spring break: choose your own adventure

Remember when I said here that we didn’t have any plans for spring break and I might have been freaking out about it? Around midnight on Monday, I decided that would just never do and came up with this plan.

Post its of activities: 
Grid of dates (including guidance for weather for those pesky snow days)

 I can’t just wait around. I can’t just play it by ear. I can’t. I can’t. I had to get some fun on the calendar. It may not be pinterest worthy but a few post it notes sure got us motivated.

When the girls woke up Tuesday morning they were so excited to pick activities for the week.

I told them their plans were quite aggressive and they assured me that if we ran out of time we could just skip what they had picked for me and their dad. B was more kind and said that he would pick up my slack at the Kitchen so I could take the girls for some fun this week.

We started our beautiful Tuesday by heading down to the zoo…along with every other family off school for spring break. The parking lot was full and there were about 10 school buses of field trips as well. Heck no! We don’t dig a crowd so we quickly changed up the plan. The girls were hungry so we stopped off at Steubens to come up with a new plan.

Cheers ladies!

Annabelle had never been to the Denver Botanic Gardens and Gwyneth was eager to show it off to her. It was just a few minutes from Steubens and we nearly had the place to ourselves. It was a gorgeous spring day, the views spectacular and the flowers in bloom.

We first discovered the children’s garden. These little ladies were happy to just be outside soaking up the sunshine.

Such theatrics: 

We ventured over to the main gardens:

pensive little lady
On to the Japanese Gardens. 
My favorite and now the girls’ favorite too. Happy to share that with them. 
There were many paths and I gave the girls a bit of freedom to explore. 
Tough for a momma but good for the soul. 

The girls have declared the gardens one of their new favorite places and can’t wait to return. We don’t have a membership but when our zoo membership expires we may just have to switch.

We agreed that if the school buses were gone when we drove past the zoo we would venture in for a bit. As luck would have it, the buses were leaving as we were heading in and it seemed many families were leaving for the afternoon. It was much less crowded (still more than the gardens), but we thought we would give it a try.

The highlight of the zoo had to be the rogue goose that attacked a woman just passing by our table as we sat enjoying an afternoon snack. She was just walking along, minding her own business when a goose swooped in and bit her right on the back of the head. The goose then proceeded to squawk and nip at the other geese roaming around the tables. We took this as a gentle nudge to move along and Gwyneth has soundly added geese to her “I’m not a big fan of those…let’s run!” list.

Think I wore these ladies out yet? Yeah, I had hoped so, but nope! They were ready for some mini golf at Boondocks.

Annabelle and I both each got a hole in one and Gwyneth was pleased when she kept her ball on our green instead of in the rocks. Actually, she wasn’t happy because these girls are fiercely competitive, but she held it together and didn’t throw or whack anyone with her club. Victory? I’ll take it.

We ended the day with dinner and a movie, Zootopia, at Cinebarre. 
Now, that’s a day. That’s a busy, busy day even for an ol’ planner like myself. 

spring break: boulder

Spring Break is officially underway. This break is a lot different than years past. I’m a planner, an organizer, I love to be on the go. This week was different. We worked and we didn’t really have a plan and we were at the mercy of other people’s schedules (more on that another time…) and I didn’t freak out. 
Ok, maybe I freaked out a little, just a little. 
Ok, maybe I was anxious most of the week. Just a bit, just little bit. 
Ok, maybe if we’re being honest, I totally freaked out and was uber anxious the entire week.
Maybe now is not the time to go ruining things with honesty!
I’m not one of those fun “let’s just play it by ear…” kind of gals. Sometimes I wish I was, but mostly I’m glad that I’m an organizing fool. I’m glad that I keep a meticulous calendar and I don’t miss deadlines, and I remember dates and times and obligations, and hopefully people aren’t waiting around for me too often, and I plan really fun stuff for my family. 
I think my family likes it too. They like the shows, and the museums, and the trips. It makes the snuggling time on the couch that much more special. At least I hope so. Who knows….maybe they’ll eventually revolt against me and block my access to my google calendar and we’ll just do nothing…forever! {shiver!}
Sunday night we had no plans and no school the next day and no bedtimes. We took advantage of the cool but beautiful night and headed up to Boulder. We had no dinner plans and no reservations and we waited for 25 minutes for a table. It’s like I don’t even recognize myself anymore….
And it was all lovely and fun…until someone got hangry. But then we ate. And it was all lovely and fun again. 

Let the shenanigans begin…

vet hospital and roller skating

Annabelle’s troop went on a field trip of a local Vet hospital. The vet tech gave the girls an amazing tour including mock xrays and surgeries. They learned so much and many of these girls have expressed interest in becoming vets. It was a great experience for them. 

The tech gave Annabelle her stethoscope and she wore it for the rest of the tour.

Practicing surgery on a stuffed duck

Unfortunately Annabelle’s friend Sofia developed an ear infection and they had to cancel their evening together. They had planned on roller skating and don’t get to see each other as often since Annabelle switched schools. She was bummed but went with the flow.

Gwyneth and Ella roller skating
The girls played hard! 

happy birthday: B

Oh Lordy, look who’s forty!
I was lucky enough to meet this guy when I was 16 and he’s been making me so happy ever since. I really wanted to celebrate B’s 40th birthday in a big way, but in his typical fashion he wasn’t having it. He didn’t want a big party or for anyone to make a fuss. He requested dinner with just me and the girls and a stay downtown. 
Naturally the girls and I got a hold of that plan and tried to make it a little more fabulous for him. (He agreed to all of it before hand — he hates surprises!)  
We booked a limo to pick B and I up at the house and enjoyed a glass of bubbly on the way to pick the girls up from school. B looked so happy to pick the girls up from school in a limo. Even on HIS birthday he cares more about others and is such an amazing dad. 

We stopped at Dairy Queen for a special treat for the girls to enjoy on our way downtown.

The limo took us to the Ritz where we all got dolled up for dinner.

Our final stop was Morton’s. We had a delicious dinner and desserts and a wonderful time celebrating this amazing guy!
We stayed both Friday and Saturday downtown and took B to a Globetrotters game. None of us had ever been before and we had a blast! 

It was a wonderful weekend to celebrate an amazing husband and dad. We are quite lucky to have this guy and love him so much. 

science fair, friends, and nuggets game

The Science fair is next week at school and the girls had a lot of fun with their experiments. They both did research to find the perfect project. Annabelle got to make sodas explode and Gwyneth got to dye milk. 
Admittedly at this age it still feels like a parent project. Until they can drive and get their own supplies it still feels like more work for the parents than the kids. They were enthusiastic and learned a bit so who I am to begrudge them that?
Exploding sodas!
Shaking sodas

Very serious little scientist

They did a great job and made great presentations — which I forgot to take pictures of but hope to get some at the actual science fair.

Friday was another half day for conferences so I picked up the girls and Annabelle’s friend Karsen for an afternoon of fun. We went to Freddy’s for lunch, Gwyneth’s choice and then met her friend Nora and her family for some bowling.

We dropped Gwyneth off to hang out with her friend Ruby and Annabelle and Karsen had the run of the house. They are such sweet friends.

Saturday was all about birthday parties. We had two at the kitchen and then joined the Clingmans for a surprise party celebrating Noelia’s 40th. They did a great job surprising her and the decor was great. B went to highschool with Brad and Noelia and I met them at their wedding almost 21 years ago. Yikes, now I’m starting to feel old. 
Sunday was a day of cheering for the Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The girls performed at half time at a 3:00 game. They did a great job and it’s always so fun to watch them. Our little ladies are proving to be very good luck as the Nuggets won it in overtime! 
My favorite

alice in wonderland ballet

Gwyneth came home from her sleepover well rested. I love that she still goes to bed at 8:30 when she’s with friends. The girl needs her sleep and she knows it. 
Annabelle was recovering from croup and I thought better of taking her to the ballet. Her fever broke the prior day and she begged to go. I figured we could leave at intermission (or half time as us Meyers refer to it) if she wasn’t feeling it. Once the show started there was no chance these little ladies were leaving. 
Alice in Wonderland is a grand ballet! The dancers, sets, and costumes were absolutely amazing. I can’t begin to describe how enchanted we all were. It is a must see. We see the Nutcracker every year, but this is a whole different experience. Truly amazing!

happy birthday: theresa

Over the past several years I have developed friendships with a lovely group of ladies. Our daughters were all in the same kindergarten class. The girls (and a few boys — there’s a set of twins and triplets in the mix!) have gone on to different classes (and in Gwyneth’s case a different school) but she still calls them her bff’s. Gwyneth has sweet friends so its no wonder they have sweet mothers and I’m lucky to have met them and been able to get to know them better over the years. 
Pam, who is wonderfully creative and thoughtful organized a birthday cooking class for our friend Theresa. The event was at Blue Mountain Kitchen and I happen to find the Chef there quite entertaining. We were treated to mimosas, amuse bouche, a delicious salad with house-made dressing, and we made our very own gnocchi in a pesto sauce. We ended the party with a panna cotta. The food was amazing and it was such a wonderful time with a great group of ladies. 
Pam brought sweet friendship bread recipes. 
Pam and Shennon
Tiffany and Jackie
Tiffany, Jade, and Shennon
Happy, happy birthday Theresa!
Not sure how one kindergarten class got so lucky to have all these great families, but I’m grateful that we got to be a part of it. 

inverness

This Valentine’s Day was a walk down memory lane for us….except this time we took two special little ladies with us. We kicked off the morning with the girls’ dance class for the Denver Nuggets. B and I grabbed a beverage and light snack at the Cherry Cricket. Many, many years ago we would meet friends here for drinks and burgers. 
The girls were starving after dance so we went for lunch at Little Ollies. Also, many, many years ago we use to meet B’s co-workers here for happy hour. I remember it being a lot darker, a lot more quaint. They knocked down some walls and have expanded their bar. Oh, how things grow and change in fifteen years but at least it is still standing.  

I booked a room for us at the Inverness Hotel — our wedding venue! The girls are quite infatuated with stories and pictures from our wedding. What a blast from the past for B and I! What a treat to share such a place with our daughters!

We walked around the hotel and told them all the details we could remember. My memories were a little fuzzy on some things, but B’s seemed to be crystal clear. We told them how the cocktail hour was set up, the beautiful Colorado weather in November allowed us to use the patio, where the wedding party sat, how the tables were configured, where the dance floor was….they soaked it all up and wanted to hear more, more, more.

It was over 17 years ago. It seems so long ago, but some of the moments feel like they were just yesterday.

The staff heard us telling our stories to the girls and put us in the “same” suite as our wedding night. We couldn’t be certain which suite we were in, but the staff loved playing along for the girls and it was a blast. Maybe it was the same room? It was over 17 years ago, so who knows?

We relaxed, opened gifts, and then had a lovely dinner at the hotel restaurant. It was such a special night and we received a beautiful dessert from the hotel to honor the occasion.

 Trying to convince us we needed a trip to the spa…

 The view sure has changed in 17 years…

The next day the girls were off school for Presidents day. B had to run back to work and I wanted to take advantage of being on the other side of town before getting back to work myself. 
We hit Pottery Barn Kids and Ikea because we are doing some redecorating of the girls’ rooms. It is time for some more mature bedding and decorations, but I’ll be sad to see the old stuff go. I’m looking forward to sharing updates on their new rooms soon. 
And, because I’m a sucker we stopped at the American Girl Store. They were each allowed to pick out one thing to occupy them while I worked this afternoon. Notice they each have two packages at this time. Decisions, decisions…

 When down South we gotta have Steak N Shake.

We returned home to find their adopted animals from the St. Louis zoo had arrived. Each year they receive a new animal to care for at the zoo as a gift from Poppy. Annabelle now has 9 animals and Gwyneth has 8 animals that are fed in their names. It’s a wonderful gift and the girls cherish their stuffed animals that arrive each year. With 7 granddaughters and the renewal of each animal every year my dad is surely feeding the entire zoo by now! (My favorite still has to be the Warthog, the animal she received for her first Valentine. That one still cracks me up).

valentine parties

The holiday festivities at the girls’ school are quite spectacular. The parties are big, the parents volunteer and many are in attendance, there are treats and games. It’s quite a production and the girls absolutely adore it. 

I volunteered in Gwyneth’s class and was so glad to be able to celebrate with these kiddos and their wonderful teacher. Unfortunately her teacher is leaving at the end of the month (tears, tears, tears!). She has been absolutely amazing and it’s truly not an understatement to say that she has changed our lives. (more on that later). We will miss her so much! 

I decided to sneak by Annabelle’s class to see what they were up to and to my surprise she didn’t want me to leave. That is very rare these days as she has become very independent. I think with Yaya leaving this morning she was feeling a bit clingy and I was happy to oblige. 

visit with yaya

I picked YaYa up from the airport while the girls were at school and we had our traditional Schlotsky’s lunch. There isn’t one close to our house but we go out of the way when Yaya visits because it’s her favorite. 
We picked the girls up from school and they nearly knocked her over with hugs. They were very excited to see her. The timing worked out perfectly because Annabelle’s swim team and Gwyneth’s film club were cancelled for the evening so they were able to spend their entire evening with Yaya. 
Yaya’s birthday was yesterday so the girls were eager to give her gifts: 

A Glenda and Wicked Witch Precious Moments which tied in with the rest of our gift….

We’re off to see the Wizard! 

We went for dinner at the Corner Office which I have officially decided is only bad when B is with us. Tonight the food and service were fantastic. They also had orange cotton candy in honor of the Broncos Super Bowl win.

We then saw Wizard of Oz Live at the Temple Buell Theater. It was an interesting show.  I have to admit it wasn’t my favorite and we all agreed it was a little weird. It is difficult to see such a beloved movie in a different format. We all had a wonderful time and YaYa treated the girls to key chains which were promptly hung on their backpacks when they arrived home.

It was a late night and I was a bit worried about the girls getting up for school the next day. They were too excited for Yaya’s visit to be grouchy in the morning and all was well!

Thursday I had lots of work to get caught up on. I had also received an email just the day before that the girls each needed personalized Valentines for their classmates and Gwyneth needed a Valentine box for their parties on Friday. Not that any of this should have come as a surprise, but I wasn’t extremely prepared.

My mom ran around town picking up supplies for us today and then helped the girls put together their Valentines goodies. I’m extremely grateful for her help and Gwyneth was all giggles making her Valentines box with Yaya.

I volunteered to help with Gwyneth’s party and was assigned balloons and games. We found a fun bingo game and my favorite was picking up conversation hearts with chop sticks. Boy, was that a hoot to watch. Some of the 2nd graders rocked it, some gave up and just ate the candies with their hands. Either way, the game was a hit.

The girls enjoyed breakfast for dinner with Yaya while B and I went to Pizza Republica for an early Valentine’s date night.

One late night and on a complete impulse we purchased tickets to see Adam Sandler and friends at the Bellco Theater. It was a blast from the comedy past. Some of our favorites from Saturday Night Live. We do so enjoy a good comedy show and it has been far too long since we’ve been….it has been too long since we’ve been on a date night in general!

The show was quite long, because there were 5 comedians, but what a great night of jokes! Thankful for a fun, adventurous husband and for a great Yaya who will spend time with our little ladies for we can go out for a late night. The show didn’t end until 11:30 and we felt so guilty asking a teenager to babysit that late on a school night. Yaya to the rescue.

On stage together: David Spade, Tim Meadows, Adam Sandler, Norm Macdonald, and Rob Schneider. What a night!

And just like that our visit with Yaya was over. She dropped the girls off at school in the morning and then we had to head to the airport. It was a short and sweet trip, but we have another one booked again in a few months. Having plans for her to visit again softens the blow when she has to leave.