Keepin' up with the Joneses

1st Trip to the Dentist!

2012-01-27T21:10:00.000-08:00

Bronwyn had her 1st trip to the dentist this week. She was a little nervous about going but that was understandable about having to see any other doctor after what she had already been through the day before. Once we got there all the nurses were going on and on about how cute she is and that probably helped set her good mood. She had her x-rays taken and then moved on to having her teeth checked and counted. She had her teeth cleaned and flossed and we are happy to report that her 1st checkup went great! No cavities or anything wrong! She was super excited to receive a cup full of goodies like a new toothbrush and toothpaste, a timer, floss, and chapstick. She set everything up in the bathroom as soon as we got home and is excited to use it all. My little girl is very quickly becoming so big!

My Little Loves

2012-01-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

Each day that Bronwyn goes to quick Preschool I take a quick photo of her on our way out the door. She is used to it and will actually remind me. It's pretty fun and I want to see all her changes through the school year. Some days Hayden also wants a picture of himself. Today he wanted one with Bronwyn. I love that they are such good friends to one another and love each other so much. Here's the picture from today!

Dear Santa...

2011-12-20T17:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight during dinner Bronwyn was talking about how excited she is for Christmas and how much she loves Santa. Then she folds her hands in her lap and closes her eyes and says, "Dear Santa, I love the snow and I love to make a snowman. But he never comes to life. When you fly over can you please sprinkle some pixie dust so that he can be real. I love you Santa!"

Too bad this is one wish I don't think can come true...

Polar Express Train Ride

2011-12-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

"The thing about trains...
It doesn't matter where they are going.
What matters is deciding to get on."

We took Bronwyn and Hayden for a very special trip this year down to Durango to board the Polar Express Train! Danny and I were so excited about the trip and waited till the last night to tell the kids the surprise. They were definitely excited but I don't think they realized what was truly going to happen. We had over a 7 hour drive down to Durango where the magic happens. We made the trip, checked into our hotel. grabbed some dinner and then we were off for our ride.
The train ride is based off the book, The Polar Express. We waited in the train station until they opened up the doors and we got to go outside as the train arrived. Once it pulled up the conductor came out onto a platform and the main character of the book comes out too. Here's a video of the excitement!

On the train we were all served hot chocolate and cookies from the chefs that ran our car dancing around. The conductor came through and punched all of our tickets and Bronwyn decided that hers read, "believe". All the music from the movie was playing!

The train took us to the North Pole where we got to stop and open up the windows and see all the buildings. Santa was also there! Afterwards, Santa got on the train and held up a special sleigh bell from his reindeer. He announced it as "the 1st gift of Christmas" and walked up the train aisle and stopped and handed it to Hayden! It was so amazing! Hayden was absolutely thrilled! There is just no way to describe the magic of the moment. Once all of the other kids aboard the train received their bells we took the trip back to the station while hearing the story read and seeing the book and then singing Christmas carols.

Once we got back to the station we got to see some of the reindeer and then headed inside the train museum for pictures with Santa. We had bought Hayden a pocket watch from the gift shop before boarding and it really kept his attention every second. While waiting for Santa he managed to break the clasp and the lid from the watch fell off. He was so distraught and cried and cried. I calmed him down and told him we could replace it after we saw Santa. He seemed okay but once he saw Santa and started walking up he went into the most emotional cry I have ever seen and told Santa he broke it and asked for him to bring him a new one for Christmas. It was so sad and so adorable. Santa and the photographer turned the tears around and had the kids laughing so much for the photo. It was really sweet to have them in their pajamas with Santa having such a fun time!

This whole trip was so much fun! Danny is already planning to do it again next year. I loved that we could do something so special to the kids. They watch the movie all the time and often act it out when the are pretending. I will cherish this memory!

Time for Trick-Or-Treating!

2011-11-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Halloween Day brought prefect weather and not too chilly of a night! The kids headed out for treats with their cousins Alex and Logan. They have so much fun going out together each year. Bronwyn and Hayden were Cinderella and Prince Charming. This was Hayden's 1st year to really understand the concept and get what it was all about. He loved being with the other kids and was very, very polite. He actually tried to stick around and chat with a lot of people! I got lots of compliments from other parents out on Hayden's costume. They loved that he was Bronwyn's Prince. At some houses the person handing out candy would even call someone else to the door to see them. And Hayden was hamming it up! He even gave some people a special bow as he left! After we decided the kids had enough loot we headed back to our house and all the kids passed out all of our candy. They loved giving handfuls to every trick-or-treater!

Jones Halloween Party!

2011-10-31T13:54:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun time last year throwing a Halloween Party for the kids and our family that we wanted to do it again this year. Tons of food, fun games for the kids and the haunted house again in the basement! Everyone seemed to have a great time. Here are some pictures from the night!

Trick Or Treat!

2011-10-23T21:02:00.000-07:00

Click on the thumbnail to see my silly Hayden!

Leaves Fall All Around

2011-10-23T20:42:00.000-07:00

As much as I am not a fan of the trees in our front yard and where they were placed, we do have the most leaves on our lawn this time of year and it always makes for fun. We went out to do a little raking and Bronwyn and Hayden loved making a big pile of leaves and running and jumping into it. They never wanted to stop! Here are a couple of the action shots!

Annual Trip to Anderson Farms!

2011-10-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this time of year and the fun things that we do to enjoy it. My favorite of all is our trip to Anderson Farms. I love seeing how much the kids remember and also the new stuff for them to see each year. This year we went with my parents, my brother Danny and his family and also Danny's brother James and his family. We started off as usual with breakfast at the Cracker Barrel. Afterwards we headed out to the Pumpkin Farm. The weather was perfect and by getting out there early we got ahead of the crowds. The kids all had fun running around and getting onto everything. There is so much for them to do. We all got on my favorite part of the trip, the wagon ride to the pumpkin patch! We unloaded and went in search of perfect pumpkins for both Bronwyn and Hayden. Afterwards we go back to the farm and the kids played in mazes and the train, rode ponies and roped cattle! We had such a fun time!

PUMPKINS!

Cousins and the Cornucopia!
Logan, Alex and Drew!

My picks of the patch! ;)

Our family at the giant cornucopia!

Copy and paste this link to see a few more pictures from our fun day!
http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j255/tjones_2006/October%202011/

Time for the Circus!

2011-10-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Going to the circus was extra exciting this year! Only Bronwyn and I went last year and I was really excited for Hayden to be able to go and really enjoy it. We all went along with my parents to see the show. The seats were got were perfect, they were up a little but we had the 1st row seats and the kids were able to stand up as much as they wanted since there was no one in front of us. As soon as the show started the kids both looked so thrilled. Bronwyn kept turning around and giving me the most ecstatic look that was worth every penny I spent! Hayden was so fun to watch! He loved clapping and cheering for every act. So glad we could take them out for such a special night!

2011-09-19T12:56:00.000-07:00

We like to try and celebrate Grandparents Day each year because we truly are thankful for all the grandparents that are a part of our lives. We had a fun idea to make some cookies because of a container that I was decorating to put them in. We were a few days late in getting around to our in town grandparents to deliver them but I think they were still a hit!
Grandpa & Abulea

Grandma & Grandpa

Sweet Treats

Best Brother Ever

2011-09-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn and Hayden love going to King Soopers and getting to ride the horse on the way out. I usually make them double up and ride together because while it only cost a penny, it's the longest ride ever! The horse was recently replaced and now is a shorter ride for still just the penny. So today they each got to have their own ride. Hayden waited patiently while Bronwyn took her turn. Once it was his turn he started out giddyuping and yeehawing but then realized something was missing... and he asked if his big sister wanted to ride again with him on his turn!

A Pirate's Life for Hayden!

2011-08-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

We have a little pirate that runs around our house. He wears a belt for his sword and sheath, a pirate hat, a hook over his little hand, keeps a spyglass in his pocket and a treasure map tucked under his arm. This is what he wears from the minute he wakes up. His trick is to tell us that he "pooped" so that he gets a fresh diaper. After the diaper he knows he's ready for a clean set of clothes. So he picks them out and asked to get dressed and even get his shoes on. Once he's ready he requests to watch Peter Pan or Return to Neverland. This happens EVERYDAY! We talk him out of the sword and sheath only for meals and nap time. And even then they must be kept close! He speaks in his pirate voice and is always looking for his treasure. He enjoys a good sword fight and is always willing to save the Pirate Princess (aka Bronwyn). He's certainly the sweetest little pirate I could ever imagine running into and I love him for his imagination! ♥

Bronwyn is a Preschooler!

