Summer Recap

Since I've fallen a bit behind on updating this blog, I thought I would do a recap of our summer. We have had a fun, busy and surprising summer. I can hardly believe summer is over and fall is here!

• Crested Butte! This is the forth year in a row we have taken a summer trip to Crested Butte. It is always a wonderful time with family enjoying the wildflowers, hikes, mountain bike trails and restaurants. 

• We were able to go camping a couple of times this summer. We went with friends both times and it was great! The weather was really good for both trips. The first trip was in State Forest State Park and the second was near Cameron Pass. 

• John and I went to Denver with my parents and brother to see the band Grizzly Bear. This was quite a treat for us. We love music and seeing it live, but are not able to attend as many concerts these days. Thanks to John's wonderful sister we got to go out to dinner and catch the show!

• Our little boy turned four! We celebrated with friends and family. Aaron asked for a "mighty machines" birthday. He is very excited to be four and feels that he is now a big boy. 

It's a Jeep thing!

Aaron on his run bike!

I took Aaron to a pump track today. It's a park designed for bmx and this one includes some trials-riding obstacles.  As I recall, it was also the first time he rode his bike off pavement (other than the rocks and grass along our driveway), so it was quite exciting for him.  We had it to ourselves for the most part and Aaron was quite enthralled.  I had my phone with me, so here is some video of him on the bumps. Enjoy.

Edit: I tried to fix a couple of the videos and add one of Aaron riding a "skinny."

Fall on the Western Slope

Aaron and I enjoyed another extended weekend out west. John was hunting with a friend. We drove most of the way together, after dropping John off Aaron and I continued west to spend time with my parents. We all had a great time. 

Aaron enjoyed lots of play time with Nan and Pops, the pumpkin patch/corn maze, hiking, movies and football. My mom and I were able to get out for a bike ride. We enjoyed lots of great meals; grouper fingers, Chicken Tikka Masala... mmm! It went too fast as always.

Pops and Aaron bouncing

Pops had to go down the slide too

He looks uncertain, but he loved riding the pony!

Aaron and two of his favorite people!

Hiking!

It was a wet and cold hunting trip for John this year. He didn't get an elk this time.  However, just being in the beautiful mountains is enough for him. His buddy got one, so there was still plenty of work to do!

One particularly frosty morning, he spotted a very large bull from around a tree. The huge animal looked up at the same time and immediately bolted.  In his haste to raise his gun, he forgot to take his  glove off and away it went. John described the elk as ghost-like. After telling me the story, we both agreed it was fitting that such a majestic animal got away.  Just seeing them in their habitat is amazing.

Happy Fall!!

A Lovely Evening for a Hike

Last night we hiked Arthur's Rock Trail in Lory State Park. It's just over a mile but the trail gains about 1000ft elevation in that mile. Although short, it is a moderate hike because it's steep. Towards the top, there is a beautiful view of Horsetooth Reservoir. 

It was a nice cool evening and the fall colors were really pretty. Winter seems to be just around the corner. We didn't quite make it to the top, Aaron was starting to get tired and the temperature was dropping. As we hiked down the sun was setting and we saw some deer grazing. 

Once again Aaron has proved to be an awesome little hiker! He really seems to love hiking. It is wonderful to go out and do something all three of enjoy. He loved climbing on the rocks and jumping off logs. He pretended to be a dog for part of the hike. He even barked at strangers! Hopefully our next little one will like hiking too!

After our hike we had dinner at Mt. Everest Cafe. The food is really good. It was the perfect place to eat after being out in the cold. Pretty much a perfect evening in my book!

He's actually going pretty fast

Helping Mama over the rocks :)

He really wanted to stand on the tallest rock

Heading back down

A very pretty evening

Photos by my wonderful husband! 

Jeep Birthday party!

Aaron loves jeeps. When I asked what kind of Birthday he wanted, I wasn't surprised when he told me he wanted a jeep party. As it turns out, there isn't a lot of jeep stuff out there so I had to get a little creative.

