Our Loop!

Most of our time is spent right here at HOME!!  This is from our driveway, looking across our road, at the Gazebo in the Loop.  We use the area daily for snack and lunch picnics, pretend 'house' play, soccer/baseball lessons, 'Power Ranger' adventures, bike track races... you name it, we've done it!

Elsie Anne thought this was "the PERFECT spot for snack time" today!!  And, if you've read previous posts, you'll know that we are waiting patiently for our Friday Tradition... greeting our trash & recycle helpers, and watching all the 'dumping' action!  WOW, the life of an {almost} 3yr old :)

A better shot of our cute little HOME {mainly for our out-of-town family that want to see it}.  This shows the 'Zero Lot Line' and how close our neighbors are.  No complaint here, at least we aren't sharing anymore walls!!  Thankfully, we've liked the neighbors, and a handful of them have kids!  A few evenings, we've all been out playing, and I can't help but think the kids are becoming the 'Little Loop Gang', and us parents have joined the 'Wisteria Loop' club?!  hee,hee:)

I feel extremely blessed... DAILY!!

Gymnastics!!!

Elsie Anne has been missing her 'Explorers' class that has been on break for 6wks between sessions.  I teased her last week {got her all dressed & pumped up to go} only to find out we were a week early!  What a bummer, but we got to watch the older girls (8yrs) practice on the beam, so it wasn't a total loss in her eyes.

But this was the day, and we had talked about it since Monday, and even found out her bud, Briley, from last session, was going to be in her class again!  AND we lucked out with her same coach from last session!  Coach Kate and EA really connected, so I'm glad for that stability!  Many times I've found EA pretending to be Coach Kate, and 'coaching' her animals:)  

Here are the sweet girls warming up.  It was neat to see how they were the 'older' ones.  They knew the ropes and were great examples!  Coach Kate commented on how they listened, payed attention, and followed directions... Way to go BIG GIRLS!!

Waiting very patiently for their stamps, after a fun-filled first class!!

Looks like they were the only kids in the class, somehow I was able to skirt around the other 6 children, and their Moms:)  Can't wait to see EA's new tricks she learns in the next 16wks!!

what clothes??

Pretty much any day of the week, at some point during the day, you can find Elsie Anne outside in her PANTIES, body finger painting!!  We try getting a bathing suit on her, but sometimes she's just not having it:)

Her favorite part is washing it all off in the hose!!  She's already learned how to beat the Florida heat:)  Many days, I'm not far behind her... in my BATHING SUIT of course!!

Lately...

...we've been staying super busy with our new little buddy Tucker!!  I've been nannying him 5days/wk 8:30-3:30, for the last 4weeks!  And I must say, we couldn't have chosen a more chill and laid back precious baby boy!  He just goes right along with whatever Elsie Anne and I throw at him have planned, and only complains when he's tired or hungry!!  Who knew babies could be so perfect?!

We've been juggling playdates, lunches, and pool hopping the entire 6weeks we've been back!!  Elsie Anne's new favorite activity at home is PAINTING INSIDE...

... or PAINTING OUTSIDE...

...and our mutually favorite past time so far is the awesome SPLASH POOL!!  EA freaks out everytime I mention it:) 

Taking a well deserved Watermelon break!! 

These two cousins are best buds now!  It took a few WEEKS of warming up, but now they are inseperable!

I will slowly but surely try to catch up the last several weeks in Florida, and the last 2months we were in Breckenridge!  Thank you friends and family for urging me to continue, I've been having blog anxiety of not knowing where to start, which has kept me away from the computer all together!

AirBoat-ing!!

One of our family's favorite and most unique evening outings is the AIRBOAT!!  Its been years since I've been on the thing, so I was equally excited as Elsie Anne.  She had been a little sceptical in the weeks prior, but seeing her boy cousins get off the boat with huge grins, made her eager to try it out!!  Thatcher, Tullen & EA loading up the boat!!

FLYYYY-ING across the water!!  It is such a freeing feeling!

