Colorado Summer

I was skeptical that I would enjoy this summer without the beach a block away (or at least in the same state?). The beach has always been so easy, my standby summer day... but the kids and I have been loving the summer in Colorado. We have spent a lot of days at the pool with swim lessons for Owen, and on the off weeks we have found some great things to do while the weather is hot. We love the botanic gardens with the children's creek, the farmers market (with Peet's close enough to grab a coffee), the park, and sitting on our front porch enjoying the shade and some popsicles.

The highlights of this summer have definitely been our time enjoying the mountains.

We spent a weekend in Breckenridge, absolute heaven. The weather was perfect, gorgeous aspen trees everywhere, a perfect little park and downtown (with a starbucks close enough to grab coffee.. I see a theme), and some needed family time. (Mark's in a suit because it was a work trip for him... the only bummer.)

I loved watching this boy play. He is super into pirates... sticks are swords, the play structure was a pirate ship, and he wears his hat backwards because its a pirate hat.

Love you little man.

Our date at Starbucks.

We also discovered the Rocky Mountain National Forest.

Completely amazing.

Love this girl.

My best friend Jonne came to visit with her kids... these were my favorite two weeks in Colorado hands down. Our boys LOVE each other, they are both SPIRITED little guys, and they feed off each other in such a fun way. We enjoyed so many amazing outings with them, just loving being together.

The sweet little darlings on our stroller walk through the park.

Owen and Ryder enjoying a HUGE chocolate chip cookie from our local spot.

Miss her.

How precious is this goodbye?

California Visit

We enjoyed 2 full weeks in California this past July visiting family in friends over the holiday.

The kids were in heaven. We tried to make the most of the two weeks with long days at the beach, daily outings and visits with different friends, and lots of parties.

While we were in Newport had to do something touristy, as we are technically tourists in our home towns these days. We hit the pier and the island for a ride on the ferry, some Rubys, and Balboa bars. Peyton was loving her time with Gramps...

And Stella and Peytee enjoyed their dinner out. Dueling sippy contests.

These girls are ridiculously cute together.

Owen loved being back in California with his family and friends. He is such a people person... he really misses his family and friends and he prays for most of them daily. Owen thrived on all of the attention and action while we were in California. One of his favorite days was getting crazy with his little friends on this water slide. He must have gone down this thing 100 times. Loved watching this boy.

We miss you California.

Everything about you.

Little Sunshine

Peyton is one. Happy Birthday, baby girl. In this year filled with lots of blessing, lots of change and lots of loss... Peyton, you were my constant. Always filling my heart with joy and peace, your life and presence in my everyday has flooded my world with sunshine. Peyton, you exude stregnth and calm, wrapped in a package of joy. This year you have been by my side at almost every moment, weather in the sling, in a bjorn, or at my hip... and somehow your presence there grounds me, reminding me that my life is part of a bigger story, that my everyday matters, that God loves me because I am his child.

To celebrate this huge milestone, for both you and I, I threw you a lemonade and sunshine party... girly and sweet. It was our first party here in Denver, and it was fun to celebrate with some new friends. No boys allowed, just some good girl time to relax, sip on some lemonade, and eat some girly treats.

Happy Cakes. Strawberry lemonade, pina colada, and lemon cupcakes.

Tea party table for the littles. Peyton loves her new teapot... she takes the cover on and off, on and off.

Dad's Night.

My favorite thing aobut Mark and how he fathers our children is that he is 100% on once he gets home. No phone, no computer, just being with the kids, playing, and helping me around the house. He is an incredible dad, and my children loooove him so much.

This weekend we celebrated Mark and let him choose where to go and what to do. It was Dad's night. Of course, he chose the oldest burger/beer joint around...

We finished off the night with one of our favorite ice cream places...

and a crazy hail storm!

Love you Bub.

Our kids are beyond blessed to have you as their dad.

Denver Life

Settling in to life in Denver...

We have been living in Colorado almost 4 months. We still miss so much about California... all of our loved ones, grandparents, the beach, my mamas group, Bear Flag, everything about Corona del Mar, Cafe R + D, Sunday dinners at my dad's, the fellas, everything.... but we are finding our way in Colorado. We love our neighborhood, especially now that all of the trees are full, its gorgeous. We have some great neighbors with kids the same age as ours. A bunch of us enjoyed an adults night together with dinner and some games (Saukkolas took home the winnings!).

Mark and I also got out and saw a Rockies game with some friends. So fun. As Mark would say, Colorado does professional sports right.
After the game group shot.

Confession: I didn't watch one play... at the end of the game I didn't even know if the Rockies won or not. I did enjoy a beer and a hot dog, and lots of great time chatting with the girls.

Our house is great. We are definitely still settling it in, and every week we try to tackle small projects that make it feel more like home. Mark has done wonders with the grass, Peyton gives him moral support.

We planted flowers around the yard... and are attempting to keep them alive. Owen loved helping us plant, he got out all of his sand toys and used them in the soil. He keeps asking us if we can plant more.

Since we cant go to the beach everyday, we brought the beach to our backyard. One of our kids loves this plastic paradise, the other doesn't...sorry Peytee.

Owen is in swim classes with some friends. I love watching him learn to swim... its precious. Although he is very afraid of going under water, he goes for it. Im amazed at what his swim teacher, miss Kendal, is getting him to do. He LOVES her. He bobs under water, he jumps in toward her, he is blowing bubbles, and having a great time. I love his blue goggles.

He loves his blue goggles too.

Our Peyton turned 1 this week. She brings us so much joy... a burst of sunshine into our lives. She loves clapping, she says baba and dada (and mama when she is sad), she can stand on her own and took two steps two days after her birthday... otherwise she still seems so much like a baby to me and I dont want that to change. Our Peytee girl is the sweetest.

Mauna Kea Part 2

In keeping with the

"our baby just turned one and we desperately need some time away, ALONE" vacation tradition...

our pictures are few, and very blurry...

we were toasted after Peyton's first year and moving out of state. We got away for 4 glorious days and All we did is relax. I read "The Help" (amazing.) in three days, we sat and watched the ocean, we worked out, we ate so many amazing meals... and just enjoyed being together.

We LOVE that beach.

Clam bake.

Mark golfed and hit at the driving range everyday.

And what were our kids doing while we were gone?

Loving every second of staying with Bella and Papa.

Lost in Play

One of those rare, beautiful moments...

I walked in on both of my children playing, so into their own world, completely unaware that I was even there.

They love to play side by side...

and sometimes together, but the side by side works better.