Handbags!

OK, fortunately for our bank account, I am not a designer handbag person, but I have always had a bit of a weak spot for a cute bag. A few weeks ago I started thinking it'd been a while since I got a new purse and I'd noticed a couple other moms looking stylish while sporting cross-body bags and decided I'd like one, so I started poking around on-line. I found 2 super cute ones at REI. "REI? A purse?" is what my husband said. Yes, REI. But I'm kind of utilitarian like that, and these are functional but still feminine. I got this one, which is smaller: How cute is it on? And for those times when everyone hands me their sunglasses, cell phones, wallets, and we need snacks and drinks, the boys are getting me this bigger (kind of crazy) one for Christmas (they were closing out last year's pattern at about 50% off): Look at the organization in those puppies!

Grandparents Day

Two weekends ago, Andrew's parents were in town. What brought them to town was a memorial service honoring Barbara, Andrew's dad's cousin, which sounds like a distant relative, but she was kind of a grandmotherly figure to our boys as she lived in the Denver area also. Barbara passed at the end of August; we were all surprised and remain saddened. Here is a picture from that weekend of the boys with all of their grandparents together. Coincidentally, it was even Grandparents Day!

A Little Bloggy Catching Up

Over Labor Day, we channeled the Griswolds and headed to the Grand Canyon and Arches for some camping and good ol' family fun. We were on the road by 5AM Friday morning for our long drive down - 800 miles towing the tent trailer. Whew! But our kids are road warriors and we totally rocked it out, arriving there in the late afternoon. We camped the first 2 nights at an RV Park (completely paved, not a woodsy camping experience, but a nice facility) because it was adjacent to the train depot. Saturday we rode the Grand Canyon Railway in and out of the Grand Canyon (to the South Rim, not down into the canyon) and just did some sightseeing. Holding onto the kids tightly - look at those little walls! We had two rules: stay back from the edge and hold a hand. The boys with their stuffed mule souvenirs, which were a big hit. On the train ride back to the campsite, we were held up! Robbers!The sheriff: Sunday we moved campsites and camped in Grand Canyon National Park - a beautiful wooded campsite (with flush toilets and running water - nice!). I've become a big fan of national and state park camping facilities; they're usually pretty darn nice! Check out our campsite visitors! We were just packing up Monday morning when we looked up and saw these three. Notice how their size compares to the industrial sized dumpsters and cars in the background. Amazing!! We had perfect weather in the mid-seventies in Arizona. If you haven't been to the Grand Canyon, I highly recommend it. I'm sure we'll go back because we only saw a tiny portion of it - it is mind-boggling how huge it is!

Monday, we drove to Moab and set up camp there. Tuesday morning, we visited Arches National Park.

Balanced Rock. Double Arch. The Delicate Arch, aka Cowboy's Chaps. One smiley boy and one not-so-smiley boy. Andrew and I visited Arches and Canyonlands 10 years ago on a camping trip for our first anniversary. I have to say, Moab was much the same both trips. Hot. Dusty. Windy. Andrew's allergies started going crazy in Moab. So after wearing everyone out hiking around Arches in the morning, we opted not to go to Canyonlands this trip, especially having just been to the Grand Canyon, and drove home one day earlier than planned. Moab to home is only about 6 hours, so leaving early afternoon got us home about bedtime - perfect! A very nice trip, all in all.

End of August

Late summer harvest: And the tractor's fixed!!

Boys

The other day I was doing some shopping at Wal-mart, and there was another family that I can only assume was a grandma, a mother, and a boy they were getting ready for college. I pushed my cart behind this lanky boy that, at about 6'4", towered over his mom and grandma and couldn't help but think that, with a 6'2" husband, that will probably be me one day, with 2 boys towering over me. I can't even think about the day we'll be buying stuff for their dorms without getting a catch in my throat. I'd bet this mother, whose son now bested her by a good eight inches, feels like her boy was just toddling behind her not too long ago.

But for now, mine are still these little guys that clamor to hold my hands and have to crane their necks to look up at me. And here was my littlest this afternoon, all boy, enjoying his afternoon nap clutching his lizard.

