Bike Lessons

As I said before Daniel loved, loved, loved bike riding. We all went at one point over 2.5 miles, which is long ride for a little guy. Luke and Ellie both rode in a seat or the bike trailer so it wasn't a strain for them. They were able to enjoy the wind in their face and watch the trees go past.

Side note: Ellie loves the wind in her face! Whenever we're in the truck and we roll down the windows she squeals in delight and kicks hands and feet trying beat back the wind. At first we thought maybe that meant she didn't like it, but when we rolled up the windows she just pointed to let us know she wanted it back down. So the wind in her face on the trip was exciting and fun for her!

Daniel and Luke loved riding their bikes around camp and Daniel had some good Daddy and Me time when everyone was taking a nap. Daddy took off the training wheels and helped him ride up and down the asphalt in front of our campsite. It was such a wonderful sight. It's these little life-markers that remind you time marches on and to be thankful everyday for the seemingly ordinary things that are blessings in disguise.

Luke racing around camp.

Daniel doing some "spinning" in place. (His back tire was high-centered because of the training wheels so he couldn't go anywhere, but rode really, really fast in place.)

First Camping Trip to Remember

This weekend we went camping with Grandma and Grandpa W. I was excited to expose the kids to all the fun experiences of camping like campfires, roasting marshmallows, cooking outside and sleeping in a tent. We did all of that and more.

That first night we put the boys in one tent and Ellie in the big section of our tent. (All the tents zip together so it's somewhat like little tunnels to get to the smaller side tents.) The boys kept asking what we were doing and could they have a drink and what this and that was shining in the tent. Ellie on the other hand was super quiet after being tucked in by her Daddy. Of course we thought, "Wow, this is really working out!" Then we went to sleep and she was sleeping on our sleeping bags so we went to move her and found our box of red vines in her hand, empty except for pieces that comprised maybe five whole licorices!!! We laughed and despite the missing licorice it was a great first night.

Here's Ellie with her favorite bedtime snack.

In the morning everyone woke up early and Grandpa and Daniel went for a bike ride. Eric took a little time to go fishing. When we all came back together guess what????? Eric had a fish! Even despite the VERY low water level, Eric managed to get a small mouth bass. Since the water level was so low the boys didn't get a chance to fish, but we stayed busy with many other activities.

Eric and his bass.

It was fun to catch these little guys. The boys could even pick them up.

Yup, that's a lizard and no, I did NOT touch one!

Bike riding was a favorite and especially for Daniel, but I'll save that for another post. The boys also made some friends from across the way and we played hide and seek, red light green light, Simon Says and tag. We went for ice cream since it was over 100 degrees and played in the water a bit. The last night despite the heat we had a campfire to roast marshmallows which everyone loved!

Daniel and Luke playing tag with their new friends.

Everyone in a seat by the campfire.

This is how close they really were though. :-)

Sunday morning tea and hot chocolate.

It was a great time to eat and talk together and plain just spend time away from everything. We ended up getting unbelievably dirty. Even Ellie, my girlie girl, did not mind but I did catch her cleaning up a spill she made. So sweet. In fact, Ellie was probably the one covered in the most dirt. We loved it all and it was a great first camping trip for the Luke and Ellie and one that Daniel might remember!

These used to be pink and white! Thankfully they're water shoes and we have Oxi-clean!

Can't you hear her thoughts? "Grandma, are you there?"

School Bus

Today the boys decided to play school bus since we've been doing Back-to-School activities. They love to be creative and the boys accommodated Ellie with her own pink blanket covered chair. :-) Can you see my seat?

Caped Crusaders

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's.....Superman! (And Batman) My Aunt Denise sent these wonderful capes for the boys to play the Caped Crusaders. (Thanks a million!) Daniel and Luke woke up to see them and immediately put them on and have been switching back and forth between Batman and Superman all morning. Daniel has informed me that "We are here to help you!" Hope you enjoy them as much as I have. :-)

Superman Luke

Superman Daniel

Circus Fun

This past weekend we spent with Grandma and Grandpa L. They took us to the circus and although we had great second row seats the kids all seemed to love the ones behind everyone higher up. Once the fireworks stopped going off (wow, they're noisy), the boys loved to laugh with Bello the clown and point at all the animals. Daniel loved the tigers and Luke said he liked the elephants, but when we got home that night both boys played all the circus animals while Grandma was the trainer or "talker" as Luke says. It was cute to watch. Although I do not have any pictures I did take this picture just before the boys went to sleep in their "cave."