My friend made the invites for me! I absolutely love them!

 For decorations we did balloons, a banner I made and little jeeps/trucks that my mom found at the dollar store. It turned out well. The most fun was the cake. I didn't want to try to make a jeep shaped cake. I decided to make a mountain/hill shape and have jeeps driving up it. I had a blast putting in together! The wonderful thing about a hill cake is that perfection doesn't matter!  

And of course, presents! Our little guy loved opening his presents. Our family and friends were vary generous and got him some really neat things! Trains, jeeps, puzzles, recycling trucks... all the things Aaron loves. 

What really made the party wonderful was all of our family and friends. We are blessed beyond words with the most amazing family and friends who are like family. We could not possibly ask for more!

Because so many asked, here is the recipe for Fudge Buttermilk Cake. My mom gave me the recipe, and it is really good cake! Easy too! The only thing is that it does tend to fall in the middle. Oh well, adding more icing will do the trick ;)

Fudge Buttermilk Cake:

2 cups sugar
1 cup salad oil
2 unbeaten eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
5 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add all ingredients in order given. Beat for two minutes. Batter will be thin.

Bake in a 9x13 cake pan at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until done.

Fudge Frosting:

1 lb powdered sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup boiling water
1/3 cup soft butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift sugar, mix with cocoa and salt. Add water and butter. Blend well. Add vanilla and blend together.

Hope you enjoy it!

Happy third Birthday Aaron!

We have a three year old! He has been acting like a three year old for a while now, but today it's official. It's been said thousands of times, but it has gone so fast. It's hard to believe it's been three years since he became a part of the family. Aaron has been such a blessing. The best gift God has ever given us!

Aaron continues to be an active and silly little boy. He has a very strong will at times which can be a challenge. A good friend of mine said it better than I can. This will be our prayer for Aaron: that his strong will now will become a Godly strong will later.

We are amazed and blessed by his bright, fun personality. He is developing quite the sense of humor. Aaron also loves the outdoors. Weather it's just our backyard or going for a hike in the mountains, he is happiest when outside. It's wonderful to see our little guy loving the outdoors the way John and I do.

The food allergies we have dealt with for the last couple of years are improving. Aaron now eats everything except peanuts and tree nuts. What a change from having to avoid milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame and shellfish. We truly enjoy watching him eat a bowl of ice cream. Praise God that he has outgrown so many allergies!

The things Aaron asks and talks about are becoming more complex. The other day he was playing with his trucks. We heard him say something about adoption. John asked what he meant. He said: "My trucks adopted a baby girl, her name is Madalyn". Our friends daughter's name is Madalyn which must be where Aaron got the name. We thought that was pretty cute! It's good to hear him talking about adoption too!

Aaron is becoming more and more helpful. It's really nice to be able to ask him to help me something like feeding the dog and off he'll run to go do it. He loves his chickens and is a great help with them. Often I'll tell him to round them up and put them back in the coop. Aaron is very loving towards his animals!

John and I look forward to Aaron's forth year and watching him grow and learn. We are so excited to watch him become a big brother. We know he will be an awesome older brother and a great influence on his brother or sister. He is an amazing little guy and we are so blessed to be his parents!

For his Birthday we went to a near by town to ride the train. It's a fun little train that is modeled after a steam engine and operated by the Lions's club. Then our friends came over for dinner. I made noodles, which are Aaron's favorite. We had a jello dessert with candles. He loved blowing his candles out! It was a fun day. The big party is this weekend. Lots of friends and family are coming over for Aaron's jeep party. It should be a good time!

Happy birthday, Aaron! We love you!

Crested Butte 2012

I can't believe it has taken me this long to write about our Crested Butte trip! We had another wonderful trip to Crested Butte this year! Crested Butte is my family's favorite mountain town. There is so much to love about the area. Gorgeous views, lots of hiking and mountain biking, a quaint downtown with plenty of fantastic restaurants. 

