Father's Day in the Mountains

For Father's Day this year, my parents drove the 12 hours to visit us in Colorado. We kept it pretty low key with stroller walks, long breakfasts, and lots of easy shopping. We did take a full day to drive into the mountains of a local mining town for pictures. My mom and I bought matching shirts on base  {my dad is a retired Army Captain, so they stayed on base at the Air Force Academy to do something unique} and we wore them for a picnic lunch in Victor, Colorado. The weather was perfect- low 60's and cool. At 10,000 ft. elevation, the weather can definitely be unpredictable. We had a great picnic lunch overlooking the lake and then hiked with the tripod out onto the edge of  the reservoir for views.

We drove down into the Front Range area of Rampart Road.

The mountains are just too gorgeous!

We did a bit of off-roading on a dirt road- and even saw a few wild big horned sheep.

Almost every night, Harbor rode back to the base with my parents for a sleepover at the Officer's Lodge.  I don't think he wanted to ever come back home.

They had The Egg and I for breakfast several times, and he even went  early morning shopping with them and picked out a few things for him and the other two kiddos.

My parents kept all three kids late one night and we went out on a much needed date.

Our first date since Christmas!

We saw the newest Jurassic movie and ate at a quaint steak house overlooking the city.

We spent two different nights walking a local bike path with the stroller.

The kids always enjoy the simple activity of just being outside.

Harbor recently used some extra money to buy a scooter, but tired of using it and David ended up riding it the entire path.

While David worked, we drove down to the Paint Mines.

The kids slipped and slid down the gravel shortcut we took to the mines, and we had to hold them and carry them, but we all made it safely down.

The boys love to collect rocks and explore.

I do, too.

The mines are one of my favorite places.

It isn't common anymore to visit a place and feel small.

The mines are millions of years old and just a great place to ponder and reflect life.

After all the work to get to the bottom, the skies turned gray.

Storm clouds rolled in and we high tailed it out of there.

It was a quick, but enjoyable visit.

We hiked and waded in a few waterfall areas.

And jogged with the double stroller.

After my parents went back South, we took the kids to the park on the bikes.

We have officially made cookies for the first time in the apartment.

Which is pretty much a rite of passage for our family.

: )

and Harbor has scored a new lunchbox for 1st grade!

Summer is flying by!

Six Chapters

In a perfect world, this blog post would be broken into six chapters: 1. Our 14th wedding anniversary 2. My kids are growing up! 3. Harbor graduates from Awanas Bible Study 4. Harbor graduates from Cub Scout Kindies 5. Harbor graduates from Kindergarten  {I'm feeling a bit blue writing all that out!} 6. We've MOVED! {packing, packing, packing!}   But, life isn't perfect, so these six chapters are condensed into the Cliff Notes version. {Just like college, but not written in Shakespearean English!} : ) For our 14th wedding anniversary, David secretly constructed his own Pinterest project for our dining room table.  He doesn't drink Coke, so he had buddies drink the bottles for him and he filled them with my favorite flower, our wedding flower- hydrangeas.  A few days later, he surprised me yet again by refilling the bottles with yet more fresh flowers. He is so handy and creative. The engineer in him makes life fun! 14 years have sure gone by in a hurry! I know people on social media {and the world at large!} don't like to hear the sappy love fests from old married couples, but life  with David is pretty perfect. If my life ever looks adventure filled- or plush and easy- or fun and safe, you can thank David! He is the protector of our family and I'm so thankful to be his. 

My little ones are full of life and energy!

They are getting so big.

Hollin is already nine months old and I'm starting to think about 1st birthdays.

Sigh.

I'm in shock that I even just wrote that.

ONE year is coming up with my Hollin Leslie.

Utterly unbelievable.

Harbor smiling big for his Lego collection stored on a new Ikea shelf.

{Our house is empty and on the market!} 

He requested popcorn for breakfast in May.

I thought it was a swell idea.

: )

Henry had his very own play date with a new buddy, Jude. 

I made sixty custom reception invitations for a family in Utah.

Hollin has two bottom teeth, is babbling, pulling up, and still breastfeeding 100% like a champ!

{sleeping through the night.. not so much!}

: )

While I was packing, I rediscovered the Halloween dinosaur tails we made the kids.

An impromptu T-Rex dress up party shortly ensued.

Who says boys can't play dress up?!

: )

Harbor graduated from Awanas at church.

He attended a two hour scripture memorization class once a week

from August to May.

This is his third year to be faithful to the program and he memorized over 100 verses.

I pray he hides them deep in his heart! 

Some dear, dear friends of ours moved to Colorado from Arkansas this month.

Judith and I taught together in Arkansas for many years and right about the time we moved here two years ago, we playfully began scheming about them coming out as well.

The mountains might have been calling their names, but the Lord definitely opened all the doors in His perfect timing.  We are so excited to have them so near us again!

Harbor enjoyed play dates with school friends

{and little brother Henry was ever close}

We tried to keep Harbor from graduating Kindergarten,

We closed off all the hallways with tape in our new apartment.

He busted through them with gusto!

And the inevitable happened.

My first born, my baby walked across his first stage.

{and I cried happy tears for him, but was so emotional}

We attended a reception afterwards in his classroom.

This year has been one of the best years of his life.

Kindergarten was above and beyond what we had hoped.

I'm so thankful he thrived.

We are sad to let the good things go from our hands, 

but I know the best is yet to come.

Mommy and Hollin

Daddy and Hollin

Harbor and I with his sweet teacher

{hello, chevron!}

: )

And lastly, I woke today to find Harbor "reading" his new yearbook.

I pulled out several of my own to show him my class pictures.

We are house hunting for something with a bigger back yard and closer to Harbor's school.

A 4th bedroom would be ideal. 

It is a quick temporary move, yet I can't help but make it feel like home.

Five people in a two bedroom apartment has been the best design challenge.

At the old house, I had to decide what went into storage, what came to the apartment, how to make sharing a room {the boys} for the first time work the best, and what we would need to continue home schooling through the summer.

It was hectic.
Three kids all under six, breastfeeding full time, finishing off the school year strong, and church commitments added to an already full plate.

We enjoy moving
 {I would say that classifies as a 'confession' of sorts, but I don't think it surprises anyone!}
but with each child, I can feel the pressure to be even more organized and task oriented.

Without any family to help us, we are on our own to make it happen smoothly.

All of my oil paintings came to the apartment as David feared the heat would ruin them.

It is a great apartment with mountain views.

We are in love! 

It is our first apartment.

I feel blessed to  be married 14 years and to have always had homes,

but the challenge of organizing and sorting to make things fit- and fit well- has made me giddy.

Summer is upon us and we have lots of hiking, biking, play dates, and zoo trips in the works.

These days are the happiest.

What have you been up to?

: )