Winter Park

While the men were off golfing (my parents' best friends were visiting too), us ladies went into Winter Park to ride the Alpine Slide! 

Elsie Anne loved her bird's eye view on Memoo's shoulders!

Playing on the "tain" (train)!

WEEEEE...

My Parents are Here!!!

YIPEEE!  My parents arrived on Monday, and besides a quick lunch date w/ them on Wednesday in Frisco, we had to wait until Thursday afternoon to see them in Granby!  So, Elsie Anne + I flew out of town as soon as Adeline was picked up!! 

BigDaddy and EA picked up right where they left off in May... playing with TRACTORS!!

We got EA in her jammies, but she was just NOT ready for bed!  Too much going on for EA to slow down.  I couldn't let her feeties get dirty on the deck, so we put her rain boots on + she was set!!

 Playing w/ the "cannles" (candles) and loving on Memoo w/ a gorgeous sunset to watch!

 Getting starry eyed while helping BigDaddy grill the burgers!!

Rain,Rain...Come Again!!

RAIN BOOTS...toddlerhood keeps us exploring new adventures!  And the best ones have been right out our front door:)

It has been raining almost every afternoon for the last week.  I've got to say the break from the blazing sun has been rather nice!  We have sunny weather for our park visits in the morning, then clouds up, cools down, and rains for naptime + evening play!  Elsie Anne was waiting @ the door in her pajammas + rain boots, for Daddy to get home.  Thanks to him, he convinced me to extend bedtime 30min, for an evening splash in the "pubbles"!

Elsie Anne got a second wind when she realized how fun RAIN BOOTS can be!

No more "rain,rain, go away" since we've found the bright side of the RAIN!!  I can thank my 17mo old for 'turning my frown upside-down'!!!

Busy, Busy Weekend!

Our FUN FRIDAY started w/ some yard work!  Our yard consists of rocks, dirt, dead grass + weeds, but Elsie Anne wanted to put her shovel + rake to work, so I let her...she also decided she had to wear her snow boots!

Friday night Daddy took his girls on a DATE!!  'Northside Pizza' is our new favorite... EA got to try pizza for the first time!  She loved it!

On Saturday, Daddy + Elsie Anne got to play all morning w/out Momma.  And, as usual, Daddy came up w/ a fabulous idea, something I would never think of doing, but EA was completely impressed!!  He took his little tom boy to the construction site!  Yes, he slid under a few ropes + avoided some NO TRESPASSING signs, but no one even noticed:)  He said EA was fascinated w/ the digger bucket and it's big teeth!   

On Sunday, we loaded up + were driving to Denver by 8am!  Shawn has been itching for the Zoo, and it was going to be rainy in Breck, so off we went!!  Its so nice when we can be spontaneous, even w/ a toddler!  Here is Shawn + EA looking @ the Grizzly Bears!

Each time we go to the Denver Zoo, Elsie Anne is more + more into it!!  She learns so much about the animals + talks about them for days!  As always, her favorite exhibit was the Monkeys + Gorillas.  She is so intrigued by these curious creatures and gets such a reaction from them when she is up against the glass!  So, it was no surprise when she chose this precious black monkey w/ huge brown eyes from the gift shop!  And look @ her sleepy eyes... we wore her out! 

This is how she slept for almost an hour on the way home...too cute:)

TuTu's & Dump Trucks!!

We've been talking A LOT about Elsie Anne's upcoming Ballet Class!  She says, "Dan!" + "Rina!" (dance, ballerina) whenever we get on the topic.  She is constantly dancing, spinning + bouncing, so I know this class will be right up her alley - and mine!! 

This morning, as we're in the midst of our normal routine, Shawn puts the 'YO-GABBA-GABBA' dvd in + EA immediately says, "OUT!"  We help her brake out of the high chair, she stands up + boogies down!  The music on this program is very unique - different than any other children's program I've seen.  SHE LOVES IT!  Thank goodness it dawned on me that she has a TuTu in her closet, because when I pulled it out, her eyes lit up... it was the perfect time to introduce this precious accessory:)

...I can't imagine what the first day of her 'Dance Class' is going to be like, but if its anything like this morning, we're in for a REAL TREAT!!!  She is our little Dancing Queen!

