Hot Hot Hot with the Brothers of the Sun

When Kristi asked me if I wanted to go with her to the Brothers of the Sun tour with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw I didn't even have to think about it.  Without a doubt, this was going to be one of the biggest concerts of the summer.  YES YES YES!! I wanted to go!!

I picked Kristi up to head downtown about noon on Saturday.  The temperatures were predicted to soar to 100 degrees so we dressed in our summers lightest apparel and cowgirled it up with some boots and hats.

The Dad's stayed at home with the boys and we headed downtown for a night out.  We had a great view of the mountains and the stadium form our 18th floor room at the Hyatt.  (Don't worry yourself, the boys didn't have it too bad.  They had a date themselves with our neighborhood pool.)

The scene of the event, Sports Authority Stadium AKA Mile High Stadium, home of the Denver Broncos.

View of downtown from our room.

We met up with a group of Kristi's friends and their husbands who were tailgating before the show. 

Lucky for us, they got a great spot under the Colfax bridge so that we had a nice shady spot.  Otherwise, we would have melted right into the pavement.

We skipped the first two opening performers and got to our sets in perfect time to see Tim McGraw take the stage.  We were at about the 30 or 40 yard line of the stadium so nearly half way back on the floor.

Tim was awesome!  As one would expect.

(but whoever is telling him that a white t-shirt and white jeans are a good idea should be fired!)

Carrie and Kristi having a HOT HOT time!!

As the sun went down, Kenny Chesney rose in the middle of the stadium.

Then a flying chair scooped him up and delivered him safely to the stage before us.

Have you heard, Payton Manning is now a Denver Bronco?  Payton and John Fox (Broncos Head Coach) came out to the stage, gave a wave and signed a helmet.  (Kenny later gave that helmet to a little girl in the audience)

Payton, Kenny, John on the big screen and in real life to the bottom right.

Oh yes... we really are on a first name basis.

Then, the grand finale.  

With Kenny on stage, Tim popped up in the middle of the arena.

They finished off the last 30 minutes singing together.

The show was AWESOME!  

It was Hot, all around.  We had a great day, a great evening, a great relaxing morning and finished off our outing with Cherry Cricket burgers for lunch.  Hello Good Times!

The next day was Sunday, Grass Day.

On the third Sunday since the Great Grass Plant, it appeared as if our lawn was nearly complete. 

The water is part of our secret and we may be dreading our water bill, but the boys can't wait to run through it with a soccer ball, Mom can't wait to run her toes through it and Dad can't wait to mow it.

Kellan must have really missed his Mommy.

He was so happy to see her that he just wanted to walk in her shoes.

What a great summer weekend, celebrating with the Brothers of the Sun and capping it off with the Boys of Summer in the Hamilton House.

Hangin' in the Hood

One thing we miss about the original hood is our neighbors.  Every year they have a summer block party, which is becoming some what of our block reunion.  As families come and go, we all get back together for one evening of fun on the street that brought us all together.

The block party/reunion would not be complete without Marcies jello shots.  Jello shots are so much fun that she makes some just for the little kids and some just for the big (adult) kids.

Our kids can't seem to get enough of them.  

This was Kellan's first year with Marcie's jello shots, and he was huge a fan.  He came back over and over for more.  We figured that they give you Jello in the hospital when you can't eat much else, so we didn't expect a repeat of the smores over dose.  (and we didn't).

The kids were so busy running/riding up and down the street with all of their pals from the old hood that these are really the only photos we got of them.  This was really the only time we saw them up close and personal.  Until... we saw Kellan picketing the party and Andrea handing out pink cookies.

Kellan paused and leaned the sign down a bit to take a cookie.

Then he was back after it.

Ok, so he probably wasn't picketing the party, but picketing the parents who were getting ready to round up the troops to head to the new hood.

"Hey, Ho, We Won't Go!"

Oliver could barely take a pause from riding his silver lighting bike to eat his cookie.

We had such a great time with our old hood friends.  We are so fortunate to have spent eight years with these great people and we are so thankful that we get to see them at the reunions. (and when their boys are selling butter bread for football! YUM!)

Those Were the Days

A couple of weeks ago I got a message from my long time friend, Tina, that she and her Mom would be in Colorado for vacation.  We had planned to meet for dinner and it turned out that Tina and her Mom stayed over night.  It was SO great to see them and to catch up.  We discussed husbands, kids, jobs, houses, weather, Arizona, Colorado and all of the other current event.  We even included Tina's husband and daughters in on the evening over Face Time.  Then... we talked about high school, middle school, what happened when, who had the better job at the bakery (who knew making sandwiches was such a coveted job), who's up to what, fashion shows and .... the fastest rhyme.  Oh yes... Tina and I spent high quality time pressing play, rewind, play, rewind, play rewind on a cassette player, just to write down the words to Young MC's Fastest Rhyme.  Of course, this was before the Internet option of googling the words.  This was before CD's.  This was the day that we wrote down every word of the 60 second (rap) song, just to memorize the words and recite them.  Then... we pulled out the LARGE VHS recorder and video taped our new found skill.  Yes, those were the good 'ol days.

Thanks for a great visit Tina!  We hope to see you and your family again soon.