2011-08-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn is off at her very 1st day of Preschool! We've all been so excited for this day and have been talking about it for months! We got to take Bronwyn to the Meet n' Greet the other day where we saw her classroom and met the teachers. She was able to play around and get used to the room. Her class is in the afternoon so we took her up to the school just a bit ago and got her situated and then we were off. We stood outside and Danny asked if we should wait a minute just in case, but I started tearing up so I suggested we leave! I just love Bronwyn so much and to see her growing up is amazing. I'm so happy at the little sweet girl she has become. It's a big deal to drop her off and not know what exactly she'll be doing for every second we are away. I know it'll be so fun for her and I know she'll have lots of stories to tell! Can't wait to hear them all and I'll be counting down the minutes to see her smiling face!

Time for Sports!

2011-08-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

I found a little soccer team to sign Hayden up on since Bronwyn gets to do so much and he is always just waiting around. I no sooner got him all set up and Bronwyn announced that she really wanted to learn to play soccer as well. Danny was thrilled that was into something other than dance so we got her into a team also. They are just the basics skills and such, not actual games. And these parent involved sports so I told Danny he could take over for these ones! The kids both had their 1st practices this weekend. Hayden was a little all over the place, but he still seemed like he was having fun. Bronwyn was really interested and did a great job listening and learning. Here are a few pictures from the day!

Celebrating 9 Years Together!

2011-08-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary this year we kept up with our tradition of going up to Silverthorne and Copper Mountain. We been doing a little shopping and then having a nice dinner and staying the night up there and heading to Copper the next day for some some. Each year this same time is a guitar festival so there is a lot of fun going on. We went out on the paddle boats for a bit and then walked around some. We've been taking the chair lift halfway up the mountain and grabbing lunch and seeing the spot where we would like to renew our vows next year. It's so nice just to get away with each other with no set plans. Just spending good time together, revisiting our past and planning for our future! ♥

~Princess of the Pool~

2011-08-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn is loving her swimming lessons and is getting very comfortable in the water. her teacher says that she shows a lot of enthusiasm and willingness to learn. It's fun to watch her "show off" for me and show me what she can do. I'm still waiting for the day that she will push off and be on her own... but she's enjoying herself and always doing a little more!

The "Wedding Dance"

2011-07-10T23:19:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn must have heard this song, Satellite by Dave Matthews Band, from my friend Shandi's wedding last month. She was referring to is as "The Wedding Song" as it started and took dancing to it very seriously! I love catching her on video as she makes up her own dances, and I also love catching a sensitive side to my little Hayden!
Click the thumbnail below!

4th of July

2011-07-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

We decided to celebrate the 4th of July with a last minute BBQ at our house. My parents and brother and Danny's brother James and his family all came over. We had lots of food and great desserts. The kids all had lots of fun together. We set up the poo in the backyard and that kept them busy for awhile! Just a fun time with good family!

After everyone had left and it got dark out we met my parents outside and walked up to the greenbelt a street over where we could see fireworks all over the neighborhood as well as the city! We could see for miles and miles and had a great show! The kids thought it was perfect! We ended up on our front porch just watching the end to everything going on. Sure seemed like we were in the perfect spot since we could go in and be done for the night whenever we chose. Hope you all enjoyed your holiday!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

The key to a good father is one who will still mow the lawn even on Father's Day without having to be asked! I sure am lucky to have such an amazing man in my life who always puts his family first. He is an amazing father to our kids and they are as much in love with him as I am. This morning I thought I would give Danny a little free time, so Bronwyn and I headed off for pedicures!!!

It was a fun time out for us girls and Bronwyn loved getting lots of attention! After we got home at was time to head over to Danny's dad's house for a BBQ. All of his family was there and it was nice to see everyone. The kids all had a great time playing together. Next we went to my parent's house for time with my Dad and dinner. We ate and just hung out for a bit. Hayden actually slept through most of the time we were there! He was worn out from the day! Once we got home we all just relaxed and took it easy. Danny said he had the perfect day! Here are a few pictures!

Where's Hayden?

2011-05-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

Lastnight before going to bed I was turning off all the lights and making sure the doors were locked. I always peek at the kids one last time too. The door to Hayden's room was open and as I went to close it I noticed that he was not in his bed. I went into Bronwyn's room and found the missing Hayden...

♥ them!

My Little Dancer

2011-04-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn has been taking a preschool dance class since last fall and is getting ready for her recital! This will be the 1st recital she will perform in without any teachers on stage. She'll also get to be in two dances. Her class is in a Mother Goose themed show and will be dancing to Hickory, Dickory, Dock. She has about another 6 weeks till the show, but at the end of each month the parents get to watch all the girls perform in class. Here's a video clip from today's performance!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

We had three family gatherings to get through this Easter so it was a very full day for us! Bronwyn woke us up early to let us know that the Easter Bunny had been here. She said she saw full baskets but "did not peek!" She decided to wake a very sleepy Hayden and check out what was in their baskets.

Afterwards we went over to my parents house with breakfast and had an Egg hunt outside in the backyard for the kids and their cousin Drew.

Then we headed home to chance clothes and went to Danny's dad's house for brunch. Evelyn's kids were also going so it was a fun time. There was lots of food and of course a fabulous cake by my sister-in-law Jamie. The kids played and we were able to just hang out and eat. They also set up an Egg Hunt so the kids got to have another chance to search for goodies!

When we were done there we took a drive to get the kids to fall asleep quickly before going back to my parents house for dinner. There we had "Round 3"! We ate an early dinner and hung out for a bit longer. And we all had more dessert! I felt like we ate all day!!! But it was fun. I always like holidays where we get to spend time with lots of family!

~CopYcAt~

2011-03-08T16:59:00.000-08:00

We have a little copy cat in the house! For the last couple of days Hayden has been following his big sister around, doing everything she does and repeating everything she says! It's pretty funny. Now I always have two little people asking for the same thing. The good thing about him liking to do everything just like Bronwyn is that I can get him to clean up quick, or get ready fast. I caught them playing in his room earlier...
my little "peat" and "repeat"!
Click here on the image to see the video!

Daddy's Build the BEST Forts!

2011-03-07T16:32:00.000-08:00

Although I do have issues with lots of pillows and blankets being drug out to build forts in my living room, it's hard to turn these two down when they ask! Danny said he was the best fort builder when he was little so he has a fun time building them up for them! They even had lanterns and flashlights for the dark!

A Star in the Making!

2011-02-27T21:13:00.000-08:00

I wanted to buy Bronwyn a CD Player for her bedroom. She had still been using this little musical toy that shows light pictures on the ceiling but shh... it's really for babies! So I found a really cute little Tinkerbell Flower CD player that happens to have a microphone attachment! I would have just loved this when I was little!!! My parents still have video of me singing on my room to my LaBamba tape... yes tape... and using a baton as a microphone! It's actually quite amusing! Anyway, I set up the CD player tonight with some nighttime songs that I downloaded. Of course Bronwyn needed to try out the new microphone... take a peek!

(Click on the thumbnail and it will take you to the full size video!)

And I know, she totally "germs up" the microphone. I think she thought it was funny to hear her loud coughing!

Little Brothers...

2011-02-25T22:02:00.000-08:00

What else are little brothers for than this...

OUCH!
NOTE TO SISTERS: Don't fall asleep with your head hanging down in the car!!!
He was even saying, "cheeeeeeeeese!"

Fun at the Park!

2011-02-22T20:08:00.000-08:00

Since today was a warmer day and most all of the last snow has melted we took a trip over to the park. It's nice having my mom with my nephew Drew right down the street, we invited them to join us! Here are a few pictures from our day!

Hayden kept going down the slide over and over saying "Ta Daaaa" at the end!

Bronwyn loves to roll down the small hill at the park!

Drew was very excited to be there playing!

So glad we got to get out and enjoy the weather!

Goodnight Bronwyn, Goodnight Pinky...

2011-02-21T23:00:00.000-08:00

Danny was taking Bronwyn to bed and I peeked in to say goodnight. This is what I found!!!

I can't believe she wanted that giant thing next to her, but she loves it! So far it's been in almost every room of the house with her! Such a silly little girl!

Happy Birthday Bronwyn!

2011-02-21T16:41:00.001-08:00

4 Years ago today I brought such a sweet little baby into the world. Today she is growing up to be quite an independent, caring, curious, and creative little girl! Yesterday we celebrated with family and friends with a Fairy themed party at our house. Bronwyn chose the theme and helped me pick out come fun party decorations. She was also in charge of the guest list and the games! I love coming up with fun ideas and getting creative with the decorating.

We started the day with a little pre-party pampering at Sweet & Sassy salon where I took Bronwyn for her 1st ever manicure and updo! Just for her special day! She loved getting all done up!

Then it was time to party! First the girls got to come in and get dressed in fairy wings and skirts and got a little fairy glitter!Then they played Fairy Freeze Dance and Musical Chairs. Next we had cake and opened presents. My sister-in-law Jamie made the cutest cake for Bronwyn and mini cupcakes for all the guests. I was so impressed!