The only sad part was that John was too swamped at work to join all of us. As much fun as we had, I kept wishing he was with us! Thank you John for working hard to provide for our family! You are a hard worker and wonderful husband. I appreciate your selflessness and that you were happy for Aaron and I to have a good time. We love you!

My brother rode with Aaron and I. It is a 6 1/2 hour drive for us so I was glad to have the company and the help. The three of us joined my parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles. I was wonderful (as always) to spend time with everyone.  I am so thankful for my wonderful family. It is truly a blessing to be with you all!

We packed in as much fun in as we possibly could! We mountain biked, hiked played games and enjoyed the town. One of the days I was out the door by 7 for a three hour hike. After returning to the house for a quick bit my brother aunt and I were out the door for a mountain bike ride. The funny part is that this pales in comparison to my brother going on three mountain bike rides a day!

Aaron hiked with us one of the days and did awesome! It was a three hour hike and he did most of it on his own. I was especially glad he hiked so far because he is getting heavy to carry in the Deuter pack! I think the pack with him in it weighs about 50lbs so it was great to not have to carry him for long! 

It was a wonderful trip but it went too fast. We are all quite attached to Crested Butte. There are already plans being made for next year. I am already looking forward to it!

Wild flowers! Monks hood, Common harebell, Sneeze weed, Mountain blue bell, Elephant head, Blue flax and Monkey flower. There were not quite as many wild flowers this year due to dry weather.

 Hiking Scarp Ridge with my mom and aunt. It was a beautiful hike on a gorgeous day. From the ridge we could see four mountain ranges! It was amazing.

 Aaron did awesome hiking as usual!

Our little drummer

Some of you may have already seen this. I want to post it here as well. This is our almost three year old playing the drums. He LOVES to play the drums, especially with Daddy. I think he may have some natural talent...

Our little hiker

Aaron has become quite the little hiker! A couple of weekends ago we took him hiking at a nearby trail. We brought the pack thinking he would walk a bit and then want to be carried. Boy were we shocked when he hiked almost four miles! 

What is also impressive it that we weren't hiking slow. It was a little slower than John and I would hike if it were just us. However, we were not just on a little stroll. Nope, Aaron was almost jogging for most of the hike! We were pretty proud of our little guy. A delicious brownie back at the car was the perfect ending to the day!

Hopefully Aaron's love for hiking and the mountains will continue to grow. He has been on many hikes, starting when he was just a few months old. Of course he was carried on those trips! Once he was walking well, we started having him hike a bit on his own. We try to make it fun for him, and we never have too many expectations. The goal is always to get outside and have fun. If we don't make it very far, it's no big deal. If he wants to stop and play in the dirt or throw rocks in the water, great! 

Since Aaron is not even three yet, we obviously haven't been doing this for very long!  So far we have had many successful trips with Aaron. It certainly helps that Aaron seems to naturally enjoy hiking. John and I both grew up hiking. Thanks to our parents, we developed our love for the outdoors as children and we are hoping it will be the same for Aaron. If those of you with children would like to get out for some hikes, here are our ideas, tips and supplies that we find give young kids the best chance for success.

What to bring when hiking with kiddos:

Plenty of warm clothes are a must! Lots of layers are important, a sweatshirt and water resistant jacket work well. We always pack a warm hat, mittens and snow pants, just in case. Good shoes and warm socks. Sun protection is important, we always bring a hat and sunscreen. Sunglasses are good to bring, although Aaron doesn't keep them on very well. Water. We bring a water bottle for each of us. Snacks! Aaron loves to stop for snacks. Salami, cheese and granola bars are some favorites.

Tips for hiking with kids: 

Like I mentioned before, we don't go out for a hike with many expectations. Taking it easy and stopping for plenty of breaks has worked well. Encourage, encourage, encourage. We are very positive with Aaron while hiking. Giving him sticks and rocks to play with and carry seems to help (as does being dragged by the dog when she's on the leash). Pointing out wildlife and wildflowers helps to keep him interested. Playing little games along the way. Sometimes we pretend to be race cars or jeeps while we hike. Don't forget to climb on some rocks!

