Fun at the pumpkin farm...

We had so much fun at the pumpkin farm last year that we decided to go back to the same one this year! We all had a great time and the weather was gorgeous, minus a steady wind...but hey, that's what you get in late October on the plains of Colorado. (Actually, I think that's what you get year-round out there.)

I realized on the way home that we didn't get a single picture of Mason while we were there, but trust me. All you would have seen was a picture of the stroller with blanket covering it. No one saw him and he didn't see anything but the back of his eyelids, so I don't feel too badly. We have more than enough pictures of him in his carseat by now! (Isn't it funny how many of those sleeping and/or in the carseat, or sleeping in the carseat pictures you end up with, by the way?)

In any case, here's our day in pictures. Well, sort of. I was kind of a slacker with the camera this year. Anyway - I'll put a couple of videos at the end of the haystack jumping, which was noteworthy for two reasons: (1) We were in awe that the little two year old boy who would completely freak out with fear at the thought of going down a little gymboree slide was now a risk-taking almost 6 year old, jumping with glee off of a haystack tower and (2) I didn't have to take my husband to the hospital for another knee surgery after all. (Thank you, Lord!)

I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful season as much as we are! Happy Fall!

Waiting for Daddy to pay for our tickets.

Feeding the ducks and fish is fun!

Proudly emerging from our successful trip through the corn maze! (Which is amazing, considering that I was the navigator.)

Gotta love the good ol' barrel train! Daddy took one for the team while Mommy took pictures. Doesn't he look thrilled? His expression makes me giggle.

And now...for some haystack jumping.

Off to a rockin' start...

So.

Last time I posted I told you how we were going on a 4 day mini-vaca as a family and were excited to be leaving the sickies behind as we rang in 2008 as a healthy, relaxed little group.

Welllll...it didn't quite work out that way.

On Saturday we spent the day packing up our stuff (more of a "me" than a "we"), putting Christmas stuff away, shoveling walks (that was more of a "he" than a "we"), and finally loading all of our stuff and ourselves into the van. Seriously - you would have thought we were going for 4 weeks, not 4 days -- that thing was packed to the gills! We had already decided to just avoid the headache of taking the kids out to eat and instead brought enough food and drinks to last us the whole time. Also, the hot item of the week had been the new kitchen, fake food and tea sets that arrived at Christmas, so we decided to bring those along. (The kitchen barely comes up to my waist -- it's tiny. The fake food and tea sets are all in one 3-drawer rolling plastic bin, so it was easy traveling with those.) We also loaded up a bag full of trains and books. We were all set!

We planned on leaving around 1 but didn't get on the road until about 3. Not a big deal until we decided we needed to make two stops once we got into our little mountain town. By the time we got to the condo, checked in and got everything unloaded it was about 6. I think it was around this time that I told Chris I felt like I was getting sick. My throat was starting to hurt, I had a headache and I just felt a little "off". (Remember that Mitchell and I were both already on antibiotics for strep at this point.) I sort of shrugged it off though because I assumed it was just from having a busy day and not staying totally on top of drinking enough water, so I just started drinking a lot of it right then.

We had a fun night and made some pizzas for dinner. There was a great gas fireplace in the living room which really warmed the whole room -- and it was so cozy and relaxing. (The kids did a wonderful job of staying away from it, too!) The kids were so excited to be in the mountains and it was snowing off and on, which was beautiful to watch. Mitchell was already asking to go play outside in the snow, and we promised him that we would the next day.

We are a sports-loving family, so we were all having fun watching football together - especially since Mitchell insisted on bringing his new Broncos outfit and helmet with him. He loves to pretend he's in the game and "helping the team" - it makes us laugh to see him running around in his own little football game. Such a goof! The only problem that we found was that the large, rectangular window above the couch was REALLY drafty...super drafty. That weekend was filled with high wind and very cold temperatures so we had to improvise with some extra pillows and sheets to block the draft. We never got it completely sealed off but it was much better after our little alteration. The kids also had fun "making dinner" and just playing together in the living room.

