One of the coolest things ever

Is this not the coolest bike you've ever seen? Check out the link at the bottom of my blog for a chance to win one of these babies. They're giving one away every Wednesday!

I love these guys

These guys make me so, so happy. That's about all I can say. I love my Family!!!!

She knows!

This morning, after I helped Ella open the back door so that she could let Bjorn out, she said something that made my day!!!!

"Mommy, I love you. You are always doing everything to help me everyday."

O' Ella. You are so sweet. And right.

Ella's day!!

Today is what we called "Ella's day." With so much going on with Luke recently, starting Kindergarten and soccer, today was just what Ella needed. And boy was she excited. I haven't seen her this cheerful and happy for a while, which is saying something because she's a pretty happy girl. It looked like she was about to jump out of her skin each time we mentioned school.

She has one of the sweetest teachers I have ever seen. Miss Stacey is going to be well loved by this little girl, Ella already talks about how much she cant wait to hug her teacher and how they are best friends.

As we walked up the driveway a friend, whom she didnt know, was getting out of his car. Ella asked us to stop and wait so that she could say hello to her new friend. I love how outgoing and social she is.



This last picture is blurred but I had to show it. I said, "Who's ready to start School?" And as Ella raised her hand Olivia did the same. It show how much Liv idolizes her big Sister. Man, I love having girls!!!

11 months

Really, we're here again?

This month has been a blur. What with our California vacation, school starting for everyone, Dad getting ready to start teaching and the regular old trips to the Park, pool, dog park... man it was a quick month for us all.



Olivia, you have really started to blossom. This month you have gone from our worst sleeper to our best, napping around 4 or 5 hours a day and 11 to 12 hours a night. Sometimes I feel like I hardly get to see you. You are funnier and sillier than ever. You have started doing some pretty rad dance moves, shaking every part of your body that you can. You can stand for a while now but are cautious enough to hold back on any wobbly steps. You have added many words to your ever-growing vocabulary and though I dont think you'll pass Ella at 50 words by your 1st birthday, I think we have another talker on our hands.



Your favorite things this month have ben eating as much big-people food as possible and your blanket. Did I mention you love food?! You are frequently heard saying "num num" all through the house until we sit you in your highchair for a snack. Your favorite is pancakes and waffles. A breakfast lover like your Mommy.

You become more and more social every day. You went through a bit of a shy stage at the start of the Summer but have really started to love socializing with whom ever you meet. As long as your Momma or Dadda are close by you love to flirt and smile at whom ever will give you attention (and thats just about everyone)

I love you more today than ever before, but I find myself thinking that every single day. You bring laughter and happiness to our Family like I never imagined. We are the luckiest Parents in the World!!! How so much personality got into such a tiny body I will never know.


O' and as of Sunday you were finally able to wear your very first 6-12 month outfit!!! I new all that sleeping would bring about some growing.

I love you Olivia,Liv, Livvers, Liva, Olive. You make me get all giddy just thinking about you.

Stuck in the Middle

Ella is a middle child. She has a hard time deciding whether or not she wants to be big or little. And most days have a little of both rolled in. She is not the oldest, who gets to do everything first and receives the attention for doing so. Everything Luke does is new and exciting. By the time Ella does them I can sense that we just dont quite have the same enthusiasm as we did the first time around. Ella is not the youngest, who gets attention for being little and sweet and cute. Every time Olivia does something she gets ooooh's and aaaah's . And frequently Ella will try to do something similar but a 3 1/2 year old bopping her head to some fun music is just not the same as a 10 month old doing it.

I can tell that this little girl feels stuck. I can sense that she's trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to be doing. She's lost somewhere between a Kindergartner and a baby and I feel like I am overlooking her among the excitement of those 2 things.

So what do I do? How can I help her to know how important she is to us all? She makes us better and brighter and more exciting. She has a role all her own and I dont want her to feel lost in the middle, trying to fit into some one else's shoes.

I love you sweet Ella. I know sometimes things feel frustrating and confusing. I know you want more attention than you can manage to get. But I hope you always know how wonderful and beautiful and fun and thoughtful you are. I can not even begin to tell you how you can put smiles on my face in ways no body else ever could.