It seemed like everyone has fun. And there are now more toys than we have room for! Bronwyn asked for this HUGE stuffed animal that is a lemur, she has some of the smaller ones already. We had to go to the zoo just to get it! But we totally surprised her and she was so happy! We also got her her 1st bike! She seems to have finally gotten the pedaling down since we brought her tricycle inside the house. It's great to have everyone come out and celebrate her. We really appreciate all of our family and friends!

I have loved watching Bronwyn change over the last year. She is an incredible little person and I wish everyone could get to know her true, "at home" personality! She simply is... amazing!

Thanks to Aunt Jamie for getting some video!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0-D5EOnYbs

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

2011-02-15T21:38:00.000-08:00

So we are going from one birthday to the next for the next few months. It gets a little crazy around here! For my Dad's birthday Danny and I took my parents to Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian Steakhouse. We got to go to one when we were in Arizona in December and came back promising to take my Dad to the one in Denver. It's all you can eat steak!!!!! Writing about it just makes my mouth water! I love the atmosphere and all the delicious steak items! If you have one in your state you have to make a trip!
Enough about that... on my Dad's actual birthday we went over to my parents house for dinner and cake. The kids were so excited to help blow the candles out! And they all love getting to indulge in some ice cream cake! YUM!

My Little Valentines!

2011-02-14T21:14:00.000-08:00

Through Heritage Makers I made some fun stuff for the kids this year. They each got a "Love Bucket" along with a book about each of them and some fun extra treats! They both seemed excited to check it all out. Bronwyn had me read her her book and told me it was "such a good story"! Hayden was all about the candy in his bucket! I love to make them happy! I'm so lucky to have them as my Valentines!

"Because I'm a big girl..."

2011-02-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

Bronwyn was really excited to get a new booster style car seat, because as she says, "I'm a big girl now." She's been tall enough and of the right age, she just needed to get to the right weight! So after finally reaching 30lbs I bought her a new seat. She keeps comparing herself to Hayden and his "baby" seat. But "someday he will be big like me!", she says. She seemed so proud on her 1st ride in it!
It's always the little things... ♥

My 2 Most Favorite People!

2010-12-22T09:28:00.001-08:00

I simply cannot get over how much these two truly love each other. They are so fun to watch together. Bronwyn loves being a "good big sister" and enjoys babying Hayden. And Hayden plays right into and gives in to her. He does everything that Bronwyn does! I can't wait for Christmas morning, it will certainly be such a fun year for both of them. Bronwyn really gets what is going on this year and Hayden will be right behind her having a ball!

Winter Wonderlights!

2010-12-20T09:15:00.000-08:00

We traded in the Denver Zoo for the Winter Wonderlights at the Wilflife Museum again this year. It's fun because of trecking all around we can jsut follow along a path that circle the outside of the building. There's lots of neat animal shapes made out of the lights. Afterwards you can visit with Santa and see the reindeer. Bronwyn loved the little elves in houses working away! And Hayden loved getting out to "Moo" at the reindeer! He called them cows! I love the fun places we get to go during the holidays!

Trip to see Santa!

2010-12-17T12:09:00.000-08:00

I took the kids over to the mall to visit with Santa so that Bronwyn could make sure to remind him that she really would like a Cinderella Castle this year. After all, it has been a few weeks since we all saw Santa at the North Pole. She was very sweet when she got up to see him. She asked Santa what his favorite kind of cookies were so that she would be sure to set them out. And she also asked what his favorite kind of milk is. (Just so you know, it's Chocolate Chip, and Chocolate Milk!) When Santa asked Hayden what he would like for Christmas Hayden just put his finger to his lip and "ummm"ed a lot! It was pretty cute! Bronwyn was sure to let Santa know that Hayden would like a train. Hope they can stay on the Good List!

Bronwyn's Halloween Dance Party!

2010-10-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

This was the end of another 4 weeks of dance class and since it fell right before Halloween the girls got to wear their costumes to dance for their performances and also have a little party! Bronwyn was so excited to get all up dressed up in her costume. She tries to wear it around a little here and there, but this was the 1st time she got to wear it all together. She did such a great job during her little performance. You can tell when she really likes what she is learning! And she loves dancing to the Monster Mash at home so this was really fun for her. She really enjoyed the party too. She got to pass out the treats we made and then feast on all of her own goodies!

I am so proud of her! Here is the video, you have to check it out!

Pumpkin Carving Time!

2010-10-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

We spent the morning getting Bronwyn's and Hayden's pumpkins carved. We let Danny do the dirty work and then Bronwyn and I got to do some decorating! I carved Hayden's pumpkin since (a) he just can't be trusted with anything sharp ;) and (b) because he was napping! Bronwyn picked out a "lite bright" kind of kit at the grocery store and really felt special putting together her kitty cat. Hayden got a bat carved into his cause it was the only pattern to fit his little pumpkin.

More Pumpkin Patch Fun!

2010-10-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

You can never have enough trips to the pumpkin farm! My sister-in-law Jamie needed pumpkins so we planned a fun trip to a different farm closer to home. This one really had some fun stuff! There was a rubber duck race which Hayden would have gladly stayed at all day. There was a hay bale maze and a giant "snake" tunnel! We also went through the corn maze.

They had a petting zoo area where you could go right in and up to the baby animals. You would pet them and sit with them all you wanted. Bronwyn loved talking with the sheep and even kissed a goat!!! Hayden, a little on the rough side, actually tried to climb on the back of every sheep and goat and go for a ride! He shows NO FEAR!

We helped Aunt Jamie pick her pumpkins and ended up with a few more of our own for some of my crafty ideas, and of course, our pumpkin for Princess (the fish). Jamie grabbed a wagon for all the pumpkins and Bronwyn snuck a ride on the way out!

Thanks Aunt Jamie for all the fun and for helping me chase after 2 crazy kiddos!!!

Annual trip to the Pumpkin farm!

2010-10-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

We spent another year heading out to Anderson Farms for a fun day with family and friends. It truly is one of my favorite things we do each year. we started off at the Cracker Barrel for breakfast and then met up with our friends Barb, Brandon, Kaitlin, and Zoey at the farm. We got our traditional pictures with the height chart and then we off to see the animals. They had quite a few babies born in the last couple weeks. Bronwyn really enjoys feeding the goats. Even Hayden got in on the action!

Next, Bronwyn got to take a ride in the barrel train. It's get less frightening and more exciting each year!

There's lots more farm fun that followed with the hay bale maze, the wooden train, and another maze. Hayden liked to cheat and crawl under the walls when he was stuck! He really likes it when he can just run around. There was so much for them to do!

Next, we let the kids ride the ponies! Always so fun to see them so excited about it. Hayden decided he was about done halfway through so I had to hold him on! Bronwyn is a pro, she liked to talk to her pony and pet it.

Finally, after all that fun, we got on the wagon ride that takes us out to the patch! We got to stop and feed the cows and ride past the spooky haunted house. Once we made it to the field we took off to find Bronwyn and Hayden each a small pumpkin to take home. Hayden was having a blast running around and then started sitting on pumpkins! Bronwyn was tracking down the perfect one and finally found it!
Hope you all are enjoying October ~ Our Favorite month of the year!

A Visit from Grandma Deb!

2010-10-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Danny's mom Deb came in to town to celebrate his brother Greg's birthday and stayed overnight with us before her surprise visit. Danny was out of town for work for part of the week so it was nice to have the company. We decided it would be best for Grandma Deb to sleep in Bronwyn's room and Bronwyn thought that was pretty funny. She kept talking about it! She usually sleeps with me when Danny is gone anyway so it worked out perfect. Before we all headed out the next morning we got a couple of pictures!

My Crazy Hayden

2010-10-13T14:39:00.000-07:00

The other night I was in the basement with Hayden and I was trying to take some pictures of him feeding this little baby doll in a high chair. Of course, he stopped before I got back with my camera... but I did get this little video of him. He was just jabbering away and then he kept making this little funny sound. If you listen close it's like he's really telling a story. He sure knows what it's about!
Turn your volume up!

A little while later we were up in his room. He found some glasses and everytime he put them on he was pretending to be a monster! Then he would take them off and just act silly! It's so funny to watch him get so creative!

Happy 35th Anniversary to my Mom & Dad!

2010-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

My parents celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary this weekend and we all went out to dinner with them. I'm very proud that my parents have stayed married for 35 years. Seems like so often some people just were not meant to be together. But seeing my mom and dad have lasted shows me that you can find your one and only. I know I've found mine!

♥New Family Pictures♥

2010-10-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

It was time for Hayden to get his 18 month pictures and it had been over a year since we had taken our last family picture. I always get shots for Bronwyn too. Here's how they turned out! I think they did pretty good!

~Bronwyn's New Dance Class~

2010-09-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn has been taking dance lessons in a new Preschool dance class. At the end of every four weeks all the parents get to see the dance they have been learning and watch a little performance. I tried catching a bit on video. She sort of zones out for a minute, but it's pretty funny! Bronwyn also decided that she needed to come over and give me a hug during the dance too! What can I say? She loves me!

Click the image to see the video!

