Dear Lucy,

Happy 5th Birthday Lucy!  Today is YOUR day.  The day we celebrate YOU by giving you gifts, telling you why we love you at dinner time, eating whatever you choose for dinner, etc., etc.  Yay!

Since your birthday falls on a Sunday this year, we did a little pre-celebration on Saturday and went swimming at the Ouray Hot Springs pool.  All you kids had a super fun time!  I tried to convince you that if you wouldn't go down the baby slide without me or you dad catching you, that you would turn 3 on your birthday instead of 5.  Ha, you didn't believe me - nor would you go down by yourself.

I think you had a pretty good year being four.  You learned to ride a bike.  It was about the easiest thing to teach you how.  Your dad put you on a bike, gave you a push, and that was that!  Since you had been riding a pedal-less bike for over a year, you were ready for the real thing and it was just so easy for you to ride.  You love riding your bike and are just so cute while doing it!  I love being behind you and just watching you pedal joyfully along.  It's so sweet.

You've become a better gymnast already.  You mastered the cartwheel and spent about a month doing them everywhere - grocery stores, restaurants, schools, the library, etc., etc.  I miss you doing them everywhere! You do need to become a better listener at gymnastics.  I always remind you by asking you before each lesson: "Okay, Lucy, who is the boss/coach?"  You always answer correctly, "Coach Kirk!"  But then you quickly forget and start doing your own thing half the time, rather than what your coach has asked you to do.  Sigh.  Maybe now that you're five, you'll outgrow this . . . ?

You like to make new friends when we are at the park, a swimming pool, or other place with lots of other kids.  You aren't shy when it comes to making new friends!

You went on two backpacking trips, even though you "don't like hiking."  You did awesome for a little 4-year old with little legs!

But you grew in other ways, too, not just in your physical feats and endeavors - more important ways, in fact.  You have developed a very sweet spirit and are very aware of other people's feelings in our family.  You are usually quick to forgive and quick to apologize.  You often try to be the peacemaker in our family as well.  Your social instincts and awareness are well beyond your years and you father and I are often super impressed with your actions.  Now, you're not perfect by any means.  You have been known to hit Emmy on the head or spit at her, etc., but you are always quick to realize your wrong and try to make it better.  It's been very fun and special to watch you this past year as you've matured and developed these traits.  Keep it up, please!  We need it - you - in our family.  :)

You finished up a year of "home-school pre-school" and loved every minute of it.  You'll be doing it again this year and are so excited!  Plus, you are also doing a "Let's Play Music" class and are super excited about that as well.  Yes, you could have started kindergarten this year.  But, for so many reasons, I'm keeping you home . . . for one more year.  My last year with a kid at home . . . sniff, sniff.  I'm not sure what I'll do without my little and adorable side-kick around next year (SNIFF, SNIFF), so let's not talk about that right now.

Let's enjoy your year of being FIVE.  Great things are to come, that I know!  I love you, I love you, I love.

love, mom

Our Last Wild Wednesday for the Summer . . .

So next Wednesday is the day before school starts and so I think this was our last Into the Wild Wednesday for the summer.  We made it a GREAT one, though!  I had seen this hike posted by someone else and it sounded perfect - 3-miles, a loop, low elevation gain, cascades, waterfall, and three lakes.  Oh and we got a bonus:  beautiful wildflowers!

It was a little far - near Crested Butte, about 2 hours away (well 2 hours there, 2 1/2 back since we went through the town of Crested Butte).  I think that distance kept a lot of people from coming.  But for those of us that made the trek (3 families, plus Kayla), it was more than worth it.  Even ask the kids - most of who complained and moaned & groaned this morning about driving far for a hike (and not just mine).

The hike was full of mushrooms!  I think these ones are poisonous?!  But there were all sorts of mushrooms - much to the delight of Lila and Lucy.

Our first lake, Lost Lake.  The kids loved the logs on the edge of the lake.

Lucy and a pretty bouquet made by Kayla.

The pretty waterfall and cascades.

Kayla eating her PB for lunch.  :)

The second lake - Dollar Lake.  Beautiful.

Lunch time.  I'll mail somebody a treat if they can tell me who Ben and I think Heather looks like (Heather is the mom in this picture).

Heather's little Clara.  Too, too cute!

Kayla played a lot with Lucy and Lila.

Balancing on sinking, turning logs was a hit!

All the kids (minus Clara) that came on the hike.

Two cute friends.

The beautiful wildflowers.

Just a pretty picture of a pretty scene and a pretty girl.

In the background is the last lake, Lost Lake Slough.  This was near the end - such a beautiful and fun hike!  (Lucy's comment when she saw this picture:  "It looks like I'm falling asleep!")

And, yes, this is what happens when you don't listen to your mom when she tells you if you don't wear socks you will get a blister.  Aiyiyi.  I think next time we go hiking, she'll wear socks!

FHE Fashion Show!

Well Emmy and Lucy were in charge of FHE tonight and it was wonderful.  Emmy did an amazing job.  She re-taught the lesson they were all given by their Great-Aunt Marta while in Littleton last week.  Emmy typed out some stuff and conducted everything.  Jonas remarked, "I like it when the girls do FHE.  It's so funny!"  Yes, it was funny - but only in a cute, adorable way.

