Gina and the BoDeans

You know Charlie, Oliver's buddy.  Well, thanks to Oliver and Charlie being buddies, we now have new friends in Charlie's parents Gina and Dan.  Gina was one lucky lady this year when her favorite band the BoDeans were playing in Denver for her 40th birthday.  We were lucky when she invited us to join her.  We took full advantage for an excuse for a night out on the town and we kicked it off with dinner at our favorite sushi place, Japon's.

Carrie and the birthday girl, Gina at the Blue Bird theater.

Keith and Carrie on date night.  

Whoop, Whoop!

Happy 40th Birthday, Gina!

The birthday party gals after the show.

Happy Birthday Gina!!  Thanks for a great night out, on a school night!!

Bathtub Rebels

Sometimes the boys are just too cute to not smile at, even if they are completely breaking bathtub rules!  So, this video may be a poor example of our parenting skills, but sometimes a Mom has to sacrifice the follow-through of threats in the spirit of getting a bit of cuteness on video.  

H2O

Some popsicle photos need no introduction.  

They are just funny as is.

Mmmmm Lip Licking Good!

Memorial Day weekend, the community pool (in our back yard.... seriously, just over our back fence) was open and their was a pool party for all to attend.  We were bellied up to the baby pool with ice cold popsicles, juice boxes and a few Coors Light pints.  The sun was shining, the pool was refreshing and we were ready to officially kick off summer in our new hood.

Oliver loved the freedom of kicking around in the kiddie pool.  He liked the big pool as well but it was a bit crazy this day.  The pool was favorable for meeting many new neighbors, including the other kids kicking around.  We think we're going to love it here!

"Dude, I've got my beach ball.  I'm ready to rock the baby pool."

The boys chillin' on the edge.

Kellan and Oliver LOVE having a pool in their back yard.

Hey look... even Mom is living on the edge of the baby pool and meeting some of the neighbors.

That evening we cranked up the grill for some amazing pork chops.  Grilling is always better when done with a straw hat.

Straw Hats tend to bring the crazy people who wear concert t-shirts from 1996 out of the wood work.  Who invited this nut to the party?

We were loving H2O in all shapes and sizes, ice cold, refreshingly cool and bath water warm.

Don't ask Kellan how we get the bath water the perfect temperature.  He's looking a bit guilty, again.

The boys love winding down in a scrubbing tub.  Sometimes they play in their own end. Sometimes they play together.  Times like this they torment their mother by throwing bath toys out of the tub while she takes pictures.  They know this is against the rules.  BOYS!!

Sneaky Snack

We recently had some friends over for dinner and after they left I heard a whole lot of giggling from under the dinning room table.  This is what I found...

Mr Guilty and Innocent.  Who do they think they are fooling?

Out Zoom to only find a third partner in crime.... DADDY!!!

It's as if Daddy is saying "Hey, what are you guys doing down here eating the chips after dinner?"  Or maybe he is saying "Hey, don't eat the last chip, I can't eat just one!"

Date Night

At Christmas, Keith and I decided that we needed a date night once a month.  Then... we sold a house and bought a house.  Date nights took a pause.  Now that we are settled into our new home, we secured a baby sitter and hit the town.  Golden has a new wine bar that just opened called Indulge and we wanted to try it out.  It was FABULOUS!  We loved the wine, the food and the best part was the company.  The waitress was a great sport when it came to taking our picture.  We don't always get a great photo where we are both smiling and looking wonderful.  If only the waitress had noticed where the wine glasses were sitting!  Ha ha!!  Something to laugh about whenever we see this photo flash across our Apple TV.

Birds and Grass

With a new home, we have found we have new reasons to go to the furniture store.  The current reason is that our old house had built in book shelves and our new house does not.  So... off we went in search of book shelves.  Little did we know that there would be an exotic parrot at the furniture store.  One that was so friendly, the boys got to hold her!

Oliver flashed a great smile but it was SO fast that the camera missed it as he was quick to put his eyes back on the bird.

Even Kellan got to hold the bird, with the bird ladies help (whew!)

