October 2012: Happy Halloween

Our first Halloween in Colorado was remarkably warm and mild. I remember Halloweens being cold, and sometimes snowy! I know we lucked out! We trick or treated in the neighborhood with friends and attended a party up the street. Earlier in the day, both kids had parties at school which Mark and I helped with.

Ryan's 4th grade class. Ryan is in the middle...skeleton sweatshirt.

October 2012: Lauren lost her first tooth!

Lauren lost her first tooth on Oct. 2, 2012. 1st Grade, Age 6! It is very exciting!!! The tooth fairy brought her $5. Wow! I used to get a quarter! 

 

 

 

 

 



You have to love the tongue sticking thru!

I took this on the trail behind our house. Our house is the one behind reflecting the sunlight, with the fall foliage!

Lauren, w ith our house behind

September 2012: Breckenridge

We went to Breckenridge to see the Lineweavers and hang out at Oktoberfest. The kids enjoyed playing with Riley and Brody and I was able to take some pictures in the morning light that I am proud of! The leaves were changing and it was the first taste of Fall for us!

Riley and Lauren

Ryan

Lauren and Brody

Hiking with Saabye Cousins

Eric (my brother) and I took the kids on a hike at Castlewood Canyon between Denver and Colorado Springs. The kids enjoyed playing on the rocks and catching a lizard! The kids were all tired by the time we finished! I think they are enjoying getting to know each other. It's so nice to closer now!

Notice the lizard that Foster is pointing to on Eric's sleeve!

September: Denver based!

This month is marked by being the first month Mark is based out of Denver! In June, July and August, he was commuting to Houston. That means, he tries to bid trips that start late out of Houston, and then he leaves home at 6 a.m. to start flying standby out of Denver to get to work on time. He was always able to do it, but it was really stressful. It was good confirmation about our decision to never live anywhere other than where we are based. It’s too stressful and takes him away from too much of our family life. But, for a few months, it was ok, considering it enabled us to move to Denver quickly and get the kids settled before school.

We are busy with Ryan and Lauren both playing soccer. Ryan has 2 practices and a Saturday game. Lauren has 1 practice and a Saturday game. The season lasts for 8 weeks. (but somehow it seems longer!)

Ryan has continued doing Tae Kwon Do. We found an amazing instructor starting a new school, affiliated with the same national association, as our old school ….get this….8 minutes from home! Hallelujah!

Both kids also started in a running club at school through Kids Running America. Basically they accumulate miles to run a marathon, and they run their final mile at Washington Park and get finisher medals, etc. Ryan isn’t too into it, but accumulated 14 miles. Lauren, however, is totally excited and can’t wait to get her medal on Oct. 21!

Back to School: 1st and 4th Grade at Redtone Elementary

The kids started 1^st and 4^th grade at our neighborhood school, Redstone Elementary. It’s .3 miles from our house, and we normally ride bikes. The transition into the new school was remarkably easy, and both kids are really happy! I’ve been joking that Ryan must not be learning anything, because when he is under any pressure at school, he’s normally unhappy. But, we’ll see. So far, so good.

First day of 1st and 4th grade

 

August 2012: Summer vacation

Summer Vacation Week: Glenwood Springs and Keystone

Mark had off a week in early August for vacation, but we didn’t feel like trying to fly anywhere, especially since Mark’s has been commuting.

We have plenty to explore in Colorado, so we spent 3 nights in Glenwood Springs and 2 nights in Keystone, both in the mountains!

I had never been to Glenwood before…just driven through.

One day we went to the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park  and had a blast. Our hotel was at the bottom of the gondola to it, so we went early, had lunch on the mountain, then came down to rest and have dinner, and went back up to close the park down at 9 p.m.

That's a huge swing that goes our over the canyon. I actually went on it twice with Mark and the kids....and it did me in! I had motion sickness for about 3 hours afterward.

The next day we went to the Glenwood Springs Pool, which is basically a huge pool. (Naturally fed spring water….but still….a pool.) I’m not sure I’d spend the money to go again, but it was a fun day, and we can say we’ve done it.

 

On our way home, we hiked up to Hanging Lake. I didn’t know it, but it’s on all the top lists of things to do in Colorado. It’s a hard hike, but once you are up, you forget all that. It was beautiful! Mark carried Lauren more than he would have liked….but somehow we all arrived!

Stairs up to Hanging Lake

 

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake waterfall

 

In Keystone, Ryan’s highlight was taking the lift up the mountain with my mountain bike, and riding down with Mark! He has taken to mountain biking and loves it. We have since got him his own mountain bike, and he and Mark have been on quite a few rides. I’ve gone a couple times too. While they were riding, Lauren and I played in the creek, creating a fairy village, and panned for gold. She was happy doing that.

We also kayaked on Keystone Lake, where Mark relived childhood memories of kayaking with the huge fish. He was so excited to share that with the kids, and they loved it! We met up with the Levis and the Lineweavers too, who both live in the area. 

 

So, that was our summer vacation and our last 2 Hurrahs before school started August 13.