Denver Art Museum

These are the stop motion videos the kids made at the Denver Art Museum.  My kids were hooked, and could have stayed creating these animated films for hours.  

Rock Climbing

As if these two need a new sport to occupy their time.  But they have embraced their passion for climbing.  They have been rock climbing since they were tiny kiddos, on any wall they can find.  V's good friend works for an adventure company and always has the kids come out to use their climbing wall when he can.  But the kids wanted to find a real climbing gym here in town.  So we set out yesterday and I think I've lost them for good to the world of mountaineering and climbing.  They are adding all of the gear to their Christmas lists.

Mt. Bierstadt

We took the kids on their first 14er over the weekend and we had a great day.  A hike like that is long and intense, with temperatures that can get pretty low near the summit (near 40 degrees).  We had a lot of wind as we hiked higher and higher.  While we didn't summit this time, we got close.  Not too shabby for two tiny kiddos.  We were so impressed with their attitudes throughout the whole hike.  Hour after hour and they remained so positive.

Rocky Mountain Swim League Finals 2016

5:45 a.m.  Bed head.  Check.  Swim team sweatshirt.  Check.  Finals poster taped outside front door by the coaches in the middle of the night.  Check.  This is what the morning of finals looks like.  It is a pretty big deal to make it to finals, which is a meet designed for the top 16 swimmers in each event across the whole league.  

Baseball

Luca didn't play ball this summer because his doctor ordered no sports for his recovering arm.  We got the green light to play at the beginning of July, with only a few games left in the season.  The team snatched Luca up and he played in the final several games.

I didn't realize I missed watching until I got out there on his first game of the season.  Sitting in the sun, watching my boy play is a feeling I love.  

We all know V was the most disappointed when the doctor ordered no play this summer.  V usually is the assistant coach and he was so excited to get back out there for the final few games.  Luca played like the broken arm had never happened.  He's a natural.  

Scenes of Summer

Most of these shots are pretty self explanatory.  Summer is an easy time full of easy moments.  I love capturing some of it with a camera.  

We don't have any video games at home.  But we have recently discovered that Target has them set up and no one will bother Luca if he plays for an extended period of time.  So, on a few hot days, we went over there and he played.  He likes me to watch him and will say, "See Mom?  See what I did there?  Are you watching?" and even though it's a bit like watching paint dry, there is something so sweet about him wanting me to watch him.  

Nana took the little girls (Mia and Tilly) on a date and a sleepover to her house!  They had a BLAST.  

The 4th of July!

We do love the Fourth of July around here! 

Our neighbors, Ron and Lynn, are wonderful to the kids and have an annual fourth of July party with games and prizes for the kiddos.  This is their last year of hosting the party as a lot of the kids are getting older now.  It was fun to celebrate with them last night!

My brother had his fourth of July party a day early, on the third.  Mia helped make this cake to bring over. 



This sweet kid named and was playing with this little critter before she understood that it was dinner.  She had never been to a crawfish boil.



Fireworks galore. 



Finn broke his leg a few weeks ago and Mia was helping him out in his wheelchair.  And by "helping out", I mean she would push him to the top of a hill and Finn liked to come cruising down it super fast. 

 

A Day in Boulder

V and I took the kids to Boulder to hang out one afternoon this week.  Here we are at the UMC (the student union).  I sat by these fountains many a sunny days and did homework or sipped a coffee.  Bringing my kids back was so fun.  We visited my old dorm too!  Every building we passed, I had a story to share.  My years at Boulder were so great.  They shaped a large part of who I am. 

The kids wanted to see the Student Rec Center when we passed it, and Mia wanted to see where the swim team works out.  This sealed the deal for my little athletes.  The facility is gorgeous and of course, these two couldn't believe that students got to use all of the amenities.  Luca kept asking how many more years until he can go to college!

At Folsom Field

Watching a street performer on Pearl Street before dinner at The Med. 

Here I am with the owners of the store I worked at all four years in college! I also babysat their girls and became a part of their family.  They were at our wedding!  Love this family. 

Dear Universe....thank you for summer.

These two set up the tent in the backyard.  They LOVE camping and are excited to go soon.  They promptly broke one of the poles soon after this photo was taken so we moved our party inside. 

Not before turning on the sprinklers to simulate a rain storm with our rain cover.  Funny thing is....there is nothing these two would love more than being in a real rain storm in their little tent.