Caves, rocks and planes

 Since Grandma Jan and Papa are in town we decided to visit Colorado Springs.  Little did we know that there are about 100 things to do in Colorado Springs. 

We visited the Cave of the Winds first.  We had thirty minutes to wait for the tour, so Benno modeled the newest in caving fashions.

The tour was very interesting and just a titch claustrophobic and spooky.  Our tour guide didn't help matters.  He continually talked about how small (and structurally unstable) the passages were and hinted heavily about ghosts.  His missing front tooth and his penchant for ending his descriptions with an enigmatic bow and a backwards shuffle towards the next room didn't help things.  Our party of very young kids was at the end of the group and, um, I definitely glanced behind me a few times into the dark and spooky path juuuust to make sure.  

After the tour.  Relieved that the tour was a success and now worried about the unending ravine on the other side of that rail.  Beautiful and deep.

Ooooooh Nico, you so smooth!

We then went to Garden of the Gods.  It's just so beautiful.  I grew up in Utah and I have spent a lot of time around red rocks and arid climates.  However, I've spent the last decade away from the West in varied climates.  I was amazed at how foreign the landscape looked. 

But these dudes are cute in any climate!

Strong men!

Here's to the grandparents who joined us on our adventure.  And here's to Jacob taking that picture on his own.  Right before this pic was taken I joked with Grandma Jan about which she would choose to save if one of her grandkids and her lovely camera were in peril at the same time.  We learned something about that scenario right after this picture was taken.  Thankfully Jacob is nimble.  Hee.  This is said by the mother who cringes when her kids fall down because she's almost entirely worried about their pants getting holes in the knees. 

We then saw this guy who told us he'd put us youtube.

And he did!  (I cringe at my hangdog posture, but hey we're on youtube!)

Aw this cute kid loves posing.

After Garden of the Gods we went to the Air Force Academy.  N was asleep and J was tired, so B and the grandparents went to take a look at the cadet chapel.  I'm looking forward to returning and seeing it for myself.  But here are a few pics they took while J and I played scrabble on my phone in the car. 

Thanks again Grandma Jan and Papa for helping us explore our new surroundings.  We love you!

Behold...the Halloweeninator!

May I introduce Phineas, Ferb and Perry as our Halloween costumes of 2012!  Jacob initially said he might want to be a rock star (read: easy) and Nico said he wanted to be the Hulk (read: easier).  That being said, one night Matt and I sat mulling about Halloween and our history of family themed costumes.  Because we do have a bit of a history with them*.  We mentioned our idea to the boys and they were hooked.  And thus my life ended.  Easy and easier became complex and fussy.  Because really, you just can't find Ferb capris at your local Target.  And a search for Phineas and Ferb costumes yields scary stuff like this.  Or ridiculous stuff like this.  Curse you Perry the Platypus!

Despite the added effort (like liquid stitching the fraying raw edges on Nico's sewn on stripes), this really was a fun costume.  The main reason I can say that is because...it was award (at the ward party) winning!!  Matt and I were Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Candace.  The boys are holding our award.    It's just a piece of paper, but man it was sort of the spoon full of sugar helping the medicine go down for this tired ma.

Front view.

Tail view!  I think his hat is more of a fedora/cowboy hat hybrid.  Mwah.

Here are the Ferb shorts hot off of the sewing machine.  I'm unnecessarily proud of the notch in the front.  Too bad he'll never wear them ever again. Oh, and please check out the avalanche of books, blankets and clothes in the background!

I'm unnecessarily proud of the aesthetic of this tail.  Thank you Jana for all of the hand holding I needed to produce it! 

And here's Nico's attempt at Isabella (he copied her from a picture).  I colored her in at his request.  Oh how I slave for these kids!!!

The boys and their pumpkins

Nico can't draw any human likeness without eyebrows.  Typically they are angry eyebrows.  Matt and I carved what they drew on their pumpkins and tried to stay true to their vision.  Here things got a bit too Michael Dukakis.

 

Halloween candy in the suburbs is epic. Heaven help us.

Despite all of the aforementioned work it was a great Halloween. The boys loved it and I am so grateful. Here's to store bought costumes next year though! Happy Halloween!

*Here is the Halloween I never blogged about. The big boys were spider men and Benny was a radioactive spider. Unfortunately I am not at the computer that has the majority of those pictures. These will have to do.

...the incapacity to tell the difference...

So, am I supposed to refer to old pictures as retro, vintage or mid year modern? I don't know anymore.  All I know is that these pictures should be shared.  Also, you can expect to see old pics more often as I clean up around here.  These capture some post bath and shower silliness from around January of this year.  I love these boys.  But they are also driving me slowly insane.  It's a complicated love.  

As an example, the boys are obsessed with Calvin and Hobbes lately and in one strip Calvin offers a reverse serenity prayer.  I feel like this is me (tho I don't pray for it) a lot lately. This parenting thing is soul stretching (crushing) sometimes and I unfortunately often get flustered and tackle it with Calvin's prayer.   

