the Maxwell's Cupcake Day!

Today is Cupcake Day - at least for these Maxwells.  Find out its origins here.  Check it out in 2008, 2009, 2010 was forgotten apparently, and 2011.

This year was the first year that I/we didn't make the cupcakes.  There is a cute new shop in town (albeit a little expensive. . .well when compared to box cupcakes) that I thought would be fun to try today.  It was fun.  The kids loved their cupcakes.  But I just cant justify $10 for 4 cupcakes. . . all that often.  Anyways, cute pictures:

P.S.  Yes, there are a lot more pictures of the girls.  They were just too darn cute.

P.P.S.  No, I didn't dress the girls (okay, I did put on the headbands. . .).  Emmy got herself ready for gymnastics and even dressed Lucy while I was in the shower.  Super adorable.

P.P.P.S  These pictures were taken right before Jonas' haircut.  In some ways, his first haircut.  We've trimmed his hair a whole bunch of times and once we (Ben and I) totally buzzed his hair.  But other than that, he's never really had a haircut. . . until day.  Miles kept saying, "He doesn't even look like him."  Miles prefers the old look.  Jonas says he likes it.  And me?  Oh, that's tough.  It's a cute cut, for sure, and looks great.  But it's just different. . . and I think I adore his longer locks.  But at least I'm not crying.  Pics later on in the week. . .

A Saturday afternoon mini-hike

Good times were had Saturday afternoon:

 Jonas said, "Let's jump!"

 And again!

 Cute family, eh?

 Now, Lucy's turn to jump!

LOTS and lots of pictures of our weekend

So I post lots of pictures often.  But this is going to be LOTS.

We went to Littleton for the weekend - a long weekend for us.  We got to leave early Friday morning - 7:30 - and came home Monday night.

When we arrived on Friday we played around in the backyard (frisbee, kick-soccer. . .) while Lucy took a nap.  After we got her up we headed over to Chatfield Reservoir.  It was a blast and the kids absolutely loved every minute of it.  It was truly so fun just watching them:

 The water seemed a little cool at first.  But it quickly warmed up and was actually quite pleasant.  Lucy wasn't convinced yet. . .

 Literally getting their feet wet.

 Love this - Lucy laughing at Emmy!

 Two cuties.

 The girls had fun splashing around.

 (blurry, but whatev)  We'd get "waves" from boats and that was always exciting!

 Pure goof having tons of fun.  :)

 Miles livin' it up, too.

 As the kids' clothing started getting soaked, they became less and less clad. . .

 Whoa Lucy.

Two beautiful sisters trying to get warm in a damp towel.

We all had a great, great time!

Friday night Ben and I went out on a date - oh so fun.  We played tennis for a bit (I lost 6-3).  Then went to Cafe de France and enjoyed some crepes.  Then I dragged Ben to Pier 1 Imports - I don't think I've been in one for over 5 or 6 years.  I love that place.  It's so beautiful and bright and makes me happy.  The only bummer is that I didn't/couldn't/wouldn't buy anything.  Someday. . .

Saturday morning I went running on the beloved highline canal trails.  Yes, fine, I was a little scared of a coyote coming after and attacking me.  I had heard Ben and his father talking about something about coyotes the night before and then on the trail was a sign about being aware of the coyotes.  Not that they will attack people - but just that they are becoming less shy of people.  I was a little skittish on my run.  But still loved it.

Later in the morning we took the kids on a bike ride on the trail to the jumps.  It's a wonderful place full of bike jumps and tons of spots to walk around and explore.  A child's paradise, really:

 See that grin on Miles' face?  So great.

 Ben even caught some air on his cruiser bike - Lucy's seat is on the back.  But Lucy wasn't at this time.  :)

 Emmy even tried it out. . .

 and she almost made it, but not quite!  She didn't got for it again.  :)

 Lucy had fun walking on some of the bike jumps.  Miles even escorted her on the whole loop once.  What a sweet brother.

 Snack time cuties.

