What We Have Been Up To

Man time sure flies. I am not exactly sure where it all goes, but it has been two weeks since I lasted posted and so much has happened I don't I can even begin to cover everything like I want. Life is a little crazy around here right now. I watch my two friends kids during the day, and let me tell you 4 kids is a little crazy, but it also very fun and good. Then at night we have tried letting the girls have their door open and this goes great for Kylee, but Tia thinks she can just stay up and play around downstairs. Not cool. If she want's to stay up I really don't have to much of a problem with that if she is upstairs and leave us and her sister alone, but alas that would not be near as much fun as going up and down their stairs, climbing over the baby gate, telling mom goodnight, or any thing else her brain can come up with. Needless to say, my evenings are not as undisrupted as they use to be and my days and just a little crazier with two 4 year-olds, a 2 year-old, and a 18 month old.

Here are my buddies enjoying a picnic lunch at the train park. Trent, Tori, Kylee, and Tia.

Despite the craziness, I still love the family time that we get together. I love spending tons of time with my kids, but especially love the time I get to spend with Gaupo and my girls together. This Saturday was one of those super fun time. We started off the morning with a great breakfast on the griddle and then we found out we were suppose to clean the church so we hurried and helped over there for a bit. Then we got some good deals at a garage sale across the street and went home. There we worked on Kylee's bike trying to get the back tire to be more free spinning and I made a picnic lunch. Then we loaded our bikes and lunch in the van and went out to Sandstone Ranch. There we parked the van and rode the perfect length trial to the visitors center there. We first went and saw an old barn and Tia was so disappointed that there were no chickens or cows with that barn. Then we sat down at one of the visitors center's little picnic tables and had lunch. The girls thought it was so great to be at a picnic table that was just their size, and so it was fun to enjoy sandwiches, cookies, and chips in the lovely shade.

The family at the picnic table.

Kylee enjoying lunch. I know it doesn't look it, but she did.

Tia loving a cookie.

Gaupo at the picnic.

After lunch we went inside the visitor's center. It is an oldish house and so it was fun to see the layout. I have been pretty spoiled with all the great complete restorations of sites that I grew up seeing in Utah, but it was still fun to see and wonder what it would have been like. They have a playroom for the kids and Tia found an old fashioned stroller and baby and loved pushing that around. Kylee loved the butterfly wings and cool kitchen stuff they had. Eventually we had to go, much to our dismay. But, we left and rode the trial back to the car. However, along the way Kylee's tire decide to come out of the rim. Actually she had the wire that holds it into the rim come out on Friday and I couldn't figure out what it was so I just cut it off, but come to find out it hold the tire around the tube. We tried to get it to work just so she could finish the ride, but it wasn't happening, so she had to ride with me on Gaupo's bike while he rode my bike with her bike and while we both had bike fulls we were trying to keep Tia going or not going. It was pretty wild, but we made it, and on the way home we stopped by Wal-Mart and got a new tire, so Kylee is once again happy because she has her bike. I know its simple, but it really was a great family day. We were able to not only go somewhere peaceful, but we were able to do an activity together as a family. It was so great.

Sorry for the horrible pic, but this is the entry of the upstairs.

Another fun thing we have done recently is have a slumber/stay-cation party at Aunt Kitt's house. We went down to Littleton about 3:30 and were through some miracle able to catch 5:00 session. We met Kitt at the temple and then hurried to change and get to the chapel. We made with a couple of minutes to spare. I wish we had more time, but I was ready and it was so nice to b there. We had a great temple session and got to spend a little bit in the Celestial Room and then we went back to Kitt's house. Kitt and Peter had taken the girls to the park and were having a blast, so we just collected Kitt's house key and went home and enjoyed a little dinner alone. It was kind of nice once again to be just the two of us. The kids all got back and the girls and I told Gaupo good-bye because he had to go home to work on Saturday. Then we hung out for a bit and then I put the girls to bed. That was a little bit of a trick, but not near as bad as I thought it would be. I think that was a tender mercy as well. Then Kitt, Peter, and I stayed up talking until like 12:30. It was crazy late. This mama is not use to those times of night, but it was fun and I got to know a little more about Peter. After Peter left, Kitt and I of course had to spend some time talking and then we finally went to bed. In the morning, we got up and played for a bit while Aunt Kitt slept and interviewed Uncle Jack. Then we made waffles for breakfast and got ready for the day. Once ready we headed to a new park and played until lunch. It was so nice to go to a new park. The girls had their bikes and enjoyed exploring new toys. We had Mac and Cheese with hot dogs for lunch and then took naps. When we woke up from naps we headed home. It was nice to stay somewhere else and stay up and talk, but only have to do it for one night. It is kind of hard to go for a long time with kids, but do able and worth it. However, I am so glad we got a fun get away at Aunt Kitt's.

This is how Tia slept.

Kylee. Please note her baby is sleeping the same way.

Tia and the ducks. She probably rode her bike to this spot 5 times just to see the ducks.

Playing in the 'sand' toy. I am pretty sure it was meant for water at one point, but its sand now.

The super fun slide at Aunt Kitt's.

In other fun stuff, about 2 weeks ago my old roommate Sacha and her family stopped by and visited and had dinner with us. They were on their way to North Carolina and their flight wasn't till late at night so they came and chilled here for bit. It was fun to watch the kids play and to catch up with them. I really haven't seen any of my roommates since I was first married, so it was fun to see just one. Also are kids are pretty close in age, so it was fun to watch them figure out how to play together.

Also about two weeks ago was the Boulder County Fair. I look the girls on a Tuesday night. Gaupo wasn't much interested in going, so I thought we would check it out and if it was worth going back we would go when he could go. Well the girls and I got a free shuttle ride from the fair entrance to the Fowl house. Tia loved seeing the chickens and ducks. Man they sure have some crazy birds in that place. Then we went and saw the goats, pigs, and cows. Then we went and 'milked' a cow. It was really a pretend cow that had when you milked it water came out. Kylee loved it and Tia wouldn't even touch it, but they both loved the stickers. After that we went through the vendor/display house. Then we went and looked at the rides and then went home. I thought it was great to see all the animals and enjoy being there, but we didn't go back so I guess that tell you it wasn't epic, but it was fun and the girls I think really enjoyed it and would have liked to go back especially if the animal petting place was open.

Kylee and Tia with the chickens.

I have had a really great summer with my girls. It has been fun to watch them learn and grow. I love watching my family grow. Sometimes I want them to stop growing up and changing, but I do love watching them master new skills, see new things, and try stuff. I think my favorite things have been swimming and learning that we really enjoy biking together as a family. It is fun to have something that everyone enjoys doing.

Here is something else fun we did. We made homemade oreo's. The girls loved frosting them. Or in Tia's case, just eating the frosting.