Labor Day Weekend

We had a great Labor day weekend - and we did absolutely NO laboring, just enjoyed friends and family!  We started our weekend spending Friday night at the CU Pep rally to kick off the football season against my CSU Rams!  As always there was a huge crowd, lots of cute cheerleaders (Matt and Eli were both interested) and great music from the band - you can't help but get into the spirit...

 Eli loved watching Chip dance around like a "Crazy" - I think Eli may want to be like him one day...

 This picture doesn't do Eli's dancing any justice...

Eli seems to be very musical at heart and will start dancing and moving his body when he hears music he likes, and if he really likes it he will even start his head banging!  He got really into the music and made us all laugh including the people around us with his awesome dancing skills...

He's the cutest thing EVER!

Ashtyn still loves the Tubas and of course the Pom Pom girls...

 I think Eli might be in the band one day...
One of my kids just has to be a band nerd like myself - right?

On Saturday we headed out to the lake for on last camp out at Baseline Lake!  We invited our friends, The Roddas out to the lake for a BBQ and some beers!  The kids all played great together while us adults also had a GREAT time! 

We woke up to a beautiful, Sunday morning, laid around and then headed off to Pam and Steve's for our traditional Labor Day Brunch Cook Out!  Food was great and so were the Mimosas as usual!
Then we headed back out to the lake for last time of the season!
Eli has been asking since we got home from Lake Powell to go on "Papa's Boat" and was thrilled when we actually go him into the boat - He loves it!

Even though it was still 90 degrees out the air felt a bit chilly and the water has definitely gotten colder as well, so my kids didn't swim for very long!  They snuggled right up in beach towels too, when they got back in the boat!

Of course nothing stops my brother from wake boarding...even if its a bit chilly!

President Obama was in town that Sunday speaking in Boulder and we saw his entourage fly over the lake...

After having another BBQ for dinner with my parents we decided to head home for the night instead of camping again.  The kids were bummed, because we told them we would have a campfire that night and roast marshmallows.  So we brought the fire pit home and had a big camp fire in the front yard and invited all the neighbors over for some smores!

It actually turned out to be a great time and way better then at the lake!

(I had great pictures of this cherished event, but deleted them ALL accidentally - I did cry when I found out!)

 I will say roasting marshmallows with multiple two years olds running around causes great chaos and I think Emily even got burned a couple times - but it really was a great way to spend an evening on a holiday weekend!

On Monday, we headed to the annual Louisville Labor Day Parade which is always a hoot!

 Ashtyn did a hula hoop trick so she could get a prize, which was...

 a chocolate GOLD medal!

 Eli dancing to the bands again...so, so precious!

The parade is always long and somewhat boring - but the kids seem to love it especially because of the mounds of candy they get - so I assume its a tradition that will stick around!  Plus its always great to see everyone you grew up with hanging around...

After the parade we headed to The Roddas for another brunch and more delicious Mimosas...

I had to go home and take a nap after that!

We had a great weekend and celebrated every minute of the holiday not laboring!

1st Day of School

 On Monday Ashtyn attended her 1st day of Kinder Prep at the Lafayette Rec Center.  After having such an amazing experience last year in Creative Play it was only natural to continue her on to Kinder Prep before heading into Kindergarten.  Her new teachers this year are Ms. Erin and Ms. Sue and Ashtyn has totally fallen in love them - Thank GOD!  Ashtyn doesn't always trust people that well, and if she doesn't there is no way of teaching her anything, so we are very thankful for the warm hearts and open arms she has received from her new teachers!

This past weekend we kept asking her if she was nervous and she kept replying...

"A little bit, but I am more excited!"

Ashtyn seems to LOVE school and I love the structure it brings our life, so having school back in session is so GREAT!

 Chloe looked all cute on her 1st day of Kinder Prep too! 

Unfortunately, Chloe and Ashtyn are not in the same class this year, but they will still have recess, gym time and go on field trips together!

Only a few kids from her previous class are in her new class - Both Lucas and Ana.

I thought Ashtyn might be scared not having her BFF with her, but she was excited to meet new friends and I think already made a little connection with a little girl names Marilyn...

 Every morning before entering the classroom they have to answer a question on this board...Today's question was,

"Have you ever been to Preschool?"

so Ashtyn quickly found the "YES" and through it into the box...

