What a difference a year makes!

Every year, instead of buying their school pictures, I take them to have their pictures taken. I can't believe how different they look in just a year! I guess I don't notice how much they change since I see them day after day. Sure I am constantly looking at pictures of them because I scrapbook often, but I'm still scrapbooking pictures of them when they were much younger. But, when I got these I compared them to the ones they took last year I couldn't believe my eyes! Madison lost her front teeth at the end of May and they still haven't grown in! She is looking more like a beautiful young lady instead of my big headed, blue-eyed pumpkin she used to be. She is my little shadow. If I am at the table scrapbooking, she is right there with me. She randomly "spring" cleans and organizes everything just like me. She is so affectionate, friendly, sympathetic and motherly. I wish she would stay my little girl forever. And Andrew, I am so proud of him. He is so smart, responsible, and full of integrity. He is my little adult. It's hard to see him grow so fast. I feel like I didn't get to enjoy him enough as my little boo boo. He's off to middle school next year and I hope that he continues to excel in Math, Reading and football.

They both have those cheeks you just have to pinch!

The first day of school

Well, it's that time of year again when you are running around shopping for school clothes, new shoes and school supplies. Aside from breaking the bank, it breaks my heart a little every year to see my kids grow up so fast. Andrew started the Fifth grade! Middle school is just around the corner, geesh! And, Madison started Second grade. I can still remember crying on their first day of Kindergarten! Although most parents get a little bonkers by the end of summer, when the first day rolls around you can't help but miss them.
We are looking forward to Andrew's first football game with Broomfield Blitz on Saturday. Hopefully we'll have our computer up and running again soon so I can post decent pictures up instead of the fuzzy ones from my phone :(

Trying to keep y'all up to date!

So, I finally get my lovely camera that I had been eyeing for months and not even a week later our computer goes out. (I blame Xcel and the surprise power outtage at 10pm!) Lee has a laptop that he uses for work that he has been nice enough to bring home every night so I can still keep contact with the "outside" world, but I can't hook my camera up to it :( So, I have resorted to taking pictures with my phone and sending them to my email for now.

I hope to keep my friends and family more up-to-date. Andrew will be starting football next week with the Broomfield Blitz so I am SUPER excited about that. They will also be going back to school in just a few weeks which is always bittersweet. I love them being off and being able to stay at home with them and enjoy them while they let me, but as most parents know, they tend to drive you a little nuts at times. Also, it means I go back to my normal Mon-Fri work schedule of the oh-so-tiring 10:30-4:00 pm. I know, I have it easy...but woman have to complain about something, right? So, it will have to be about work for now. I'm sure soon enough I will be complaining about tiny feet in my ribs or a sore lower back! :)

Surprise!

Lee and I are having another baby! At first, the thought of having to start over scared me, but now, I am extremely excited! We started our family early and thought we'd finish early, but God had other plans for us. We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our new baby in February. The 20th to be exact. As I'm sure any parent knows, your kids grow too fast and every step of the way is an exciting new adventure. So for now, I am enjoying my "big" kids and looking forward to some new adventures that a little one brings!

In preparation of the new baby, we traded in our beloved Xterra (that we bought brand new on 10/99) for a Chevy Tahoe. Yep, it looks a lot like our Xterra but SUPERSIZED! As much as my friends joked that I would end up in a van, I refused. Don't get me wrong, it was tempting. They have lots of room for the kids and extra cousins and friends that usually accompany us, BUT, I just didn't have it in me to sign off on it. We love the new ride and hope it brings us as much reliability and good times that our Xterra gave us.

A day with my son.

