More Steamboat

We returned from our family bike ride to find the condo had transformed into a spa, complete with facials, pedicures, and WINE. Of course, the girls and I jumped right in to the fancy fun. Chris and Dylan immediately high tailed it out of there with their fishing gear in hand.

Mom and Dee Dee getting purified

Emily looking up at Mom and Dee Dee! Haha!

Looking Lovely Ladies!

Ahhhhh, girl time. Thank you, Christa, for the beautiful toes!!

 How could this day get any more perfect? Well, a double rainbow sure could add to the glory of such a fabulous day!

In case you've missed the YouTube classic Double Rainbow, click here for some hilarity!

That evening, we celebrated Dee Dee's birthday with cake and singing. A great ending to a great day!

The next day, while Dylan, Britney, Tim, Jyoti, Chris and I got ready to go tubing, Addison spent some time on the balcony staring out into a tree. I kept wondering what she was so fascinated with. When I went over to ask her, I saw she was communing with a little squirrel.

 

While we were tubing the Yampa River, the kiddos napped and  when they got up, it was time for Toddler Crafts!

When we came home from tubing, craft time had kicked into high gear. Everyone was having a great time.

 

Art! Top: Callie, 2nd row: Emily, Annalea Bottom: Addison, Bodhi

The art with the artists

Emily's piece was a bit minimalist due to some complications with fabric paint

Let's take a moment to get a shot of the cousins!

Hello sweet angel Elizabeth!

That evening, Dee Dee got out the art supplies for adults. We all used acrilic paints to create our own masterpieces. It was kind of like Canvas and Cocktails, but way more fun. Thanks, Bob, for joining us ladies! In my opinion, painting and wine is much more entertaining than cards and whiskey (you missed out Chris, Dylan, Tim, Jake, and Kenan!)

 

Fundraising For the Hastings

It has been far too long since the girls and I have hung out with Nicole and her twin boys Jack and Foster, but she is someone I consider a friend and I love spending time with her and her boys, who are so very sweet natured. Click here for pictures from our trip to the zoo last year and here for pictures from a playdate at Nicole's house. Nicole is due with a baby girl this month, and I have been looking forward to meeting the newest little Hastings and sharing the experience of "twins plus one" with a friend.

Nicole's husband, Phil, has stage IV lung cancer.  Phil, who turned 34 this past May, has been battling an extremely rare form of cancer that has been named after him (The Phil Hastings Condition).  Phil and Nicole have never given up hope for a cure.  Unfortunately, Phil’s health recently took a major turn for the worse and he was just recently referred to hospice.  Phil is ineligible for medical insurance as well as life insurance, and their financial burden has become dire.  

If you feel compelled to, please use the fundraising link above to give a donation. 

Thank you!

Steamboat

With August comes our annual trip to Steamboat Springs. We just love the magic of Steamboat, and enjoy spending time there with family every summer.

This year, Elizabeth helped me pack...

 

The trip up to Steamboat was a long one with three kids and a jam packed car, but once we got there, the fun immediately began. Emily and Addison had their very own room in the condo this year, and they had a blast sleeping in their big kid bed.

We got up to the condo late, so it was just unpacking and heading to bed, but the next morning, we woke up ready for adventures!

Aunt Christa braided Callie's hair, and then Addie got braids too. Her very first French braids!

Elizabeth got to spend lots of quality time with Aunt Britney.

Three cousins, cute as can  be.

We wanted pictures of the braids, so we told them to look for something in the fireplace.

Look closer, girls! 

Thanks for the braids, Aunt Christa! We love you!

 First Adventure on the List: Family Bike Ride

Chris and I have been wanting to take the girls on a bike ride in a trailer for a very long time, and we finally did it! We rented bikes and trailers and had a great bike ride along the Yampa River.

 

We stopped for lunch at the Botanic Garden, where Chris and I got married. Here we are sitting as a family in the exact spot we said "I do" 7 years ago.

Emily and Addison had fun climbing on the statues and looking at the water and plants.

 

 

Dad puts Elizabeth's toes in the pond

Of course, shoes just had to come off for much of the garden play.

After getting loaded back up on the bikes, we made one more stop along the trail to take a closer look at the Yampa River. We got to watch as the tubers floated by, knowing that tomorrow that would be on the fun agenda!

After a few hours, it was time to bring the bikes back to the rental shop, and it wasn't a minute too soon for these sleepy heads. All three fell asleep before we made it back.

Singing in the Rain and Snuggling with DeeDee

On a rainy day in July, Emily and Addison got to have some umbrella play in the sprinkles. Then that night before bed, DeeDee attempted snuggling all three girls at once!

Addie n Eh

Addie is so attached to Elizabeth. If I put Elizabeth down, Addie will usually come running over to sit next to/lay next to/play with/try to hold her baby sister. While Emily's nickname for Elizabeth is "Lizzybiz", Addie calls her "Eh", which you'll hear her say in the video if you listen closely. :)

 

Beginning to Pick Our Own Clothes!

The girls started showing a lot of interest in picking out their own clothes this summer. On this particular day, they were especially proud of choosing some leg warmers to go under their shorts.

 

Addie's in Undies!!

At the end of July (the 24th to be exact), Addie decided once and for all that she was done with diapers. She had been showing interest in potty training for quite awhile, but I wanted to wait until after Elizabeth was born after hearing baby sibling regression stories. Then after Elizabeth was born, I wanted to wait until our lives began returning to some semblance of routine. Even after more normalcy fell into place in our household, I resisted pulling the potty training trigger, having horrible visions of twins running around in soiled undies while I was stuck on the couch breastfeeding. (Or worse, twins running around soiling corners of rooms while I was stuck on the couch breastfeeding). But after receiving lots of potty encouragement from DeeDee, Addie began removing her diaper on her own to go on her little potty, and I started feeling guilty putting diapers back on her when it would clearly be much easier to just give her a pair of underwear she could take off and put on all on her own.

So on the 24th, I woke up with visions of taking Addie to Target to pick out her first undies. The morning, however, didn't quite go according to my daydreams, and it looked like Addie and I were going to be staying home with her two sleeping sisters. I called my neighbor, Courtenay, who has a four-year-old little girl, to see if maybe she could come stay with the sleepers so I could still take Addie out. She was on her way out the door, but offered to drop off a few of Berlin's old "roos" for Addie to start out in. Courtenay and Berlin were so sweet to wrap the undies up in a special red bag, which Addie proudly carried her new undies around in all day long.

It's a big moment!

Lining them all out....so proud!

Oh yeah!

The sisters get involved!

Emily's up and wants to check out the character on Addie's new undies

Elizabeth gets to provide a little potty-sitting entertainment while Addie sucks down some juice to encourage a tinkle.

Happy Six Month Birthday Elizabeth!

Goodness Gracious! How has half a year flown by in the blink of an eye? It feels like only yesterday that we brought you home from the hospital, Elizabeth. You are our little darling, and we love you so very very much. Your personality is beginning to come through to us, and oh boy are you ever a sweet little soul. You make my heart smile every day. I love my one-on-one time with you, when I get to stare into your eyes and soak up your smiles. I also love watching you watch your sisters play, and I love watching them learn to play with you. You have completed our family, and we thank God every day that you came to us.