 Jonas caught a little bit of air, too.

But nobody got as much air as Lucy.  :)  And how great is Emmy the Cheerleader?!  Adorable.

The afternoon was spent back at "home" (Grandma and Grandpa's house).  Ben and I cleaned out the car, washed it, vacuumed, etc.  Blah, but it was good to get done.

That evening we went to Casa Bonita.  It's this sort-of silly restaurant, but a definite experience and something totally different and fun for kids.  You don't go for the food, really (though Ben just loved his Velveeta cheese enchiladas. . .), but for the "entertainment."  There are cliff-divers, puppet shows, scary caves to walk through, Mexican scenery, etc.  We had what Ben would call "The Classic Experience":

 Here's the gang eating dinner at our table.

 The puppet show.  I think we were suppose to be "hiding" from something.  I just think this picture is funny. Miles is apparently not hiding at this point - I think he was already doing his "roar!"

 Miles' favorite part of the evning:  Black Bart's Hideout.  It was like a spooky cave thing.  The first time we all went through and Miles loved it all!  Ben had to cover Lucy's eyes; she wasn't a big fan.  I came out holding a screaming and crying Emmy and a terrified Jonas who had clung to my waist, behind me, the entire time.  I was laughing hysterically.  Miles did it several more times --

 Ooohhhh, see that scary face behind Miles. . . :)

 Oh man.  The Monkey.  The "Monkey All Gone" Monkey.  This Monkey petrified Lucy (and the same thing happened to Ben's brother, Joe, when he was about Lucy's age. . .).  As Grandpa Max said, Lucy's whole body just tensed up the moment she caught sight of the monkey.  She screamed and cried and wouldn't look.

 Grandma Max just held on to her.  I think it was a great bonding moment for them.  :)  When that was over, Lucy said repeatedly (like a hundred times that evening alone), "Monkey, all gone."  Just to reassure herself. The next morning she even said it, "Monkey, all gone."  It was great.

 Here we are outside the restaurant.  The girls were kind of done with it all by this point.

A cranky Emmy, but an otherwise good picture of the kiddos with their wonderful grandparents.

And that evening Ben and I went out again.  And what did we do?  Played tennis, again.  And, again, I lost 6-3.  Then I got to chose somewhere for dessert and I so wanted frozen yogurt.  And we found the perfect place:  Yogo Mojo.  I had gone their before with the girls in Grand Junction.  It's so yummy and even Ben commented several times how yummy his was.  It was the perfect evening.  :)

(I'm getting tired, are you?)

Sunday we went to church.  Afterwards we went to the Littleton Historical Museum.  It's always a lovely time there:

 Checking out the piglets.

 Checking out the cow.

 Miles working at the grindstone.

 Oh man she is so scrumptious.

 Is this where Jonas gets his sticking-out-the-tongue thing?  But I really think I was telling Lucy that something was yucky. . .

Oh Ben and I just love this shot of Emmy.  She's so flirting with the ram.  She seems to be asking, "So, what are you doing Friday night?"

That evening we had a nice dinner with Grandma Dee - Great-grandma to my kids.  Lucy (Dee, remember?) was adorable with Grandma:

 Could they be even cuter?

Just too, too, too, too cute.

On Monday morning I went on another run.  This time I found two rocks and carried them with me because that is what the sign said, to throw rocks if a coyote approached.  So I carried them, but, yeah right, like I would have thrown them at a coyote. . . Ben and I and Lucy did a quick run to Sam's Club for their yummy "fresh tortillas."  Miles just had to have them after falling madly in love with them at his grandparents'.  :)  The kids played some silly, yet intricate, game in the basement all morning long:

Great times on the freezer with old shower parts.  At least, I hope they were old parts. . .

It was a fantastic weekend that ended with a less-then-ideal car trip home.  Oh well.  It can't all be lovely, right?

First day of Summer Break, 2012

Don't worry, I won't blog every day of our summer break.  Unless it's exciting.  However, today wasn't terribly exciting yet I'm still blogging about it. . . But it was actually very exciting for the kids.  So there.