--------------------------------------------------------

You wouldn't believe it, but we talk about TRACTORS even more than dancing!!  When we pull onto the road from our house, her first words (never fails) are "Hmmm, DigDig??!"  Now, "DigDig" does not refer to ALL tractors, she is specifically asking for the EXCAVATOR (the one w/ the long arm that 'digs')!  There is a ton of road construction going on near our house, so she knows she's going to see it!  Once she is satisfied by seeing the monstrous yellow machine, she then asks for "Coop?" (scoop is the 'loader' tractor) "Dum?" (dump is the dump truck) and "Puch?" (push is the bulldozer)!  The other hilarious part of our conversation through the Construction Zone is when she says "Hi Man!!" and "Helmet" to every worker along the roadside!

So, as we're browsing the aisles @ Target today, EA immediately spots this...

...and we HAD to buy it!!  It was just too PERFECT to pass up!  The yellow dump trunk, the man w/ the helmet, + it even dumps little lego blocks!  I've gotta say, I'm definitely IN to the boy section of toys now... EA loves them:)  The rake + shovel were a MUST too... they were in the dollar bin, she loves playing w/ Henry's, so in the buggy they went!!

The moral of THIS story... I think we've got a pretty well rounded Little Lady on our hands!!

"THE BEST DAY"

I am teary everytime I hear this song... its the way I feel about my life + upbringing with my parents, and what I hope Elsie Anne will feel one day when she looks back!

"Its the age of Princesses and Pirate Ships and the Seven Dwarfs. Daddy's smart and you're the Prettiest Lady in the whole wide World! Now I know why all the trees change in the Fall. I know you were on my side even when I was wrong. And I love you for giving me your eyes, staying back and watching me shine. And I didn't know if you knew, so I'm taking this chance to say that I HAD THE BEST DAY, WITH YOU, TODAY!!"

"The Best Day" by Taylor Swift please take a second and listen to this sweet 'thank-you note' of a song :)

If only our little Missy Moo knew how much fun we are having w/ her, and what she brings to our lives!  I LOVE knowing that God planned for HER to be OUR daughter...she was made perfectly PERFECT for Shawn and I :)  WE LOVE YOU ELSIE ANNE!!

ps: I had the Best Day with You, Momma & Daddy!  Thank you for being the most amazing parents, and for setting such good examples to live my life by!  I Love You!

'BABIES IN MOTION'

Elsie Anne is going to a NEW class @ our gym!!  We are pumped for this activity, since there are really no other classes offered for her age (besides her 'Mommy & Me Ballet' class that starts in September)!!

EA had a great time meeting a new little friend, Lilly!  We were the only 2 that showed for the first class, but I've already spread the word + there will definitely be others next week!  I loved that the class had a little structure to it... we did Circle Time which included a story, songs + building w/ blocks as a group, then we played on the mats w/ the balls, tunnels, hula hoop, etc!!

EA had seen the big girls @ Shelby's birthday party this past wkend doing the hula hoop + new exactly what to do when she picked it up today!!  Although she hung on to it, and twirled around, instead of spinning it around her body, I was impressed w/ the skill!!  It was super cute to watch!!

Shelby's 5th Birthday!!!

What a SPECIAL Birthday Party!!! 

I met Shelby when she was 6mo old @ Little Red School House, where I worked for almost 3yrs.  She was in the first group of babies that I worked with + we had an immediate bond!  Once I left Little Red, I nannied for her family for almost 2yrs!  Needless to say, we are very close w/ the Stais' + consider the girls Elsie Anne's Breckenridge cousins!! 

Being a part of Shelby's 5th birthday was super fun!  I'm honored to have been to EVERY birthday party Shelby's had, but was flattered to be invited to THIS one since it was a Big Kid Party + EA is not really in that category!  It was neat to see Elsie Anne hold her own in the midst of all the craziness!

Bummed I couldn't catch Shelby for a quick shot w/ EA:(