Christmas in Colorado

We had a rockin time this Christmas.  On the 21st, we headed out the Colorado with a schlew of family to the ranch! My hubby's family came from South Africa to celebrate winter and a white Christmas (a first for most of them). It was such a wonderful time! Despite us all getting sick while we were there, we managed to buck up and have fun.  

Henry built his very own Gingerbread house!

Devils Thumb Ranch, Gingerbread House

 Pearl Street Mall in Boulder

Baby outing in her hot pink Patagonia bunting!

Stockings were hung by the chimney with care.
*note the milk and cookies

Christmas morning!  

Baby girl made it to the presents!

Winter wonderland - Sky Valley Ranch

Christmas Dinner

Silly times with cousin Laurel

Departing the ranch.  See you in the summer!

The Count Down!

We are officially departing in 9 DAYS. Yes, NINE days, oh, 9! Oh hell. If you could really see my house now.....


Hmmm, got some work to do don't ya think?


What's up with the tent your wondering? As we dig
things out of the basement, Henry has found some 'new' toys to play with!


What have we have been doing all this time since my last post about getting organized for a move (which I did do..but did not complete). You see we've been doing a lot of this:


Swimming and eating by the pool!



More eating and outdoor fun!



Eating more and playing with friends (who we will miss incredibly)


Our summer thus far has been loads of fun! And we are doing what we can to squeeze in the bit that we can before we leave in NINE days!
Starting to really feel mixed emotions. Life in DC will be fantastic as we have family and many close friends there. I can't wait to settle into my new job and get into the rhythm of life there!
And I can't help and feel some sadness too as we are leaving some of our most favorite people and places. We WILL be back to visit!

Come the 31st we will head out on our THREE day road trip!

Long weekend over, a new begins

I hope you had a lovely long Memorial day/weekend whether your flags were a flyin high or you had an epic barbecue or pool party with your family and friends. Perhaps you took on this weekend to kick off the summer by heading to the beach for the weekend? We managed to hightail it outta Boulder for three nights to the family ranch. Despite the fact that it was raining, we had a wonderful time (in the mud).

Thank goodness for the frog wellipets (his boots)!

This child LOVES mud and rocks.

Mud, dirt and lightening = BOY HEAVEN

Henry's addiction continues to be Lightening McQueen (oh and let's NOT forget Thomas the train too)...the one in the pic is actually a bubble bath container. He saw it at Tarjay (Target) and HAD to have it. Immediately I took out the bath gel as it not only smelled disgusting, but I did not want to have bubble bath gel all over the house. Hen has taken the back left wheel off (can't see here in the pic). He likes this as it simulates the part in the beginning of the 'Cars' movie where Lightening looses his wheels (they explode as he has ridden around the track numerous times without changing them). Needless to say, Hen loves destroying his cars. He has taken most of the wheels and tires off of his vehicles (remind me to upload a pic of Henry's collection of wheels/tires). We have collected all of them and put them away for a later time when he hits the stage where he'll want to 'fix' all his cars (clever mama).

Needless to say...We are now entering 'toddler defiancy stage.'
Mmm.., loving it (nothing a marguerita can't solve)!

Bring it ON!

Alrighty! Am back to the blogging program here! We had a BLAST in SD, it was too short and a bit of a whirlwind. Here are a few more pics of Henry and Norah hamming it up at the beach in La Jolla, one of my fave places.


Posing for the camera!


A little bit model and a little bit 'cheese!'

Once we arrived to the beach, Henry could not get out of the car fast enough..."Beach, beach" he cried out loud. "BEACH!" We scurried down the sand dune and quickly threw our stuff down. Henry nearly threw himself right into the ocean. Had I not been holding his arm with my death grip, my child would have been adopted by a family of dolphins. Did I mention he doesn't swim? He surely thinks he can! Not only is he fearless of the water, but he doesn't mind the ice cold freezing temps of the pacific ocean. I'm really amazed his lips didn't turn the color purple!
It was a warm gorgeous sunny day and we had fun fun fun!
We are looking forward to our return trip in June when Norah has her first communion. Which I am hoping for like a two week adventure.
Had Dean daddy been there with us, I am sure we would have figured out a way to stay for a few more days but we were missing him! I managed to do as much of the 'to see' and 'to do's' but we backed out of Sea World. A bit bummed about that for Hen's sake as I know he would have loved it. We boarded the plane and called Dean to let him know that we were on the plane. He mentioned that we might not want to get on it as the weather in Denver was ICKY! Yes, snow, rain and slosh. Oh I nearly got off. Despite the plock weather we were having in Colorado, it only lasted 48 hours and my grass is now a beautiful green. Sunday was a stunning warm day! As I sipped on strawberry lemonade vodka's on the deck of my friends house, it was hard to believe that the day before we were cold and bundled in our coats! Silly weather we have here in Colorado. Forecast for this week, GORG...bring it on!

FALL in love with Colorado

Ok, FALL is one of the most stunning times of year here in Colorado. At the end of Sept. beginning of October the aspen trees turn the most magnificent shades of bright yellow and gold! A few days ago we took a late morning drive up near Sugar Loaf mtn. to a lovely trail/dirt road called the Switzerland trail. The honey husband rode his mountain bike last weekend on this trail and wanted to take us on it (although we were in the Rover, going bumpidy bumpidy bump). It was GORGEOUS. The picture above was taken on the road to Gold Hill, a cute little mountain town not far from the city of Boulder, from Peak to Peak hwy. We stopped at the General Store in the o'l mining town and bought ourselves a little lunch. We had home made chicken pie and killer gluten-free apple and strawberry pie (for me). It was yummy!