One Year and One Half!

2010-09-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

Hayden is now 18 months old! Thinking back to a year ago he was barely sitting up on his own. And now he's a walking, talking, little man-in-the-making! He went in for his 18 month checkup and after weighing and measuring him I was told that he is in the 75th percentile for weight and "off the charts" for his height! That's just crazy! Everyone laughs, but he is really going to be a big boy!

5 weeks ago I posted all of the words that Hayden is saying and now he has doubled it! He really is up to about 40 words! He's learning animal sounds too, it's so funny to watch him show all that he remembers! Two new words are Blanket and Bear. And he has to make sure he has both of his favorites every night before bed. And when I go in to get him when he wakes up he is always standing in his crib with both of them. One day last week he only had the blanket and I laid him down on my bed while I was getting ready. He got down, ran back into his room, and I found him reaching through the crib rails trying to reach his bear on the furthest side of the mattress. He knew what he was missing. Hayden just seems so smart to me. I am just amazed by him. I went in his room to get him from a nap one day and he was standing up looking across his room to a frame with pictures of him with each of us. He pointed to one and kept saying "look" and when I did, he said "daddy". Then he grabbed his bear and pointed to it's nose and said "look" again, and then pointed to his own nose. Then even pointed to the nose of another animal and back to his own. Like he just figured it out, everyone has a nose!

He's so sweet right now too. Anytime Bronwyn cries he goes to her and reaches both little arms around her and gives her a big long hug. That usually makes everything better. Yesterday she was pushing around her doll stroller and he wanted it too. So she got out another one she has and set him up with his bear friends. He loved it! He loves to be able to do the things that his big sister does.

I tell everyone that he is 200% BOY because he is reckless and fearless and always looking for trouble. But I love being alone with him and always seeing his sweet side. He will make the perfect man someday! ♥

P.S. Hayden does not ALWAYS have a pacifier in his mouth! But these pictures were from right after naps or in the morning and that is just too soon for him to give it up! Christmas... that's the take-paci-away date!

"Hayden needs a cowboy hat..."

2010-09-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

Danny has many nicknames for the kids and one that has stuck around for Hayden is "Teddy Bear Cowboy", or "TBCB" for short. Danny decided that Hayden needed a cowboy hat and boots and what better place to get them from than F.M. Light & Sons in Steamboat Springs where we got Bronwyn's last year. We let my parents know we were going because my dad will never pass up a chance to eat at the Steamboat Smokehouse, so of course they came. My brother, Rachael, and Drew also came along for the trip. The drive up there was amazing. All the Aspens are changing colors and this may have been the best weekend to see them. Once the leaves turn a yellow gold color and catch a breeze they seem to twinkle. Hayden actually got sick in the car going down Rabbit Ears Pass (same as his mommy did last year). When we first got into town we all went up a ski lift on a gondola ride. It was a fun ride and the kids all seemed to enjoy it.

Afterward we headed to the store for some cowboy gear. Hayden must have felt exhausted because he slept through the store and me trying hats and boots on him. Bronwyn got to pick out something too and chose a bag of special rocks and a porcelain Indian doll. Then we ate and walked through a few shops and then headed home. We let Hayden try everything on. He's too cute in it all! My dad got him a little gun and holster to go along with it. Trying to walk in the boots was pretty fun to watch at first! Once he got the hang of it he thought he was hot stuff. Bronwyn had to join him and get all her gear on too. Lots of fun for the day! And now lots more cowboy fun to be had at home!

~Happy Grandparents Day 2010!~

2010-09-12T21:28:00.000-07:00

We started a little tradition last year visiting the grandparents in town and wanted to keep up with it this year. We put together a couple little handmade photo gifts and stopped by so Bronwyn could hand them out. First we met Danny's dad, Evelyn and Isela out at Great-Grandma Jones's nursing home. She seemed happy to see us all and we got to sit with her and chat and have ice cream. Once we got home we stopped by my parents house. Everyone enjoyed the little magnets we made. We are very thankful to have Danny's grandmother in our lives and also to have each of our parents in Bronwyn and Hayden's lives. It means alot to us that they grow up knowing who their grandparents are. ♥♥♥

A day out at Heritage Square!

2010-09-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

We had not been to Heritage Square in 8 years, when we went during our Honeymoon. I had been seeing pictures from some of our friends trips and saw everything that was added and it looked like it could be lots of fun for the kids.

Also, Bronwyn had seriously been asking to ride a horse and I saw that Heritage square had pony rides so it seemed like a great place to let her try! She got a pretty white pony named Mickey and loved every second of riding him! Afterwards we got to pet some of the ponies taking their breaks.
I was most excited to go on the Paddle Boats... they were actually swan. Danny and I usually ending up going to ride them in Keystone for our anniversary trip but this year we didn't. I knew the kids would enjoy it too. Bronwyn loved being able to steer the swan! Hayden and I rode on the backseat while Danny peddled us all around the lake!
There were lots of rides and Bronwyn made the height requirement for a few of them. Hayden on the other hand... not so much! He spent most of the trip in the stroller, but he's usually a pretty good sport! Danny and Grandpa went on some rides with Bronwyn and I even gave in to her on the last one. (I get so sick it's hard to do!)
Here are some more pictures from our day!

Quite the STAR!

2010-09-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn was quite the little dancer to the end credits of a movie the other night. She had me keep replaying it so she could keep dancing. I can't believe how serious she gets and how she creates her own little routines!
Click below to see her in action!

Too cute to pass up!

2010-09-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

Just before bed tonight Bronwyn and Hayden were finishing up a movie they had been watching. As I went to call Hayden for bed I saw these two cuties sharing Bronwyn's chair together. I didn't say a word, just heading to grab my camera!
This is what I got...

Something to brag about...

2010-08-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

So in the last week I've found myself having lots of conversations with people about Hayden and how much he is talking. I've been counting up all the words he is saying and actually knowing what they mean. So I'll use this as a little documentation since I can't seem to get back to the baby book! The other day when we got to my moms house for work Hayden grabbed a book and brought it over to me. While i was talking to my mom he lifted the flap in the book and said "bubble", I looked down and agreed... and then did a double take! The flap actually said bubbles!!!! My mom reads it to him all the time, but he knew the word and knew where to find it! Such a little smarty!

Hayden's words at 16 months old are:
peesh (please)
tank (thank you)
teesh (teeth, he requests to brush them)
bye bye
nigh night
buzz (for his fav character Buzz Lightyear)
go
look
no no
yesh (yes, with a big long head nod)
ma ma
da da
pa pa (and has been heard giving out a gumpa)
welcome (although I have not officially heard it)
book
fish
hug (my favorite cause he says when he leans in for one!)
juice
milk
and ut-oh!

What a Little Performer!

2010-08-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn loves to dress up and she loves to request some music to dance to. The latest thing she wants is to wear her leotard with the huge tutu! She's so funny about it. She changes her voice to ask real sweetly and gives this smile that you cannot say no to. She's very amusing to watch. This video is the best (well, other than the fact that Hayden cried through the entire thing) because Bronwyn really gets into it and makes up a dance all on her own. She's so serious and when she doesn't realize I'm recording her she can be so entertaining!
Click here to see her in action!

After lots more dancing and talking me out of her nap she sat down to watch a movie. Shortly into it she just crashed. But she was too cute with all the princess attire!

Family Fun!

2010-06-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

We decided we needed a fun day trip this weekend so our first thought was to take the kids to one of our favorite places, Idaho Springs! We took Bronwyn and Hayden to play on the "Locomotive 60" train that sits on a piece of track there. Then we walked down to the Waterwheel and watched below as lots of river rafters drifted by. We realized when we got to Idaho Springs it seemed like it was the place to be for everyone in Colorado! So instead of merging in with the crowds we headed back down towards Golden.
We stopped at the Buffalo Herd overlook (which I have passed a hundred times and never stopped at) and watched all the Bison and their calves. Then we decided to drive up the hill to Buffalo Bill's Grave. We walked through the museum where the kids got to rope a calf! Bronwyn loved getting to dress up as a cowgirl and Hayden loves any chance to get out of the stroller.
Click below for Bronwyn trying to imitate the Buffalo

There was a tee pee outside that Bronwyn liked running out of pretending she was bear. Next, we walked up the path to the actual grave. Bronwyn had a hard time seeing Buffalo Bill. She just couldn't figure out why he was in the ground and was not coming out. I tried explaining it but we are just not there yet! On our way out out we stopped for some Root Beer Float and Fudge snacks. We even took a very scenic-off-highway-cause-mommy-missed-the-exit drive home and went through some areas that we have not been around at all in the last couple of years. It was a fun day and I'm glad we took a little time to do some random family fun!

mommy graphics

Hayden and a haircut...