Things we love for hiking with our little guy:

The Deuter Kid Carrier!  Aaron usually hikes in Keens or the knock off keens from Kolhs. Warm socks that dry quickly such as Smartwool socks. We have always used California Baby sunscreen on Aaron. A water bottle that won't easily spill like the Camelbak Eddy.

Aaron update

Our little guy is two and a half! He is becoming more of a little boy and less of a toddler all the time. It's a little bitter sweet to see how fast he is growing up. I'm sure he will be starting school before we know it! We are so thankful for our sweet and loving son.

It has been an exciting few months around here. This year has been the first time Aaron has really understood holidays and Birthdays. Christmas was really exciting and fun for him. He loved making cookies and decorating the tree. We had a New Years party at my parents house. The horns and confetti were tons of fun! My Birthday was last week and Aaron kept singing, "Happy Birthday... Mama, Happy Birthday... Mama!". Now he is looking forward to making cookies for Valentines Day.

We took a trip to Grand Junction. Even though it's a five hour drive Aaron did really really well. He is usually more than happy to patiently sit in the car if it means going to Grand Junction to see his Nan and Pops! We bought a larger vehicle that week. Aaron calls it the truck. He loves trucks so he always wants to ride in the 4runner now!

Then John's sister and her husband stayed with us for several days. They have been living in France. Some other family came to visit as well. Aaron loved it! He had a wonderful time with so many of his aunts and uncles here to play with. He had been talking about missing John and Ingrid (his aunt and uncle who have been in France) so he loved spending time with them!

Aaron has quite a bit of news as of late. He began sleeping in a twin bed just before Christmas. He has done really well with it. Aaron has also grown out of some of his allergies. He can now eat eggs and most milk products. It has opened a whole new world for him as far as food goes! Finally, as of a couple of weeks ago Aaron is potty trained! Just when we wondered if it would ever happen, something clicked for him! He has even been staying dry during naps and nighttime. We are very proud of him!

His vocabulary has also exploded. He talks in complete sentences. Aaron often has little conversations with us. It seems he is always bringing up things that have happened recently and wanting to discuss them. Of course this also means he has become very good at telling us when he is unhappy with something! We have had to work on him talking back to us, and saying "no". It is really amazing to hear all the things on his little mind!

Pretend play is another big thing right now. It is so much fun to watch him playing with his trucks. He comes up with all kinds of little scenarios! Aaron is also quite the animal lover. Any animal he sees he runs up to talk to it and love on it. He is very good with our dog and chickens. He loves to help care for them.

We are so amazed at the little person Aaron has become. God blessed us with such a loving little guy. He brings us so much fun and joy. Our prayer is that we can follow God in parenting him. That God would grant us wisdom in how to deal with his stubborn side. John and I hope to raise a joyful and loving man with a strong faith! With just us, this is impossible. With God, all things are possible.

2012, one month down

We are one month into the new year. I have to say, I am quite pleased so far! The last year and a half has been difficult to say the least. Around Christmas and shortly after, I felt a strange peace. I really have felt that God is going to do some amazing things in 2012.

So far this year, we have: taken a trip to Grand Junction to see my parents, been mountain biking a couple of times, visited Ouray hot springs, bought a Toyota 4runner, sold our Toyota Corolla, spent time with our families, had an awesome visit with John's sis and her husband, spent time with some friends, found my stolen road bike, were interviewed for a story about bike theft, made some exciting decisions, John re-joined the Larimer County Choral, potty trained our little guy, and re-did Aaron's room!

Not to say that God took a hiatus in 2011! Well, maybe sometimes I felt that way. God watched over us all this past year. So many things could have been much worse. He brought us through a tough time and strengthened John and I in many ways. There is something about going through a difficult time that really shows you who God is. How good he is.

I am really excited about what 2012 will bring. We are so incredibly blessed. All of us are (mostly) healthy, we have a wonderful little boy, a great marriage and we are surrounded by awesome family and friends.

