School has begun!

Am I just getting older or does each new school year make me more and more tired? I am exhausted and still two days more with new little kindergartners to work with . They are darling but the darling children I am missing are my own. I love summer too, as my friend Jamie wrote in her blog, because I get to have a schedule open wide to be with my boys. As the school year comes, I feel like I am fitting them in which is awful. I do love teaching but always feel guilty (as you wrote about too Jamie) as I try to pursue the things I love each day. Right now, as I blog, they are dumping every toy we own on the floor downstairs. But I don't care because I just want them to be happy this time of year....

Noah is 2!

Well, as Nixon put it, Noah is finally 2! We celebrated with family and lots of friends at a Music Playhouse birthday party this past Saturday. Everyone had a blast running around and dancing to the music. Noah seemed to be most interested in the food because it was an early morning party and he hadn't had breakfast. He carried his bagel plate around almost the whole time. Now that Noah is 2, he still insists that he is 1, but we all enjoyed sharing in the day with him. My baby is getting big!

Burro Days

We went to Fairplay to celebrate Burro Days-an annual tradition there which

is kind of like a fair with rides, food, etc. Apparently the theme this weekend

was rain because that is pretty much all it did. We did manage to get in a tiny

bit of fishing and some exploring outside the family cabin with the kids. And,of

course, there is always time to shoot a bee-bee gun. The kids had fun visiting with their

cousins. I enjoyed seeing the property that has been in Michael's family for years and the

cabins that his grandfather built by hand. All in all, a wet, but fun time.

Celebrate good times...

We spent the weekend in Omaha, NE (without kids) to take part in the wedding of our friend, John. We had a great time seeing old friends and going out and about Omaha. When we returned home yesterday, it was my birthday so Michael sent us home first class to celebrate and my kids sang to me (so cute:) and made me surprise cupcakes. It is fabulous to be back to my boys and I can't think of a sweeter way to celebrate my big day.

July 4th

Okay, so we've never really celebrated July 4th that much but I'm trying to get into it more. Michael golfed in the morning, and we had a great time at a barbecue with friends in the neighborhood in the evening. Nixon and Noah got to do fireworks for the first time, and Michael took all the kids for rides in our golfcart which was a hit. (Finally a use for this thing that is taking up space in my garage!) Anyway, it was a tradition in the making.

Smores

We have a fire pit. Which, unfortunately, we never use. So...what better way to break it in than by making some smores. The night before Independence Day we got to it. Really, I think I enjoyed it more than anyone but Nixon seemed to get into it too. He hates chocolate (so weird) so he had graham crackers with gooey marshmellow. Yum!!

Nixon's first time fishing

Nixon got a fishing pole for his birthday so Daddy decided it was time to try it out. They headed to Roger's Grove in Longmont. At the end of the day it was Nixon 1, Daddy 3 seaweeds (as Nixon called them). The boys can't wait to go again over the July 4th holiday!