and cherish life.
You provide a time for vacation.
You smell of backyard barbecues.
You harvest some of the year's best fruits and vegetables.
You mean camping, concerts, and yard sales.
You are warm and light and happy.
For goodness sakes, we named our second born after you!

And then....

I remember I am SOOOO allergic to you!
You make me sneeze, itch, cry and swell up.
I am so happy to be done with you (except when I see pictures like these...).

Goodbye August, you are so bittersweet.


Thanks to Scott Dressel-Martin and his talented eye. We were so very fortunate to run into him at our last visit to the Denver Botanic Gardens.