Not in the what?

Scene: Jake is playing with Play-doh while I fold laundry. Jake is extremely grumpy and saying mean things.

Mom: What's wrong--why are you being so mean?
Jake: I'm just not in the nude, Mom.
Mom: (pause) Um, do you mean 'not in the mood'?
Jake: Yep.
Mom: Did you say "not in the nude?"
Jake: Yep.
Mom: Do you know what that means?
Jake: No.
Mom: Nude means naked.
Jake: (pause--then laughs hysterically)

Jake's Birthday

Jake turned 6 in November (and yes, I know the candle says 5--he insisted on having a glitter candle and we had 5 or 8. He chose 5 saying that we would remember it was really his 6th birthday). He went crazy for his cousin's remote control Big Foot a few weeks ago and wanted that for his birthday. Since that costs $100, I told him we couldn't get that. So, he asked for anything with a remote control. Trying to appeal to the remote control idea and the idea of a toy that walks and talks, I got him a RC car and Grandma and Grandpa Stott got him a moving and talking robot. Both have sat on the shelf these last few weeks, but apparently are quite special still because no one is allowed to play with them.

Halloween . . . finally

It's taken me a while, but here are the Halloween pictures! The boys had "Fictional Character Day" at school where they dress up as a character from a story in their core curriculum. Jacob was King Midas and Josh was Mars the god of war. But they didn't want to be that for the real Halloween, so we had to get two costumes of course. For trick-or-treating, we walked around the neighborhood because we finally live where that's possible! Jake was a ninja and Josh was Darth Vader. The boys were excited to pass out candy too, but we spent so much time out collecting that only a few groups came to our house. So, we have lots and lots of Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish leftover. Any takers?

Josh's birthday

The birthday boy mid-jump during the party

The cake for the football party

Josh and his special effects light saber

Such a cute picture of my boys!

Josh is 9!

Jake mid-jump and mid-toss

Josh had a good birthday and party the next weekend. He wanted a football theme, so we created an obstacle course in the backyard, had cake and ice cream, and then played a game on the grass. I had to jump in and start passing the ball. The boys complained that I was only throwing to certain people. I tried telling them my aim isn't that good--I couldn't throw to just one kid even if I wanted to!

Soccer Time!

Jacob decided to take a little break from karate and try out fall soccer. Turns out I LOVE fall soccer! The weather is so much better than spring soccer (which we tried with Josh). Perfect autumn afternoons for practice and warm Saturday mornings for games. He's having a lot of fun and I like that he's still too young for the coaches to keep score.
Jake likes the game, but he loves playing with his friends and cousin Suzi.


After I saw this picture, I'm wondering what his school pictures will look like . . .

First Day of School

Today was Jake's first day of Kindergarten. When I woke him up and asked if he knew what day it was he said, "School." I told him how excited I was for him and he said, "Mom, I'm really going to miss my work today." I asked what work was he going to miss. He answered, "You know--fighting bad guys." Love this kid!

I love this kid too. Josh is now in third grade! He started Wednesday and loves being part of the "upper elementary" grades. Everything for Josh revolves around what "real men" do. If he could jump ahead to 16 he would.

Camping

Since I wasn't able to take the boys on a real vacation because of my school schedule and moving, I wanted to do something fun on our last weekend before school and my Masters program started. So at 5:00 on Friday we decided to go camping. Nothing like planning ahead.


We headed about 10 minutes out of town to Prospector's RV resort by the Royal Gorge Bridge. I don't have an RV anymore, but we do have a tent and sleeping bags so we went "roughin' it." (I had to explain to Josh what that meant--he must be spoiled.) The campground had a pool, game room, and playground, but if you paid for wristbands you could also play on their jumping pillow, splash pad, and pedal cars all day long. The boys loved it! We played, started a real campfire--now that the fireban has been lifted--ate hot dogs and smores, and slept on some VERY hard ground. Josh said it was our best adventure ever and wants to go tent camping again and again.

Josh doing flips on the jumping pillow

The boys riding the pedal cars--I love Jake's expression!

Inside the tent

Jake says bananas make you strong (nevermind the powdered donut dusting on his lips)

Josh at the splash pad

Jake jumping at the splash pad

Our campfire--Jake didn't like the smoke too much

Rock Climbing

Several months ago, the young women at church held an auction for their girls' camp fundraiser. One of the things I purchased that night was a rock climbing trip up Shelf Road. Leslie and Nic Nelson took me (with a few other friends) up there in July. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to go again. But I did learn two things:
1. This is not a sport to do in shorts.
2. Just because you're tired and it feels like your arms are going to fall off doesn't mean it's a good idea to leap for the ring at the top. (You have to touch the metal ring to officially finish.) If you jump, you will swing around and slam into the wall. Don't do it. The six-inch butterfly shaped bruise is just not worth it.

About halfway

Getting closer

Just before my leap

All done!

Visit with the Duffins

My sister Carol Lee and her family stopped in Denver on their way to a Duffin family reunion in Idaho. It was great to see them (for the first time in four years)! After 3 1/2 long hours stuck in traffic and VERY narrowly missing an accident (the guy swerved to miss me and hit the person in his own lane. But in my defense, he shouldn't have been changing lanes, going so fast, and should have checked his blind spot), the boys and I finally made it to the hotel which had a really cool park behind it. They didn't want to do anything except play so we had to get some wiggles out before we went to eat dinner. We went to White Fence Farm the first evening and then to the zoo the next day. The zoo was fun but hot and humid. Carol Lee laughed at me when I said it was muggy but at least it rained to prove that the humidity was high.


Jake was too hot and too tired to watch the penguin feeding that everyone else was watching.Boy, did it rain! We barely made it to the monkey house before the downpour started. I thought it would only last about fifteen minutes, but an hour later we decided to make a run for it. Of course the shuttle van passed us on the way to the gates and asked it we wanted a ride. We were soaked by that point, so we just finished the walk. The puddles were more than ankle deep and almost rolled into the wagon but it was exciting! The boys loved it!

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Josh has been wanting to go to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings since he saw a picture of them in May. So near the end of June, we drove up there to check them out. Unfortunately, the picture he saw kind of said it all and he was a little disappointed when we got there. They were neat--just not very many of them.
We brought the boys' cousin Kyle with us. He sure looks like he could be their brother though!

Because the cliff dwellings didn't take too long, I also took them over to the Cave of the Winds. I've wanted to take them for a while but had to wait until Jake turned 5 to go on the tour. I really like the caves. We saw some great stalactites and stalagmites but my favorite was cave bacon. It's pretty tough to get pictures in the dark of the cave, and although it doesn't look like it Josh really was having a good time.

New house

I found this great house to rent for the next few years. It's over 100 years old but fully refinished and beautiful inside! It looks like a magazine--that is, until I get my crazy furniture in there. Somehow I don't think my hand-me-down peach and gray wicker sectional will go. Of course it's so ugly it doesn't go with anything. I'll have to put it in the carriage house. Yes--the home has a carriage house! I'm very excited--moving day in mid-July!

Testing Day

School may be out, but Josh still has tests to complete. He passed his karate test for yellow belt with flying colors! He's EXTREMELY excited and has been taking his new belt in the car everywhere we go. Good job Josh!

Josh's favorite day of the year

School's out for summer! We are all very excited--no homework for three months! It was a good day but I can hardly believe that Josh will be in 3rd grade! It's cliche but I can't believe he's growing up so fast!

Josh's teacher--Mrs. Powley, Josh, the 2nd grade aide--Mrs. Martin, and Kaedyn--a classmate who wouldn't step out of the picture. :-)