August 27, 2012

Summer is over, school is starting....

Summer has ended for us!  The kids started school Tuesday August 21st.  Zachary was very excited about starting 4th grade and he has a male teacher! Christina was very uneasy about being in a new school and starting 2nd grade.  We prepared everything the night before, got clothes out, lunches made, backpacks packed up with school supplies. We got up EARLY.... our school starts at 7:30am (back in Houston we started at 8:45), had breakfast, got dressed and took some pictures.  Christina was still not so sure about going, but trying to hide the fact she was nervous.  Zachary was ready to go by 7:00!   We only live about 3 minutes from the school, so I knew we didn't need to leave at 7:00 haha!  We got to school and I walked them in, we didn't get a tour or meet the teacher or anything so we didn't really know where to go.  We followed the other kids and parents into a big open room towards the back of the school, all the kids dropped their backpacks and ran out a side door.  The three of us stood there not sure where to go. No teachers where in the classrooms, and of course the only staff member I know is the principal.  FINALLY a face we knew-Dr. Marchino walked in, he told us they start the mornings outside playing and pointed out where to put their stuff.  The kids faces lit up, they threw their backpacks where they were told to put them and they were GONE!  When I picked them up I asked how their day was, both with huge smiles - WE GET THREE RECESSES!!! They both like their teachers and had a great time.  Zachary gets to help put the US and Colorado Flags up in the mornings and take them down in the afternoon.  I was a little nervous at how they would adjust because our old school had over 900 students and countless staff, here we have around 170 students and 20 staff members.  Their first week went very well.  Christina had an issue with a metal pole in the learning garden that resulted in her first black eye.  She is fine and it has already gone away.  I have to say my favorite thing about the new school is on friday they get out 1 1/2 hours early!  I miss my kiddos during the day.  It has been an adjustment for me!  I went from working full time to being at home with them full time to them being gone!  I have adjusted well!  My house is clean and laundry is done and shopping is finished.  When they get home from school and Kenneth from work it's family time!

Tomorrow night is open house - which includes a pot luck dinner!  This is a little strange for us and nothing that ever happened in Cy-Fair!  I will let you know how it goes!

Another sign that summer is over for us is the weather! We have been in the 70's during the day (although today we got to 82) and upper 40's lower 50's at night! We are ready to start to see the fall colors.  Coming from a place that only has one real season-SUMMER- we are excited about seeing the yellows, oranges and reds in the trees!  We did go up into the mountains yesterday and some of the trees have started the change.  By mid September we should have fall in full swing!  I can not wait!

This coming weekend is a 3 day weekend.  Not sure what we are going to do.  The school is having a roller skating party in the gym - they do this the 1st and 3rd saturday of every month.  So we may check that out!  We hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend with their family and friends!

Love you all!

Her first black eye! The story that goes with it is pretty boring though :)

Our handsome 4th grader! 

Our beautiful 2nd grader!

Where has the time gone!
Seems like yesterday they were just babies!

August 12, 2012

Random adventures....

It's been a while and we really have not done anything exciting since I lasted posted!  Kenneth was off all week in the end of the July beginning of August.  It was wonderful having him at home! We hung out around the house, went on a few trails, went into town and walked around downtown.  We start school soon and the kids are excited (Christina is nervous), we have finished school supply shopping, now we just have to finish clothing shopping.  That task is harder than I thought, I know the weather will soon be getting cold so I don't want to spend a bunch on summer clothes but that is all the stores have out.  Guess we will buy a little now and then more when the seasons change.

On a trail up near Silverton, CO - we had to wait about
10 minutes for all the sheep to get out of the way so we could pass.

This is my laptop.  I have been collecting stickers from the
places / trails we have been while on our adventures!

This is the view from the top of the mountains near our house!
I love having the jeep and being able to go places not everyone can go. 

This is Buckley Park in Downtown Durango.
 In the winter this is where we take the kids sledding.
Christina wanted to stop and take a picture on the
bench that looked like the mountains! 

July 23, 2012

Changes, Storms, lightening and more trails....

This past Friday we found our dog Bella a new home.  She needed a better place than we could provide for her.  We listed her on our local craigslist and found a great home. A man in NM wanted her, so we loaded up a tearful Christina and Zachary and drove to meet him.  Bella took a few min to warm up to him, and then gave us the saddest eyes ever as we got into the car and drove away.  My heart broke, but I know she is much better there. He texted me later in the evening telling me how good she did at the store, and his roommates just love her.  He was very sweet - telling me anytime we want to see pictures of her just text him and he will send me some.  Lucy looked for her when we came back home, but has since been great.  It has really changed the dynamic of our house.  

Being out in the middle of nowhere really lets you see the storms roll in.  The other night we started to go for our nightly walk/jog but after about 1/2 mile it got really dark and the lightening started in the distance.  So we turned around and walked quickly back to the house! Kenneth grabbed the camera and started shooting.  He got some great shots from standing on our front porch!

Just as the storm started to come in

Lightening way off in the distance

Looks almost like a tornado cloud but it wasn't

Lightening up in the clouds, looks so cool 

Awesome!

Yikes!

So cool!

With the time lapse you can see the cars driving down the highway in front of the house. 

Lightening was up in the clouds!  

Saturday we met up with a friend of Kenneth's who also recently moved to Colorado and hit some trails.  It was fun to have someone else riding the trails with us, and Todd is great at spotting and picking the best lines.  While waiting at "the wall" (there was a group of Toyota FJ's in front of us that took FOREVER), we met up with another couple that had just bought a 2012 Rubicon 3 days earlier.  The husband was all ready to break in the jeep, his wife was not so excited.  Kenneth and Todd spotted him and he went up the wall, she stood by me and cracked me up the whole time!  They ended up riding alone with us for more fun!  The bailed when the weather turned dark and they didn't have their doors with them.  As we drove farther into the mountains it started to hail, and hail and hail!  Soon all the mountain tops were covered in white!  It was really awesome to see. One minute everything was green and lush and then it was all covered in white!  We all felt really sorry for the other couple we had met because there was no way they made it to shelter before the storm hit.  The hail was so loud on the top of the jeep, I can't imagine the pain as it hit them driving! 

Kenneth's friend Todd going up "The Wall" 

He made it look super easy 

Kenneth getting ready to start "The Wall"

Todd is great at picking out the perfect line!
Kenneth went right up with no problems!

Great Job Babe!

Brad in his brand new - 3 day old Rubicon

Just another part of the trail

Apparently the kids where screaming inside!  I was taking all the pictures!

I just thought this little stream was so pretty! 

Clouds are rolling in

This looks like a Jeep Ad,
I took it of the couple that we met on the trails

Hail Storm- It was so LOUD!

10 min earlier this hill was solid green grass, now its all white

An old mine!  They are so cool! 

Making our way up the trail behind our friend Todd

If you zoom in you can see little tan dots, those are hundreds of sheep on the side of this mountain

So pretty!  The views from these passes are amazing!

Ending a great day on the trails.  We had so much fun!
Can't wait to go out again!

Over the last two days my family has been emptying out my grandmother's house before the closing next week.  While I wish I could help out, I am really kind of glad I have not been there.  I miss her more than I could ever imagine.  My heart aches anytime I think of her.  I know that she is watching us from above and is excited about what we are up to.  I'd give anything to call her and hear her voice again!  

I hope that you all have a wonderful week!