Happy Thanksgiving / Birthday!

Hope you all out there had a great Thanksgiving. We certainly did. We were lucky enough to get to celebrate Jake's birthday yesterday also, and we are having the party today for 7 of the coolest boys we know :) I will have to post pictures of the party later, but for now, Thaksgiving and our fun birthday day...



Us on Thanksgiving


Great birthday gift!


Arriving at the Denver Aquarium - Jake in the diver suit


Two best buds at the aquarium


Blake petting the stingrays - Kate trying to reach :)



Uncle Tony and Jake playing basketball at Chuck E Cheese


Kate enjoying the helicopter ride


Tony and the boys. Yep, 500 tickets buys you a matchbox car to share - Thanks to Uncle Tony's basketball skills! Uncle Tony, Aunt Casie, and Grandpa make Chuck E Cheese that much more fun. Thanks for coming!

End of soccer!!

So the end of another year of soccer has come. It was such a fun season! They are in U8, so they now have a full field game,goalies, and officials! Jake is really doing great, and the half that he played goalie, no goals were scored on his side :)He is a much better forward(with his endless energy), and scored a few times this season. This season, since they all have so many soccer trophies, the coaches got them all "strikers" sweatshirts. I don't think I have washed it yet because he can't stop wearing it!Really cool!



After the last game, pizza, and sweatshirts, how else could the season end but with a pick up game of street football with coach Rick?



I also realized that we hadn't put up any pictures of Cooper yet. He is our newest family member. We rescued him in August, and he has become Bailey's best friend:) He is a cool dog, and we have so much fun playing catch with him. He and Bailey wear each other out every day, and that is a big bonus for us! So, now with 3 dogs and 3 kids, I will say we are officially full :)

Happy Halloween

We had a great time trick or treating last night. I can't believe that Kate is big enough to walk the whole time and carry her treat sack. This year Jake was Luke Skywalker (he really looked like a young Mark Hamill!), Blake was Lightning McQueen, and Kate was a purple butterfly.






Lightning McQueen and the butterfly


Luke Skywalker


Just to show this cool house in the neighborhood!And the fact that Kate walked and carried her pumpkin :)


Blake at his Preschool Parade

Potpourri post :)

Ok, since it has been so long since I posted pictures, I have a few that are not really related, but thought you might want to see. So here they are...


The boys hiking Copper Mountain Labor Day weekend. We rode up (in a hail storm that just came out of nowhere about 1/4th way up) and then they closed the lift because of the storm. GREAT! So, we hiked down in the hail storm, probably 4 miles. A good family memory:) This picture was in the last 1/2 mile, when Jake was helping Blake finish. They can be so sweet together.





Erik carrying Kate at about mile 2.5 He does not really look tired yet, but by the end, his shoulders were maybe a little sore. I guess I forgot to say also that we decided to leave the path halfway down to save time, and went the last mile and a half STRAIGHT DOWN following the lift. At one point, someone threw a poncho at us from the newly opened lift that was carrying them back down. We LOVED that :) It was a great workout, just wish I had dry clothes to change in to, and maybe some kind of cushion for the fronts of my shoes to protect the ends of my toes. It was like a 25 incline down instead of up.



This is the boys on the hayride at the Fall Festival. We had such a great time, but because I am on the PTO board this year, was very busy, and did not get many pictures. We went on this great ride together through our neighborhood on a cart with hay seats pulled by clydesdale horses. Does it get any better than this?



My great friend Suzanne with Kate. We are so blessed that Suz decided to work in the ducks class this year, on the days that Kate is there. Kate gets such special love, and I never have to worry:)


That is it for now. There is probably more, but at another time. We are going to Disney next week, so hopefully I will have enough motivation to post those in a more timely manner :)

Soccer is here!

Erik, Blake, and cheesy Kate at Jakes game




Blakes FIRST game (of many, of course)


Blake and Kate watching Jacob. They are the best of friends :)


Jakes team


Jake throwing the ball in..


The lucky part, no snow on Saturdays yet. Tomorrow is the last game for Blake this season, and Jacob has 2 more. As much as I love to watch the boys in their sports, I am really looking forward to winter and hunkering down on Saturdays again too :) And I am quite sure that by March, I will be so looking forward to watching as many games as I can again!

Some new happenings...

We are still here. Having fun and really busy! SO, a few updates...



The first day of preschool for Blake and Kate!








Kate walking up to school :) Big backpack, little girl!

Ok,Ok,Ok,Ok.........

So, here are the pix that go along with the stories!



This is at Blakes birthday party.



Jake on the first day of school.

First Full Week of First Grade

Welcome to our quiet, non-chaotic weekdays now. Jake started first grade last Wednesday, and all of a sudden, from 8:35-3:35 we have a nice break from the sibling "stuff". Blake and Kate have always been good buddies, and it is almost like everyone waits to argue and be crazy until Jake is around. So our days are short, and we miss our biggest brother tremendously! In a few weeks, when preschool starts, just imagine all of the quiet time that I will suddenly have....

Jake's new teacher is Mrs. Wysocki. All I really know about her is that she has the longest hair I have seen recently (like Crystal Gayle long), and she is over 6 feet tall and can touch the classroom ceiling. Who needs education and teaching skills when you have both of those?

Today...

We have friends that TODAY are having a baby - their first :) They started a blog last night at the induction beginning with her name, so go to www.mckennaboyle.blogspot.com to view the many facets of their day of labor and her birth. We are so excited for all of them!