2010-06-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

No, not a haircut for Hayden... not quite yet, although he is a little fuzzy on the sides and in the back. I want to clipper him but I am afraid he won't look like my baby if I do! Danny says to do it... hmmm... maybe next week!
Hayden did go in for his 15 month appointment yesterday. He was totally showing of for Dr. Healey. He waved, he chatted, and showed off his set of lungs when he got his Chicken Pox shot! The Dr. says that his ear infection is completely cleared up and that everything else with him looks perfect!

Hayden's Favorites right now include...
* opening the back sliding door and letting himself outside to play whenever he chooses...
* watering flowers with mommy
* watching movies with Bronwyn, Toy Story 2 is the new favorite
* playing in the water table
* figuring out how to let us know what he wants!

After that we headed out to get Bronwyn's hair cut! Since it wasn't long enough to put into a ponytail we decided to take it up shorter and keep it off her neck for the summer. She has a style similar to my own, an a-line and it's super cute on her! I couldn't get a side shot of the new cut but it's not like we don't take pictures around here, so you will see it soon enough. She likes it though, she wanted to just wear her down this morning, "like a rainbow", she told me. ?... ?... ?... ♥ her!
Here's a picture of two weeks ago to show how long it was... and then the super cutie new do!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to our favorite Daddy and to all the Dad's we love! We spent the day with our dads, 1st at a BBQ with Jim and then to my parents house for dinner with my dad. Bronwyn loved wishing "Happy Father's Day" to Danny and Uncle James who had stayed over at our house the night before. She seemed so thrilled to have remembered what day it was!

We made up some yummy S'more Cups and brought them to both celebrations. Everyone seemed to really like them! We definitaly had a busy day and Hayden is miserably teething and also is working to fight another ear infection. So it was rough! We were happy to get back home and just relax where the kids can just hang out and be their happy-selves!

You wanna make them, don't you?!?!
S'more Cups
7 whole graham crackers (1 cup/250 mL finely crushed)
1/4 cup (50 mL) powdered sugar
6 tbsp (90 mL) butter, melted
4 bars (1.55 oz or 43 g each) milk chocolate candy, divided
12 large marshmallows

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs using Baker's Roller®;. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter in Small Batter Bowl. Using Small Scoop, place scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups with Mini-Tart Shaper. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.

2. Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using Professional Shears dipped in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.

3. Break remaining candy bars and place in (1-cup/250 mL) Prep Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute-11/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes-1 hour or until set.

Yield: 24 cups

Nutrients per serving: (1 cup) Calories 100, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 3.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 0 g

SICK is the new PINK!

2010-06-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

After spending the good part of 3 weeks of May with Bronwyn and Hayden being sick... here we are again! Bronwyn came down with a crazy fever out of the blue Tuesday night. The following morning her fever kept up and she actually threw up. She spent the day just laying down and napping. And by Thursday morning she was back to her little self again. Although, apparently Thursday was Hayden's turn! He woke up like normal and had his morning milk. Then when I sat him down for breakfast a couple hours later he threw up all over! I know, *yuck* but man, we cannot catch a break! Then his fever started. After drinking a cup of Gatorade he threw up again a couple hours after that. (But the boy must have been thinking of his mommy, he managed to keep it on the kitchen floor and didn't even get it on himself!) He's just been sleeping the afternoon away, but when he is awake he seems pretty miserable. I'm hoping his take of it will last as long as Bronwyn's and he can be back to normal tomorrow morning!

"YOu kiSSeD a wHaT?!?!"

2010-06-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

There we were at the Carter's Outlet store checking out the new clothes. Hayden is stroller-bound and waiting patiently to get done with all the boring shopping. Bronwyn found the lego table and is playing very nicely with 3 other kids. Suddenly she runs over to me and says, "I kissed that boy!" I was stunned... shocked... completely caught off gaurd! I asked who, and she points to where she was. This boy, who looked to be about 6 years old, peeks out from behind a clothing rack (looking super proud I might add) and says, "she kissed me!" Again, stunned... shocked... completely caught off gaurd!!! I think I pretended I didn't hear it for a minute. I had to explain to her that we don't go around kissing boys, or anyone for that matter. She looked at me so innocently and said, "But I can kiss my Hayden." Later that night after I told Danny about it we had to talk about who is okay to kiss, and who is not. She seemed like she understood... but don't worry, I'm already looking in to ordering a chastity belt!

If you give a boy a cookie...

2010-06-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

...be ready for a mess!!!

~Bronwyn's Dance Recital~

2010-06-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Bronwyn starred in her 2nd dance recital from the Mommy and Me class that we took a few weeks back. She loves to perform for all of us so I knew she would love the chance to be on stage again. She was too young to be in the preschool class, so I took the class again with her that we did last year. This year the theme of the recital was all about food. Her class did a dance called "Popcorn Pop".
Because they were the youngest group they got to start off the recital and then we were all able to leave. And they were able to wear whatever we chose, it just had to be yellow and white, since they were supposed to be popcorn. Bronwyn, of course, was amazing! She had the entire dance memorized and loved being on stage to dance. She did such a great job and it was so fun to see her up there. We're all so proud of her. We had everyone back over to our house afterwards so that the rest of the day could just be about Bronwyn. So we had lots of family at the house for pizza and JamieCakes (homemade with love of course)!
Bronwyn performed her dance at least 3 more times for everyone at home. Hayden and Drew even joined in since they have it down too from all the times they watched her practice! We really appreciated everyone wanting to be a part of such a special day for Bronwyn. Thanks to you all who wanted to be there for her!!!

Here's a video of the recital that Aunt Jamie got! Thanks so much Aunt Jamie!

Hayden and the fan...

2010-06-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

This kid is just the funniest to watch. He is 110% boy, all the time... always looking for trouble, getting rough and making mommy laugh!

When Bronwyn Takes Over the Camera...

2010-06-08T15:34:00.001-07:00

This morning Bronwyn got a hold of my camera. Something she keeps trying to do lately and I let her of course. Today though, she was too funny. She took the camera and off she went! When she came back to show me everything she thought "photoworthy" I laughed so hard I started crying! She's too funny and so creative. I swear to you that no one knows the true personality of this little girl besides Danny, Hayden, and I. I'm laughing as I type about the things she does and says that I simply cannot put into words! After I sorted through all the pictures and kept a small sample, I decided it's more worth it to get her her own real working camera. So off I went to amazon.com to order her a pretty little pink camera. She'll be so excited to have her very own!

I have my fair share of crazy mommy moments, but when this girl makes me smile, it is truly unmeasurable! Where would I be without her?

Memorial Day 2010!

2010-06-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Memorial Day this year, like always, bbq-ing with my family. I spent part of the morning making a super yummy trifle dessert, called Twisted Strawberry Shortcake. We went over to my parents house to enjoy the afternoon with them and my brother Danny, Rachael and Drew. Most years the weather for the Memorial Day weekend is pretty terrible. But this year it was perfect. Lots of sun and not too hot!

My dad grilled a brisket, but after losing pound #10 I didn't want to over eat! So I ate a little of this and a little of that and still filled myself up. The kids got to play outside... until they started a war in the sand box!
Everyone loved my dessert, which always makes me happy! Even Danny (and Bronwyn) ate the leftover once we got home, and he is not big on desserts! It was a great way to end the weekend!

Territory Days!

2010-06-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Down in Colorado Springs during Memorial Day weekend is what is known as Territory Days. This year Danny had to go in to work so I decided that the kids and I should join his family for some fun! The weather was perfect for spending the morning in the sun. We walked through the main street of Old Colorado City and checked out all the booths of food and fun. Check out some pictures from the day!
All the cousins! Alex, TJ, Kaylie, Kaitlin, Hayden, Taylor, Bronwyn, Alyssa and Logan

Dancing with Daddy!

2010-05-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn loves to dress up and now requests her Princess Tea Party dance music! The other night she needed her Daddy to dance with her. It's so fun watching her get so into something cute! Of course, Daddy was happy to be her dance partner! I mostly love the "costumes" she comes up with. It's always a little bit of everything from her dress up collection.

Alive and Well

2010-05-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 4th, 5:00am Hayden
Tuesday, may 4th, 9:50am Bronwyn

Wednesday, May 5th, 6am Bronwyn

Friday, May 7th, 9am Bronwyn

Friday, May 14th, 3:30pm Hayden

Monday, May 17th, 2:00am Bronwyn
Monday, May 17th, 5:00am Bronwyn
Monday, May 17th, 5:45am Bronwyn
Monday, May 17th, 6:15am Bronwyn
(this continues every 15 minutes through 8:30am)
Monday, May 17th, 11:00am Bronwyn
Monday, May 17th, 1:00pm Bronwyn

Tuesday, May 18th, 5:50pm Hayden
Tuesday, May 18th, 6:00pm Bronwyn

Wednesday, May 19th, 7:00pm Bronwyn

Friday, May 21st, 12:10pm Bronwyn
Friday, May 21st, 1:15pm Bronwyn

These are all the times each of the kids have vomited over the last couple of weeks. I can't even describe what it has been like here for us. Just when you think they were fine, one of them got sick again. Hayden had terrible diarrhea, but Bronwyn obviously got the worst of it. We took her the pediatrician this past Monday, Wednesday, and again on Friday. She had her urine checked each time along with an entire checkup. She was tested for diabetes, a UTI, and any signs of dehydration. After everything, she was still throwing up. Even after taking Zofran, which they gave us to stop the vomiting. She had not eaten in 3 days. She would drink sprite, apple juice, and Gatorade, but they would still come up.

