Playtime at the Beach

Some friends invited us to share in a secret little gem this summer--Prospect Lake Beach. I had no idea it existed and, oh, did we love it! It's a nice, clean, sandy little beach with a life guarded swimming area, all of it small enough that I could sit and talk with friends while the kids played. I often heard throughout the summer, "Can we go to the beach??" I think Jacob and Makenna liked playing in the sand as much or more than they did the water. It is a place we will surely visit in summers to come!

Estes Park Getaway

We decided to vacation this summer close to home, in the beautiful Colorado mountains. We rented a small cabin in Estes Park for four nights, and spent our time exploring the surrounding Rocky Mountain National Park. What beautiful scenery! The kids were great hikers--pregnant Mama was the one who lagged behind, much to my chagrin. We hiked to Gem Lake, hiked around Bear Lake (an easy stroll compared to the one the day before!), as well as Sprague Lake, the latter two residing in Rocky Mountain National Park. Such beautiful mountain country!

We couldn't get away with hiking as the only activity during the week, partly because the kids wanted to do other things and partly because I physically couldn't handle anymore. (Being pregnant at 37 is not a cakewalk!) We rode the aerial tramway to the summit of Prospect Mountain, which looks out over Estes Park. We had been told not to miss feeding peanuts to the chipmunks up at the top, but I think they were too full for more as we had a hard time finding any to take our peanuts! Oh well. 

I think the kids would tell you the highlight of the trip was the (small) amusement park we spent a morning playing at: giant slide, mini golf, bumper cars, go-karts, and bumper boats. They both loved that they had their own steering wheel in the go-karts and felt like official drivers (though they in no way controlled the cars). :) Other favorite activities included fresh doughnuts for breakfast at a local bakery, playing in the hot tub at our cabin, eating dinner at a restaurant most nights, and lots of other fun little things that only happen when you're on vacation. It was a great get-away and we will definitely go back. 

Waving at the camera

A view of the mountains as we ascended up to Gem Lake.

Cooling off in Gem Lake after a long hike (it was a 1200' gain in altitude in 1.7 miles)

Jakers

Beautiful Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

They both thought they were extremely funny!

Bumper Cars!

Jake and Mom going down the giant slide

Fun times getting wet in the bumper boats.

Doughnuts for breakfast! We pulled up to the bakery, which was called "Donut Haus" and Jake reads the sign, but says "Do Nut Has?"--we hadn't told them where we were going beforehand. :) My little beginning reader! 

Smores!

Lots of pictures from Sprague Lake (another beautiful gem in RMNP)

Kindergarten Graduation

Kindergarten graduation...celebrating a year of accomplishment and the end of Jake's first year in elementary school. I'm one of those parents who thinks its a little over the top to call it a "graduation", but I do admit that Jacob and his classmates are cute. And it was a fun little program full of song and dance, performed with kindergarten style. 

Marching down the aisle to Pomp & Circumstance with his classmate Katelyn.

Receiving his "diploma" from the principal

Jacob with his kindergarten teachers, Mrs. MacDonald & Mrs. Lee

Munchkin Number Three

Baby BOY coming our way in mid-October!

Mother's Day Celebration

Kindergarten is awesome for so many reasons, but one I loved was the "spa day" they planned and held for Moms right around Mother's Day. We got to come into the classroom and be pampered by our favorite little 5 year olds, makeup and pedicure included. 

Jake was so proud of his first time giving me a pedicure. The red polish certainly made my toes and feet look like they were bleeding everywhere!

The afternoon also included song and dance, gourmet treats, and handmade gifts. It was fun to be pampered by my little man! Thank you Jacob!

Makenna Turns 3!

Makenna Brooklyn, three years old already! There are so many things that I want to remember about you, because we already know that time is flying! You love babies (human and doll). You will walk up to a perfect stranger with a baby and say, "Please can I see your baby?" My little social butterfly, we have met many people because you want to say hello. :) You love your blanket almost more than anything else (depends on how tired you are) and want to take it with you wherever we go. Your favorite playmates are your brother, mama, and daddy. It's just you and I during the day, and I often hear, "Mommy, play with me!" (I'll admit, it drives me nuts that I can't get much done.) You are a helper with the laundry, unloading the dishwasher, watering the plants, and baking in the kitchen. You are fiercely independent ("I can do it!"), and can get yourself dressed, put on your shoes, clean yourself in the shower, and will try to do whatever your older brother can do--must be a second child thing! :) You would live on fruit leather, pistachios, and grilled cheese sandwiches (a picky little eater, you are!) You know how to spell your name, run, jump, swing, slide, climb, sing, dance, somersault, and so many other things! You are growing up into a beautiful, happy, sweet, loving, and kind little girl and we love you so much!

If you asked her what she wanted for her birthday, her answer was always, "A blue cake!" Blue has been her favorite color for quite a while. 

I made the giraffe on the cake in addition to the blue because there is always an imaginary giraffe at our house. Usually Makenna will say it is biting her, but sometimes its just here to play.  

She loves Hello Kitty and was super excited to get some bike accessories (a bell is in her hands) for her new two wheeler (with training wheels, of course).

Makenna loves to cook in her little kitchen and will often take bowls, spatulas, and whisks out of Mom's kitchen as well. Now she has a chef's uniform to wear when cooking. Thanks, Uncle Gordon.

Mama made her babies a soft little blanket. (They were using a scrap of blue fabric as their blanket.) Unfortunately for the babies, Makenna keeps it for herself. It has to go on top of her blankets, soft side down, at night. In fact, she loves it so much that I got woken up at 3:45 the other morning because it had come off of her and she wanted it back on. Grrr....Mama not happy!

Disney's Frozen (such a darling movie) has become her favorite thing. Kenna was spoiled with books, coloring books, stickers, two baby dolls, and dress-up for her!

 

Make a wish little girl!

Oh, how we love that sweet face!

"Free" years old!

Jake-man and Kenna--two crazy monkeys, love them both!

Kindergarten Fun

Jacob loves school, and with all the fun stuff that goes on, its not hard to see why. (He likes the learning part too.) At the end of February was the Hawk Hall Rush. It's a fundraiser where the kids (separated by grade) run the halls of the school--the only time this is allowed--completing as many laps as they can in the allotted time. 

I love the look of concentration on his face in this picture. 

After one or two laps, and getting enough pictures, I gave my camera to a friend and joined Jake in the race. The kid ran the entire 15 minutes and completed twelve laps! Way to go, little runner! 

His class hosted a dinosaur museum for parents and siblings one morning. The junior paleontologists had lots of dinosaur facts to share and had even built a small scale stegosaurus. We enjoyed our tour. 

A class play called "The Three Piggy Opera"--a very cute rendition of the story of the Three Little Pigs.

Jake's class did a geography unit that included a little rabbit named Felix. Each student sent their little traveling friend off somewhere, and then learned about the place when Felix was sent back to the class. We sent Felix to Washington to visit Nana and Papa. He came back dressed like a baseball player with lots of information and goodies about Bellingham & Whatcom County. Thanks again for letting Felix come visit!