So, while Madison is in Gunnison with my good friend Shannon and her family, I decide to take Andrew on a little trip. I used to go up to Boulder quite a bit in my younger years and thought I would share that with Andrew. We started by having a bite to eat at Old Chicago on the Pearl Street Mall. We sat outside to people watch and played a little 'Truth or Dare' while we waited for our food. Yes, I took a few dares and made a tard out of myself; but, to hear him giggle like that was worth a bit of self-humiliation. After lunch, we walked the mall. Andrew got a kick out of the people singing and playing their guitars. There was even a guy walking around with a cello trying to find a spot to perform! We browsed through a few shops and bought a few souvenirs. After the mall, I decided to take him up to my favorite spot. It's off of Canyon Rd. in the mountains. I used to climb this mountain all of the time. I loved it! However, when we get to the spot where I would climb, it's fenced off! Only bike trails are accessible! I figure it's only a log fence so we will be a little reckless and crawl through it and make our way up. Andrew was so funny! Anyone who knows us, have heard my stories about how anal Andrew is and how afraid he is of doing something wrong. He always thinks of the worst-case-scenario and is instantly nervous. He's a nervous wreck worrying about getting attacked by mountain lions or falling on a cactus, which are maybe the size of his hand! We make it to the top and sit and enjoy the view. It's truly breath taking!

On the way down, Andrew's paranoia kicks in again. He says to me, "what if the police are waiting for us at the fence?"! I just shake my head and laugh. I explain to him that we didn't break any laws. They probably just fenced it off because it's not a paved path up. I'm glad that Andrew is concerned with not doing anything wrong, but I don't want him to be consumed with fear because I don't want it to hold him back from having some really great experiences.

All in all, I think we had a pretty great day. Today is more of a lounge at the pool kind of day. :)

Gloating: Andrew made the coach selected team!!!

Andrew missed the first day of tryouts due to his last basketball game (see below), but made it to the second day of tryouts (out of four days) and he has already made the team! Anyone who knows Andrew, knows he is a pretty BIG kid for his age. His ability to move quickly at the size he is, really impressed the coaches last night. At the end of tryouts, I shook the coaches hand and thanked them for their time. I asked how they thought Andrew did and they smiled and said, 'he's already made the team. You don't even have to show up for any more of the tryouts. We will definetely be in touch with you.' I walked away with a smile from ear to ear. Andrew couldn't believe the good news.

After tryouts, we went to Chick-fil-a for their yearbook signing. Andrew was ecstatic that his teacher, Mr. L., was still there. He immediatly told him all about tryouts and how he made the team.

Andrew had his last flag football game on Saturday and though he lost, he had a really good season. Even the coach agreed. Andrew received MVP of his team! Great job Andrew!

Needless to say, I am very proud of Andrew. He has done a great job in school and has really shined on his basketball and football teams!

Undefeated!

Andrew had his final basketball game last night with the Jr. Nuggets and won, 42-24! He had a great game last night. His dad, whom also coached, was very proud of his team and led them to a perfect record of 8-0. Great job Coach!! Tonight, Andrew has tryouts for Broomfield Blitz. He is trying to get on the "coach selected" team, however, if he doesn't make it, he will be on the North Metro Blitz because they are recruiting him hard! The coach for North Metro saw Andrew playing on an I-9 flag football team and sought out Lee to get him on his Blitz team. He's offered to pay all of the fees! Also, he wants Andrew to play for his flag football team's championship game! My "little" Boo, Boo is already being recruited! We are so proud of him!

On it's last leg...

We have a '00 Nissan Xterra that we purchased brand new in November of 1999. We have taken this SUV to Clovis, NM numerous times, commuted daily from Thornton to Downtown Denver for several years, then commuted from Broomfield to Longmont for a few years and finally it is losing it's faithful title of being reliable. Mind you, this is 175K later!

My kids and I were invited to lunch with my ex-boss, Jenn, from Home Depot. She lives in Berthoud and is currently attending school at Front Range in Longmont where she is hoping to be EMT certified through their program. So, we decide to meet at TGIF's in Longmont after her class. We have a great lunch, great conversation and lots of laughs.