We got everyone settled into bed that first night -- Georgia didn't really even fight sleeping in her pack n' play, which was fantastic! There was a little cut-out closet with no doors right inside of our bedroom that made the perfect, cozy little spot for her. Mitchell ended up just sleeping with us. We have a queen sized bed at home, so this HUGE king bed had more than enough room for all of us. Chris and I were both exhausted, so we all went to bed at the same time.

The next morning (Sunday) when I woke up - I knew I was about to get hammered. (I should mention here that we had some "people" over for dinner on Friday night and it turns out that one of them had been sick in bed with a bad cough/cold and the chills *read: fever* all day, yet didn't tell us this and still came to dinner at our house so I was hoping against hope that this wouldn't happen. I'm trying VERY hard not to be bitter or angry about this, as I'm sure you can understand.) I felt absolutely HORRIBLE and feverish. I also was starting to cough and every time that I did it felt like my entire throat and chest were literally on fire. (You know how it feels when you run in really cold weather? That burning?) Mitchell was also starting to cough a bit, which worried me as I was sure he'd soon be feeling like I was. We got everyone fed and sort of got our stuff a bit more settled in the kitchen and living room. It really is so very beautiful up there -- and the kids, like us, were amazed by the view out of our window. We all sat taking it in for awhile, watching for birds and squirrels and other wildlife. There were some gorgeous bluejays that kept flying in and out of the trees right off of our deck.

Mitchell was begging all morning to go outside, so we decided that since the wind hadn't kicked up too much yet, that it would be as good a time as any. (Good thing - the 20 minutes we were outside was it for the WHOLE weekend!!) I really can't believe that I'm putting this picture in here -- you can see how great I felt. Oh, and for the record, I didn't even BRING my makeup bag with me on the trip so just know that. (And BethAnne, my friend, I don't even want to HEAR about another horrible hair/no makeup day from you -- I've clearly trumped you but good in the looking glorious department.) Anyway - it was pretty cold out there (but then again, I had a fever) so we didn't stay long but the kids had so much fun just tromping around in the snow outside of our complex. They cleared the whole picnic table off -- I think that's what took the most time -- and Mitchell made a few great snow angels. Oh, and sweet Miss G did her usual face plant in the snow thing, of course. Then we headed back inside for more football and some hot chocolate and snacks.

I'll give you the nutshell version of the rest of the weekend:

*By about 2pm that day, Mitchell and I both were feeling awful. He and I both kept our fevers until Tuesday morning. His got up to 104 but was usually around 102 and mine was around 101 most of the time. Tylenol and motrin (just for him) helped, but only temporarily. *Georgia joined in on the fun for most of Monday by throwing up once and having a low grade fever, but other than that seemed to be feeling like herself most of the time. *Chris ended up escaping the sick bug -- but I wonder if that's because he was already on Tamiflu from his little episode the week before. *We watched a lot of football and cartoons and I was thankful that there was a Law & Order Marathon on tv all night long since I didn't do much sleeping. *Chris ran to the grocery store 3 times for more medicine, drinks, etc. which was the only money we spent, so at least that was a good thing *He got in the private hot tub on our deck exactly one time but was in sheer heaven while he was soaking *I was actually awake at midnight on New Year's -- of course that's because Mitchell's fever wouldn't go down and I was worried sick while he slept on me. *There were super high winds and it was freezing!! all weekend long, so even if we'd wanted to go outside, we couldn't have.

So.

Here we are, back at home a week later. (And it's the middle of the night as I'm still not sleeping very good, thanks to this monster cough.) I'm still sick, though much better. Mitchell is the same way. Georgia drank out of his cup a few days ago and today came down with a 101.6 degree fever and a cough. *ding,ding* Round 2 anyone??

Still.

It's manageable. It stinks like crazy and I truly have not been this sick in years, but it's manageable. And temporary. And as Chris and I kept repeating to each other all last weekend while we were away...at least we're together.

I'll be back more often once we kick this thing for good. Hope everyone else's year is off to a better start!

Getting Personal...

Sarah posted this on her blog today, encouraging her readers to do the same. Oh, happy day! I love stuff like this, I wasn't sure if I had any bloggy ideas today, and I'm also TOTALLY procrastinating right now (we have a showing this afternoon and I need to clean), so it was a huge score for me in all three areas! It would be fun to read even more of these -- so to anyone who is game -- Tag, you're it!