The ONLY, but MAJOR, downer of Lake Iamonia is the abundance of ALLIGATORS!!  See this guys EYES and NOSE sticking out of the water?  You can tell how long the gator is by looking at the distance between the two.  How ever many INCHES apart the they are, is how many FEET long, from tip to tail, the gator is!!  This one is about 11 FEET LONG.... yes, in our back yard!!!  Don't worry, we have our own EXTERMINATORS... my Dad and Brothers!!!

We road across the Lake about 2mi to a Landing & Biker Bar, which is about 25mi away by car!  The kids got RootBeers and the grown-ups enjoyed our own Cold Ones! 

Elsie Anne, Tullen and Thatcher hanging on the beach of the Landing!  Somehow they ended up playing waste deep in the water, even after I had just seen the gator?!  The water is really clear, and my Dad assures me that gators are just as scared of us, as we are them!  Who knows, maybe he was just trying to ease my mind?!

The 'Fish Camp Bar' full of Harley's and their owners!!!  Great place for people-watching:)

Back at the house, the kids cool off in the hose... and splash each other with their cups!!

Elsie Anne enjoyed her first airboat adventure... so I'm sure there will be more in our near future:)

Buena Vista Camping!!

We finally got the courage to go camping as a family!  Buena Vista became our target spot, as it is not quite 2hrs away, but is WARM!!!  It is southwest of Breck, and home to some of the best rafting on the Colorado River - not that we got to go rafting on this trip:)

The perfect potty stop!!  This is at the top of Hoosier Pass, right down the road from 'Elk Ridge Ranch', our wedding location!!  We shared this incredible view with our family and friends on one of the best days of my life, second only to the birth of Elsie Anne!

Dinner at a delicious restaraunt before setting up 'Camp'!!  This was the perfect spot to run around and even get to climb some rocks!!

The first stages of set up...

...and VOALA... the campsite at its finest!!  First time our family roasted marshmellows together, and definitely won't be the last!  There's just something about that outdoor bonding time:)

I had to let go on trying to keep this Princess clean:)  She loved the dusty dirt, and was soon covered from head to toe!!

Climbing in the trees!

Not too many pics, but plenty of memories from our first Fraser Camping trip!!  We all enjoyed ourselves, the outdoors, and the time we got to spend together:)

STRIDER Balance Bike!

This time, last summer, while we were at the Mountain Bike Nationals in Granby, we saw this little boy on a 'Balance Bike'... his dad told us he had just turned 2 and he was obsessed with this thing!  We couldn't believe our eyes at what this miniature person was doing!!  We decided we'd HAVE to get one for Elsie Anne when the time comes!!

Well, that time came in FULL FORCE, when her friend Lilly got one for her birthday!  Lilly didn't want anything to do with it at her party, so EA hopped on & rode all around the neighborhood!  Then a few days later, we played at Henry's house & he had just gotten one... thank goodness he also had a scooter that he was more interested in, because once EA got a hold of his bike, there was NO turn taking!  She absolutely melted into a puddle when I forced her off the bike to let Henry ride it - H saw the trauma it caused & quickly returned it to her:)  Our little buddy is such a LOVER!!

We had one more experience like the previous story & came to the conclusion: this purchase can NOT wait until we move to Florida, we have to get her a Balance Bike of her own, before she takes one of her friends' bikes home:)

We found a great deal at a Bike Shop in town, and she RODE out of the store with HER OWN STRIDER!!  She didN't get off that bike until an hour & a half later, when we were both starving for lunch!  She rode all around town... on the sidewalks, over the river on bridges, in the bumpy gravel parking lots, on the handicap ramps, up & down the curbs, in all the pot holes we could find...

She was a natural... I couldn't believe that MY 2YR OLD was doing the same thing the boy in Granby had done!!  This is in the first 5min of purchasing her STRIDER - up a steep hill on the bike path:)

I had to PROMISE her, to get her to nap, that we would go to the Bike Track when Daddy got home... and that is just what we did - packed up a bucket of beer, her bike & we were off!!

So proud of herself and the independence she has on her own Strider Bike!!

This video is her 3rd lap on the 'whoops' in the track!  She blows our mind with the control she has at all times!!

Yes, We should be a spokeswomen for this product!  We think every child should have one:)

Glenwood Springs!