I decide while I'm up here why not make a pit stop at my best friend Jolene's house for a quick surprise visit? But to my surprise she is not home (which is unlike her) and when I leave, my car starts to run HOT!!! I open all the windows and blast the heater hoping that will help and pull into a nearby King Soopers. I pop the hood and immediately there is smoke. I immediatly check my coolant which is close to being empty. I round up the kids and call Lee to explain my delemna all while I'm circling the aisles desperately searching for coolant. As I'm pouring coolant in, with a Red Robin kid's cup, several people stop to ask if I need any help (I'm shocked that people still do that!). I look like a wreck! My face feels like it's melting off of me, I'm wearing a BLACK tiny tee shirt that I swear is absorbing 100 degree heat, my hair is a mangled mess from flicking it out of my way while I struggle with the coolant and from the wind flopping it around like a wind sock due to ALL the windows being down. BUT my eyelashes are still in tact so being the mascara b@t#h that I am, my spirits are still slightly up (Remember, my heater is still full blast on this beautiful 75 degree day!)

Lee convinces me I'll be fine if I take it slow and keep the heater running. So, I gather everyone back into the car and cautiously drive down 17th to County Rd 1 taking the back roads home because I-25 is undergoing construction, again, from Firestone to the end of Frederick and the shoulders are closed. About a mile and a half south of Hwy 119, my car starts clicking and sputtering like I'm running out of gas. I FREAK out and immediatly pull over. Luckily, about a block up (in the middle of farms and open nothingness), is a State Trooper that has someone pulled over. I get out of my car and walk towards him for help. He doesn't offer me much but directs me to a fire station which I passed about 5 minutes down the road. I get back into my car, flip a U-turn and pull into the fire station. I am immediatly greeted by 5 of the nicest men you will ever meet. They offer the kids soda, show them the fire truck and let them sit in it with a fire coat and hat on. Meanwhile, I am frantically calling roadside assistance and my friend Shannon, whom I am FOREVER indebted to, to make arrangements to have the car towed and for her to come pick me, my two kids, and my neice up from the station. I'm sitting there forcing a smile for the kids so they don't worry. The fire fighters are all outside looking under the hood. I see them come in and out with water and tools. Not even 15 minutes later, they come in and inform me I had a loose clamp and it was causing the coolant to leak and my radiator to overheat. They fix the clamp, flush my radiator, added more coolant and let it run for a few minutes. They call me out and showed me what was wrong, how they fixed it. The clicking stopped, the needle was in the middle instead of at H and I was in tears. I stood there in shock, with no words, only tears. I was so thankful for what they had done.

As I'm gathering my stuff and pulling my neice away from their fridge, the alarm rings and they leave in a hurry. I couldn't even properly thank them! I know this has been a very LONG blog, but I coulnd't go without letting my friends and family know how thankful I am for their kindness and generousity. I wanted to do a little something for their generousity so I called my general manger at Red Robin to see if he would agree to match my money for a gift certificate to send to them. What better way to say thank you then filling their bellies with bottomless steak fries and great burgers?! They wouldn't just match my money, they are footing the entire bill!

I'm still in awe over the extreme kindness shown to me and my kids today.

(Mountain View Fire Protection~9119 E. County Line Rd 1~Longmont, CO 80501)

Andrew the Athlete

Since Andrew's Broomfield basketball season is over, he just had to sign up for Jr. Nuggets with the Y.M.C.A. His team had a 31-18 victory! His dad is his coach and both of them are having so much fun! He has really good control and makes almost every shot, including his imfamous three pointers. He likes to have us drop him off at the rec center or down the street for some extra playing time.

Andrew is getting some pointers from his dad.
In addition to Jr. Nuggets, Andrew is also playing flag football with I-9 sports. His team, the Cougars, lost a close game on Saturday (30-32).
Andrew is the quarterback and threw 4 touchdown passes!

Andrew is such a great athlete. He is getting so much better at reading plays and following through. We are so proud of him and blessed to have such a wonderful son!

Keeping the Tooth Fairy Busy!

In the last few days Madison has lost two teeth! She lost her front-top right tooth on Thursday and lost her left bottom tooth last night. She is keeping the tooth fairy plenty busy that's for sure. At first, she thought all she could eat was soup because she couldn't bite down without her front teeth, but soon realized biting from the side was just as good. That was until she lost the bottom left side tooth. Now, she cautiously bites down from her right side (but that tooth is also loose)! I can't even look at her with a straight face because she looks so silly without her two front teeth.