Finally the doctors at our pediatricians office recommended we take Bronwyn to the ER for a chest x-ray, an IV and blood tests. That's where we ended up Friday afternoon. I can't explain what it feels like to put your child through all of this. Pinning her down while she is screaming and thrashing, her eyes about to bulge out of their sockets... all while the nurses are trying to draw blood from her tiny little arms. After the blood draw they move onto the other arm to set up an IV. Thankfully that allowed her to rest and sleep for a bit. After all is said and done, no one can figure out what was wrong. Everyone agrees that they probably just both got a flu virus and their systems just could not kick it.

Saturday, she's completely herself again! Hungry and playful, and back to normal! She has to take Prevacid for the next 2 weeks to help with indigestion but other than that she's fine. We hated putting her through everything at the ER but we feel like the IV fluids were just what she needed. I'm still counting the hours and the days because over the last couple weeks she's been fine and then gotten sick again. During the trips to the doctors office it didn't seem like she weighed any less. But all of the pants she was wearing a week ago are now falling off her waist and she is constantly pulling them up. I actually bought her some size 3T capris for the summer and ended up having to exchange them for size 18-24 month!!!!! And they still are roomy! :(

She missed her last dance class, a swim lesson, and a birthday party. She hated having to miss out on things. But she needed time to rest and get better and now it really looks like this time she is fine. And Hayden is happy to have his partner in crime back to feeling 100% better!

Cookie Eating 101

2010-05-15T16:01:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Mother's Day!

2010-05-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all our favorite moms, grandmothers, aunts, and mommy friends! Sandwiched in-between some crummy weather, this Mother's Day was absolutely perfect! So sunny and so warm and so perfect for just relaxing! We spent the day just hanging out around the house. The kids and I had all gotten sick a couple days before so it was easy to spend some time hanging around and catching up on a few things.
We made a trip to Danny's dads house to visit with Evelyn and wish her a Happy Mother's Day. After wards we went to spend the rest of the afternoon with my mom. My brother Danny, Rachael, and Drew were also there and we all had dinner together. My dad was cooking... aka: grilling steaks! I ate and ate and was way too stuffed!
The kids got to play outside a bit and we all just relaxed. After cake we headed home. Danny and the kids caught up with his mom for a bit using the webcam. Bronwyn really likes how that works! She thinks it's pretty fun to see someone talking to you through the computer. And Hayden cooperated and showed off all his "tricks"!
I'm very thankful for Danny and my two adorable kids to celebrate my day with! I would be lost without each of them!

UT-OH!!! THE ICE CREAM MAN KNOWS WHERE WE LIVE!!!

2010-05-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

It goes without fail. The weather is nice, I open up the windows. In with the fresh air comes the sound of the Ice Cream Truck. It's the cutest when Bronwyn puts her hand cupped around her ear and says, "Mommy, do you hear that? I think I hear the ice cream man!" So off we go outside to chase the song. Well, recently the truck driver has learned where exactly on the street we live and I swear he now slows down until we come out! A couple weeks backs on about ice cream treat #3, we decided that Bronwyn was going to learn the value of money and how to earn her own ice cream. Each night now, if Bronwyn cleans up all her toys before bed, she gets a quarter. It's not much but we figure she was already being asked to clean up and now she is understanding the reward, and what it gets her. So she gets the money and buys her own treat. We get a clean living room at the end of each day.
We heard the truck the other day and she went running for her wallet. I have to explain to her that it is her money and that she has to keep up on her chores to be able to buy more ice cream. I think she understands it. And she loves getting to make the decision on what to choose. This week she chose the Strawberry Shortcake.

Hayden also seems excited that Bronwyn is buying her own ice cream! She let him have the 1st bite! Then she continued to share about half of the rest. What a sweet big sister! Hayden sure is lucky!

Here is a funny video of Bronwyn sharing her ice cream... and Hayden getting rather greedy!

Happy Birthday Alex!

2010-05-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend we headed down to the Springs to celebrate with our nephew Alex as he turned 4! He had a bowling party! The last time we went to a bowling party Bronwyn was too little to even wear the bowling shoes! It was just as hard to keep her attention this time as it was a year ago. But she always has fun with her cousins! Hayden likes to be crazy busy and tries to get into everything! Luckily he fell asleep halfway through and we didn't have to chase after him anymore.

Hayden found music! He's dancing! And Bronwyn is showing off her glow in the dark bowling shoes!

Kaylie and Bronwyn hung out alot! Posing and bowling!

Happy Birthday Islea!

2010-04-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

This week we we celebrated with our niece Isela as she turned 5! It's so crazy to think back over the last five years, they sure have gone quickly! We went to her birthday party for pizza and cake and some craziness for the kids! Bronwyn had fun playing with T.J. most of the night... the other part of her night was spent crying because "it's not fair" that Islea got a bike and Bronwyn didn't. My, my, when does this stage end?!? Oh well, Happy Birthday Islea, we loved sharing your special night with you!

If you give a girl a nightgown...

2010-04-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn had only had one nightgown before for bed. She usually just wears pajamas. But I bought her a new one that I allowed her to pick out. She chose a princess one (of course)! She put it on last night when she got ready for bed and immediately turned in to a princess. The gown wasn't enough, she had to add a tutu. She searched and searched for her slippers but could only find one. (She told me she threw them out of her bed the other night and didn't know where they landed.) So her Cinderella "glass slipper" was the stand in and would just have to do! It was Dancing with the Stars night so she danced and danced, just like a princess!

1 Year and 1 Month

2010-04-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

Hayden is 13 months old now. I can't believe how different it is having a boy. He is crazy! ALL THE TIME!!! He's always getting into something... always what he is not supposed to. He knows when he is doing something he shouldn't because he shakes his head "no" and laughs! He picks on Bronwyn all the time. He's always hitting her and pulling her hair. The other night he smacked her in the face with her play guitar!!! (That left a little bruise.) He loves to head butt Danny and I while we're trying to catch those last few minutes of sleep in the morning.
Hayden is so smart and has all sorts of tricks! My favorite of everything are his hugs and kisses! He grabs on to my face and leans in to swallow my face with his mouth! He really can be loving! The other day Hayden was running a fever and didn't seem like himself. So I made a quick trip to the pediatrician with him to check for an ear infection. Bronwyn was starting to get a cold so I didn't want his to turn into something worse. He did have a lot of fluid in his ear so he was given an antibiotic for an ear infection. He is getting in one of his top molars and that was probably the cause for the high temperature and the pressure in his ear. He's actually working on 3 new teeth right now!

Hayden's Favorites Right Now Are:
* Books! He's always bringing us books to read to him.
* Climbing up to Bronwyn's bed to wake her up in the morning.
* Imitating sounds! He loves to make the scary ones!
* Throwing away toys in the trash!
* Playing with his blocks and trucks.

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March For Babies ~ 2010

2010-04-24T14:42:00.001-07:00

Two years ago I joined my friends and their family to support the March of Dimes, March for Babies. This year I was very excited to participate again! I set my fundraising goal for $150 and with the help of just a few people I achieved it and then some! I am very thankful for the support I was given. It's your donations that will help make a difference.

This year Team Kaleb was rather small in size... due to work schedules, a family emergency, and the weather, I was the only member of the team to walk. I knew I was going to be the only walker, but I just had to do it!

I had been waiting too long to just let it pass. The weather was calling for rain and some snow, but I threw on my long johns and off I went! Danny bought me a new pedometer to help me keep track of the walking of been doing even outside of the walk. (I actually lost 3 pounds in the middle of the week!) I was excited to see my step total... 12,632 STEPS! WOW! I walked fast and pushed myself to keep passing people. I really enjoyed it. Exercise for a fabulous cause! Thanks again to everyone who supported me!

More fun with friends!

2010-04-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

I'm lucky enough to get two days off during the week. And when Thursday came around our friends Lisa and Hailey called to see if we were busy! And since cleaning can always wait we took them up on their offer for lunch and a trip to Monkey Bizness! I could tell Hayden remembered it from his birthday right away. And Bronwyn is always of fan! It's such a fun place to go and just let them do whatever they want to! Completely safe, completely clean, and completely FUN!

Gotta love working part-time!

2010-04-23T09:59:00.000-07:00

Our friends Barb, Kaitlin and Zoey invited us to join them for a trip to the zoo this week! It was a little cloudy and chilly, but Barb "promised" Kaitlin and just could not back out! So off we went...

