Elitch Gardens

One of the fun things we were able to do while we were in Denver was go to Eltich Gardens. An amusement park in Denver. The boys had a BLAST!!! Andrew was able to go on a few of the biger rides with Bob. He thought that was pretty cool. But, since Ben was a little too short he was quickly bored and so Grammy and I took him to the childrens area. He LOVED it!! His favorite.....the little roller coaster!

Here's Ben and grammy on the tea cups! He thought it was pretty cool that he got to go on a few rides with just grammy.

Look! When daddy came over with Andrew, he even took Sierra on the hot air balloons. I was surprised that she enjoyed it!

The train was a big hit with my kids. The would have gone on it over and over and over again. Well, that and the roller coaster.
I must say I was surprised they braved the Ferris Wheel! It's SO HIGH!! They did great though!

We even attended a little show and the boys got to participate. I think they enjoyed it.

Grandpa was able to join us in between work meetings and take a few pictures.
Ben wasn't too excited about riding the airplanes, he made sure it didn't do ANYTHING! Andrew on the other hand...LOVED it!

Then Ben wanted to go on the Tower, Andrew wasn't too sure about it.If you look closely, you can see Ben enjoying himself and Andrew gritting his teeth and waiting for it to be over. I was SO proud of him!

Fun with cousins

While in CO we got to spend a lot of time with Bob's sister Becky and her two cuties Gavin and Lily. Andrew and Gavin are 9 months apart and play GREAT together. Ben and Lily are 3 months apart and aren't quite to the playing together stage yet. Sierra was sure thrilled though to have another girl around to hang out with. Although Ben and Lily did play 'with' each other, more like Ben followed Lily around.

Funny little story.....Bob and I came back from some place we'd gone with Bob's sisters and Ben was sitting at the top of the slide crying. Come to find out he'd been throwing sand and grandpa had put him in time out. Later while talking to Ben about his visit with Gavin and Lily, he told me that Gavin was nice, but he didn't like Lily. When I asked him why? he said that he couldn't throw sand at her. I guess he'd thrown the sand at Lily and that's why he was in time out. So....instead of being upset with grandpa for putting him in time out, he decided Lily wasn't fun because he wasn't allowed to throw sand at her.

THANK YOU!!!

When I got off of the plane in Denver, Bob's mom was there waiting to get ON the plane and spend a week here in Bakersfield. So, while I was off having fun with my parents, she and Bob were at our house turning my kitchen from this.....To THIS!!!

We've known from the day we moved in that we wanted to do something with the cabinets. My MIL has been willing to come and help...it was finding when would be the best time. So, being that I'm pregnant and really shouldn't be around paint fumes, she decided she would come out for about a week, paint my kitchen cabinets, and then keep Bob company when he drove to CO to meet us!!How FANTASTIC is she?!?!? I LOVE my new kitchen!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!

P.S. I had to all 3 pics because there was a different kiddo in each one:)

Visit with Cousins!

Last summer my cousin Audrey moved to CO with her family. So, obviously...while we were in CO we HAD to visit with each other. I only wish we would've had more time. And that her husband wasn't in Haiti and mine still in CO. They would've enjoyed the visit as well. We realized that we haven't seen each other since we were roommates at SUU back in the late 90's!! Nearly 15 YEARS!!!Left to Right: Hyrum, Isabelle and Fawn, Andrew, Sierra, Benjamin, and Eli

This is her little Fawn, she is exactly 1 year younger than Sierra and so cute! They adopted her just a few months ago. It's a long and amazing story how they were able to bring her into their family. And I'm proud of the fact that I actually had something to do with it! Little did I know that when I introduced out other cousin Joy to her husband Jeff, that they would end up knowing someone who needed a good home for her baby.

I really enjoyed catching up with Audrey and meeting her family. Her kids are about the same age as mine and they got along FANTASTIC!! My boys can't wait to go back and play with them again.

Tiny Town!!!

There's this great little place in the mountains near my parents house. It's called Tiny Town. They have these miniature houses that the kids can climb in as well as a train that goes around the park. The boys always enjoy going there every time we go to grandma's.Here the boys are on the caboose! They're most favorite place to ride on the train.

Grandma and Sierra waiting for the train ride.

These pictures are of the kids playing in the tiny little houses.

June 2011 Continued....

When the kids and I flew out to Colorado the boys were AMAZING! I was so happy. And as worried as I was about having a layover, it actually worked because just as they were getting antsy, it was time to get off and we had time to stretch our legs as we raced to catch the next plane. Then, when they were done again...we were in DENVER!! Just outside of Denver we hit turbulence, it rocked Sierra to sleep.....FINALLY!! And the boys said it felt like a roller coaster and had a BLAST!!

Here are a few more pictures I couldn't get to add to the last post from when we were in WY.

This is how Ben listens to the Troopers practice...by leading the music and 'playing' the trumpet...the instrument the Connor plays.And here's Sierra enjoying some trooper music.

June 2011

As soon as school got out..well, before that really, the kids and I hopped onto a plane and headed to Denver to spend some time with family. When we got to CO, we spent a night with grandma and grandpa, then headed up North to Casper, WY to spend some time with Connor before he hit the road with the Wyoming Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps. While Connor rehearsed the kids were able to play on a playground near by, close enough to be able to listen.

Because they were rehearsing at Fort Casper, there was actually stuff for us to see. I can't believe this is the only picture of the three of them on a wagon. Really, getting 3 kids to look at me was ridiculous.

Here they are with Connor and one of his troop mates. That's his good friend Sarah standing next to him with Sierra, as unthrilled as Sierra looks, She would've been SCREAMING had it been Connor holding her. Apparently they're not to smile while in uniform...Ben sure doesn't care...there he is, being his silly self.

We attempted to get a picture with all of us...Sierra was exhausted and unsure of Connor, and Ben just wants to be silly. Thanks Andrew for standing and smiling so good.

there's more to come!