Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Claytonopolis Trek 2013

We did it AGAIN.  We drove 1,980 miles and it went relatively smoothly.  Our kids were sick just before we left.  Annie had an ear infection.  Both Kristiana and Annie had a stomach bug.  Lucy had pinkeye on our trip and was teething.  But, all that did not touch us.  We made it through pretty well.

We did a couple of things new and different this year.  On our first day of driving, we drove starting early in the morning and drove 13 hours straight to Colorado Springs.  We only had a couple stops for bathroom breaks.  I packed all our food for the day.  Then we stayed a day in Colorado with my sister.  We replenished the food supply a bit and continued on up through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and finally Washington.  We all loved bringing our own food.  We saved money, saved time and saved our waste lines.  We ALL felt great at the end.

Alex was a great helper on the trip as he tended to his sisters needs.  Kristiana was also a big helper.  Although, she unbuckled herself and moved about the car a little too often.  Kristiana was also our comic relief.  She had lots to say about our journey.  Her observations were so mature yet fresh.  I know you are thinking you want to hear some of the hilarious things she said, but it was all things that you had to have been there.  Her timing was perfect.  It kept us laughing the whole way.  

By the time we reached Washington Annie had decided to give up on being potty trained and went back to diapers.  She was too stressed. I can't push it.  When she makes up her mind, there's no other way but hers.  She'll be fully potty trained someday. 

Alas, our one travail of the trip was that Andrew had our van re-aligned before the trip.  He thought that it was pulling to the right.  So he took it in and had it down for a good price.  Apparently, the mechanic did not set it right.  By the time we had completed the journey our tires were bald.  This is exactly what we had intended to avoid.  We called the mechanic and he said he would pay for half of replacing the tires because our tire were already used.  But, we don't want to put used tires on our vehicle, and we would not be in this mess if they had done the work right.  This has caused my husband much stress.  It's annoying for sure, but this is life.  Sometimes you receive some hard knocks; and sometimes the hard knocks are life knocking. 

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Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

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Road Lunch - half-eaten

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Baby Lunch - jelly sandwiches and bananas are good!

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Sisters - Part One

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Colorado! We made it all in one day!

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Colorado Springs Zoo

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Notice peacock at the bottom left

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Pony ride - Memories to make a childhood

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Sisters - Part Two

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"Sister, I would like to get a workout in, today."

"Okay, let's go climb up the mountain.  Don't worry, my enlisted men made it up with some breaks."

I looked it up.  It's a 2,100 ft elevation climb, 3.25 miles long.  It was great exercise.  I just wanted a light jog and a little weightlifting, but this was way better.  It was like being in an airplane looking down at the ground.  It's a very vigorous climb, not for the faint of heart.  Within 30 steps your heart is pumping pretty hard.  Here's another blogger who explains it better (Manitou Hike).  It's worth a quick look, because there are better pictures.  Although, I do not know how he was able to take pictures because everyone on the trail look shaky and exhausted.  It would be very difficult to turn around on the steep incline and take a picture without falling over. 

Photo

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Wyoming - looking unusually green

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Montana - The Great Continental Divide

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That's it.  We're looking forward to a great Washington summer.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Saturday, May 11, 2013

7 Quick Takes - The Spring Has Come

1. We have lived in our house two and half years and I think we have done very well with our garden.  Here is my beautiful spring garden with herbs and flowers and the sweetest smelling climbing Jasmine in the back.  I am also hoping to grow bell pepper this year.  We'll see.  Peppers tend to be a late summer and fall crop around here. 

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2. Garden Helper - I caught Lucy standing on her own, but I did not get the camera quick enough.  This is the picture after the moment.

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3. Lucy has been our latest walker.  I blame her tiny feet.  Her feet are so small they aren't enough to balance her body.  Kristiana and Annie walked at ten and half months and Alex walked at nine months.  Despite not being able to walk yet, she knows how to climb up the slide by herself.

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4. "Mommy, I am going to make you an anniversary present."  This week we celebrated eight years since our marriage crowning.  The kids were happy to celebrate with us.  Alex made us a Lego heart.  I told him I would take a picture so that he could keep his Legos.  He was adamant that we should keep the heart.  That day my husband started to feel ill.  He has been sick with the flu ever since.  Boo.

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5. Oh, Annie! "How do you solve a problem like Annie?" (The Sound of Music)  She's just full of two year old.  Sometimes we think she has gone totally mad.  But, there is always a simple explanation behind it--not enough to eat, not enough sleep, not enough words to express her needs, curiosity, her demands are not sensible (no, you can't eat candy for breakfast, lunch and dinner).

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6. This is exactly what I tell my kids not to do.  The kids were watching me too.  I totally poked myself in the eye while taking this picture.  Now mommy has bangs.  I have not had a haircut since Lucy was born a year ago.  My hair was no behaving anymore.  At some point here I really should see a professional.

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7. And one year after Lucy was born, I am 48 pounds lighter.  Finally I look on the outside what I have always felt like I was on the inside--just a normal girl--not a big girl not a small girl--just normal.  I think I'd like to lose another ten pounds.  I have quite a bit of fat still in the mommy section that I would like to see go.  But, it was tough to make the last ten pounds go, so I might just have to stay happy right where I am.  

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Monday, May 6, 2013

Happy 1st Birthday to Lucy

You light up our lives--our happy go lucky baby.

Cake is good!

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We had a little party for Lucy.  The party was really more about the grown-ups as any one year's party should be.  We played games with friends.

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Dye-Free jelly beans were a smash hit.

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Lucy received a water table for her birthday.  She loved it.

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Until Annie doused her and made her so cold she had to take a nap.  But, it was a good day over all.

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