Tammy, this Post is for You

I recently received an email from my friend Tammy (who happens to be my sister-in-laws sister and I'm so thankful that my sister-in-law connected us through the blogging world.) that she was going to comment on my boys wearing the 2012 Gymboree line but she was afraid that people would judge her for knowing the 2012 Gymboree line by memory.  Well... her and I have a special appreciation for dressing our boys well and her and I have been blessed with two boys each.  Her oldest son is much older than my oldest and what I have come to know from her is that even if you dress them in adorable matching outfits when they are young, they may still stick their nose up at those adorable outfits as they get older and insist that collared shirts with buttons are no longer acceptable.  So... with that, I'll take full advantage of their youth and dress them in adorable outfits that come complete with collars and buttons.

In the spirit of Tammy's appreciation for Gymboree outfits, I took these photos of the boys this evening just with her in mind.  In the spirit of it being the end of the day with patience running low, I didn't dare ask the boys for a photo op.  I went au-natural.

Then, after dinner, Kellan gave me a photo op moment.  They were watching a photo slide show on our apple TV and Kellan snuggled up on Oliver.  The camera brought out Oliver's smile and the two of them snuggling was oh-so-sweet.  Even if it appears as if Oliver is being tortured in an awkward leg position, they were in a completely happy place.  These two ooze with love for each other.

So for now, I'll dress these two boys up like my own personal paper dolls.  When the time comes that they stick their nose in the air at their mothers good taste I'll turn to my nieces for a fashion fix.  I'm sure they won't mind being a bit spoiled in a sea of boy cousins.

Operation Growing Grass

Week two of operation growing grass is a flourishing success!

The best part of being the photographer is I get to pick the best angle in order to avoid the bare spots where the wildlife has rid the ground of anything worthy of growing.  If you were a Disney lover you would think Snow White lived here with all of the bunnies and birds that seem to think our yard is their own personal haven.  We will fool them and plant more seed in the bare spots and yes, we will have grass on all 6,380 square feet.  Or, maybe they'll fool us since we'll plant more seed, therefore feeding their habit.  Hmm... let's just look at this as a win win, shall we?

(look close at the back patio and you'll see Keith watching the grass grow.  This is a favorite past time lately.)

Yes, we do have a few bare spot.

We also have a lot of growth.

Check out last weeks post.  It's amazing how much of a difference one week makes.

Argh Matey

On Sunday we headed to Pirate's Cover water park with our pre-purchased coupon and the Metzger's.  After way-to-long since we've hung out with the Metzger's we managed to cram one weekend full of great adventures with them.  Then on Sunday, I only took TWO photos.  That's in, TWO!  You see, cameras and water parks don't mix.  Just imagine: HOURS of our boys splashing and wrestling in the lagoon, Charlie lunging for the big water bucket dump while Oliver watches cautiously on the side, numerous laps around the lazy river, motes in the sandy beach, water slides, kiddie pools, sunshine and fun.

Even lunch was a good time.

Kellan and Oliver took lunch very seriously.

Up until the last hour, the lazy river was our families favorite activity.  Kellan would ride on our lap and lounge around the pool.  At one point, he looked like he might fall asleep.  Oliver went from being cautious to brave as he liked riding the tubes by himself and he made a point to announce that he didn't want anyone holding on to his tube since he was so fast that he needed to be on his own.  He was so fast and he made me so nervous that I may have tucked a toe under his tube now and then.  It's amazing how talented a Mom's toes are.

In the last hour, the sandy beach trumped the lazy river as Oliver's favorite.  He and Charlie had a great time building motes to ... China?  Or, just the other side of the beach.  Mommy, Daddy and Kellan still have the lazy river on the top of the favorite list.  

PROOF ... Plus a Few

Gina was an angel and sent me copies of her photos from our camping trip and low and behold, I have PROOF that I hauled this wagon up the hill.  I should have saved my photo ready smile for a later photo as I'm making it look too easy.  Look at the angle Dan is heaving up the hill behind me, he makes it look a tiny bit tougher.  I have also now confirmed that I need new tennis shoes.  I hate tennis shoes (except for exercising, which this falls into), and white ones, but these were on sale.  What was I thinking?  Yes, I'll be buying new shoes. Oh, darn!

Another shot of Kellan, the gold fish master.

Charlie's face is priceless.  It cracks me up to no end.  What a goof!

Charlie and Oliver with great smiles on the rock point.

What a great view of the meadow with Denver down below.

I love this!

The boy who sometimes groans about photos couldn't resist photo bombing Gina and her boys.  I physically had to hold him back.  I'm not sure what's gotten into him lately but he has been WIRED!  Keep a watch out, Oliver is a mad photo bomber!  Your family photos may be next!

Oliver is looking a bit crazy here with a head lamp.

He was all about being out and about late at night and loved every minute of it!

I tried not to let the layer of dirt that covered his body bother me but you know I was dying to wipe him off every second of the evening.  I think that may even be his tooth brush in his hand.  Mmmm dirt and tooth brushes.  What a combination.

Once again, Oliver and Charlie.  What a handsome pair.  Keith is seriously convinced that Charlie is a Brad Pitt look a like.  Someday, he may find himself where a river runs through it.