Welcome to our World

When I found out my children had a four day weekend at the same time my great aunt turned 90 years old we planned to be there for the celebration. We flew in on Thursday just in time to rent our brand new Pacifica, eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp for dinner and ride some amazing rides at Camp Nickelodeon before spending too much time in the Lego Store and heading to our hotel. I must say the AmericInn's great swimming pool in Shokopee was pretty hard to tear the children away from in the morning!  But Aunt Hope's home and 10 acres is a destination location all on its own. I'm so glad only the poplar trees had shed their leaves before we arrived. With forest and hay bales, the creek and Hope's papillon dog, Tiny, there was plenty to enjoy with the family being together.  On Saturday,  K opted to stay home with my mom and Aunt Hope while Dan and I took the other children to tour Fairlawn Mansion and visit the Richard Bong center in Superior. Danny really absorbed the latter and...

We had been looking forward to our annual Rockies fireworks game for months and were not disappointed!  Going down on the field and being right there for the best show around doesn't get old. My mother and I took our scouts to the Zoo Scout Night so N wouldn't be up late two nights in a row and Hubby could work on his master's paper after she was asleep. I don't think she would have liked the dark but it was a fun and well organized event. We are certainly willing to return.

D begged and begged to do Cub Scouts and Flag Football this year.  I told him he could do both and we are in the middle of selling Scout popcorn right now.  Wow, that stuff is expensive!  I was so grateful most of our neighbors were willing to buy some or donate to the military fund to donate popcorn to our troops.  D loves flag football.  But guess when his practices are?  One practice is the same evening that I go to Activity Days as a leader with K and Husband was asked to help out with the Cub Scouts at church.  So, that night every week, Grandma comes over in time for K and I to head to AD, Hubby comes home early from work in time for Grandma to take D to football, and I arrive home in time for Hubby to drive to the church to do his calling.  Grandma and D get home after Hubby is gone and all the children are in bed by the time he gets back.  Grandma also put A TON of time into planning the activities Hubby does with his den so t...

In the spring we reserved a site at the Molly Brown campground and were so excited to go over Labor Day weekend -- the last hurrah for the camping trailer before winterization.  Events the first week of September told me K needed some time alone with me instead of camping.  So, Hubby took D, M and N off for the weekend while K and I stayed home.  She had her choice of pretty much anything she wanted to do in and around Denver.  Know what she picked?  Swimming at her friend's apartment complex pool, eating at Noodles and Company, and watching movies.  Yup.  I arranged for her pool play date, took her out to eat, and introduced her to Jurassic Park -- my favorite movie of the weekend.  I'm still amazed at the staying power of a movie that I enjoyed as a kid!  We also watched movies we knew the rest of the family wouldn't like -- mostly Disney Channel musicals.  Our list included Teen Beach Movie 2, High School Mus...

While attending the GSCO 100th Anniversary, our family met April, a woman who runs Spartan Races.  She taught us how to throw a spear and talked to us about staying strong.  D and M were inspired to run a Spartan Kids Race and they had their day.  My dad and I drove them to Breckenridge and were amazed at what these kids could do!  They both competed in the 1/2 mile race they had signed up for ages 4-8.  My dad figured out they could go again.  The next race was a 1 mile one geared for ages 9-13.  I was a bit worried about my 7-year-old trying it out, but he did it!  Then the two of them did another 1/2 race.  Then they both did the 1 mile together!  D knew what to expect and excelled that time.  I think my proudest moment was when M finished and commented that she had come in last.  She hadn't!  But I was very impressed she had kept doing her best when she thought no one was behind her.  I think that takes more ment...

For my birthday this year, we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit our new temple's open house.  We pulled the children out of school about an hour early, changed clothes, and headed up.  It was magnificent to go around the different rooms of the temple answering their questions and realizing we were bearing testimony in the process.  The feelings of love and peace were so strong there.  In the baptistry D said he couldn't wait to turn 12 so he could come back.  While we were in the bridal room M announced she wanted to get married there someday.  Awwww.  My all time favorite moment was when we were together in the Celestial Room.  I sat down on the sofa and D sat down on one side and M sat on the other and N sat in my lap and we just enjoyed the idea of being together forever in heaven someday. After our tour, we met my birthday twin, Lisa, and her family at a great little Chinese restaurant near th...