Oooooo-ooo, Lunch!

My first lunch with ONLY Nellie! We were waiting for B-Bee to get out of summer camp and grabbed a bite to eat at the A&W / KFC around the block. We waited forever in line because of a computer problem the registers were having. The whole time Nellie was tugging at my shirt and saying "Ooooo-ooob". I'm sure all the men in line with me (and there were only men) were wondering if I was going to feed her right there in line. ....but I knew I would need my hands available soon enough for lunch.

Church Block Party

Children's ministry was nervous that people would think the block party was rained out, but it went on rain AND shine. Expecting rain, they had most of it inside the gym and then moved it outside for awhile. Face painting, bubbles, balloon animals, bounce castle & slide, a dunk tank with our favorite pastors, and you can't forget the food. I think serving food at all celebrations is a worldwide thing, not just a midwest / Lutheran / Methodist / Catholic....whatever culture thing. A universal language for caring, love and community. B-Bee sat pretty well getting his face painted. It helped that Auntie Zaza was doing the face painting. He wanted to be a tiger, Nellie needed a lady bug and Mommy had to have a rubber ducky - which Nellie tried to grab off my cheek. You can see that B-Bee is nervous in this picture, clenching his fists while waiting for balloon animals. This is something that started after school got out in June. He also does it if his hands are even the slightest bit wet.

The bounce castle & slide were too big for Nellie to go on, with too many big kids as well. So we watched B-Bee go down the slide again and again and again and.... Nellie had fun playing with destroying B-Bee's balloon tiger and relocating everyone's shoes. Both my kids have a thing for shoes.

Don't worry, we got a new balloon animal for B-Bee after Nellie destroyed the tiger.

Swimming & Baseball, Done.

Picked up a hat to adorn with a beautiful flower. In my opinion, this is a yellow peonie - what else would be so huge? - but it could just as easily be a fully open rose. Either way, it and it's vintage pink sister are my favorites. Both are available as hair clips or on headbands. I'm not sewing my own hats yet, but can pick another one up if wanted. Anyways, was so excited about this hat that I took pictures of Nellie wearing it until she started getting into trouble. So I took pictures for about a minute. I may have been especially lucky that day and gotten 2 minutes of trouble-free Nellie.

Yes, I know swimming has been mentioned a time or two here. B-Bee's 2-week session finally came to an end, just as he was beginning to like swim lessons. The instructors brought cookies for the kids' last lesson and they got to take their animals (rubber duckies) with all the stickers home. He will have to do this level again, but he's more comfortable in the water now - will attempt a backfloat with assistance, will go underwater, and now hangs on the side of the pool....and we know he can get in and out by himself. It was a good experience for him and he got a few more lessons at summer camp later on in the month.

The T-Ball session came to a thankful end. Daddy-O enjoyed taking B-Bee, but it just wasn't his thing. It seemed to bring out all his "spectrum tendancies". We would like to put him in something this fall, but are having trouble deciding what: gymnastics, soccer, ice skating, or more swimming lessons? B-Bee's most consistent inconsistent answer has been "skating". He likes to rollerskate - but rollerskating lessons are at the same time preschool is.

Is there such thing as a "puzzle team"? Like the chess team, which I was on for 1 year. It was a middleschool "boy thing"; I can barely play chess. He's loves puzzles and is pretty good at them too. He even helped me put Nellie's birthday present together. I told him it was a puzzle.

Know we will be busy with preschool this fall and I don't want to over-schedule my kids. Now that he's old enough I would like him to be able to try one thing at a time. Perhaps find an activity that he really likes and can be passionate about. Opinions? Ideas?

Swimming Lesson, Fountains & Monsoon - Can We Get Any Wetter?

Have I mentioned swimming yet this summer? Yeah, just the thought of it his Nellie passed out on the couch next to me right now. Good thing we're taking a morning for quiet today - with B-Bee at summer camp it's just us 2 girls (and our doggies).

B-Bee also had swim lessons at summer camp this year. He was excited to see his swimming teacher, Casey everyday and now insists that all "swimming lesson teachers" are named Casey. Nellie SO wanted to join him in the water and made a beeline for the pool every chance she got. She's my little fish.



After swim lessons we headed to our favorite park (Peter Pan Park) for a picnic. Nellie was all tuckered out by then. Don't worry though, she didn't miss out on all the fun. It was our last MamaMia! meetup since the group has disbanded. As our kids get older and start going to school, mommies in the group weren't able to participate as much anymore. I'm realizing that these early years are only a phase. So glad I can stay home and enjoy them with my children.

