Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Colorado Trip #3!

Emerson is certainly one lucky little boy. He has been to Colorado 4 times, during 3 different seasons! We made it out last winter for his first trip, then again this past summer for the 2nd, and then, for FALL! I am lucky to have a 2-week fall break, and out of the past 10 years, I believe we have gone to Colorado for about 7 of those breaks. The forth trip was for the holidays this past December, but I am saving pictures and stories about that for the post-Christmas post.

Our October trip was filled with fun visits with friends and family. Mom and dad got a night out to go see O.A.R. at Red Rocks. Then Emerson got plentiful play dates from Denver, to Dillon, to Colorado Springs. We got to wear sweaters and scarfs and were reminded how cold the fall rain feels.

Emerson got to experience some of Kyle's childhood when we hiked around the hills out back of granddad's house- where Kyle and his family built their tree house and spent summers. Then he got to experience some of his mom's past when he visited Colorado College again, this time for Homecoming and a hockey game!

So grateful for friends and family willing to accommodate us during our many visits. I always feel refreshed after a trip to the mountains, so you are all helping this mommy maintain her sanity.


O.A.R. at Red Rocks (round 2!)

Waiting in line to get in

For a chilly October concert, the crowd was fired up!

The required Red Rocks selfie!

Our friend Carrie, who lives in Denver, met us at the show!

Glad to have a parents' night out!

Emerson and his mom on a hike among the fall colors. 2 years ago this was our wedding!

Our friend Sarah from Wyoming came to visit, too!

And we got to meet our friend Isla who was here from Minnesota!

Another hike with mom! Having so much fun!
This time friends came along!

Not too shabby!

Mom, all this hiking is exhausting!

Lake Dillon

The ski gang in the off season goes hiking! 11 years going strong, or so... Jenna, Sarah and Jill

And the next generation ski gang! Emerson, Clara, Arthur, and Isla! More soon to come!

Emerson's sweater from Peru and his new Toms

GO CC TIGERS!!! (we won, by the way)

Emerson trying to figure out what all the noise is about

Emerson is not so sure about the CC Tiger mascot.

Watching the Zambonis after the game
CC Kids from the class of 2004 (mostly)!

DGs and their Babies- Jill with Isla, Lauri with Jaxson and Presley, and Ashley with Grant

College reunion part deux- with mama Nads, Jill and Lauri at the CC Homecoming dance

Emerson at Worner Center keeping warm
Taking Emerson for a scenic drive up Cheyenne Canyon in Colorado Springs. Too bad he slept through it!

At least I got to hike up to the top!

Finding amazing scenery along our drive- this natural stone bridge with the fall colors was wonderful!

Mom and Emerson coordinated with the fall leaves.

On to Denver for my early birthday celebration with Tia and Tio Jensen!
And the sun set on our fall Colorado trip, 2014!

Don't let this photo fool you, it was taken at night! See the stars in the sky?

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Where have these last 2 months gone?

I have some explaining to do.

I wish I could say that the last 2 months of not writing or publishing were filled with life-changing travels, or that I have been taking a break to write and publish my soon-to-be best-selling novel. Well, I won't say that these 2 months have been dull or boring. They have been the opposite--filled with adventures of a different kind.

Emerson is now 15-months-old, heading quickly to 16 months. He is walking, nearly running at times, climbing, making "conversation", drumming, feeding himself (with his new molars helping with the eating process), and all sorts of other new talents each day. In these past months, he has endured some major changes in his short life. Most of these changes came from just growing up. No more mom feedings, no more baby room at daycare, and then his mom and dad throw in the biggest change- a big move to a new house!

The main reason why I've been M.I.A. in the blogging world is because we moved. November 13th, we closed on our new house. My last post was published Nov. 7. I believe there is a correlation there. After we closed, we had 1 week to pack up and get ready for the big move. November 21, we moved. Because we are not selling our old house, but renting it out, we were really not under any deadlines, so the move wasn't exactly swift. Over the following weeks, we moved our stuff a little by little. We still had to maintain our "normal" lives, like me finishing a semester, Emerson's activities, and Kyle working full time and a bit further away after the move. So, the hope of being fully moved in by the holidays came and went. We were fortunate enough to put up a tree, but did little other decorating inside. The outside of the house had to keep with the Jones', as our neighborhood is in competition with the Griswalds when it comes to holiday decor. Luckily, we were scheduled to be in the Colorado mountains for the holidays themselves, so it was ok.