I think by 7:30 Jonas had already begged me to let him go play at Jake's house.  I told him no and then he whined about how he had nothing to do and what could he do!?

I think by 7:31 Miles was asking me if he could make stuff and sell it outside our house.  "Let me think about that."  By 7:32 Miles had asked me again.  "Let me think about it!"  By 7:34 Miles had asked me if I had thought about it.  I said no.  By around 8 Miles asked me again.  I told him to go inside and see what he would/could make.  I can't remember what he first came up with, but we didn't have the stuff to make it.  Then he said brownies.  Alright. And lemon bars.  Okay.  (I sighed a silent Ugh.)

So, I helped Miles make brownies (whoops, Miles doubled the salt!  I tried to scoop out as much as I could. . . I was still a little worried. . . so I "frosted" them with some random marshmallow creme stuff we had on hand. . .just in case) and helped Jonas make lemon bars.  Then we had to go on an errand for an older lady-friend and then back for lunch and then. . . finally out to sell.  The boys were awesome (after I had thrown a bit of fit. . . ahem) and went down to the cellar and brought up, by themselves, the folded table and took it outside and set it all up.

To make a long story semi-short, the boys had lots of people stop and buy.  Most gave them "tips."  They stayed out until they were all sold-out.  We came back in, cleaned up, and counted the money.  Then paid tithing, after which Jonas cried at the HUGE stack of NICKELS he had to pay.  He doesn't quite understand that a huge stack of nickels is not as much as a little stack of quarters.  Anyways. . . the boys were thrilled.  Emmy was happy to get a few extra treats.

Oh, we also finished up a craft I have been wanting to try with the kids for while.  We did the gluing yesterday (the black outline is a mix of black paint and glue) and then the kids painted them today.  Jonas and Miles did all the outlining, which I thought they did a pretty good job.  Because I'm me, I did get a little frustrated that Jonas started not just painting a uniform color in each section.  Ugh, it drove me crazy.  I tried pleading with him to not to it that way, but then just let him go and create as he wanted to.  Luckily Miles kept his very pattern-y.  :)

Anyways, that was some of what went on today. . .

 So cute.  I love it.  I pretty much stayed "behind the scenes" (on the steps) and let the boys deal with their customers on their own.

I do really like how they all turned out.

We ended the day with Lucy amazing me with her memory and vocabulary, Miles and Jonas playing robots outside, and Emmy not feeling so well with a slight fever perhaps. . . (please, oh please, let her be well in the morning; for all our sakes. . .)

Sniff, Yay, Last Day of School

Today was the boys' last day of school.  Miles is pretty sad about it - he'll miss his teacher (who he has had for the past 2 years) and his friends.  Jonas is excited, at least he says so - though he already complained of being bored this very afternoon.  Ha.  His best buddy, Jake, just lives up the street so we know we'll be seeing him around a bunch of this summer.

Yesterday was their fun day - field day.  The boys loved it and luckily it was hot so all the water games could be enjoyed.  Today we went to school at 9:30 for the end-of-year assembly, then played at the playground (with other students) until Jonas was done at 11.  We went home, had lunch, then went back to pick up Miles at 12:05.

We all had a special outing to the Coffee Trader.  The girls (including myself) and Ben (who got to go in to work late) went in the morning.  We rode our bikes, got one drink for all, and then a treat - mainly eaten by the 2 little girls.  :)  The boys got to go with Ben this evening after dinner.  They each got a drink and treats to share.  They rode their bikes as well and had a fun outing.

Why, yes, yes I did make my boys wear the same clothes!  Actually Miles just said, "My pants are different."  Darn it.  Oh well.  I'll try again next year.  :)

 Still needs a haircut. . . :)  Or at least a trim.

 They're identical!  :)

 Cute girls who share in a lot of school adventures as well.  Especially walking there and back three times a day.  :)

Going out for their evening ride.  So fun.