Bronwyn has been watching alot of the Lion King so she seemed to be more interested by a few of the animals. She did decide that she needed to see the penguins. And she kept asking and asking until we finally found them!

Can anyone tell me why little girls feel the need to climb on every exhibit?!?! It's like they don't even want to see the animal, just see how high they can get!

The zoo never really gets old. Although my membership is expiring and I'm deciding if we got our $$$ worth. Seems like we went so much last year. To warm up for a bit we went into Tropical Discovery. They don't allow stollers in there, so Hayden got to rome around! Boy, he is alot to keep up with!!! They are also doing alot of construction at the zoo right now and will be opening a new exhibit where "Elephants Will Walk", looked pretty neat! Always fun to see some new changes!

Good day for a trip to the park!

2010-04-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

We had some crazy nice weather days last week, so we decided on a trip to the park. My mom had Drew for the day so they came along with us! The kids all had lots of fun. Bronwyn's favorite was rolling down the hill! ("Like a pencil", as she kept saying.) Hayden and Drew are always up to something... finding rocks, sticks, or fighting over who is going to get to climb UP the slide! Be sure to watch the video! Bronwyn comes over and says, "Hayden and Drew! Take turns!" They are pretty funny to watch. I don't know how many times they can try to climb up and just don't figure out that they are going to fall every time!
Click on this thumbnail to view the action!

Happy Birthday Hailey!

2010-04-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

We are kicking off the birthday weekends! We helped our friend Hailey turn 5 this week! She had a super fun princess themed party. The girls got to paint magic wands, there was a pinata full of goodies, and they played pin the crown on the princess! Bronwyn loved all of it! She would not put her treat bag down all night! She just kept looking through it. This is one little girl who loves to party... and eat cake! You'll never waste a piece on her!

Happy Birthday Hailey! Thanks for all the fun!

Everday is a dress up day for a princess...

2010-04-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

This is Bronwyn...

Every Single...

Night...

and Again...

In the morning!

She has just got it in her mind right now that she needs to be a princess at all times! She loves dressing up right now. I love watching what she puts together. Sometimes she brings out dress up accessories for Hayden, Danny and I to wear too. This week she evens brings a bag along with her to Grandma's house while I work so she can still be ready. And now she is insisting to have her picture taken and poses for each one! Gotta love her!

Dancing to Save Babies!

2010-04-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

Last night we attended a "Dance to Save Babies" that our family Greg, Shannon, Taylor, Kaylie, and Alyssa held to raise money for the March of Dimes team that they walk for. They held a Sock Hop with games and prizes, pizza and lots of dancing! We headed down to the Springs for the night for it. Bronwyn still fit in her Sock Hop outfit she wore last year for her birthday so she was set. And she was really excited to get all dressed up and go to a dance! I put together a "shake, rattle, and roll" iron on for a t-shirt to Hayden to wear. As soon as we got there Bronwyn started dancing away. Hayden stayed busy all night walking around and checking everybody out. There was a Hula-Hoop contest, a Limbo game, and a Freeze Dance contest that Bronwyn really had fun with. Hayden was quite the little dancer too! He would bounce and clap his hands when he heard a song he liked! Bronwyn was even one of the winners of the Costume Contest! Danny's step-sister Kala was there also and Bronwyn loved spending time with her dancing and having Kala help her to jump super high so her skirt would fly up! We really had a fun night... and a fun morning when partying all night meant we ALL got to sleep in this morning!

We've got a Swimmer!!!

2010-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Bronwyn started swim lessons this week! A new swim school just opened up close enough to our house that we could walk! She had her first lesson this week and loved it! She is in a 2A Class for kids 3 and older. It's a beginners class for kids who are at least comfortable in the water. Although she's only been swimming a couple of times, she did really well and she also loves the bath. She likes to float on her back and she likes to dip her head and ears in the water. Her first class was just Bronwyn and one other little boy named Tegan, who Bronwyn says is now her best friend.

They each got to take turns with the swim instructor while she took them down a lane in the pool on their backs and them their stomachs. Then they blew bubbles in the water, and finally got to jump in to the pool while the instructor held their hands. I can't wait to get her back again. It's going to be real fun watching her learn to swim!!!

A trip to visit the Easter Bunny!

2010-04-01T20:36:00.000-07:00

Easter seems like it's coming very quickly this year. Maybe with the all the birthdays it has just snuck up us! We visited the Easter Bunny this year with my brother Danny, Rachael Drew, and my parents. So crazy how everything changes in one year. Last Easter Hayden and Drew were just weeks old and slept through the experience. This year, they are both walking, curious little boys! Bronwyn was very excited since she is understanding more this year just what happens when it comes to this giant bunny! Hayden decided he would try and stick his fingers into the bunny's mouth! While Drew was getting his picture taken alone with the bunny, Bronwyn managed to hide behind the photographer... don't ask... and ended up getting stepped on! So when she and Hayden got to have their shot she was a red, teary, mess! The Easter Bunny had to tickle her just to get a smile! So sad since she was so excited to be there. But at least we made it through! I swear, it's just not finished unless one of my kids cries!

Logan's 2nd Birthday Party!

2010-03-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Our nephew Logan turned 2 this week and we helped celebrate his birthday at Lil' Biggs in the Springs. It was a really fun place for kids. They had all kinds of fun rooms and themes of toys. There was a huge bounce house and also a giant sand box! I think the carousel was the most fun for all the kids. Especially Hayden, he rode it over and over again! He held on so well, just like a big kid! Bronwyn sure loved the cake! She choose a cupcake with black frosting... of course! Anything to get her messy! It always fun to get together with family. I love seeing all the cousins together!

Happy Birthday Kaylie and Alyssa!

2009-12-12T14:59:00.000-08:00

The twins also had a birthday this week! They turned 7!! I somehow see them stuck at age 5, so it's always funny to see them growing up! Danny had to work but the kids and I headed down to the Springs for the Hip Hop Dance party! Bronwyn of course loves it! At first the girls were all getting into a little dress up fun. the twins helped to get Bronwyn all dressed up. Would you beleive that my camera was lost and I was left with no pictures to take?!?! Shannon sent me over this picture of Bronwyn with the girls.

The party was at a dance studio and there was an instructor who was teaching the girls some moves. Bronwyn stills like to dance to her own beat, but was having lots of fun and trying to join in the lessons! Cake as always was her favorite part! That is one little girl who won't waste her peice!

Reindeer Romp!

2009-12-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Our friends Barb, Brandon, Kaitlin and Zoey invited us to something they found at the library. It was called the Reindeer Romp. they were going to have little crafts for the kids and a real reindeer there! So of course, we headed out to join them! It was really cute! There were lots of people working each little "station". Bronwyn made reindeer feed to leave out christmas eve, a little reindeer on a stick, and a reindeer out of her handprint. She also played bingo and do a bean bag toss. There really was alot to do being that it was free. We also got to see the reindeer! One of Santa's helpers had him outside. The reindeer actually started moving alot and scared Bronwyn a little. Of course Hayden was there too, but he's just so good it's like I forget about him! We always get the stroller picture though!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-02T22:56:00.000-08:00

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We're having lots of Christmas fun... are you?!?!

Pictures from My Brother's Trip Out!

2009-11-30T12:48:00.000-08:00

While my brother was in town we went to dinner at Casa Bonita. Can't say that the food is the reson to go, but the entertainment is always fun. The kids really like the shows that wereput on while we ate. Bronwyn wanted to go in Bad Bart's Cave over and over again! I thought for sure she would be scared. Whenever they are in town there is so much food! My mom always cooks big dinners or we go out to eat. And there are always desserts! I love having them in town. I love that Bronwyn really remembers them now. She acually blesses them almost every night when she says her prayers. ♥

Just when you thought you knew what to be thankful for...

2009-11-28T11:51:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving started out like past years, a lunch at Danny's Dad and Evelyn's house. Lots of food and family! Evelyn's son Normando and his wife Jamie, and her daughter Suyzel and her family are always there. It's great to get together. Everyone goes around the table and says what they are thankful for. Bronwyn said that she was thankful for her brother and her mommy and daddy. Then she added in that she was thankful for Grandpa and Abuela. I am thankful that I can feel like so much a part of Danny's family. Jim and Evelyn always make me feel welcome. They always are happy to see us and enjoy spending time with the kids. I am also of course thankful for the family that Danny and I have created. Bronwyn is truly our little princess. Having Hayden this year makes me so happy! Last year I thankful for a successful pregnancy. But to have him in our lives this year is a feeling much more than I can describe. Here are a few pictures from our lunch with them!