Hello Bird!

When we got home, the rain had stopped and the sun had come out.  Keith was SO excited that we FINALLY had grass to mow, he pulled out the mower lickity-split and mowed the grass for the first time.  The back yard?  Well, we're still watching it grow in tiny strands.  We are thinking that we may need to go to plan B, SOON!

Book Worm

When Kellan was just a wee thing in the womb (ok, he was never a wee thing, Mr 9 lbs 8.5 oz) he never stopped moving.  After he was born, he only stopped moving when he was sleeping.  We were convinced that his was the polar opposite of Oliver.  Oliver, who sat and read books, solved puzzles and colored, much like he does today.  Low and behold, Kellan's wrestles legs are slowing down a bit and he has started to stop and read books.  He LOVES LOVES LOVES to read books.  He loves it so much that it's the first thing he asks for in the morning.  We actually broke the morning bottle habit  with books.  When Kellan wakes up in the morning, he places an eye on a book that he promptly asks for. You will often find him flipping pages in a book while he is having his diaper changed.  (is this when the habit for reading materials in the bathroom begins?)  He even has been known to sit and surround himself in a mountain of books, exactly like his brother once did.  Recently, Kellan and Mommy were home alone.  While Mommy was busy downstairs, Kellan made his way upstairs and spent an hour in his book mountain.  Mommy snuck in to take a few photos.

After each book, he would carefully reach up to select his next story of choice.

He would look at each page carefully while he talked to himself about what adventures the pages revealed.

Sometimes, pages were so good that he would have to stop and study them for awhile.

Kellan LOVES book.

We Love the he LOVES books!

Mothers Day 2012

Every Mothers Day is even sweeter than the year before.  As the boys grow into the amazing people they are, my heart is overwhelmed with love and gratitude that these boys call me Mom (Mommy or Mama).  Last year, we made the Grandma's Mother's Day mugs with the boys' hand prints.  I have wanted one for myself every since, so this year, Keith took us to paint a new mug.  As the oldest, Oliver had the honor of painting the base. 

Like all projects, he took this job very seriously.

Then, it was time for the final touches.  The paint lady came over and covered Oliver's palm with blue paint.

He inspected it to make sure it was appropriately covered and ready for application.

With precision, he applied his painted hand print to the mug.

He didn't move a muscle as the paint lady made sure that each finger was applied evenly.

Next, it was Kellan's turn.  First, we had to round him up from the play structure outside.  Then, he was ready to have his palm painted.  Oliver inspected to make sure that the process was consistent.

Daddy kept a close eye and grip on Kellan's palm.

Then, it was Kellan's turn to place his print on the mug.

Kellan's print was a bit less precise than Oliver, but it was still perfect for the Mother's Day mug.

We cleaned up and now we wait for the finish product to be fired.  I can't wait to enjoy my morning coffee while I hold the ever lasting hand prints of my two little boys.

Thank You to Keith for arranging a perfect Mothers Day outing.

Creepy Crawlies

After Oliver's soccer game he went to a birthday party for a friend from his new Primrose.  Austin's birthday party came complete with the Jungle Lady who brought lots of creepy crawlies for the kids to learn about and pet.  Here, Oliver is petting a tortoise.  We learned the difference between tortoises and turtles, which she also had.

Here, Oliver is petting a small snake that looks like a rattle snake, but isn't (thankfully!) 

This last creature is an albino python.  EWWW!!!!  Even Mom had to pet this, just out of curiosity.  It confirmed that there really is no need to be petting snakes.  Ick, Eww!!  Oliver loved it.  Boys!!

Soccer Season

Soccer season is here again!!!

Oliver LOVES soccer and he is getting better and better.  Of course, we have had great weather, but now that soccer is back, so is the rain.  The rain held of long enough for the kids to play their game.

Oliver and Owen running down the field.

Oliver going for one of his two goals.

The line up: Oliver, Owen, Charlie and Michael.

The other team had a ringer, but he didn't stand a chance against these four boys.

Oliver taking it in for the second goal.

Team Union waiting to take on their opponents once again.