Besides for having great teachers again this year her classroom is SO fun!  It has real desks, a tree house for reading and computers for them to use!  The room is very cool!

I am so excited for Ashtyn to start a new year of school and I hope its as great as it was last year.  It's so exciting to see her challenged and enjoy learning so much!  I can only hope we have this much luck with Eli!

It's sad to see the days of swimming, picnics and sleeping in late come to an end, but the start of school comes with a welcoming breath of fresh air!
Good luck baby girl - we are so proud of you and can't wait to see what amazing things you learn and experience this coming year...and then its off to Kindergarten!

Peach Fest

I don't know why but I couldn't wait for the Peach Fest to come this year!  I don't know if it was because of being so disappointed last year of not getting any peaches or what, but as soon as it turned 9am we headed down to Public Road to get some peaches!

And, YES!  I did get my peaches! 

They were absolutely delicious this year and so, so pretty...

 After the mission of getting my peaches we enjoyed all the activities...

Like getting our faces painted...

 Ashtyn's favorite part - playing in the jumpy castles and other blow up things...

 Eli had more fun running up and down the ramp in front of Casa Alvarez and had no desire to go jump - more fun for Ashtyn then!

He also loved sitting on this buffalo or as he would call it "horsey"...

 more jumping...

 We finished up with some shaved ice - which were made with organic fresh fruits - so much better then what I ever had had as a kid!

 Eli enjoyed playing in his more then actually eating it - same ol' story...

Loved Peach Fest this year - much more enjoyable in the morning before the heat and crowds come - PLUS you actually get peaches!

I went home and made Peach Cobbler with my fresh peaches to share with our friends, The Roddas!

Except for Steve, who did not eat my dessert because he doesn't like peaches...

Seriously - who doesn't LOVE Palisade Peaches!

I know I do!

Shoe Shopping

I know this may sound a little harsh, but I dislike shoe shopping with my daughter - very MUCH in fact!  When it comes to shoes, Ashtyn and I clearly are on different paths...and this proved so when trying to buy her new school shoes on Friday!

I always cringe when I have to take Ashtyn shoe shopping, but with her growing so much I really needed to get her feet sized and have her try on shoes instead of me playing the game of buying and returning...over and over again!  Plus I thought, maybe, it could be fun...

We first started at Dillard's where she saw some shoes with a glass heal and cute sparkly straps...

"Please mom, these are my Princess shoes..."

I of course said "No" you need school shoes, not dress up shoes...and in response I got the pout face.  So we moved on...

Next was Playless, where she managed to pick out the most expensive, brightest pink, sparkly princess shoes - EVER!  Again, she says...

"Oh, Please mom!  I can do my ballet in these..."

I of course said "No" I am not spending $30 on a pair of shoes from Payless that will probably fall apart in a couple days - $10 maybe, but $30 - really! and plus, you need SCHOOL shoes, not play shoes!

Again, I got another pout face along with a

"Fine, I never will get any shoes"

So off to Nordstorm, which always has a great selection and shoes I am willing to pay a little more for...

Well, everyone else in the entire world must have been at Nordstrom that same day because the place was CRAZY! 

I knew I wanted to get Ashtyn Toms again, and knew once she saw them she would want them too...I would even let her buy bright pink, sparkly ones if she wanted...

Well of course she went straight for the ballet slippers, which were adorable but also came with a $75 price tag - I don't even spend that much on shoes for myself...

Ashtyn got SO angry when I told her "No" again and refused to look at anything else.  Not even the bright pink, sparkly Toms!  So I finally told her to pick a shoe she wanted, but it couldn't be the ballet shoes...so she picked out these shoes...

I must say I thought they were very cute and approved!

Plus, they were the best of both worlds - the look of ballet with sparkles and a bow, but still study enough to run around the playground in...

So I made her try them on, and while she was walking around in them I could tell she was a little uncomfortable.  So I asked her over and over again - do they hurt and she kept responding

"NO"! I want these shoes so bad"

So we walked out of Nordstrom with her new shoes on her feet!

After having lunch and playing in the sand, Ashtyn says to me,

 "Mom, you didn't throw my flip flops away right?"

and I said "No, but why" and she says

"Well, my feet need a little break from these new ones, so I want to wear the flip flops."

I got a little annoyed and said Ashtyn if these shoes hurt then we need to take them back, and she pleaded over and over to let her keep them. 