Better late than never

Here's a pic from last Tuesday morning (I know, a little slow on the posting), when Max went off to kindergarten and Benjamin had his very first day of preschool. Ben refused to let me take pictures of him in his classroom, so this is all I got. He goes to the same preschool Max went to, for 2 mornings a week. Next year he'll go 3 mornings a week, and then kindergarten the following year. One of Ben's teachers taught Max last year; it's really nice that they already know him there.

At the beginning of the summer, when we'd talk about school, Ben would just burrow into my shoulder and say "I just want to be wif you." By the time we got to within a couple weeks of school, he had totally changed his tune. If we were within a couple of blocks of his school, he'd shout from the back of the van, "There's my school!" and wave at it. He'd also instruct Max that Max couldn't wave at the school because it was now Ben's school. So on the big morning, he just walked right in, pulled out the little chair, grabbed a crayon and got to work. He even wore his backpack when we walked Max to kindergarten on Monday (Ben didn't start until Tuesday) because he was so ready for his own school to start. What a big boy!

The boys are also doing another round of swim lessons. Swim lessons are like Disneyland for them; they absolutely love them. Max is now sticking his face in the water, combining kicking and arm strokes, and moving in the water - actual swimming!! Max also started soccer last week. Ben wanted to wait until he's 4 for soccer again. We've frozen our tushies off for two seasons in spring soccer, so we decided to go with fall soccer this year (although admittedly, August isn't exactly fall). I'm also volunteering in Max's classroom one morning a week. Kind of fun to be a teacher for a while again. Max is fascinated by the concept that I used to teach before we had kids. So that's our story around here. Have a good week y'all!

Mazatlan, 2009

Oh, down in Mexico. I never really been but I'd sure love to go. OK, so that last bit's not exactly true, but I can't help but hear James Taylor when I think of Mexico, which is where we just returned from. We managed to avoid the drug cartels and swine flu and had a lovely, relaxing vacation. What more could you ask for?

Hanging at the pool. This is pretty much what we did about 7 hours a day for the entire week...not bad...read a bunch of books, played some fierce cards, and had great conversation with the rest of the family. What? You can't see us? Well, it's obviously me with my sisters-in-law and the boys, but it was a teensy bit humid and my camera lens, along with my sunglasses, kept fogging up. So the camera is just showing how humid it actually felt, which is why we hung out in the pool most of the time.

Painting pottery. The boys' most requested activity (after the pool) - watching the sun set into the Pacific. Hanging out with Grandpa Jim watching Spanish cartoons. Larry the Lizard. Views from our hotel room - right: left: center: Aaaahhhhh: The boys passing the time in the Phoenix airport on the way home, watching Mexican jumping beans. I'm so pleased and thankful that all four families were able to coordinate schedules and spend the week together, scattered as we are now in Oregon, Arizona and Colorado. And a huge thanks to Mom and Dad for your organization and generosity in making this trip possible for all of us.

Two Thumbs Up

Ben passed his guppy swimming lessons and is now a minnow! Do you like his phantom owie and band-aid that he insisted on wearing on his head for 3 days?

And at Max's school, the mascot is the buffaloes, and for their character education, they try to "Join the HERD," with HERD standing for Honesty, Encouragement, Responsibility and Dedication. Kids get a punch on their HERD slip when their teacher sees them doing things that make them part of the HERD. When kids get 4 punches, they get a buffalo with their name hung on the walls of the school and get to enter their HERD slip in a drawing for various prizes. Anyways, Max already earned all 4 punches on his first HERD slip! So glad that he's going in that direction and not the way of the punk kids in his class that have already been sent to the office :).

Other random bit: yesterday Ben said "Mom, I love you all the way to Missouri!" Cracks me up!

I think I outsmarted my dog

Just try walking through that screen door now, Cedar O'Toole.

First Day!

This little peanut started kindergarten today! The backpack The school is just around the corner from us, which is really nice. Andrew, Ben and I all walked him over this morning.Lining up with his class Reading a sappy story designed to get all the parents crying, but I held it together.

He picked out spaghetti for his special first-day-of-kindergarten dinner.

This afternoon, Ben has his preschool open house where he gets to see his classroom and meet both of his teachers. He already knows Miss Lori, but I'm not sure who his other teacher will be.