Ella with one of her favorite people, also a middle child, Uncle Ryan. I love this picture because its so clear how much they love each other.

Liv's "B"

Olivia got this "B" (as we call them) from my close friend, Ashley. She brought it over the eve of her surgery to bring Olivia comfort on such a long, hard day. And comfort her it did, and has done ever since. I had the nerve to lie her down with something else tonight as her "B' needed to be cleaned. Man, she was mad at me. I finally walked in with the dirty blanket that she was crying for. This is what she looked like when I put it in her crib with her. I guess I will need to wash it between naps tomorrow.

Thank you Ashley for giving us such a wonderful gift, it will be loved for years to come!

My favorite part of the day

This was an obscure moment yet my favorite of the day! I love my girls. And I love how little peanut loves to be tossed and turned and thrown about, she's a total crack up and I can't ever get enough of her.

Who wouldn't need this?

I have some of the most creative and crafty friends. This blog is wonderful and everyone should frequent it for super great ideas. Like this latest installment....


Genius, right? And she's giving 2 away so... good luck. Im hoping Rebecca will sell these for the rest of us non-winners because this is just what I know we all want and need. Maybe I'll even be more prone to bring out all the coupon masses.

Thanks Becca, as always, you rock!

http://www.bluecricketdesign.blogspot.com/

A letter to my 20's

Dear 20's,

Well, just as everything does, you have come and gone. So much has happened within your 10 year time frame and I owe you. I met met and fell in love with my Husband at 22. I was sealed to my Dave at the ripe old age of 23 and became pregnant in that same 23rd year. At 24 I became a Mother and its then that I realized what life was really all about along with how little I really did know. While many of my friends were still up all night hanging out at shows and parties I was up all night trying to learn how to calm a fussy baby and trying to perfect the art of nursing.

I took my 5 month old baby and moved halfway across the Country a month before my 25th birthday. I have never been more excited and yet so afraid. But we found the courage and acknowledged that we were now our own Family and that we could do anything as long as we had each other. And it was 1 incredible journey that we'll never forget. I found myself pregnant with a little girl at 25 and delivered our first Daughter at 26. It was a beautiful and crazy and lonely time. But everything we endured in Chicago made us all a stronger Family unit. We relied on each other for everything and that time taught us so many valuable life lessons.

At 26 we took Dave's newly acquired diploma and headed back to CA. I never appreciated Family more than in those first few months back home. Having those extra loving hands was priceless and I didnt realize how much I loved and missed everyone. At 27 we became responsible for my In-Law's home as they served a Mission in Switzerland for 18 months. We were also blessed to be with Grandma during that time and I think she got the bum deal on that one. She took much better care of us all than we ever could of her. At 28 I endured my first miscarriage and it made the next pregnancy all the more special and miraculous. In that 28th year we were also able to go on my dream vacation to Europe which will never be forgotten.

1 month before my 29th Birthday we packed up our Family and headed to CO for yet more Schooling. And 1 month after our big move, at 29, we were blessed with our third baby. At 29 I have learned how precious life is and how grateful I truly am for every moment. I have discovered how deep my love is for my Children and how thankful I am for their health. Getting perspective is a beautiful thing.

And not to be forgotten, my 20's also brought some flavor to life. It took me 29 years but I finally tried a fish taco from Pedro's. And I discovered that taking chances can actually bring about joy. Man, that fish taco was good!!! Yes, 29 was a HUGE year.



Yes 20's you were good to me. I cant imagine how the 30's will be better but I know they will be. I welcome what they will bring. Another move or two, our first home, another baby to finish off our sweet Family, the joys of raising our growing kids, the sadness of getting rid of strollers and high chairs for good,a few more vacations, more insight and personal growth.

So I will miss you 20's but am grateful for all that you brought along with you. Thank you for the best years of my life.
And welcome 30's. I have been waiting for you and cant wait to see what you have to offer!!!
So 30's, you sure have big shoes to fill.

What the.... Hail?!

Dave was so proud of his play on words idea for the title of this post.