So I made her put them back on as we headed out to the car...

As soon as we got home she threw those new shoes off and got into another pair of flip flops...

I KNEW those shoes were hurting her feet, but she was being to stubborn to tell me, in fear that I would take them back and not get her anything else...

Later that day we got ready for our night out to Cinderella and I told her to get her new shoes...she didn't looked thrilled at all that I was making her wear them, so again I said

"Ashtyn, if these hurt you I am taking them back and we will get something else..."

and again she replied with "They are fine mom"

We had to walk up the street to Emma's to meet them for our date and as we start walking, or as Ashtyn starts limping up the sidewalk, she quickly says

"Mom, do you think you could just get the red stroller - I am a little tired and don't feel like walking..."

I of course again asked if the shoes were bothering her and she annoyingly answered "No!" and kept limping up the street...

It amazes me how stubborn she is and how she would not admit she was wrong in getting those shoes or even admit they were hurting her feet...

She just wanted Princess looking shoes - no matter how uncomfortable they were!

The next morning I went and got her some little socks to help make them feel more comfortable, but still the Toms would have been so much better!

What is it about girls and their shoes?

Cinderella

 On Friday night we went to the Boulder Dinner Theater to see "Cinderella"!

Emma, our neighbor, had some extra tickets and invited Ashtyn and I along.  It was such a special treat, especially for Ashtyn who LOVES Cinderella and who also had never been to the theater before.

 Lookin' all cute for her special night out! 

She of course has to wear a Tiara to complete the outfit...every Princess wears a tiara!

 I hadn't been to the Boulder Dinner Theater in years, and really nothing has changed a bit.  We had a great table right up front, so Ashtyn and Scotty could see all the action...

 Dinner is of course served by the actors and actresses and ours was the Fairy Godmother!

The service was great the food was not!

I was very impressed with how these two four year olds behaved.  They sat and watched every minute of the play with no whining, sleeping or messing around! 

The play was very good - especially the parts of Cinderella's Stepsisters who were played by men!  It was very humorous and definitely put a modern spin on a very OLD story!

Ashtyn LOVED the dancing and the music the most...she now is SO, so excited to start her ballet classes...

Thanks to Emma and Scotty for taking us on a very fun date!  I am so glad Ashtyn got to experience her first Theater and thrilled she loved every minute of it.  Now I have someone to share that passion with, because we all know Matt and Eli would have never made it through a four hour dinner and theater performance!  They can dirt bike together while Ashtyn and I can go to New York City and watch theater...and maybe do a little shopping too!



Ice Cream Social

To end our awesome summer and kick-off the new school year, Julie hosted an Ice Cream party at Waneka lake for Ashtyn, Chloe and all their friends!  It was of course a little bit warm that morning and the ice cream melted very quickly, but the kids managed to enjoy every drop if it and of course the mounds of sprinkles, syrup and marshmallows that were piled on top!

 Ashtyn brought raspberries to top her ice cream with - so proud of her healthy choice...

but then finished the day off with a cup full of marshmallows!

 Sweet Ali!  Eli may or may not have a little crush on this little girl...

 After drinking their ice cream they all played chase around the playground...

 Eli of course wanted to swing - he looked so big in the swing that morning...

 Please take note of my daughters outfit...

I will however take no responsibility for the ensemble - that was all her and while I am quite fond of the color pallet I still had to just turn my head and shut my mouth as she marched up the stairs and out the door saying "Ready to go mom!"

 Eli's most favorite thing to do at the lake is throw rocks into the water...

Well on this day it was even more fun to throw rocks at the ducks!  He thought it was so funny, and while I did too (I may have even laughed a bit) many bystanders were not so thrilled, so I had to remove him from the duck area!

 Chloe, Ashtyn and Cate fed the ducks instead of throwing rocks at them...

They also fed Eli a little bit too it looks like!

(Cate, Lucas, Chloe, Anna and Carter)

By the end of the morning the kids were all hot, tired and crabby...especially my little girl, who threw a fit when I wanted her to take a picture with her friends.  So her pretty, little, crabby face is not in the picture, and went straight for a nap when we got home! 

It was so great to see everyone and it was the perfect ending to our summer.  Thanks to Julie for organizing it all and having ice cream melt all over her!

We are so excited for to school to start and hopefully we will make even more new friends!