Accent - I think I'm from that part of the country that people say doesn't have an accent. I will say that out here, people tend to say "warsh" instead of "wash" and it bothers me, so I have not adopted that little gem. (I also tend to tease my parents about it.) My mom told me that when I was as young as about three years old, I would start speaking differently after spending a short amount of time with people who had an accent. I started on my professional pathway early on! Hee hee.

I Don't Drink - Sweetened tea. Okay, all of you Southern ladies -- pick yourselves up off of the ground now. I like my iced tea with real lemon but no sweetener of any kind. At all.

Chore I Hate - I really can't stand dusting. It just irritates me to think about doing it. In fact, I would much rather be doing a random bloggy survey than dusting my house. I love the way the house looks after I do it, but yuck.

Pets - None, currently. My husband and I are both big dog lovers, so I can't see us never having one. Or two. We just don't have them yet.

Essential Electronics - Maybe I'll do my top three...that would be...hmmmm... (1) Computer, (2) Radio, and (3) Telephone. Not that I like to communicate or be connected with the world, or anything. My husband would probably be just fine with a rock, chisel, and a pigeon. Me? Not so much.

Perfume - Oh, yay! I get to talk about my beloved "Heart" again! It's made by Garden Botanika and I've worn it forever. If I was Oprah, it would be on my "favorite things" show. I love, love, love it!

Gold or Silver - Depends on what I'm wearing, but I prefer silver. Incidentally, the chain and cross I'm wearing today are made of both silver and gold. What are the odds?

Insomnia - Ohhhhhhh, insomnia. We're well acquainted. I've always been a horrible sleeper and still have trouble sleeping at least one or two times a month. I pretty much never slept in grad school -- stress does that to me, and well, it was sorta stressful.

Job Title - 90% of the time I'm a wife and Mommy. 10% of the time I'm a speech-language pathologist. Right now I am doing some private practice and have four children that I see weekly in their homes. I love it, but I really miss working in the schools. I miss my team, I miss the kids, I miss working in classrooms and with the teachers, but I sure don't miss all that paperwork!

Most Admired Trait - I think I'm going to say integrity. Each and every day it seems like there is less and less of it to discover in this world, so I appreciate it more and more.

Kids - We are parents to two little blessings! Mitchell is 4 1/2 and Georgia is 18 months. Good thing you didn't ask if we were having more!

Religion - Hmmmm, that's pretty open-ended. I grew up attending a Lutheran church. I sort of did my own thing (which was pretty much nothing) in college. Now, I am married to a catholic man and attend a non-denominational church, so I guess my answer would be...I'm religiously eclectic? I will say that my faith and passion for the Lord is stronger now than it ever has been, and so many parts of my life continue to change for the better as my faith grows.

Siblings - I have one brother (Tim) who is a year and a half older than I am.

Time I Wake Up - Most of the time, no later than 7, maaaayyyybbbbeeeee 7:30. I am starting my get up early to work out/have quiet time though, so it's going to be 5:30 several times a week now.

Vegetable I Hate - I really like pretty much any vegetable, really. Oh, I know. For some reason, pearl onions really gross me out. A lot. I won't eat those, but I don't hate them...they didn't do anything to me!

Worst Habit - No one is likely enjoying this little survey more than my mom, if she's reading it. I bet she is getting a good giggle out of some of these! I would have to say it's a toss up between picking my cuticles (I hate that I do it, but I do it all of the time, and half the time I don't even realize I'm doing it!) or procrastinating. I'm pretty good at both of them, and they're both pretty sucky habits to have. You decide which is worse.

My Favorite Meal - Probably a big, huge dinner from my favorite local mexican restaurant, El Parral. I love to get a chile relleno (soft, not crispy), a guacamole tostada, and a cheese enchilada (no onions). Yuuuuummmmmm!!!

That's it? Really? Dang. Guess I better get back to cleaning!! I'll look forward to reading some more of these! Thanks, Sarah!

Pictures from our lazy Sunday...

We are a Bronco-lovin' family (well, Eagles, too -- but that's sort of a long story) and it's that time of year. Here are the two littlest fans in the house on the first Bronco Sunday of the year!