Upon returning home from a little run to the store, yes my Husband rocks, we got a little surprise. Hail, and a load of it. Just as Dave got in from unloading all the groceries it slowed down. I had to snap a shot of him rushing back and forth from the storm. He said it hurt but the Virgils Cream Soda was well worth it.


Cute Dave on one of his trips


A little mound that built up by the door. This shows how hard it was coming down as the entire storm was really only about 6 or 7 minutes worth.




I loved all this hail. I turn into a little kid and want to run and play in it. Problem is, it really does hurt!

My new lens

For my Birthday I got the lens I've been wanting. So I got to go out and do what I love, take a few pics with it. You will notice that Ella is not in a single shot. I make no apologies to her. She was grumpy from lack of a nap and wanted nothing to do with this new, great gift so... she's not included. Maybe I can try it out on her another day.










My tired Olivia. Okay, Im done Liv.

Its about to get interesting around here....

My Kindergartner

Its official... He's big. I love this Kindergartner of ours so much!!!












I did cry a little but not like this.....

He had such a great day. He had been counting down the days till Kindergarten since before Pre-School was even over. As we waited this morning he just kept asking when they were going to open the door.

As he got in the car he said, "Kindergarten is a long day!!"

He had lots of fun. He played with his buddies Lance and Jeyksten at recess, had a good snack and did everything the teacher said to do. What a good boy.

Ella's message to Luke

Ella misses these girls...

And so do I.



We miss you already Sammers and Kate

She loves her!!

Has anyone heard who Olivia's best friend is?


This is what Olivia says all day long. First thing in the morning, last thing at night and play time in between!

A beautiful mind

"Mom, we are on Chapter 7 of the chamber of secrets" Luke say's as we get cozied into bed for nap time today.

"Its on page 104 Mom."

O' thanks Luke. And it is nice to know since there is no book mark. Luke is my book mark.

I decide to quiz him and this is what happens. I had never asked him these questions before.

"What page does Chapter six start on?"

"Its called Gilderoy Lockhart, it starts on page 86."

"How many pages are there in the entire book?" I ask him, assuming he's not got a clue.

"341."

surly I will stump him. "how many pages are there in book 1?"

"309 pages" he states, without missing a beat.

"What's the name of chapter 9?" He has not read chapter 9, or 8 for that matter. But that doesn't seem to stump him either.

"The writing on the wall."

This continues for some time. He can tell me which page most chapters start on, how many pages are in most of the books in the series and the name of all 18 chapters in book 1 and up to chapter 11 in book 2 of the Harry Potter series.

He is incredible. Absolutely incredible. I can not even remember the name of the Mom I met at Luke's Kindergarten Open House this morning. Luke reminds me that it's Jodie.

These are some of the reasons why I will never medicate my Son. He has a gift. There are things that are much harder for him than others his age. There are struggles he has and challenges he'll face that most will not. But he also has this. A beautiful, mind-boggling at times, mind.

I love being able to be apart of his genius.


I love this picture because its exactly where Luke's head is. He wrote "Harry Potter By Luke Wirthlin"

Let them be.....

MESSY!!! DIRTY!!!! STICKY!!!!

These are all words that I hate, especially when used in conjunction with my kids. But today was their day. I don't know why or what got into me but I decided to just relax and them be, well, all of those things previously mentioned.


Luke has had this huge pack of sidewalk chalk for literally 3 years. Today they were unwrapped and allowed entrance into my kid's hands.







and at that point I thought, what the heck. So I came out with these (which have yet to be eaten all Summer long)





And we invited our best friends over to join in the messy chaos


So it was only fitting to end things with a quick clean up (before I totally went nuts)






Maddie taking a break from all the excitement to sit and eat some pretzels.


It was a really fun and silly afternoon. All the mess was totally worth it. That chalk is welcome back any time.



I just love these 2 happy boys. We are sooooo thrilled that they will be together in Kindergarten as of Friday. (o' and nice ribs Lukie... why is this boy so skinny?)

Fun with a Nikon

I got to shoot some of my favorite Colorado kiddo's yesterday. Have I mentioned how much I love photography? I cant wait to be as good as many of you reading this but one step at a time, right?











Thanks Ashley, I loved photographing your super fun and cute kids.