Mountain Memories

We were all lucky to have Grandma & Grandpa take the boys for eight days for some good ol' fashioned mountain fun.  They drove up to Parker on a Saturday to watch TJ's basketball game, then took the boys back home with them.  Mommy and Daddy drove down to Buena Vista to meet up with everyone that Wednesday.

While we were kid-free, we definitely missed them.  And, we took advantage of being kid-free -- we had a wonderful time with each other, and we had a blast hanging out with Frankie's friend from the Grand Junction days and his wife. While the boys were parent-free, they took full advantage of Grandma and Grandpa time.  Parks, milkshakes, toys, twinkies, you name it, they were spoiled with it.  One of their favorite outings was a trip to the fish hatchery.  TJ loved learning about stocking the rivers and lakes for Grandpa & Uncle Carl to fish for them, and they enjoyed feeding time.

Wednesday, Uncle Dave and Aunt Judy stopped in BV for a quick visit on their way back to Missouri.  We absolutely loved spending time with them.  They hadn't seen TJ since he was three months old, and they'd never met Frankie, so it was a very special time, even though it was a short time.

After UD & AJ drove off, Mommy, Daddy and the boys headed to the Sangre di Cristo mountains and the J. Kyle Braid Leadership Ranch.  The JKB foundation holds a special place in Mommy's life.  She was lucky to be a scholarship recipient to spend a life-changing week at the ranch in 1997.  Two years later, after graduation high school, she worked there for a summer, solidifying her belief in the work Ken & Colleen Braid are doing in honor of their son, Kyle.  Now, 20 years after Kyle's suicide, the Braids are honoring him in another way, and they are selling the ranch.  We were so lucky to spend the afternoon at the ranch.  The boys had a great time, and Mommy was flooded with wonderful memories.  As we drove away, TJ said, "I want to get a lot of money and earn the ranch before it is sold to someone else." 

We wrapped up our week just relaxing and hanging out at the house.  Frankie finally got his first haircut -- Mommy had put it off for far too long because she just couldn't part with those crazy curls.  Luckily, we went to cousin Amy's salon, and she left a few curly q's behind!  He did a great job -- as long as he was sitting on Grandma's lap with a sucker in his mouth!  He may not have crazy hair anymore, but he's still my crazy boy!

We headed back up to Parker in time for TJ's last basketball game of the season.  It was so amazing to watch TJ's growth from his first week, to his fifth.  He became more confident, improved his skills and had the most wonderful time.  It was wonderful to watch him having so much fun out on the court.  He was a excellent defensive player -- often playing man-to-man when he was on offense, but hey, that kid was NOT going to get the ball!  The last game, all the parents made a tunnel for the kids... their teams were announced as music blared, then they ran through a fog machine, a break-away banner and through the parent tunnel.  It was so great!!

The summer is winding down.  The boys have their fall doctor's checkups tomorrow, and TJ begins Junior Kindergarten next Monday, so stayed tuned for some more updates!

Fun in the Sun

It's difficult to believe July is almost over!  We've had so much fun this past month, we've rarely had a day to relax at home.

July 4th weekend was spent at Grandpa & Grandma's house in Buena Vista.  It started with a parade, with lots and lots of candy!!!  After snagging more sweets than at Halloween, we visited with Uncle Carl, Aunt Jane and cousin Matt before heading back over to G&P's for some quiet time.  Dinner was spent at Quincy's with Prime Rib and Mac 'n Cheese enjoyed by all!  Baby Frankie ended up  falling asleep before dusk, and TJ was too tired for fireworks, so Mommy, Daddy and Grandma walked to the trail in the neighborhood to see the show from the fairgrounds. 

The next morning, the TJ, Daddy, Grandma and Pa got up dark and early to hit the lake for some fishing.  TJ was a big helper, and they all had a great time.  TJ had fun casting his line and reeling it in, before his fishing pole took a dunk in the lake.  Mommy & Frankie II joined everyone on the boat a few hours later, and the fun continued.

We wrapped up the weekend with a little Reno family tradition - feeding the chipmunks at St. Elmo.  It was both Frankies' first time, but TJ was a pro.  Baby Frankie had more fun throwing the seeds at the chipmunks, and Daddy was a little weirded out by the whole thing!!!

Since we've been back, Saturdays in July have been busy with gymnastics, basketball and birthday parties.  TJ continues to excel at gymnastics, and he really likes his coach.  He's also returned to the b-ball court, although the setup is a lot different than Hoopster Tots in San Francisco.  Because of that, TJ was a little overwhelmed his first practice & game, and it was rough, to say the least.  But this week, he really came out of his shell.  He did great during the dribbling and passing drills, and when he got the ball in the game -- he went into turbo mode!  He was dribbling and running all around, at top speed, and with a smile on his face!  It was great to see.  TJ also got some good passes in, and was awarded one of two medals after the game.  The look on his face was priceless.

The boys enjoyed celebrating Clara's third birthday last week, and TJ's best buddy Jack's fifth birthday this weekend.  It was a beach party, with lots of water fights, a bounce house and a great time.  They also had a fun visit from Aunt G this week, and it's safe to say, both boys wore her out!

Home Sweet Home

Yesterday, at lunch, TJ looked up from his plate of mac n' cheese and said, "Ahhhhh, Home sweet home."  It's true.  After three months of craziness, Parker is once again feeling like home.  The boys have settled into school, and we're all staying very active -- TJ's in gymnastics, a theater group called RatCo (Random Acts of Theater Company), and he's getting ready to start basketball in a few weeks.  Both boys were able to take part in the Parker Days Parade and represent their school.  Grandma and Grandpa were there to wave as the float went by.  And TJ took the stage with RatCo and performed at Parker Days on a Saturday afternoon. Cousins Ross & Carole were in town from NYC, and we had a great time catching up with them! TJ did an amazing job in front of the crowd -- his favorite routine, of course, was "What Does a Fox Say?" 

Since we live just a block from the main town park as well as main street, where all the action was, the boys spent all four days at the festival.  TJ couldn't get enough of the carnival -- he rode rides every night.  He even got Aunt G and Grandpa on the giant slide -- although he had no problem going down it the first time by himself!  Saturday night, we didn't leave until almost 11.  That night, TJ had a great time hanging with his best buddy Jack, and Frankie even got to sneak on a ride.  We spent Father's Day back at the festival... finishing up unused tickets and finding the pony rides and bounce houses!  It was a fun-packed family weekend, and we loved every minute of it!

Frankie has started working as a Special Projects Producer at Dish Network.  The company puts on a summer concert every year, with free beer, food, prizes and games for kids.  This year, it was capped off with a 90 minute performance by the Eli Young Band.  The boys had a great time raiding the ice cream truck, but apparently, the concert wasn't too loud to put TJ to sleep!  Frankie, on the other hand, would rather mingle with the crowd instead of sit and enjoy the music!

We capped off this weekend with some gymnastics, a fun games and movie night with our RatCo friends, playing outside and just enjoying quality time as a family.