rodeo

I was a chaperone today for the girls’ school field trip. They had so many parent volunteers each parents basically just took their kids for the day to explore. 
We spent the day at the National Western Stockshow. We walked through the petting farm, watched the rodeo, had some fun treats, and met up with the girls’ friends. It was a pretty fun way to spend the day away from school and work. 
The only complaint I heard was that they had to wear their uniforms, but Annabelle managed to hide most of hers under her jacket. 

happy birthday, sarah

We met up with a great group of old friends for a birthday party today. Sarah turned 10 and we had a blast celebrating her with a grand skating party. It was such a blast to see old friends, new friends, and all those big smiles!
This is my favorite picture of the day. I asked the girls for a pic and they were posed and ready to go. As soon as I snapped the picture Annabelle went down! Her wheels just went out from under her and she took G down with her too. They were not hurt and they thought it was hilarious that I captured their big fall. 

boondocks

Annabelle’s dear friend, Olivia joined us for a day of fun. I love that these two have kept in touch and always pick up right where they left off. I wish they could get together more often because they are really the sweetest of friends. 
I asked Gwyneth if she would like to have a friend join us too but she said no. I think she was pretty excited to keep up with the big girls. They included her in everything and the three of them had such a fun time. I had quite a good time running around with them as well!
We started the day at Boondocks. It was too cold to be outside but we did give the go-karts one go round. 
We then bowled a game.
I purchased a fun pack for each of them which included 2 adventures (they chose go-karts and bowling) and $5 in arcade fees. They sure did make those arcade coins last. They played lots of games and won so many tickets. On Gwyneth’s last game she hit a jackpot of over 500 tickets. 
I was so proud of these ladies. They pooled all their tickets together and split them equally so they could all get one big prize. 
After the arcade we raced over to the movies to see Ferdinand. I was really excited for this one – I loved reading the book to the girls when they were little. Unfortunately it didn’t quite hold my interest and I felt myself nodding off a few times. 
It was a fun-filled lovely day!

empty quiver

Gwyneth is still having a blast with Girl Scouts. She was pretty excited with this month’s meeting. We visited the Empty Quiver for archery lessons. It was such a fun meeting tonight as many siblings and moms joined in on the fun. I loved having everyone get involved. I’m quick to hide behind my camera, but it was great to set the camera down and pick up a bow with my little ladies. I think I even impressed those girls of mine by hitting THREE bulls eyes. 
The girls have requested a family night here. It sure would be fun to bring B along and see what he can do! We’re a competitive little crew…ha!

poor g

Poor Gwyneth got in a bit of an altercation with the playground…and the ground won! I picked her up from school to find her with a bloody lip, ripped leggings, and skinned knees. 
She was running across the playground to meet Annabelle at the swings, when she tripped over a ball. She faceplanted and scraped herself up pretty good.  Annabelle was a super help at school taking care of her while she was getting patched up. 
Unfortunately she was quite sore so she opted to sit out from swimming tonight. Poor girl. 

kids can swim

It is always a little tough to get back in the groove after the holidays. Tonight was the first night back to swimming and it was a bit of struggle to get moving. Once the girls arrived and hopped back in the water they were thrilled to be at it again. 
They swim twice a week and are in a very low-key class called Kids Can Swim.  They swim for an hour each session practicing their strokes and flip turns and then get to play games and just goof around. They always ask to stay and swim afterwards. Once they get in the water it is hard to get them out. They spend the second hour mostly racing down the slides.  I’m happy oblige this swim request because I usually just sit and read my book. Two hours of uninterrupted reading time is a pretty sweet deal.  

bingo

We had a wonderfully full and fun weekend and I managed to take very few pictures. The ones I did capture were on my phone and I’m trying to piece together what I can. 
Friday both girls had time with friends. Annabelle at our house with her friend Kierra and Gwyneth had a sleepover at Ella’s house. We managed to surprise Gwyneth Saturday morning with her new desk. She has been asking to set up a desk in front of her window. She has the best view in the house. A great shot of the mountains and she’s taking full advantage. 
There was lots of shrieking and excitement!

This was her view Saturday morning. This balloon touched down in the field across from our house. Pretty fab way to start the morning. 
Saturday night we spend with our friends the Billeras. They fed us, we drank wine, we laughed, we danced and everyone had such a good time. 
Sunday morning I was moving slow (reference wine drinking above…and I’m getting old and just can’t hang like I use to…). It was a gorgeous day and I didn’t want to waste it away being lazy. B was finishing up a book so the girls and I got out for a little walk around our neighborhood. It was the perfect day for swinging! 

Sunday afternoon we met the Tylers for Bingo! What a day! We had so much fun and were cracking up – which led us to getting shushed and scolded a few times. People take their bingo very seriously. 
We celebrated Sheila’s birthday with Bingo and dinner at Amicis. It was perfect…and Sheila won $100. Not too shabby!

sunset

And just like that winter break was over and it was back to school for the girls. They went back to school on the 3rd which felt a bit too early for my liking. The alarm sounded that Wednesday and there were some grumbles and groans, but they were actually happy to get back to see their friends and we all do better when we fall back in our routines. 
I was in a bit of a mood on the way home from work that evening. It’s always tough to return to the grind. I’ve been trying to get out for walks to clear my head and find just a moment to breath. This Colorado sunset really did turn my day around. It’s amazing what a little fresh air can do to my day. 

happy new year

Goodbye 2017! Welcome 2018!
We were worn out from our holiday travels and made a very conscious decision to stay home on New Years Eve. We did some unpacking, reading, laundry, and whole of lounging and relaxing. 
The girls left their Christmas gifts and were eager to return to them. They had plenty of games and crafts to keep them entertained. 
We welcomed the New Year with sushi and games. Everyone made it to midnight and we all watched the ball drop together. 

The next day we went to see Jumanji. I was worried Gwyneth would be scared (she can be easily spooked) but she left her way through the show. I love Kevin Hart and he was great in this movie. 
Not a bad start to the new year! Can’t wait to see what the year has in store.

homeward bound

We had a late night flight so we were able to spend the day with my mom, Becky and her family. It was still bitterly cold which made for many cancelled flights and delays. We were delayed about 30 minutes but we were thankful we made it out. 
Love those Chicago cousins.
We finally made it home and the baggage belts broke at DIA. It took over an hour to get our bags, but we finally walked in the door at midnight. Phew! What a trip! It was marvelous to see my family, but it sure is nice to be home.