They're cute, nice boys tho even if their mother is crazy.  

This one might be crazy, too.

Wigging out

Last fall when my parents came to visit they brought a suitcase of my grandmother's things. Little things with big meaning. Things like a mirror and brush set that sat on her vanity for years, a pair of rhinestone clip-on earrings that she would let me try on when I was a little girl, and so many yarn and fabric surprises. In that suitcase they had also packed a little something extra.

1980

2011

I love you always Grandma. I can only imagine how tickled you'd be to see these silly faces. xoxo.

Face twins unite!

Sunday with Grandpa.  'Nuff said.    

From Little Rock to the Rockies

Our family moved to Denver, Colorado in July.  Yes!  We moved!  I still find it hard to believe.  I have tried to write this post a few times.  One of those times I ended up sobbing for an hour, another time I couldn't get blogger to post my pictures, and so on.  The sobbing came from trying to write about the experiences that got us here.  Happy and sad tears.  We have so much to be grateful for, but the past 18 months have stretched us so much that it's all sort of tender. 

We moved from Chicago to Little Rock in June of 2011.  We moved from an awful rental house in Little Rock to a wonderful rental house in Little Rock in October of 2011.  Then we moved from Little Rock to Denver in July of 2012.  Four addresses in 14 months.  Also, that's three states (as well as three regions of the US) in that time.  Stating it by the numbers belies the real emotion attached to each move and stage we encountered.  But I still don't totally know how to process it all!  We didn't think we'd stay in Little Rock for more than a few years, but one year was much shorter than we expected.  As such this move was rather jarring.  We were really just getting over the move from Chicago! So many good people, blessings and opportunities came into our lives over this time, but also some real trials.  And some off the wall stuff like Matt having his car stolen at finger in coat point in our drive way in Little Rock.  Just stuff like that...

Anyway, we are here now.  We're grateful.  Matt's very happy with his job.  The kids are happy with the house and move and the indoor turf at our local rec center.  Especially with the indoor turf.  I am happy with the lack of humidity.  Lots of good!  That being said we miss our friends terribly.  We found a very lovely group of people in Arkansas (and prior to that in Chicago) through school and church that welcomed and supported us through thick and thin.  They are the main reason for the tears.  But we have found friends here in Denver already and we know that as we (hopefully) put down roots more will come.

While our memories (and immunization records) are scattered all over the country, we are still us.  And that feels like quite an achievement and blessing no matter what the back drop is.  

I really wasn't kidding about that turf.  Awe-some.

To Grandma Jan on her birthday

You have some grandsons who love you lots and lots. Happy happy birthday!!!

Birthday season is upon us

Let the tantrums begin!



Jacob's birthday is coming up in a few weeks. Nico's birthday comes up two weeks later. It's a tricky dance. No matter how much I tell Nico that awesomeness will be his on his birthday it sometimes hasn't turned out that well.

The above picture is of Jacob's 5th birthday party at the park in Chicago.  A (Benjamin) lifetime ago, by the way.  Thanks again Mardee for lighting that unlightable windswept candle so that I could restrain Nico from going all Hulk on the festivities.

Here's hoping for a tear-free season!  Happy birthdaying!

Biography

Dear Benjamin (a.k.a. Benjo, Benjo-wenjo, Benjle-T, Benno, Benno-wenno, Benny, Benny Boy, Benamin, Ben-jammin' [fit it into this song for full functionality], and Ben),

Today you turn two.  Two!  I can't believe it.  You are a darling.  A big boy, with a big smile and big hair.

Biiiiiiig hair.

Here are a few stats I've assembled about your short, sweet life.

You've lived for at least three months in three different states (Illinois, Utah and Arkansas).

You took your first plane ride at 4.5 weeks old.

You've lived in four different houses.

You've been to more states than I'd been to by age 10 (Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Nevada, Utah, Arkansas, Georgia and Arizona.)

You've been a city kid.

And a country boy.  I mean, it's Arkansas for pete's sake!

You've survived an epic snowstorm and you've also survived being (proverbially) dipped in the fires of hell (Arkansas summer).

You've gained lots of big boy abilities.  Drinking from a cup, sitting in a big boy chair, using a spoon, hitting your brothers, eating apples*, giving hugs and kisses, and sleeping in (bless you).

You play so well.  Your smile and chuckle are contagious.  You have big, white crocodile teeth.  You also have big eyes.  People comment on your teeth and eyes the most.  Just like in Little Red Riding Hood.  Except, you're not going to eat anyone's grandma.  Oh, and the hair.  They always comment on the hair, too.

Here you are with your face twin have a laugh.

 
I love you, little man.  You were born at a time of intense change, challenge and growth for our family and you have weathered it like a champ.  You've been my buddy.  I'm grateful for you.  

xoxo

Love,


Momma


 *I actually don't typically let him have whole apples.  I think they're little death balls.  I just put this in here because it's so cute.  And he was surprisingly good at eating it!