Then, I SWORE I would write during my break. But it was instead spent furniture shopping, organizing boxes, trying to figure out what we still needed, interviewing contractors for some updating of the new house, starting a new workout regime, and just enjoying my time off with Emerson. I never wrote.

Then, we started second semester. I found myself coming up with ideas for new posts. I found myself scheduling writing time into my busy weeks. But each time I picked up my computer, I found something else more pressing to do.

So, this week, I felt it. I felt the void that not writing had left in my heart. From nowhere, the emotions came pouring out. I mourned the loss of my art. I use writing as a form of release for all the stresses that being a full-time teacher and mom bring into my life. While trying to plan for some new adventures in our future- remodeling and getting a National Board Certification- I realized that I was thinking of the future in sacrifice of the present. The present is the moments that I capture when I blog about being Emerson's mom. This blog IS his baby book. It is what I can pass down to him in the future when he asks me about what it was like when he was a baby. He can read what I wrote about our times and see how much we have always loved him.

All that being said, I am back. And this time, I am not going to let the other distractions in life keep me from taking this time for me, to do what I love to do, and to reflect on the present before these memories start to fade with the new memories yet to be created. I may not write as often as I would like, but all those back-logged blog ideas will come to fruition, and I can continue to share my experiences with the other moms, friends, and family out there who have been reading this all along.

Thank you for understanding and for your continued support.

I leave you with some adorable recent pictures of the little rascal.

Arizona fall happens in January! This is the new backyard!!!

The new place! See, there ARE Christmas lights on the outside!

Taking a walk

Happy and drooling! This is what happens when you get molars!

Friday, November 7, 2014

Emerson's Pirate Party!

Emerson would only wear this hat for about 3 seconds.
For Emerson's first birthday, since this is really one of the few times where we don't have to get his input for the theme, we (well, let's be honest, I) chose to have a pirate party!

For one, I love pirates, as anyone who knows me well knows! I have had a life-size Jack Sparrow for years. We also have so many pirate-themed decorations that this party didn't require anything new, really.

Thank heavens for Amazon, though, since we have so little time to shop, I could just order all the plates and utensils online! I also asked for our wonderful family to help with the potluck lunch sides, however, I will share that my choice to grill was not a great one. Next year's party, I am ordering pre-made sandwiches or something that doesn't require manual labor in the middle of a party. There is enough to do with watching a bunch of children run wild.

Here are the photos and with them some explanations of the details of the party!

We had this cake and the cookies specially made! Love how they turned out!

Kyle carved this pirate ship out of the watermelon because I am still obsessed with watermelon, a year after pregnancy.

Thank you Kinkos for professionally printing this banner for me at 11:30 the night before the party.

The gifts for the guests were pirate accessories! Eye patches, hats, swords, and bandanas!

Thank heaven for the Halloween decoration collection we have!

One of the activities for the kids

The kids got to take home their "loot" in these little skulls for Target's Dollar Spot.


Guests followed the dotted line to the X
And the Jolly Roger flew out front

Jack greeted all at the door
We got this sand and buried a bunch of treasure. The kids had a BLAST with it! It was a total mess, but worth it.



Cousin Dylan made it all the way from San Diego for the party

Tattoos!

Family portrait!

One more of the cake!

Blowing out the candle!

And ready for some sugar!

Thank you, Jo, for taking these awesome action shots!


Emerson's loot!

Marin drew Emerson this adorable picture of a pirate ship! And Emerson LOVES his cars!


That big present held a Radio Flyer Wagon!!!

Mila and Tegan were such big helpers!!!
Later that night we opened the rest of the gifts! Emerson got classic blocks from the Bucherts.

And this fun lion "car"!

Nothing beats hugs from "Tiny", Emerson's new best friend!
Puzzles from Aunt Shannon, Cousin Dylan, and Grandad Davis


Emerson's first pirate ship from Grammy and Grandpa Jensen!


More blocks from Uncle Casey, Aunt Karen, and Cousins Jack and Lucy!

And mom and dad got me this singing pirate ship rocker! I love it, despite the half-amused look on my face here.
I also ordered this outfit from Etsy so that the suspenders and bow tie continued the pirate theme!