Our last day with the California cousins. Stacy and I made a trip to Gymboree the prior afternoon and may have spent a small fortune buying clothes for them to match. We put most of them away for Christmas and they are going to be beside themselves when we visit California in December. 

The girls were so excited to go zip lining and rock wall climbing at Mid Air Adventures. It took a little coaxing but Gabriela even took her turn and everyone had a blast! 

No visit to Denver is complete without a trip to the candy factory. 

Everyone assumed it was my kids that would be crazy…

Annabelle and Maeva were really confident in this look. They were excited when I told them I was going to save this picture to pull out at their weddings. oh girls. girls, girls, girls. Keep on rockin’ it! 

The girls made a friendship stepstone for our backyard. 

I’m only slightly worried that it required a face mask for an art project!

We enjoyed the beautiful Colorado sunshine with lunch on the rooftop of Lodo’s downtown. After lunch we explored 16th street. 

The girls were all about matching this trip!

Annabelle and Gwyneth don’t like to match anymore so it wasn’t as easy to find matchers in their closets. The girls were resourceful though and made it work. 

We had lunch in Boulder, spent the afternoon in Estes and visited the Stanley hotel. I had the girls pretty scared of the hotel and convinced them it was haunted. Probably not the nicest thing to do, but the girls got into it and even Gabriela was walking around saying “ooooo, it’s a haunted hotel!”. 

I didn’t realize Dumb and Dumber was filmed at the Stanley. Love it!

Maeva joined Annabelle at dancing school Friday evening and the younger girls had a little pj dance party. Gabriela found her groove…

The California cousins are here!

 

We celebrated Eliana’s birthday — she is FIVE! The night was all about cupcakes and matching. These cousins were so, so happy to see each other.

 

I’m a sucker for the book fair, so I’m running it again this year for the girls’ school. It’s long hours and books, books, books! I’ve been fortunate to have several friends and neighbors sign up to help me so the time goes by quite quickly.

 

After book fair set up we went to see the new walk in fridge in the kitchen. We are pretty excited about this one.

 

We were suppose to meet friends at the pumpkin patch but the book fair ran over, so naturally I had to spoil these girls with ice cream.

oh yeah, I had a pumpkin pie blizzard too. I freakin’ love this time of the year.

Just a little chocolate on the nose.

I think she aged again at school today. SLOW down!!!

Annabelle had a sleepover at Morgan’s house for her birthday and Gwyneth went with her friend Ruby to a kids night out. B and I watched the movie Chef and had dinner out and didn’t have to pay for a babysitter. I’m pretty sure that’s known at the old married couple with kids trifecta.

 

The night after sleepovers are quiet days which involve no plans, because let’s face it — sleepovers wreck my girls. They have a blast, but are a pain from lack of sleep. I love them dearly but there is definitely a price to pay for that trifecta.

 

Today we laid low and watch football and the girls made mudpies.

Gwyneth had a special breakfast all to herself and we told her she could go anywhere that she wanted. She chose McDonalds. I’m really not sure where we went wrong with this child.

While B watched the afternoon football game I surprised the girls with a trip to the movies to see The Boxtrolls. They loved it. I thought it was kind of weird. The cross dressing was odd and it was all around a bit peculiar, but they giggled their way through so I’m happy…and we shared popcorn and twizzlers so it was a good, good day.

We have had a lot going on around here. With sadness we received the news that B’s mom is sick. It has been a difficult few weeks. We are keeping positive and wishing the best for her.

 

B is very attentive to everyone and is still on track to open the Commercial Kitchen November 1st. Needless to say he is busy and stressed and I wish I could just whisk him off on vacation somewhere, but I guess it’s the real world for now. We just try to give him more hugs.

 

I had to bail on book club and a dear friend met me for a play date with the girls after school and then dropped off dinner to us. I have been blessed with very kind friends and I’m so thankful.

 

So unexpected and so sweet. My favorite quote was “I asked what Kristen would do and she would just bring you dinner….even if you said no”.  I laugh because that really is what Kristen would do and I’m so lucky to have these wonderful women in my life.

 

I purchased some new nightgowns for Gwyneth at the Disney store and got these Halloween stuffies for a great deal….meaning: a completely, unnecessary purchase, but they were on sale and decided to have fun with the girls.

 

I’ve been hiding the stuffies around the house in the morning with little pieces of candy. The girls like it and I should remember to do it at least 4 nights before now and Halloween. Oye!

Lunch at Steuben’s!

This is mine and the girls’ favorite restaurant in Denver.

B doesn’t love it, but he’s good to us.

 

We have reached the quota for babies in a booth…