Playing Peek-A-Boo on the couch...


I should have taken a video of how hard they were laughing at each other...


Uh, YEAH...that used to be a pair of pigtails before naptime. Does the look on her face tell you anything about this girl? (That would be a definite yes, by the way.) Whoooo, Nelly.


At the batting cages with Daddy...he wanted to get in there SO badly!!


Just a fun video from the park...this is what Georgia did literally the entire time we were there.



Okay, and when I typed "lazy Sunday" into the title of this post, I was reminded of one of my very favorite SNL skits. I have it bookmarked and had to go watch it, so now I'm feeling the need to provide you with a link to the video that makes my husband and I crack up every time we watch it. There is one bleep, but it's very tame and so funny. Double true!!

It's going to be a good day...

Well, it probably was until I said that, huh? *wink*

So, let me tell you about my day so far...

I woke up and looked at the clock and it read 8:02.

8:02!!!!!

Can you believe that? MY children were both still asleep and I was snuggling with my husband! At 8:02 a.m. My hubby must have felt me lift my head off of the pillow because his arms tightened around me.

Chris: "I love you."
Me: "It's 8:02!!!"
Chris: (laughs) "I say I love you and you say it's 8:02?"
Me: "Well, I know you know that I love you, but I'm pretty sure you didn't know that we're still laying here in silence after 8:00 am and the kids are actually here, too!"

It's already a good day right there! Church was last night, so today is family time, from start to finish. The Broncos are playing, the weather is nice and cool but still warm, and we have nothing on the calendar except for spending time together.

It's now 8:44 and my kiddos are both snuggled under the blankets in our bed watching cartoons and giggling out loud every once in a while. Mitchell starts giggling, Georgia looks from the tv to his face, decides that she should be laughing, and joins in. I look over at both of them and can't help it, so I join in. Laughter really is contagious.

I'm sitting two feet away from them at the computer, and we're all in our Broncos stuff. I'm actually peacefully catching up on email, blogs, and, much to my husband's dismay, the eBay auctions I've bid on that are ending this morning. (There are some super cute jeans I am trying to get for Miss G! Sweet -- just won one of them!) I haven't had to say "Stop that," "Put that down", "Shhhhh," "Be nice," or "Just a minute," once. They are just content to just lay there together.

My husband? Where is he? My beloved Starbucks-hater is currently in the drive-thru line getting me an iced coffee. I didn't even ask! He just said he'd be back, and I know what that means! As he was leaving, he announced that he would be making breakfast upon his return. He is making his awesome breakfast burritos for us -- yummmmmmmmy!

Today's already been a wonderful day...I can't wait to see what the rest of the day brings!

Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful family. Thank you for opening my eyes in such a gentle, comforting way this morning.

No plans...

It is SOOOO nice to say that we have no plans for today. None. At all. Not one thing.

Sometimes life just gets too crazy and I end up just running around. Whether it's running from here to school, running errands, heck...running up and down the stairs 49 times doing laundry... it just feels good to have a day where I can sit on my bootie and not do a darn thing if I don't want to.

Is there laundry to do? You betcha. Dirty dishes? Definitely. Bathrooms to clean? Of course!

Guess what -- there are also oatmeal cookies to bake, naps to take, books to read, kids to play with, a husband to cuddle with and good music to enjoy. My couch needs me today. Those cookies are DYING for me to whip them up. The backyard finally gobbled up my two guys and their soccer ball.

What a great day -- for doing NOTHING. (We are going to church though.)

Totally on a different topic -- just picked Georgia up out of the swing to put her in the pack n play for the rest of her nap. I absolutely LOVE IT when I pick her up and she gets all froggy with her legs and little but. Ugh. She's gonna grow too fast...soon she won't fit on my chest, under my chin all snuggled up. Too soon I'm going to be holding someone else's newborn saying "My kids were never this little."

Leave it to me to cry about her getting too big when she's the littlest she'll ever be. Sigh. As if I don't have enough to worry about. I think for today -- I'll just decide to cherish her the way she is and give her more snuggles and kisses than she needs.

Off to the oven for some cookies!!!