Inspecting the soft "rocks" in the stream between the picnic tables. I love that this park has tables right by the water feature and playground. Beware though, the rubber playground surface gets very hot. I definitely recommend water shoes or flip flops - though my kids don't leave them on.

Oh the anticipation! It took B-Bee a little while to warm up to the fountains last year and earlier this summer. But, as you can see, there's no fear now...just excited anticipation. The big kid have even taught him how to put his shoes on the spout to see them fly up in the air when it goes.

I love this picture! What would you put as the caption?

Nellie made a friend. These 2 just followed each other around for awhile, babbling away to each other. We started packing up to leave just as the monsoon began falling. Had to wait it out a little and then make a run for the car.

Had to snap a picture of this. Not sure why it was "parked" there. Maybe it belongs to someone in the apartment complex? On its way to the air show? I have no clue.

2 Babies In A Tub

Swimming has, by far, been our favorite activity this summer. I couldn't let all the cute suits Nellie has this summer go unused....and they haven't. Last year I just HAD to buy an adorable one with butterflies for full price and then pulled it out of the too small clothes this spring, still on the hanger with the tags. Someone wanted to offer me $1 for it at the garage sale. I just couldn't part with it. Anyways, there have been fountains and "water features" (because we really just don't know what to call the cool water playgrounds that we wish were around 20+ years ago and are so popular now), swimming lessons, pools, pools, and more pools. It's been a great swimming summer! The kids already had the tans to prove it in early June.

I didn't know what to do with the kids on the 4th of July. I really wanted to do something with Daddy-O, but he had to work. So I put a FB out there and my friend, Audrey invited us over for lunch & more swimming. It was great to chill and get to know each other better....and then put the kids in the baby pool to chill. Short post, simple day.

Lakeside Amusement Park

Ready for the 4th of July with her red, white & blue tutu and star sandals! What to do, what to do? How about Lakeside? Bonus:  a coupon to come back with unlimited rides in August! Besides, we can see it from our house and that lighted tower teases us nightly.

On her first amusement park ride, the cars.... They were also B-Bee's first amusement park ride. She is my serious child. Don't let the unsure face fool you, she was having fun. She had a small fit when I took her out at the end of the ride. When I put her back in to go again, she started rocking it and saying "Vrrooom, vroom."

After awhile, we moved up to bigger little kid rides like the mini-whip. Nellie's trying to hold herself up away from B-Bee and B's just laughing hysterically. I'm sure next year she'll be purposefully crushing him.

You can't skip the train ride around the lake...it's the best part according to Daddy & B-Bee. This is one of the oldest amusement parks in the US.

I can't take credit for this cool shot. Daddy-O played with the camera up on the bridge, while I found a bench & nursed Nellie, and B-Bee & Zaza waited in line for the airplane ride. This was the longest line of the night, so we had plenty of time. Can't wait to come back in August!

Pre-4th

Before launching into the fun we had over the 4th of July weekend.... Greg McBoat has Nellie's 1 Year Pics ready! Even though it was a difficult photoshoot, they're awesome! Oh my serious child. :D

We started our weekend off with a babysitter and a baby shower. Our friends, Mike & Steph were in town for their baby shower. Zaza babysat for us, since it was scheduled for prime naptime. One of the coolest gifts they got was some of Steph's baby clothes (believe a baptism outfit included) and quilts. We gave them Good Night Denver, so they can read to their baby girl about their old stompin' grounds. I'm also making them a purple tutu. Mike sized?

In January I won the lotto to buy Rockies tickets for Opener and the 4th of July fireworks games. Little did I realize that even with the lotto system, Opener was going to sell out so quickly. There went Daddy-O's birthday present idea.... We got tix for Saturday night's game. Nellie sported her Rockies onesie & birthday tutu. As soon as we sat down, she started eyeing up everyone around us' food - especially the boy sitting right behind us, just about grabbed the nachos right off his lap.

B-Bee didn't quite get "watching" the game. It's okay though, every Rockies fan knows that it's more about the experience of going than actually watching.

Was a game worth watching!

I wanted outfield seats so we would get to go sit on the field for fireworks, but it was nice to not have to move. Nellie loved the spirit that filled the stadium with the win!

Unfortunately, B-Bee & Zaza spent most of the fireworks in the bathroom.... Nellie did really well with them. She kept pointing at and trying to grab the fireworks. Wouldn't even let us cover her ears. "Don't contain me, Mom!"

I should mention, there was some good sleep had by all that night. PLUS early (and restful) naps the next day!