September Overview 2018

A smattering of pictures and quicktakes from our month of September.  

Park fun with one of my monkeys

Ava finally was brave enough to keep pedaling and learned to ride her two-wheeler. 

           

           

           

She was so proud of herself. 

Kolbe received Hungry, Hungry Hippos and it makes everybody giggle. 

 

 

 

Kolbe also received a little lawnmower from Grammy and Granddad 

so he can "help" Dad mow the lawn.  

One of Chris' younger brothers, Nicholas, moved out to Colorado and moved in with us for awhile.  It's fun to have him around--he's a mellow goofball.  

 

Good friends invited us over for a pancake brunch one Saturday morning.  They had cool train sets.  My kids were intrigued.  

Our parish homeschool Co-op began for the school year.  Father Javier came to give us a beginning of the year blessing.  

Chris got a fishing license and began to fish as he was able, mostly at a few small lakes near the girls' ballet studio while they dance each week.  He'll often take one of the other girls who doesn't have dance that day to have a little Daddy/daughter date fishing.  

 

A is for Apple projects with the littlest ones during Charter School day for the big kids. 

Chris and Ava have been working on a HUGE puzzle together.  Lots of progress.  

The Where is Waldo craze at our house still in it's early stages.  I found one at the library one day and since that day, we've snatched up every one we can find and Chris and the kids can be found poring over them throughout the day.  Chris takes short work breaks sometimes during the day to find a few characters with the girls before heading back up to his "office" (our room) to get more work done in always busy day.  

Pipes and firepit night with Nicholas.  Perfect weather for it. 

Chris brewed me a batch of hard apple/cherry cider.  Mmmmm.  There he is bottling it.  On the right is Kolbe in his little music corner.  He likes to retreat there and play his jams sometimes.  

 

Reading with Uncle "Nicky".   And the girls working on some map activities together for a school assignment one day.  

 

The weather was lovely in September, so we got out for family walks to the park on a pretty regular basis.  Chris and I often had a few minutes to toss the frisbee around.  Sometimes we even join the kids on the play structures.  

Candy corn math day for all different grade and skill levels.  

A is for Angel craft for the smaller kiddos. 

 

 

With Nick around, Chris and i were able to sneak out to some local breweries/taphouses a few times after the kiddos went to bed to enjoy an adult beverage and a little date. 

We attended the baptism of our friends' baby and Kolbe got some Father Javier time in.  He adores Father.  I think the feeling is mutual.  

 

Chris and Nicholas attended the Denver Oktoberfest.  Later that day we attended the local Oktoberfest as a family- Chris and I wearing our vintage "Zinzinnati" Oktoberfest shirts from great Aunt Winnie.  

Then we came home 

and took terrible selfies.  

Nick snapped this really sweet shot of Chris and I while still at the Oktoberfest.  

If Kolbe is going to wake me up early, at least I got to see a lot of beautiful Colorado sunrises. 

Goofy girls hanging out.  

 

It was certainly a fun-filled month around these parts.  We always love jumping into fall.  

August Overview {2018}

Just when I think I'm beginning to catch up on my blogging, a bunch of busyness comes up on the home front and blogging gets pushed to the back.  So here I am still working on finishing up August posts....in October. 

I started running again in August.  I haven't been able to get out as much recently, but I was getting out 2-3 times a week back then and it was really nice.  We had some lovely milder weeks where I could go for a quick run during nap time while Chris was working from home.  These lovely flowers were on my usual route.  

This kid.  The girls started school in August and when he saw them wearing backpacks...he had to as well.  I just love the pure joy on his face in that swing picture.  Story of my life with him.  JOY!

 

At our friends house we collected things and walked around with this shopping cart.  I'm not sure that's a good sign....  On the right is our friend's party which involved an epic foosball tournament.  

 

This is the championship- between our buddy Ryan (it was his birthday party) and their foreign exchange student, Stanislaus.  

Ryan won.  But what a match!

Some hiking as a family....

 

The leaves were starting to change color

We found one Where's Waldo? book at the library and the rest is history.  Chris and the kids just pored over them together and had a blast from August until current.  I just love this sweet picture on the right of my bookends reading together.  

 

We had a luau at our place which was very sparsely attended, but was fun all the same.  

Thanks for coming, friends!

Planning parties with this guy is my fav.  He's great to have on your team.  

 

There was another guy there!  Mike, thanks for being there for Chris in his time of need.  haha. 

Double date fun with these two!

And we went to the electric bike shop and tried them out.  Turns out they are super fun, by the way. 

 

Mike and Lizzie planned a fun get-together at their place after they finished their new patio!

 

Fun hanging out with Peter when he stopped by to drop Kayla after taking her with their kids to shoot rockets at the park.  

Game time fun with my girls!

Kolbe's evolution of seeing a bunny at the park, watching it, and then chasing it right into the bushes.  

 

There's always park time fun!

And we started our school year at the end of the month.  This year, the girls are attending a charter school (it's for homeschoolers) once a week.  Kayla (4th) and Elise (2nd) started there this year just on Fridays and they love it.  They each take 6 classes that help supplement and support what we're doing here at home the rest of the week.  So far it's been a good arrangement for all.  I get a break from formal homeschooling to play and do little projects with the littler ones and I also have time for lesson planning and correcting work and they get out and experience something a little different, make some great friends, and get a little of that more formal schooling experience.  

Kayla (4th), Elise (2nd), Ava (1st), Sophie and Kolbe (hanging with Mommy!)