Anyways, after FHE we had a "fashion show."  I had taken the kids to a second-hand store and we bought bunches of stuff - mainly for the girls.  Ha.  I didn't even get pictures of their cutest "new" things, but whatevs.  Here are a few (or not so few) from our fashion show:

 Green is Groovy . . .

 I tried to "sharpen" this picture b/c it was quite unfocused.  Now it just looks a little weird.  But I wanted to show this as it captures Emmy's personality during the fashion show quite well.  :)

 Out of all of Lucy's adorable shirts and pretty dresses, this was her favorite "new" thing.  She looks awesome in it!

 Strutting out of the dressing room in her new shirts . . .

 Posing in some new leggings and a top.

 Yep, the boys even got in to it.  (We also had an "announcer" for each kid, using Emmy's microphone/karaoke player.  Jonas was pretty funny . . .)  I thought this shirt was pretty funny . . . "Nice to eat you."  Haha.

 Jonas coming down the walkway . . .

Last, but not least, Miles!

It was a very good and very fun FHE!

P.S.  Beside Emmy's legging and Lucy's shorts, none of the 'bottoms" were newly-bought items.  Just so ya know.  Jonas' red short-things?  Size 18-months.  Awesome.

Brigham's First Hike!

Yesterday morning we took the dogs out to the forest for a hike - although it was more like a walk through the woods.  It was this really pretty loop trail and was just the perfect place to take Brigham for his first little trek.

 He's so handsome and adorable!

 What a good looking group!

 Wilson and Brigham.  Notice how Wilson has a leash . . . and Brigham doesn't.  It's awesome - Brigham just wants to stay by us, so he would go and explore - but always close to us and never got out of sight.  Wilson, if off the leash, would go wherever his nose would lead him - without thought of where we are.  Of course Wilson is older now and probably wouldn't go too far nor too fast, but it was best to keep him reigned in.  :)

 Awwww, what a cute looking pup.  We ran in to an older man out with his 2 big dogs.  After telling the man our dogs' names, he asked if we were "Mormon."  Then he proceeded to tell us some joke about, "I don't care how you bring 'em, just Bring 'em Young."  Haha.  :)

 Wahooo, he loved it!

 But, by the end, both dogs were pretty tired.  Brigham kept finding shady place to lie down in.  :)

 Sorry, he's just so cute - I can't help but posting all these adorable pictures.

Lucy and Brigham.  (My sister asked what Lucy was wearing.  I told her to ask our mom.  This was something I took from her - maybe it was a wrap-around skirt?  Or some type of wrap-around dress? Maybe I'll have to scour my old photo albums to see if I can see my mom wearing this . . .  My girls have loved dressing up with it lately.)

A fun, little outing for our family!

Hahaha

In to the Wild Wednesday . . . to Telluride

Well I felt badly that the kids got home so late and then we had a full day planned for Wednesday.  But that's just how life sometimes works out . . .

We went up to Telluride and had a good and long day up there!

We went on a super-short hike (.25 mile) to this waterfall.  Though the hike was short, it was certainly super steep and super slippery due to all the loose rocks.  It was a little nuts in spots, but everyone did great.

 Tess and Emmy.

 Us.

 Most of the kids.  I think we are missing two.  A fun group!

 Silly kids.  :)

Oh it was slippery.  The kids would climb up the rocks - large and loose - and then have no idea how to get down.  Especially Lucy.  The other kids managed to slide down on their feet - in a low crouch.  Lucy wouldn't try that.  Instead she just cried for me to get her.  But where she was, it just wasn't possible for me - without falling.  So Lucy just fell and slid down and then I tried to grab her as she passed me and may or may not have slid half-way down the hill with her. . .

 Lucy and Lila on the gondola.

 Tess, Lila, and Lucy in the phone booth.  :)

 The kids just had to go on an elevator ride.  :)

We rode our bikes from the park to the gondola.  So fun (well after Lucy and I found Miles, Jonas, and Emmy - who had taken a wrong turn and gotten lost as they rode on ahead of us . . .) and so pretty.

Ben and kids in Littleton

Here are some pictures from their trip to Littleton:

One of their many stops - this is at Lake Dillon.  A great place for a lunch break!

On Sunday Ben and kids were able to go over to Ben's cousin's house.  There were a few other cousins there, plus some aunts and uncles that Ben doesn't get to see too often (plus Ben's folks, of course, and his brother's family).  It was fun evening for everyone, I think!

Monday was a visit to downtown Denver:

 This deserves mention.  This man is SALT and, according to him, he is already famous (Ben said, "We better get a picture of you so when you get famous . . ." SALT said, "I already am!"  Oh.)  Ben bought his music CD.  Funny stuff downtown.

Rolling down Grandma and Grandpa's hill is always fun!

That night Aunt Marta (to Ben, Great-Aunt Marta to my kids) came to Jim and Diana's home and presented a FHE for my family and Joe and Britt's.  It was great, per the reports from each of my kids!  In fact, they will give the FHE lesson to me next Monday.  :)

 Aunt Marta teaching all of our kids.  :)

 The kids had to do skits . . . . here is Sam and Emmy.

 Emma and Miles.

 Aunt Brittany and Lucy.

Uncle Joe and Jonas.

And those are all the pictures Ben took!  Tuesday was full of Ben and Emmy at Children's Hospital and the rest of the kids having fun at Joe and Britt's home.  They got home close to 11pm on Tuesday night.