OFFICIALLY Summer!

I would say Summer is OFFICIALLY here!  Actually, it feels like August since we have had such HOT weather since April, but still my family and I are soaking up every lit bit of SUMMER before its gone!  I LOVE summer - LOVE IT!

Our summer so far...

We've spent many afternoons meeting friends at the water fountains at the Lafayette Plaza for some ice cream and water fun...

 The little ice cream shop there has "Bambinos" which are a tiny little ice cream cone with one little scoop - a PERFECT little snack for the kiddos!

 BASELINE LAKE - our favorite hang out spot for the summer! 
We were a little worried our summer would not happen at the lake with there being no water, but the water comes up little by little every week still allowing us to enjoy and play with the boat!

 We have spent three weekends out there camping and "enjoying" our trailer - I say that with sarcasim in my voice. 

The first weekend was a bit rough.  It took us two hours to back in the trailer, we kept smelling propane gas, so we turned off the propane so we wouldn't blow ourselves up or pass out.  And to top it all off we screwed up the water heater - it seems we forgot how to "RV" through the winter!

So basically we camped in really nice tent the first weekend!

Time to regroup...

So we made a new parking spot for the trailer, so Matt didn't have to back in between two rocks, filled up the propane tanks since apparently they smell of "gas" when they are low, and ordered a new part for the water heater which luckily was only twenty bucks!

 Weekend number two of camping...

The camper was parked, no worries there, no propane gas smell - check - and water heater seems to be working.  But the weather was HOT!  Very, very HOT!  So we needed to hook up the generator to get the AC going!  Well it seems our brand new generator that we bought last year and ran for a total of two hours would not start - SERIOUSLY!  So we sweated like crazy all day with no relief from the heat and then had to sleep through a hurricane that night! 

Packed up at 6:30 am and headed home... 

 Weekend number three of camping...

Parked the trailer in 10 minutes, no propane gas smell, water heater kinda working (may have a little issue still), generator working with the AC running and perfectly HOT weather with a little breeze!

Like they say "Third time is a charm!"

I think we are finally ready to enjoy our trailer for the rest of the summer and hopefully worked all the bugs out!

Headed to Pagosa Springs for the 4th, so I hope we have all the bugs worked out...

 Life is good when you can sit on a boat with a beer - RIGHT!

 Besides for play dates, boating and camping we have been to the swimming pool every week - my most favorite.  We luckily got a pass to The Vista Ridge swimming pool courtesy of the Ohlheisers!  The pool there is so nice and perfect for little kids! 

So we've been spending our Wednesday's at the pool hanging out with Stacey, Adam and Alex!

 I have been so proud of Ashtyn this year.  She is so comfortable in the water and really good about putting her face in and sometimes going under all by herself.  Eli loves the water too and dives right in, but once he gets cold he is DONE!

Summer's been pretty GREAT so far...

Cup of Jo

I am afraid my son is following in my footsteps with his new found LOVE for coffee!  The boy LOVES coffee and anytime he sees me with a cup he comes up to me and says...

"Coffee too? Peez mama, coffee too?"

How could I say "No" to that sweet voice!  So we now share my cup of coffee whenever I have some!  And if I set it down somewhere he will, in no time, find it and finish it off.  One morning he was so cute - he found my cup and started walking around front yard while taking sips of it looking around at the grass and the trees, and the squirrels - he totally looked like Butch!  It cracked me up!

Well, I know one person who would be SO proud - Grandma Digicomo!  I am sure she is looking down from heaven with a big smile on her face watching Eli walk around with a Cup of Jo!

Cheers to you Eli, my sweet boy!

HOTTEST Day at the Zoo...EVER!

