Day 98: Mt. Bierstadt

8.26.2012

Well, yesterday we attempted our first 14er, Mt. Bierstadt up Guanella Pass in Georgetown. Here in Colorado it seems like everyone hikes, bikes and does all of the stereotypical crunchy stuff you think of with Denver. Me, Carl, the boys, my mom, Christy, Andy and Dustin all headed up the what was supposed to be one of the easier 14ers to hike. This scenery could not have been any better. In the end we didn't make it nearly as far as I'd hoped because of the boys, but it was wonderful either way. At one point Carl stopped and said we were "so Colorado" on a 14er, wearing a baby and drinking out of Camelbacks. hahaha!

On the drive up I rode in the back between the boys. My sleepy little companions.

The hike was made more difficult for the fact that Max was strapped to me while climbing. I'm a wuss and he's crazy heavy. I wore him for the first half up, Carl took him for the second half up and I wore him for the full way back down. He definitely had the best seat in the house! Carson tried giving up a ton of times, but eventually made it most of the way on his own.

The highlight of the hike was as soon as we got going. We looked up to the lake we were heading for and realized there was an enormous moose swimming in it! This was one of the coolest things to see in the wild. After we came back down there were two of them. Christy got the best pic of it here:

Max REFUSED to leave his hat on. Apparently we lost it, didn't even know it, someone hung it on a bush and Dustin found it long after we left!

Up above the trees. What a view!

Then a well-deserved amazing BBQ lunch. Mmmmmmm.....Brisket.......

Then we headed to Carson's favorite park in Idaho Springs. We needed to get ahead of the tunnel traffic and were waiting for the rest of the family to finish the hike. The four of us left long before they were done because of the kids. This playground is build right along a river and one of the most fun places up there!

Max is discovering a whole new world of playing now that he can walk!

And a day of play wouldn't be complete without ice cream.

We're officially Coloradans! :)

Day 97: Tattooed

8.25.2012

For my entire life I've said I will not get a tattoo. Not because I look down on them, but because I'm so freaking indecisive that I knew I could never commit to something. But recently I got the bug and decided I wanted something small that represents the boys. I also discovered white tattoos and that sent me over the edge for the decision. It has taken me months to decide what to get and I still hadn't totally made up my mind when we walked in for the appointment. LOL 

I ended up going with crossed arrows for a few symbolic reasons and the boys' initials. This is nothing like my original plan, but I totally love it. I'll post pics when it has healed. Right now it is not too pretty!

I wasn't too nervous. Okay, just a little nervous. I worried more about the outcome than the pain.

Getting prepped.

 

I didn't know this was a video, but Carl was recording this as we got started. Calm and collected, but man it hurt more and more and he went! I look a little nervous here.....Carson was peeking at me and trying to make me laugh behind Carl. Toward the end of the video Carl is trying to get my attention, but I remember in that moment thinking that I didn't want to move because it was nerve-wracking and painful!

Here is a preliminary shot of the tattoo!  See, the ink is white, but my skin is so red that it's hard to tell what it will actually look like. haha  It still really hurts after two days.


Before all this happened I was at a photo shoot all day and Carl took the boys to play. We hadn't ever been to the REI and Confluence Park area downtown, but know it's a popular place. Apparently they have a cool trolley and the boys loved it. It has been fun to go do my own thing and get these updates of Carl getting alone time with the boys!

Day 96: Already?

8.24.2012

Friday was pretty quiet. It was an iPhone pic kind of day. 

Max sneaks into Carson's room at any moment we let him out. He has figured out how to open the doors now that he is tall enough (ALREADY?!?!). He crawled in here, grabbed a book and plopped right on the little couch. So cute.

Thursday we dropped the van off at the dealership to get looked at. That means we have to take the Jeep, which only has two doors. Do you know how impossible it is to get Max in and out of this thing? Carson can climb in and out alone, but we literally have to get Max in and out through the back hatch. I'm missing the van so much after 4 days!!!

We tried a new library after preschool. It is so much fun seeing Carson get into learning and Max just wants to pull every book off the shelf.