A Memorial Day Weekend is just not right without a little bit of WATER around!  I was so thankful when Shawn came up with the idea to drive over to Glenwood for the day!  It's about 2hrs west of us, on the way to Aspen/SnowMass.

As always... Elsie Anne had a ball in the water!

Shawn and I enjoyed ourselves too:)

A lovely little day trip... just what we all needed!!

Not Quite Done...

We were prepared for this being the last day of Dance, but we were happy to find out they would hold one more class for us, since there technically IS another Tuesday in May!!!  Adeline & Elsie Anne doing 'Wheels on the Bus'!

 Twirling and Spinning with scarves!!

EA started a 'Super-Girl' epidemic, and before we new it, all the girls were twirling around with their Capes!

Storytime.  What a good little listener!!

Some of our Dance friends... Sade, Acadia, Adeline, EA!  Missing... Luke, Emmie, Nadia! 

Playing outside of Dance...She is being a 'Tree Moster' like Daddy:)

GL7!

Snowy Saturday called for some Pool Time @ Grand Lodge on Peak 7!!  Thanks to the Dudick's we get to enjoy all the amenities of this gorgeous Hotel!  We ate a delicious breakfast, loaded up the kids & were at the Pool by 9:30am!!  I've got to say this is THE best indoor pool area I've ever seen!  The temperature is perfectly warm, it is Salt Water (so it doesn't dry your skin out), has tons of water fountains, and its the perfect depth for the kids!!  Elsie Anne, Henry & Shawn love to make big splashes & create a 'Wave Pool'!!

Having fun in the Fountains!

Tumbling Tots!

Our last 'Tumbling Tots' class.  It was very bitter-sweet.  We've absolutely LOVED having this activity on our schedule - we've met wonderful families & children, learned new tricks on the gymnastics equipment, and have worked with incredible people at the Gym!  Its been such a blessing to be a part of these activities & also have Elsie Anne right by my side:)

You see some of our obstacle course set-up in this pic... the bar (back rt), cheese mate, tunnel & bus, spring board, block, landing mat (lft), and our carpet squares for circle time & stretching!

Elsie Anne & Lilly being goof balls in the bus!

EA scooting on the balance beam?!  She got really good walking on it all by herself, and now turns any curb or crack on the ground into a "ballance beeeam"!!

Ms.Jill and Lilly doing the 'Vault' exercise!!  This became one of EA's favorite activities - bouncing on the spring board, jumping up to her knees on the block (vault), standing up & jumping to the X on the landing mat, then with a big "TAA-DAA" hands-above-her-head-FINISH!!

For the last 8months, we've 'coached' this class almost every Friday (a few breaks in between sessions)!  We've made new friends through this experience, and will always cherish these fun memories!!  Thanks Breckenridge Rec Center for this wonderful opportunity!

Daddy's Turn!

Stunt-Master, Dare-Devil, Adrenalin Junky... explains Elsie Anne & Shawn's personalities to a 'T'!!  That's why, when I take her on a wagon ride, she says, "Splash in Watuu Momma - In da Big Bumps Momma - Climb da Hill Momma" I reply, "Daddy will be home soon & he'll be crazy with you!"  Her response to that, "Lets Go Home and Play!"  That's right, my wagon rides are just not cool enough!!

Just a little glimpse...

They also go 'off-roading' in the ditch, which is 4in deep in water!!!  Just not my style:)

Choo-Choo!

Tuesdays are always fun since it's our Dance Day, but this one was extra-special!  Daddy met us at the Historic Breckenridge Train Station to play!  The girls were ecstatic to run around these enormous pieces of machinery!!

The trains had giant snow blowers on the front, so they could blast through any blizzard weather!

Once the girls had enough 'learning' about the trains, we went on a nature hike - our first of the year!!  They loved crossing the streams on bridges & throwing rocks into the river!

Lilly's Big Day!

A little Ladybug Birthday Party!!  These girls are the cutest!  Daddy is helping Elsie Anne decorate her Flower Pot - love his concentration!

EA loving Lilly's new sand table:)  

Happy Birthday Sweet Friend!  You girls are such big 2 year olds now:)