A little late, but here are some pictures from New Years Eve at my parents house:

Happy Halloween

This was the first Halloween that we dressed Aaron in a costume. He was a Zebra! He enjoyed being dressed up quite a bit, he even sat still while I painted his face. I'm pretty sure Aaron wishes everyday was Halloween! He had a blast trick or treating at John's office and around our neighborhood. Like all kiddos on Halloween, he ate way too much candy!

All ready to go!

He was very exited about having his face painted!

Chowing down on the loot at Daddy's office.

Aaron loved the Jack O lanterns! He kept asking us to turn them on!

Grand Junction and the Pumpkin patch

John went elk hunting with some friends/coworkers. It seemed like a good opportunity for Aaron to have some Grandparent time, so we went to Grand Junction while he was in the mountains! They kept Aaron and I pretty busy while we were there. We went to the Dinosaur Museum where Aaron had fun being spit on by a Dilophosaurus. He also got to go on a hike where he was excited to see horses and play on rocks. He got to play with his friends Sophia and Lily while I caught up with Courtney. He played games and rode rides when Pops took him to Chuck e Cheese. And, of course, we went to the park several times.

One of our last days there Mom and I took Aaron to the pumpkin patch. It was a really nice one! Lots of animals, a big slide, a pony ride and a bump and jump! Aaron loved the slide and seeing all the animals. The bump and jump was a hit. He loved laying down and having us bounce him. He picked out a couple of pretty nice pumpkins too! Needless to say, Aaron had a blast!

I had a good time too! I always enjoy spending time with my parents. It is also great to see the bond Aaron has with his Grandparents! My mom and I were able to go on a couple of bike rides up the Monument. The weather was perfect and the changing colors were beautiful! It was great to spend some time together doing something we both love! I was also glad to be there to cook dinner for my parent's 32 wedding anniversary.

John got an elk, so much his week was busy stocking our freezer! Then at the last minute, he was able to catch a ride to Junction to meet up with us for a couple days. Thanks again, David and Becky! I had just picked up his new mountain bike which replaced that which was stolen. He and Dad were able to get a couple rides in over the weekend and we got to drive home together.

Here are some photos from the pumpkin patch.

Kearney, Ne

Aaron and I took a little trip to Kearney, Nebraska this past week. Actually is was a very long trip! Six hours in a car with a two-year-old by myself is a long day. It was worth it though. We were very happy to see Daddy when we got there!

John has been working in Kearney quite a bit this summer. He has been doing some survey work for the Plate River Project. He was there for a couple weeks in July. Then they went back out for a few weeks this month as well. It's been a little rough having him gone so much. Aaron and I missed him so we decided to go out for a visit!

The team works long days while they are in the field. So Aaron and I had to plan some things to do during the day. A two-year-old doesn't stay happy for very long in a tiny, boring hotel room!

The first day we took a trip to Target for some groceries and a new toy. Later we went to the splash park and played in the water. We walked around the botanical gardens and watched the swans. After that we drove out to the job site to meet up with John. Aaron enjoyed the dirt and river. I got to go for a ride on the air boat!

The next day Aaron and I checked out the firefighter's museum. It was pretty nice. The old fire engines were pretty awesome. There was a little wooden engine for kids to play in. Aaron enjoyed that. It even had an old hand crank siren. That was a big hit. After lunch and nap we went to see the Great Plate River Road Archway.

It's kind of a funny place. They have life size displays and re-enactments. It pays tribute to the pioneers that passed through during the mid 1800s. Aaron was a bit scared at first because of all the noises (owls hooting, wolves howling, trains and thunder)!

We also walked on the little nature trail outside. We saw a garden which included crops grown by the Pawnee. There was also a Pawnee earth lodge that Aaron enjoyed checking out. It was nice and cool inside the lodge!

Kearney is certainly not the most exciting place we have ever been! It was so nice to see John though. Aaron and I have missed him. Thankfully John made it home today. He is done with the project so he is home for good! Yay!