Up Riding with the Big Kids Now!

Some weeks back Ross and I worked at getting him up on his bike and riding on his own. Honestly, it didn't take a whole lot on my part. He was ready and very motivated. One, he wanted to ride like the big kids and two he wanted to go to McDonalds to celebrate. It is our tradition that when one of the kids can start and stop by themselves on their bikes we go to McDonalds for celebration! Ross enjoys his new skill and was out riding around with the kids. He learned just in time because the town close to us built a very large park for wheeled toys and we were there with friends for 2 1/2 hours Friday afternoon. Ross didn't get to go that time but we're hoping to take him too soon. Gabriel and Annalina had a blast. Ross had to miss out due to attitude problems. :-) We all missed him and I can't wait till he can try it out!

The Aspen Gold is Here

A place that seems to be becoming "our spot" to go.
Beautiful and relaxing!

The kids and Daddy started a shelter but have more work to go. Gabriel is anxious to get back and work on it again.

Carson excited to get out and collect Aspen leaves for a fall craft project (well, he doesn't know they are for a craft project!).

We took a mini hike before we just hung out.

I am laying in my room and can look out the window at the BEAUTIFUL Aspen that put splashes of gold over the mountains. Love it! Yesterday was a super Saturday. We took the kids to "our spot" which it seems to be coming for the kids to collect Aspen leaves for a fall art project and then to just run around and have fun. The leaves were beautiful, the weather was typical Colorado beautiful and so it was a beautiful day!

Then in the afternoon Daddy took Gabriel, Annalina, and Ross out elk scouting. They really had an adventure and found an elk leg bone with the fur still on it (they found this especially noteworthy and exciting), they also found a teepee and another shelter which others thought had been built by boy scouts. They had so much fun hiking around and exploring.

Gabriel's Glo

Gabriel LOVES the idea of hunting and was so excited to go when we were in Colorado. After we got here we kept finding out different ages, etc. and it was conflicting but Babe found out officially that Gabriel is in fact old enough to take the hunter's safety course and to then small game hunt! Daddy talked to Gabriel on the phone today and told him he would be taking a hunter's safety course with him this weekend!!! Gabriel was just glowing after the news!!!! Soon he can small game hunt with daddy but he knows he can only hang out with Daddy during Elk hunting season. Gabriel has a friend a few years older than him that has been passing down his hunting clothes that don't fit anymore! He's enjoyed that and we really won't have to get him much now.

Gabriel is looking forward to most of the weekend being spent with Daddy and then knowing that now they can go out hunting too! His friend told him if you get a coyote that you can take it down to the airforce base and that they would pay you for the hide and then they use it for soldiers coats in the war in cold climates. This excited Gabriel. He told me the ministry he wanted to put the money towards and of course thought it so neat that the hides would go to help soldiers! I am not sure how accurate this is so we need to check it out but if correct it does sound really neat!

I loved seeing his dreams come true and earlier than he thought! I've been praying Babe will get an elk when they go out because I know that would be huge to Gabriel! We'll see.

Ross's 5th Birthday

Ross has really looked forward to turning 5! It seems to have been a big number to him in his mind. Anyway, he wanted a vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting and war stuff on top for his cake. Gabriel and I went shopping at Walmart and found some small Lego kits that we thought might fit and Gabriel assembled them for the top of the cake. Ross and I worked a LONG time making his from scratch cake. It took longer partially because I goofed at the beginning and that added time. We had a great time though. I did my research as to baking at this altitude because the ladies up here really talk about how difficult it is to bake. I told Ross that and that he should pray it would turn out since this was my first time attempting it. Boy did he pray. At different times I saw him with his head bowed, eyes closed, and hands folding praying that the cake would work. The cake turned out AMAZINGLY well, in fact, you wouldn't even know there was an issue to overcome! Ross said a few times "God didn't just answer my prayer, He REALLY answered it!!" Ross was quite proud of the fact that his cake and icing in total had 4 sticks of butter in it!!! Yep, it was very rich and yummy even with green frosting!

He enjoyed his presents and had fun playing with them. He also really enjoyed the birthday dinner he picked out which was Daddy's cheeseburgers. He is sure to tell people "they are the best" and they are!

Unfortunately, I only have pictures of the day on a disposable camera since we are in need of accesories for our camera to make it work. They should be here soon.

Naval Postgraduate School Graduation

This is a back post since the took place in June but I want it down in my memories! Graduation day was a day I had looked forward to since the day we moved to Monterey! I was so excited to attend the festivities! The kids were happy Daddy was graduating and Gabriel, Annalina, and I were excited to watch him cross the stage and graduate. Grandpa J took Ross and Carson to the child room where there was a BIG screen up to watch the ceremony and those 3 had fun too. Babe was wearing my favorite Navy uniform, his dress whites. LOVE HIM IN THEM! :-) Unfortunately, they didn't have the graduates wear their hats. Anyway we had a GREAT time and it made it all the more special that my Dad came to help us celebrate. The kids had been waiting and waiting for Daddy to be done with the thesis and it was great to see the culmination of all the hard work and craziness! We're so proud of you Babe! This was a dream come true for him. He was called by someone to continue advanced education but NO WAY not right now maybe down the road but we had our fill of academics for awhile. I had new respect for my mom who made it through 4 masters degrees and 2 doctorates with my dad! Mom you are super woman!

Saturday Hike

Before we moved here we decided that it was going to be our routine as much as is possible to go for a hike every Saturday just as it is our routine to get doughnuts on Saturday morning. We've missed a couple of Saturday's but we're doing pretty well. We had a super time today and the scenery was so beautiful! We went to a place called Garden of the Gods open area so it is not part of the park. The hike started off at about 93 degrees and ended at about 80 degrees which was PERFECT!! Gabriel was enjoying using his compass and keeping track of our direction. Annalina enjoyed journeling what we saw. Ross I was very impressed with how well he kept up for having short legs! And Carson ended up falling asleep on my back. We all enjoyed the scenery and the adventure of it all. A lizard was out and a bunny rabbit and we even made it to the van before getting caught in an afternoon storm! And if that wasn't enough activity the kids came back and played for hours with the neighbor kids and had a ball. Babe and I painted in Annalina's room which was something we'd had on our To-Do list for awhile. It was a good Saturday.

Tucked Away in My Heart

Ross and Carson playing King. I could not help but laugh inside myself that this would end up the Divided Kingdom! They love each other dearly but at some point Ross is going to push the wrong button! :-)

My Ross Story: Last night I was sitting in the boys room waiting for Carson to go to sleep and Ross was talking to me a fair amount. At one point he said "Your the best lady I love in all the world. I'm a jokester but I am not joking about that" . . . "Do you know what I love about you?" I said something to the effect of "No, what is it". I was quite curious what he was going to say. he replied "That your caring."

My Carson Story: Carson is just not a talker but slowly, slowly I see his progress. Babe calls him a "gear head" sometimes because his interests are in things with motors and wheels! He LOVED going to the car lot with Daddy and looking at cars and even picked one particular car and would say "mine". Anyway, lately, he has started bowing his head before he eats and praying. He babbles unintelligible words but every so often he'll say "Baby" which is what he calls himself. Then when he is done praying he says "A" for Amen. I LOVE watching this. I looked forward to the day he chooses Jesus.

My Annalina Story: Carson was crawling around growling the other day and Annalina walked up and put his cheeks in her hands and sweetly said "Hi, Tiger!" Needless to say he loves his sissy. The other day while we had visitors Annalina walked up from time in the basement playing and he ran and gave her a big bear hug.