Also, Our favorite childcare lady (Jessika) is having her third baby today. She also was induced yesterday. This will be their third, but the first boy, and his name is Gabe. So YEAH for Mrs. KeKa , and Gabe :)

A quick recap...

Bailey is getting much bigger. We love his spirit and enthusiasm:) We cannot wait to get out of the puppy stage!






Grandpa has been taking the boys to baseball games in his cool convertible. I am not sure which they look forward to more, riding with Grandpa, or snacks and drinks (or I guess PLAYING). This truly could be the highlight of their summer :)





Fourth of July:

The fam -



The brothers after splashing at the splash pad -



Come on Kate! -



So, we just did Kates first haircut. It was uneventful for Kate :) Here is the before:





Mid-Cut -



The finishing touch, a handmade bow -

The real finish, a smile at myself in the mirror -




Hope July finds you happy, healthy and cool :) We will post the California trip pictures, and baseball highlights soon!

OK, we're back!

So, really Easter happened in Highlands Ranch too, and spring is really coming. We have been watching it all, but not so many pictures, and not too much time to post! So, in no particular order, here is what happened to us in the last 2 months:

1. Kate is now walking! She reminds me most of Jacob because she really is running, and didn't go too much into the walking phase. I guess if you wait 16 months to start walking, you are probably old enough to run instead. Anyway, a big life change for all of us!

2. We got a new computer in February. I only put this because learning a new system is one reason why we don't have any pictures with this post, or stored recently. I guess I have to get an adapter for my memory card, details, details........

3. We had a great Easter. It was a long day including 2 dinners, an egg hunt inside, a cul-de-sac egg hunt, 2 Sunday School hours, 1 church hour, and of course baskets. I would love to show you our pictures, but refer to #2.

4. Bailey is now nearing 50 lbs., and almost growing into his paws. We have had a many shirt casualty due to puppy teeth, and Blake's ears will never be the same, but he is starting to calm a bit, and is so much fun to play with and pet. He is such a gentle soul and really loves to fetch things (I love it when dogs do that!). So after his "surgery" next month, I bet we will have a fun summer with him. Did I mention that he loves to hike too? BONUS!

5. Jake is nearing the end of kindergarten, and about to begin his life of full day school. Little does he know that this summer I have him in baseball (coach pitch this year!), swimming, tae kwon do, curiosity club, basketball camp, vacation bible school, and music camp. He might be a little busy :) So much for the lazy days of summer!

6. Blake is only 1 year away from being a kindergartener also. Where has the time gone??? He has fewer activities this summer, but is so excited to be starting T-ball with our neighbor Ryan. That, and playing with Bailey might just keep him busy enough for a while (and swimming, VBS, and soccer camp). He couldn't be more excited to meet his coach and get out there in uniform. What a big boy!

7. Erik is on his last ski weekend before Copper shuts down for the summer. I think he said that he skied 8 times this year, which for an involved Dad with 3 little kids, is a lot. Jake is now skiing with him and they are on green and blue runs, although Erik will enjoy it more when Jake isn't so fascinated with skiing the rough by the trees. Those are my fearless helmet-wearing boys!

8. Soccer is 3 weeks into the season, and Erik still has them all returning each week (just kidding!). He is doing a phenomenal job coaching those 9 kindergarten boys. They are a scoring machine, and can almost bend it like Beckham. I know this is hard to fathom, but there is another Jake on our team this season that is truly 6 inches taller than our Jake. Now if we could just get him to follow us to Colorado Basketball Academy camp, we would be in business.

9. I am busier than ever with VBS coming up not for one week, but 2 at our church. We have an evening and a morning session, and they fill up quickly each year. I love that I am making so many of the decisions this year for the kids, but will miss my music job. So after much pleading, I am going to teach the preschool music and movement rotation.

10. Our show aired on February 20th for the first time, and has aired many times since. If you have missed it, go to DIYnetwork.com under Sweat Equity: Bedroom Build Out, and they will give you the next 10 airings or so online. It has been so much fun watching this season, and seeing the projects that we heard so much about from the cast and crew for so long. Kate is loving her new room, and I am being hired to do a few friends' rooms this summer. You know, in all our free time.....


So, a quick (or not so quick) catch up of the last few months. Check back in June!!(Really, just kidding!)

Fat Tuesday Pancake Dinner

Our church every year has a pancake dinner to celebrate Mardi Gras and the coming of Lent. We went this year, and had such an awesome time. The catered pancakes were great, Blake discovered that he LOVES sausage, and the music and entertainment were fun, and super family friendly. The boys really had no reservation about starting up the dance floor for all, and the magician kept everyone guessing all night about his magic powers. We all left with full bellies (who doesn't love breakfast for dinner!), and fun beads and masks. I have to say, probably the first time I have ever celebrated mardi gras with a bunch of church friends in a converted sanctuary and had a blast! Already looking forward to next year :)



Kate is SO glad to be here!


Who is it? Oh yeah, the boys and their art masterpiece masks



Kate and her table decoration pre-made mask (Hey,whatever works)


The magician and his captive audience


Let's get this party started on the dance floor/sanctuary!

More Bailey

What a great first day home, full of all the things a puppy loves!

Happy New Year!

New year, new changes, new PUPPY!

I know, we need a puppy like a hole in the head, but we totally fell in love, and are hoping that this puppy will change our kids ideas about family dogs. If you know us, we have a dog named Maggie, who, nicely put, has never been a friendly family dog. Nine years later, we have decided that our kids need that experience, and adopted Bailey - a goldendoodle. He is a mix of a standard poodle and a golden retriever. He is sweet as can be, and we are so excited to have him! So here is Bailey at 8 weeks old!