Why is it EVERY year we go to the Zoo in early June and it's 90 degrees outside?  For the past three years our June trips to the Zoo have been SO hot and this past Friday was no different - hottest day EVER!  Our main objective was to visit the new Elephant Park which has been in the works for quite awhile and we were very anxious to see it...but because it was so busy that day they were only allowing so many people into the new park at a time, so we had to wait two hours before our allotted time was up for touring!  So we had some lunch, visited our favorite animals, Hippo, Penguins and the Bears, before getting to see the much anticipated Elephant Park!

 Eli didn't want to put sunscreen on...

 We also rode the Merry-Go-Round which was Eli's first time.  He at first loved it, but then after a couple times around he wanted to get down - I am sure he got bored just sitting there!

 We finally got into the Elephant park around 2pm and ran around...

Although by this point we were all VERY hot and needing a snack, so I don't think we enjoyed the new area as much as we should have...

 Eli laid down inside this log - I think he was finally cool in there...

 I will say the new Elephant Park is "State of the Art" and looks like an awesome new home for the Elephants and their other Asian friends. 

They got a couple of new elephants and two new rhinos - which is good because the other two were gettin' old!

The new animals were very active and fun to watch as they played in the water (Wish I could have jumped in with them!), but the animals they moved over from the old area were still having a hard time adjusting.  The monkeys barely moved and the two older Elephants just stood in the corner, not moving!  We over heard a Zoo Keeper saying the animals were moved over four months ago and were still not adjusting to their new home...I felt bad for them - you know what they say "A Elephant never forgets!"  SO I am sure adjustment for them is going to take a long time. 

 After touring the new Elephant Park we were completely overheated and in desperate need of some snacks.  So we headed to my kids favorite place - the water park at the Seals!  We got some ice cream, cold drinks and played in the water until it was time to go home!

We had a good day at the Zoo, but I am going to be honest I enjoy it much better in the Fall then I do in JUNE!  Hopefully we can make it back in September with the cooler air and get to see if the Elephants, Monkeys and other animals have adjusted to their awesome new home yet!

Touch-A-Truck again...

We attended the Annual Touch-A-Truck again this year in Louisville.  I thought for sure Eli would be completed amazed and entertained since he is totally in love with all trucks, or as he would say "Trash Trucks!"  But much to our dismay he was whiny, crabby, clingy and not much fun at all.  I think he may have been overstimulated by all the trucks and "HONKING"!

There was a trash truck there, but Eli didn't even get all that excited about getting to sit in it.  I guess he likes to see them in "action" better! 

Ashtyn, however, enjoyed herself...

 I have a picture of her standing by this same tire when she was 18 months old, and it amazes me how quickly she has grown up into my little lady!

 Not sure why Eli has a maraca in his hand, but he would not put that thing down!  Notice in every picture, the maraca!

 Getting to be a "Fireman"...

 Eli did enjoy getting to hold the fire hose and spray water.  Mainly because water was involved...

Can you see my enthusiasm? 

Eli wore me out that morning, and I can't say its the best time I have ever had.

Maybe next year we will all enjoy the event...or we will just skip it all together!

Memorial Day

Memorial Day this year was a bit quiet - We had just got back into town, our Trailer was still in the shop getting work done, so camping was out and the weather was windy - of course!

So we settled for our annual breakfast cookout at The Pierce's with family and friends.  I LOVE that we kept this tradition even after my G-ma passed away - It's one of those get togethers we all look forward too...

 Eli absolutely adores his Uncle Kevin and jumps up and down when he sees him.  He even started calling him "Uncle" and it sounds so cute and makes us all laugh!

 Uncle Steve and his daddy at the fire pit grilling up our eggs, bacon, hash browns and sausage.  Everything cooked on that old, old frying pan tastes so delicious - must be all the grease stuck to it!

 Eli got ahold of a donut which then was all over him in a matter of seconds - keeping this boy clean is impossible!

After our wonderful breakfast we went car shopping!  My Jeep was about to "blow up", so mama needed a new ride.  We ended up getting a fancy 2008 Four Runner and I LOVE it!  It even has a sun roof, which Eli and I love!

So excited SUMMER is here!