Day 95: Biker Boys

8.23.2012

Max has found a new happy place. He's following right along in Carson's footsteps, which are right in their daddy's shadow. :)

Day 94: Together

8.22.2012

Carson's preschool is off on Wednesday's this year so we had the first day back and then the next day off. So weird. But just about everyday I still can't help but sit down for nap time with the boys. I always have a million things going on with work and my business and sometimes it's hard to mentally take a break when I know I could be getting stuff done. But I welcome the quiet time and feel like it helps them bond too. I posted these pics on instagram yesterday saying that I know I'll regret it if I don't do this now. They grow so fast and it's making me super emo lately! I'm learning a lot about myself and about how my only regrets in life are regrets. Soul searching is good and taking time to weed out anything that isn't important to your family can't do anything but help. 

My point is......I love nap time with my babies.

Day 93: PRESCHOOL!!!

8.21.2012

Did I mention preschool??? Preschool is finally back in session. It was so nice to take him since he is excited to go back. And we need a little time apart, you know, to appreciate each other again. He is one of only 3 kids from his last class that didn't go onto Kindergarten. He told me and his teachers he was going to be the leader this year because he knew what was going on. :)  When we got there he put his stuff away and went right in to hold the towels and help the teacher get everyone's hands washed. It amazed me that he really was being a leader!

Based on this photo you wouldn't think he was too excited. It was just way too bright and he can't function outside without his sunglasses. He was trying so hard for me to smile and open his eyes at the same time. LOL   Like father, like son....  You should have seen Carl when we got our engagement photos done in the snowy bright mountains!

And as for Max? He's found everything in the office. With Carson I gated it all off since there are no doors and I now know why. At first this was cute......not so cute anymore.

Day 92: Night Light

8.20.2012

At bed time a lot of the fun comes from playing with Carson's turtle night light. Max loves it and Carson loves that Max loves it. I told Carson to turn off the lights and it made for some difficult, but neat photos.

Day 91: Messy messy

8.19.2012

We met friends for breakfast on Sunday and I forgot to take Max a bib. He was obsessed with watermelon and ended up totally wearing it. After going home for more play, I just never changed him. The poor kid went around in public like this all day.  #badmommymoments

The after:

The during:


And his new thing is climbing. He's giving me heart attacks constantly! The newest one is climing up on the ledge inside the bathtub. That's above the water and super slippery. Grrrrrrrrrr!  But check out those buns. :)

Day 90: Beaver Creek

8.18.2012

I'm behind 4 or 5 days of posting here! Yikes.

Since my birthday last week was on a Wednesday we planned on going for a drive and celebrating on Saturday. It seemed like forever since we went up and did a family thing instead of 4-wheeling. Over 2 years ago we got diverted through Beaver Creek when there was a wreck on the freeway, I think when coming home from Moab. Ever since I've wanted to go back because it looked gorgeous. I looked up the resort and found they had a ton of restaurants and even a children's museum going on for free. The summer months are quiet up at the resorts, but that's kind of nice. Seriously, Beaver Creek Resort DID NOT disappoint. It really felt like you walked into Little Switzerland. I could spend my life in there!

I wish I would have taken photos of the actual property and resort. I must have been too in awe. This was a quick one driving up the main road in.

We had lunch, aka the best pizza EVER that I'm still craving, and walked around for a long time.

Max at lunch was fascinated with stealing Carl's hat.

Showing his tongue

There is an adorable old German guy who walks around playing this horn. Carson was being super shy until he offered him a little green hat.

He let Carson blow in it with the mouth piece off and then told him to go look in the end. As you can imagine, when he looked the guy blew the horn and scared the crap out of Carson. haha

Then we headed up to the children's museum. I had no idea what to expect, but it was a real play room and awesome for free! I guess it's only open for the summer though.

And the new news??? Max is walking! But walking means he decides to let go, puts both hands straight up in the air and squeals. He loved this place and was letting everyone there know all about it!

I love Max at the bottom staring at Carson.

Momma's boys. :)

Then we left and headed back through Avon and Vail and then to Georgetown. We've been up the beginning of Guanella Pass many times, but it's always been closed for snow. Right now it is open so we took this MUCH more scenic way home. We got a little rain and had to put on jackets. Man it feels good to be on top of the world!!!