For more pictures you can see Grandma's site at http://notsocandidcamera.blogspot.com/2007/08/fun-weekend.html

Go Broncos!

My Dad and I went to the Broncos vs. 49ers game Monday night. In case you all did not know the Broncos won 17 to 14. But as my Dad says,"In the pre-season it's like saying, 'My third string is better than your third string'." Still, it was a fun time to go on a Father/Daughter date and we cheered loud for our team! Go Broncos!

Look how close we can see! (Yes, it's a kick-off after scoring.)

Here's my "telephoto lens." (It's called binoculars.) :-)


Ok, this is how far we actually were, but I love being up where I can see the whole game and what's going on. We had a great time even with one guy saying constantly, "Go back to Denver where it snows." I kept thinking....ANYTIME! Too bad for him that the Broncos were leading most of the game, especially the end! :-) I love you my 49er family!

Ballerina

With two boys it has been fun to get dirty and play cars and trucks and all the things I never grew up knowing much about. I loved all those things, I just didn't play much with them. I lived around boys growing up and we climbed trees and played with squirt guns. I would make them play house every once in awhile and I would dress up some so I knew a little of the boy/girl mix but it was always that, a mix. Ellie I can say will learn the mix as well, but she's staking her claim as "girl world" and I love getting to be a part of it again. My aunt gave Ellie the cutest tutu and she now fits into it. I have a few pictures that showed her dancing to music. She also loves to tumble like the boys. Oh so cute!

My ballerina!

Oops!

Fish, Fish and More Fish

For the final segment of the backpacking blog I will leave you with a few fun trip facts and a slideshow with the currently available pictures.

- Total trip - 30 miles – 5 days on the trail
- Total fish by Eric – 52
- Largest fish by Eric – 16.5”
- Most fish from a single rock – 22
- Most fish caught by a single lure – 16 (Green Holographic Panther Martin)
- 67 fish (9”-13” Long) caught in a single lake in 3 hours by 3 people
- 8 fish cooked over campfire for the last dinner.
- Giving up the name of the 67 fish lake - Priceless


Post by Eric

Imitation

We have some good friends who have two girls one a little older than Daniel and one between Daniel and Luke's age. The girls both love my kids and especially Ellie, and being girls they sometimes want to play more than cars although they all seem to play many different things. Daniel and Luke have even been an audience for a ballet recital, but they also dance (as I said before, though, it's more like running in circles) in their own way.

Most of the time I didn't know that Ellie was paying any attention to the dancing. I've seen her run with the boys, but lately when she hears music she does more than act like a little hula girl and move her hips from side to side. Now, she puts up one arm and then the other. I couldn't figure out what she was doing until this last weekend when we were able to see our friends again. Both little girls really dote on Ellie and she in turn adores them both. I saw Cortnie dancing a few ballet steps and I've seen Audree do the same. I still had not figured out what this arm thing was for Ellie until I realized she was imitating the girls. Ellie is being a ballerina! If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Ellie is sincere in her flattery. :-) Ellie may love her brothers, but there's something about being with the girls that's special.

Backpacking Part Two

Apparently there's a lot of rock up there and they hiked above the tree line as well. I think I've only been above the treeline once and that was with Eric (funny how that is!)

On day two there were some change of plans due to unforeseen events and they ended up climbing this bowl unfortunately they had to climb in the rain, sleet, and then hail. No worries, Eric stayed Boy Scout dry and the guys all made it to camp, which was just on the other side of the ridge. Then out came the sun and dried up all the rain (can't you hear the itsy, bitsy spider song???) :-) (It's one of the kids favorites and did you know there are other verses to the song? But I'm digressing.)

That was the only real rain of the trip and Eric loves a challenge so he not only made the best of it, but seemed to enjoy it!

This is Eric halfway up taking shelter under a boulder. You can't tell in the picture but apparently it was raining pretty hard and hailing. They eventually had to keep going despite the rain and hail if they were going to make camp. As you can see Eric's smile is huge! Hiking is fun no matter what situation you're faced with. ;-)

Of course you'll have to hear the whole story and as it's longer than I have time to write, I'll let him tell the details since I'm sure he'd love to tell it. For now I'll just provide a few more pictures on the surroundings and I'll have to wait until next time to finish the story.

One night on the trail....(sounds like the beginning of a story I'd tell the boys. Who knows maybe Eric already has!) I remember seeing this moon from my stay with Eric's Mom and I wondered if he was seeing the same one. How fun Eric got this picture even many, many, many miles apart.