Colorado, Plus a New Blog Header.

I know that it's not October yet, but I really hated the September banner I made. It was too busy and I hated looking at it every time I blogged.

I made the executive decision to change it.

Done.

***

Pictures as promised.



Seasoned traveler

  

Max, Hallie, Jack




Outside Casa Bonita



Inside Casa Bonita - checking out the gorilla. Seriously.

Saturday soccer games - the tunnel the parents make at the end. Look closely for Hallie and Jack.

Rocky Mountain National Park aka Heaven on Earth

Beth, Hallie, gangsta Jack

Max, Hallie, Jack

Lava Cliffs, Rocky Mountain National Park

Elk - do you see the bull laying down? Look for antlers.

Same elk. So cool.

A Visit to My Bro, and Another One Bites the Dust.

I am back.

Oh I am so tired, but I am back to the land of corn and soybeans.

No more mountains, no more Casa Bonita, no more brother.

But I am grateful to be back. There is truly no place like home. I was way homesick.

Pictures tomorrow, but today I am checking off another item from my 30 Before 30. That makes only 16 more to go!!

My 30 Before 30

1. Successfully grow a garden

2. Purchase new drinking glasses (white polka dot from Target - love)

3. Sew a quilt

4. Print all past pictures since Hallie was born (making progress!)

5. Put #4 into albums.

6. Take Hallie camping.

7. Re-size my super-cute moo-moo.

8. Get (and stay) pregnant (no pressure, right?).

9. Get my ears pieced!

10. Take a tour of Woodlawn Farm.

11. Give up soda.(I am actually making progress with this.)

12. Visit Kurt in Colorado. (September!!!)

13. Find and buy black and white striped cushions for porch swing/rockers. I changed my mind.

14. Eat hibatchi with Dave.

15. Go on a job with Dave. In the semi. (we leave August 1st!)

16. Lose 5 pounds. (changed from 10 to 5...let's be realistic)

17. Organize under the kitchen sink.

18. Take a trip with Hallie and Dave. (St. Louis - to the City Museum, Brewery and Neil!)


19. Hang up plate wall in dining room.

20. Make cinnamon rolls from scratch.

21. Buy nightstands for the master bedroom.

22. Buy lamps for the master bedroom.

23. Make a headboard for the master bedroom.

24. Have new windows installed in the house. Blah.

25. Host an outdoor movie night.

26. Host a bonfire.

27. Sew curtains for the laundry room.

28. Pay off sound loan.

29. Pay off my car loan.

30. Host a fish fry.

Christmas List.

This lovely, robin's egg blue Farmer's Egg Crate can be found at anthropologie.com for $14.

I'm just sayin'.

Headed West...Way West.

To see this guy (except that he will be 32 on Saturday!):

My big brother.

(I loved that red sweater)

(nice mustache, dad)

I also get to hang out with these wild things.

And this hot mama.

See you next Tuesday!

So Soccer Might Not Be Her Thing.

That's okay.

She's only four.

I sort of turned into a mom-zilla at Hallie's soccer game on Saturday. I may or may not have been shouting orders at my daughter on the field.

*sigh*

I just hate to see her not try. It's so frustrating to have her come crying to me on the sidelines for some reason or another. I finally had to give her a talking to, which seemed to help a bit.

She's so little. And scared of the ball (like her mom!). But by golly, just try. TRY. That's all I want. I don't care if she sucks. I don't care if she is awesome. But I want her to try. To pay attention a bit.

But I'm thinking that my best plan would be to just keep my mouth shut. That's my goal for the next game.

Can you spot the new assistant coach?

Yes!

Another one bites the dust. Our outdoor movie night was a hit.

I tried to cheat, actually.

I was going to have a bonefire plus outdoor movie night - you know, kill two birds with one stone? Yeah, but it was windy or whatever and we had to just do a regular grill-out. I wanted to risk it, but Dave said the wind was blowing right at our house.

Oh fine.

I am proud of myself though - another something checked off the List. I need to get all of these weather-dependent items out of the way and leave everything else to do over the winter.

(nice smile, Dave)

(Eve say cheese!!)

In case you aren't as obsessed as I am, here's the List:

My 30 Before 30



1. Successfully grow a garden

2. Purchase new drinking glasses (white polka dot from Target - love)

3. Sew a quilt

4. Print all past pictures since Hallie was born (making progress!)

5. Put #4 into albums.

6. Take Hallie camping.

7. Re-size my super-cute moo-moo.

8. Get (and stay) pregnant (no pressure, right?).

9. Get my ears pieced!

10. Take a tour of Woodlawn Farm.

11. Give up soda.(I am actually making progress with this.)

12. Visit Kurt in Colorado. (September!!!)

13. Find and buy black and white striped cushions for porch swing/rockers. I changed my mind.

14. Eat hibatchi with Dave.

15. Go on a job with Dave. In the semi. (we leave August 1st!)

16. Lose 5 pounds. (changed from 10 to 5...let's be realistic)

17. Organize under the kitchen sink.

18. Take a trip with Hallie and Dave. (St. Louis - to the City Museum, Brewery and Neil!)


19. Hang up plate wall in dining room.

20. Make cinnamon rolls from scratch.

21. Buy nightstands for the master bedroom.

22. Buy lamps for the master bedroom.

23. Make a headboard for the master bedroom.

24. Have new windows installed in the house. Blah.

25. Host an outdoor movie night.

26. Host a bonfire.

27. Sew curtains for the laundry room.

28. Pay off sound loan.



No Itching Here!

Today Dave and I are celebrating seven years of wedded bliss. I thought it would be interesting to try to find pictures of us before, during and after. It was very revealing.

Before:

(new years eve, 2002)

 During:

(September 20, 2003)

After:

(after our anniversary date September 18, 2010)

(what an awesome picture)

We've come a long way.

I love you, Dave! 

PS - here is last year's blog post about our anniversary. Enjoy.

That Would Be Me.

What kind of mother lets her daughter run around like this?

(that's oil from the tractor)

Actually, Hallie said it was her dad's idea. Grandma Barb chance her around trying to wipe it off to no avail.

I was fine with it...at first, until I started to think that it might seep into her ghosty skin and poison her precious blood.

It came off.

And it was pretty funny.

For Sarah.

As seen on one of my favorite blogs. She just moved to NYC and snapped a picture of the above as she was out and about.

And I thought immediately of you.

No More Kittens, Just Worms.

We have a new pet. It goes by Madison, Kimberly, Wormie or even just Baby, depending on Hallie's mood.

It's a wonderfully green inch worm that truly inches around. He/she inches forward...inch, inch, inch....until it is flat, and then it's back legs do a little hop to catch up with the front feet and there you have it - inching.

I love to watch it. It even stands on it's back legs to peer around. Probably planning an escape. Hallie is very gentle with Baby and even took it with her to Lucille's Sunday night.

Pretty cute.

Where I'm From.

Do you know this song?

It's by Jason Michael Carrol. It's a good song - something something homecoming queen. La la la. I really like it, I promise. I just don't know the words. Regardless, Dave was doing sound for JMC (opener was the Lost Trailers) in South Jacksonville Saturday night. Naturally, Hallie and I went.

We met up with Bob, Brandon and Jenna and had a super fun time. Hallie had a great time taking pictures of our butts and croches, nearly blinding us all and running around like a wild woman. She kept her earplugs in like a champ and she really did have a great time...especially when her pre-k teacher, Miss Elisha was there!

Pictures I took:

Pictures Hallie took: