13 on the 13th

Today is my 13th wedding anniversary and I'm home after having a nice unhurried dinner with my husband. I took my time and I didn't have to cut up any food into little bites today. That's a pretty big treat right there.

I got up this morning and did the things I normally do. I made breakfast for the boys (oatmeal with brown sugar and cream), I balanced the checkbook (to the penny) and I washed the dishes.
Then, Stephanie called me and asked if I wanted to have lunch with her and her girls in Evergreen. So, we did and I did not have to make lunches (peanut butter sandwiches) today. As I was eating lunch, I remembered that Steph was my maid of honor (I didn't actually forget. I guess I was marveling about how different our lives are now, being mommies, but we're still doing so many things together) at my wedding and I guess now, I take it for-granted that we are next-door neighbors and we see each other nearly every day. I know that's a rare thing.

Overall, my day was rather routine until I went out to dinner with just Paul. It's so rare these days that we are alone and I savored just us as a couple, but of course, we talked about the kids (a lot). That's the happy life we've created.

We ended the evening with our annual ritual of sharing a slice of a delicious carrot cake since our wedding cake was carrot cake.

Here's to another wonderful year!

Happy Father's Day!

Every day, the boys ask how long it will be until you get back from work. Luke used to ask how many more minutes it would be until you got home and it would be only 9:30 in the morning! He couldn't wait until you were back. Luke still asks you to carry him upstairs before bed. Sam and Luke both love it when you make them French toast for breakfast. They both love when you join in their lightsaber fights. You give them so much of your time. You play Battleship and Star Wars Monopoly. You are unselfish with your children and we love you very much! Happy Father's day!

Sleepy Sleepers

Tess snuggling with Daddy

I don't know how many pictures I have of Paul asleep with one of our boys. I can't help taking these peaceful pictures. Here's Tess in the new sweater Daddy bought for her. Daddy has good taste! I love watching her sleep (Paul too!)

A forgotten picture on my camera

It's these little moments you want to hold onto forever.

You don't know the power of the dark side

Okay, I took this picture today not Halloween. That giant
Darth Vader helmet makes the rest of Sammy look so small.


Apparently Luke does not need the helmet to breathe.


The boys trick-or-treating in downtown Evergreen

Darth and the dinosaur

Farewell to October 2008!

Nature Walk

My husband just began his work sabbatical this week and we get to enjoy him being home
for 4 weeks in a row! So, yesterday, we took a hike near our home. Here's Luke lounging on a rock. It's like Christmas having Daddy home during the day.


Here's Paul with a wildflower. (It turns out we weren't supposed to pick the wildflowers.) We wanted to gather a good collection for later identification.


Here's Sammy riding in style!


I was watching for butterflies too. Luke will have to identify this one for me.

We tried to find out what kind of flower this is, but it wasn't in our Colorado wildflower guide.

Here's the bouquet of wildflowers we shouldn't have picked!

Luke and Sammy sitting in a rock that they pretended was a car or spaceship or a plane. I was there too, but just behind the camera!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband who works so hard for us and sacrifices so much without complaint. We love you!

Happy birthday!

It's my dear husband's birthday!! Have a great day sweetie!

Rocktoberfest

Although we held out hope to the very end that the Rockies would at least force the Red Sox to a game 5, we still enjoyed our World Series experience. Here's some pics of my boys yesterday before Game 4 started. (Now, don't let that Red Sox hat fool you. Luke just likes the hat.)

A perfect Fall day

Here are the boys enjoying a nice Autumn day at the Littleton Historical Museum On October 13th. Even though we got there early for the Harvest Festival, there weren't many pumpkins left, but we still found a nice one for carving. I bought four jars of homemade jam made at the museum from their bounty. There's nothing like a warm crisp Fall day!! I just love soaking up all the beauty of this season.

11 Years!

So, here I am on my wedding day, July 13, 1996. When these photos were taken, I had no idea of the adventures that lay ahead of me. There would be so much to learn. I had no idea that I would love my husband so much more now than I did then. I had no idea that family life with our two sons would fill me with so much joy. I didn't know that the sacrifices I would make would actually make me happier. I just didn't know that so much treasure awaited me! Paul and I always comment on how noisy life is with our two boys, but it's evidence of more love and more happiness in our lives.
I am content and joyful and thankful everyday. I thank God for sending me such a wonderful husband and for giving me a contented cozy life.

Enough of snow, how 'bout some pics of the boys?

More of my boys

Could they BE any cuter?