The BIG One!

Happy Birthday ELI!

 Last year God gave our family the biggest blessing EVER!  This sweet baby boy - Eli Matthew Trujillo!  We can't believe a whole year has passed already, but its true because today we celebrated his 1st birthday!  I thought I would be more upset and sad at the fact that my last baby was turning one - but I have to be honest, I am excited!  I love the toddler stage and can't wait to witness all the big changes and firsts Eli will experience through the next year!  It will be challenging for sure, but so FUN! 

Eli definitely celebrated his birthday today - he got to visit the water park and have ice cream this afternoon...

 And for dinner we took Grandma, Butch and Emily to Lucky Pie in Louisville to enjoy some pizza - yummy!

 And then off to Nana's for some dessert and presents...

 He clapped his hands while we were singing to him...

 Eli dug right into his cake with no hesitation - I can't wait to see what he does Saturday at his party...

I can't even put into words how much this little boy means to me and the joy he has brought into my life.  He completes our family with an exclamation point!  This little boy is so full of love, energy and has a very sweet spirit - and he melts my heart everyday I hold him in my arms.  This next year should be fun and challenging watching Eli walk, run, explore, learn, talk, throw fits, bother his sister and many more moments that will add to our chaotic life I love so very much.  Thank you God for this little blessing - he is an amazing child!  Please keep him safe, healthy and happy and give me the strength and patience to help him learn, grow and experience all he can.  Happy birthday my sweet boy - I love you so much!

Best day EVERRRR!

On Sunday Ashtyn had the "Best Day Ever - she even said so herself.  Jason and Matt took Ashtyn and Adam 4-wheeling outside of Boulder in the mountains.  Ashtyn has always loved riding on the 4-wheeler, so this was quite a treat for her.

 When I called Matt to see how things were going he said they were having a "Blast!"  Jason and Matt even packed a picnic lunch for them to enjoy, and what impressed me even more was they remembered a blanket to sit on - WOW!

 Funny Story.  So of course Ashtyn needed to go potty after lunch (I didn't even think of this when they were leaving), and Ashtyn wasn't quite sure about the whole idea of going potty out in the wilderness.  So Matt made his arms like a chair so she could sit and not have to squat.  Matt said she sat there and then looked at him and asked "Just go?", and Matt said yep "Just go.."  So she went (all of over Matt's shoe of course) and then asked "That's all?" and Matt said yep, "That's all!" 

I love how down to earth my daughter is... 

Then it was Adams turn to go "potty" - well he just hopped on top of the trailer pulled it out and sprayed it right off the side - Ashtyn was quite amazed!  That's when being a boy is so much better...

I am thinking by this picture they had a good time. 

Matt said on the way back to the truck they went down a really big hill and Ashtyn screamed all the way down
"This is the best day everrrrrrr!"

I am so happy she had fun, but more excited that her and Matt shared such a special day together.  I think having those special days with your dad are memories a little girl never forgets.  

I hope there are many more days just like this for them... 

Home Sweet Home

We have lived in our new home for a little over a month now, and we are enjoying every minute of it!  Of course there has been ALOT of adjusting - such as sharing a bathroom with my father-n-law (not sure this will ever be great, but what do you do?) - and "coming to terms" with how all seven of us will live together.  There will always be some adjusting needing to happen, but for the most part we are comfortable, happy and so blessed!  I never thought I would enjoy living in chaos - but this past week Butch, Sandy and Emily took a trip to California to visit Rob, Ariana and the boys and the house felt so empty and lonely with them gone.  I counted the days for them to get back, so our chaotic, crazy life could be back to normal!  When we sold our house in the back of my mind I wondered if we would regret it - but I haven't for one minute - I love, LOVE our life right now.  Since we are so blessed to have parents whom will let us move our family of four into their home and rearrange their lives, so we can get ahead in life, Matt and I want nothing more then to give back as much as we can.  I always come up with GREAT projects to do, and when some extra granite at work became available, I couldn't think of a better place to install them, then in my in-laws kitchen!  So while they were out we were busy remodeling... 

Funny story.  I thought we could just chisel off the existing backsplash - how hard could that be - and then install the new tile.  Well the first tile I chiseled off also had a big chuck of drywall sticking to the back of it.  Matt was not to thrilled with me at this point -

We ended up having to install new drywall for the new backsplash!  Live and learn...

We had a couple late nights getting the kitchen ready for its reveal on Saturday when they would get home.  We literally grouted the tile and hour before they walked in the door.

New granite countertops with a glass mosaic backsplash...

BEAUTIFUL! 

Sandy had tears in her eyes when she saw her new kitchen.  I hope she and the rest of the family enjoy it - we spend so much time in that kitchen it needed to look GREAT and now I have successfully removed all the turquoise green that once was!  This is just a small thank you to them for all they do for us...

if I can talk Matt into it, many more projects will follow, but for now I am not allowed to talk about those ideas - yet!

Eli gave Sandy the biggest, sweetest, and longest hug ever when he saw her on Saturday morning!  This just proves how much love my kids have for their grandparents.  Life would not be the same without them - actually it wouldn't even be possible. 

Baseline Lake

We finally made it out to Baseline Lake!  With the wonderful weather we had this weekend how could we pass it up!  We went out Saturday evening to have dinner, relax and have a camp fire!  I really had wanted to camp, but after the busy morning we had had, I was just too pooped to pack the family.  But we still enjoyed the evening at the lake and then our own beds for sleep!

 Ashtyn has always hated her life jacket - hated it!  But not this year - we found an old one (probably from when I was her age) and she loves it.  She even wore it around the beach and dock!  Eli on the other hand, hated his and screamed the entire time he was in it...

 Kevin trying out his new wake board - he must be a die hard to be in that freezing cold water...

 I had to break the rule and take the life jacket off...

 I think Eli would have jumped in if we would have let him.  We did put his toes in and he would smile really big and kick his legs!  I am thinking he will enjoy boating just like the rest of us...

 Ashtyn did not leave Chante's side all night!  They are best buds...

 Papa letting Eli have a big bite of his cupcake...

 If you look close you can see the remnants on his cute little face...

 Ashtyn LOVED Kevin's tent and was so bummed when we told her we were not camping!  She told us all the way home how much she wanted to go camp!

Enjoying the campfire!  What a perfect Saturday - I couldn't have wished for anything more...