Then we head over to my parents house for our Thanksgiving Dinner! This year my brother Roger, Dolly, Peyton, and Hunter came out to visit. I love having them in town and getting to spend time with them. this is the part of the night where things get crazy. Just as were finishing up dinner Hayden suddenly vomits all over the high chair!!! He had been running a fever for going on 24 hours but he seems to do that every time he has a new tooth coming in. So we were watching it, but really thought that that was all it was. But after that reaction, and having not really eaten anyway, I called our pediatricians on call service. Thankfully our doctor was on call for the night. He had another patient coming in the office so he said we could come down and meet him too. Because we love our doctor and are not willing to switch, we had a 1/2 hour drive to his office. So Bronwyn stayed with my family for dessert and off we went with Hayden. Turns out he had an ear infection!!! So back home we headed with a prescription for an antibiotic. Can you guess how many pharmacies are open around 8:00pm on Thanksgiving night??? ONE!!! And it was another 20 minure drive in the opposite direction!!! Obviously all worth it to make sure Hayden could feel better as fast as possible. So we had ALOT to be thankful for this year, especially a doctor who made time for us when we were pretty frightened about what was going on with our precious little boy.
Here are just a couple pictures I took before the night came to an end! You can see just how terrible Hayden was feeling. (Well, actually the night did not end there... Evelyn, Suyzel and I met back up for our new midnight madness shopping tradition. We were out till 5am or something! I was SO tires after all this day brought!)

Hayden is 8 months Old!

2009-11-22T21:49:00.000-08:00

My little Hayden is 8 months old! And what a sweetie! He's on the go! He's a slow crawler but he does get around. He's really funny when he gets all tangled up in his own legs! He also is working on his 6th tooth! He is super sweet of course and it just would not be the same without him in our lives! Here's a little clip of one of his latest meals! Don't ask me what this was about. Maybe just not the taste he was hoping for!

Hayden's latest favorites include:
* bathtime with Bronwyn
* making monster noises
* his new carseat
* playing in Bronwyn's room
* getting Sadie to lick his hands (YUCK!)

Our Trip to the North Pole!

2009-11-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

For the last couple years we have been taking a trip to the North Pole (right here in Colorado) for Danny's Moms birthday. This year our trip had to get a little rescheduled, but we still wanted to get there being as Hayden didn't get the chance to be the youngest in the family picture. We usually go in the summer, but when we finally found the time, we were just heading into Christmas! So it was fun for Bronwyn to get to see Santa and tell him what she wanted! (Last year she was screaming to get off his lap!) She was very brave and sat right up on Santa's lap and asked for a "dolly house". She did so good! Once our picture was taken care of, we stopped at some of the rides. There is not too much that she can actually go on, but we found everything that was "Bronwyn Sized"! Hayden spent the trip in the stroller (as usual) but still had a fun time! Check out some of our pictures!

Girls Night!

2009-11-20T20:30:00.000-08:00

We have some of the best friends out there! We are lucky enough to live really close to two of my earliest friends from when I first moved to Colorado. I have been friends with Lisa and Barb for 20 years now! And it's pretty neat that we each have girls right around the same age! We love getting together with our friends or having them over to our house. Bronwyn always talks about Kaitlin, Zoey, and Hailey. They all get along pretty well... or at least as well as you can expect for little girls under the age of 5!!! I do need someone else to have another boy now, but wither way, we are thankful for such great friends!

Happy Birthday Grandma Jones!!!

2009-11-17T19:09:00.000-08:00

Danny's Grandmother had to be moved into a nursing home earlier this year. We've celebrated her bigger birthdays, like her 80th and 85th, but she was turning 87 this year I felt like we should really all get together to celebrate her! Evelyn and I worked together to put together a surprise party at a room in the nursing home. We decided to theme it around Thanksgiving. Unfortunally due to a big snow storm that started the night before, Danny's borthers were not able to make the drive. But the rest of us went on with the celebration! Grandma Jones seemed really happy to see us all there. She was so surprised that everything had been taken care of and that she was just suppose to relax and enjoy. We had LOTS of food, delicious cake, and then she was able to open a few gifts.
"A garden of love grows in a grandmother's heart." -Author Unknown

(and thanks Jim & Evelyn, I needed your pictures so I stole them!)

Cheese Please!

2009-11-12T16:46:00.000-08:00

A fun easy way to get Bronwyn to eat a more nutritious snack... cookie cutters and slices of cheese! She thought it was so much fun! It's amazes me I do to create a little fun! ♥

Happy Birthday Evelyn/Abuela!

2009-11-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

Evelyn was not doing anything special to celebrate her birthday this year so we decided to take a surprise trip to her office! Bronwyn and I made her a giant cupcake because we believe everyone needs at least one! So with much effort, I made it to her building and into her office with both kids and a slightly slid-around cake! (oops!) Evelyn was happy to see us and spend a few minutes with the kids. Bronwyn was a little sad to have to leave the cake behind... that little girl LOVES her sweets!

A night with Drew!

2009-11-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

My nephew Drew came over for a night to play while my brother Danny and Rachael were busy. He's alot of fun to have around. I love that Bronwyn, Hayden and Drew are all growing up together!

"No, I can do it!"

2009-11-02T16:26:00.000-08:00

That is something we hear alot around here. Bronwyn wants to do EVERYTHING herself. Here's a video clip of what it takes to get out of her clothes! I even missed the start to it... lots of wiggling and turning in circles. And then, you apparently have to change places alot in order to get it to work!

Always Snow at Halloween...

2009-11-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

Something in the Colorado air always calls for snow at Halloween. This year it happened just days before and brought crazy amounts of snow to our streets. Luckily alot had melted in time for our trick-or-treating, but Bronwyn and I got to get out for a little play! We built her 1st snowman with our Snowman Kit we got from Danny's mom last year. It was lots of fun getting it done and letting Bronwyn put the pieces on. She checked on it every morning until there was nothing left of it!

Let's begin back with Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

I've decided that for as many years as they will let me, I will choose what my kids can be for Halloween. It's really fun to come with a neat idea. This year Bronwyn and Hayden made their appearance as Little Miss Muffet and the Spider! Bronwyn was really excited for the "unveiling" of her costume. (Hayden of course just had to go along with it.) James and Sarah came up with Alex and Logan and we went out trick-or-treating together. First we headed down to my parents house for goods and some pictures. Just a few houses into it and Hayden was out!!! After that we walked to Danny's dad and Evelyn's house. There we met up with Suyzel, Isela, and T.J. and did a little more trick-or-treating. Bronwyn seemed to really have fun with it and get the idea of the steps: ring the doorbell, get candy, say thank you. Then we headed home in time to pass out candy to some neighborhood kids of our own. Bronwyn loved filling their bags!

The next day I decided we would dress them up again and head out to Boo at the Zoo with our friends Barb and Kaitlin. It was fun, but I think Bronwyn had just had enough! It was hot and she was tired so we actually didn't come home with too much more candy. But we always love getting together with friends!

A Blog for Bronwyn

2009-10-29T22:26:00.000-07:00

I feel that I should take a minute and give Bronwyn some credit for all her efforts in potty training. I would say we are about 99.8% potty trained. A few months back my Aunt Marie told my mom what her daughter had done with one of hers boys and to try it. It seemed simple enough, so we tried it. One day when I went to change Bronwyn I went to grab a diaper only to find that *UT-OH*... we were out!!! I told her that we had some big girl panties but there were no more diapers! And it sort of worked. Of course there was stress... accidents... and countless numbers of panties used in the beginning, but then it began to stick. We started with treats, like m&m's and other small candy. I even let her pick change out of my wallet for her "ice cream man" fund. Now she just goes "bribe free"! (Unless of course she just wants some candy, she too smart and goes potty just so she can ask for some!) She knows when she needs to go and actually seems to feel bad if she does have an accident. She evens holds her tummy and says "my tummy hurts" when she feels like she has to go! She's been doing great! I'm able to take her out in public accident free now. (Well, most of the time!) But we're done with diapers! And that is fabulous! We put her in pull-ups for bedtime and usually for naps. But she stays dry overnight! I'm happy to have stuck with the trying. Two in diapers was going to break my bank!!!

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Hayden is 7 months old!!!

2009-10-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I can't believe it either! But 7 months has passed since this little sweetie entered our world! Hayden just got his 3rd tooth in! And not where you would expect to see it, his bottom two are both in and the next was on the bottom also. He's kinda like a little jack-o-lantern now! Although he is not crawling yet, I had to set up the pack-in-play to be able to "corral' him a little when I'm trying to get things done. He was super excited to get to sit in it for the 1st time. Him... and of course Bronwyn! Danny tried telling her that she gets the whole house, can't he just have this little space to himself?!?! Nope! She can get in and out of it herself so there is just no stopping her! Here's a fun clip of them together. We had the Wizard of Oz on and Bronwyn likes to get her drum and pretend that she is in a marching band when the munchkins are on! Hayden was getting into the groove too! Almost ready for take off!!!

Hayden's New Favorites Include:
* being able to hold himslef up on his arms, especially in the crib to look out over the bumper
* sitting up for long periods of time... but once he topples he can't get back up!
* smiling for mommy's camera!
* being tickled
* eating anything you'll get him get close enough to!