Where's Tiger? and Dog vs. Tarantula

Last summer some nasty person dumped three kittens at the end of our street. Two of them decided they liked living under our deck so we fed them, got them their shots and gave them a home. Mercedes, with the help of her neighbor friends named them Tiger and Snowflake. Tiger was the typical "scaredy cat" while Snowflake just wanted to sit in your lap. They roam the hills behind our house and the only time we'd really see Tiger was at dinnertime. Every now and then we'd find a beheaded mouse or a huge grasshopper missing its legs, compliments of the kitty's. But we haven't seen Tiger in a week now. There are many perils in the hills; we had a rattlesnake in our backyard earlier this summer. Neico and I came across a coyote just a few hundred yards from our back door. And the last 2 nights we've come across very large tarantulas. We've also heard of mountain lions snatching peoples pets. Where are you Tiger? (the kitty on the left)


Here's Neico playing with the tarantula. I think Tiger could've taken the tarantula but I'm not so sure about the rattlesnakes or coyotes.

11 Years

When people ask Scott how long we've been married he says "Seven wonderful years." He omits the 3 chemo years. I guess now he can say 8 wonderful years. Our Anniversary was on Thursday (the 20th) which was the first day of school plus soccer practice that night. How did we end up with a 2nd Grader! I'm not one of those sobbing parents; I rejoice on the first day. No more, "I'm bored, there's nothing to do!" I'll give you something to do; go clean the bathroom. Plus I'm a big fan of learning but not so great at teaching.

Mercedes refused to get hot lunch last year and all she would eat in her cold lunch was a butter sandwich or a sour cream quesadilla. I did my best to pack other healthy snacks but she's a hard one to please. The second day of school was pizza day and she was happy to get hot lunch. Hooray!

Since we couldn't celebrate our Anniversary on the actual day we opted for Saturday night. We started the evening with trail running up to Stewart Falls which might have been a little easier if we hadn't already mountain biked 8 miles earlier in the day. We passed a family with 5 children under 6 years on our way up the trail; covered in dirt and a little whining but they seemed to be doing alright. On our way back down we came across them again; this time with lots of crying and obvious frustration from the parents. We offered to help carry children and they gladly accepted. Scott and I carried their 3 and 4 year olds the rest of the trail. They were all so exhausted already and they wouldn't have made it back to their car before dark at the pace they were going. The little boy kept asking to come to our house to see our dog and the girl wanted to know who my favorite princess was. I wondered how may people had passed them with annoyance at their crying children when all they needed was just a little help.

We finished the evening with dinner at Sundance; food always tastes better when you've just worked your body hard. Plus Sundance has fabulous food.

I'll remember this Anniversary!

Colorado Trip

The first day of our trip we spent at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Here's the girls on the gondola you have to take up the mountain just to get to the park itself. The purpose of the trip was for Scott and I to race in the MuddyBuddy but turning it into a family vacation made it that much more fun.



Outside a portion of the caverns. Not as big as Timp Cave but still pretty cool!

The girls loved the coaster. Aspen even fell asleep on it the last ride we did.

As well as the trampoline there was a 4-D theatre, a giant swing that sent you over the canyon, a sluice box where Mercedes panned for precious gems, a climbing wall, a maze, Bull-riding, and a speleo box which Mercedes took home bruise on her forehead from.

The next day we visited the Denver Nature and Science Museum. They had a really cool interactive exhibit called Expedition Health. We now know that Scott's armspan is the same as his height whereas I'm more like a primate with longer arms than my height. Lovely.

See the sign; especially for ages 5 and under. We had too much fun in that room. Aspen looks like shes protesting having her face shoved into the contraption.

The MuddyBuddy was a good time. Six miles of mountain biking and trail running with obstacles and lots of mud.

Me and my partner Julia coming out of the mud pit. Mercedes decided next year she'll do the Mini MuddyBuddy.

We stayed in Estes Park for a night and ran into a herd of about 20 Elk.

When we were in the caverns Aspen kept singing this song over and over with all the actions. I taped it but it was just too dark so here she is doing it on the bed in the room.

The biggest accomplishment of the trip was the end of the Lally (pacifier). I didn't give it to her the first night and she didn't ask; but the next morning she said "Mommy you forgot my LaLa!" I told her the Lally Fairy came to our house and took the lally's to the hospital to give all the babies. She's asked for it a couple of times and then wants to hear the story again but hasn't had any trouble with naps or bedtime!

Kids and Dogs

We (meaning I) am getting lots of good morning exercise with the addition of Neico. Every morning he and Aspen both get up around 6:15, so after we've all had breakfast we head out for a run/hike/walk while Mercedes is left sleeping. Our route consists of one of four directions; each with a different park as the destination. This morning we hiked (with Aspen in the baby pack) a mile and half one direction on the trail behind our house with Aspen singing her cute little songs in my ear and Neico sniffing everything that looks interesting. I keep promising myself that our religious morning exercise will slowly burn away the saddlebags that keep attaching themselves to my thighs. Yesterday we went to a park and Aspen suggested we play on the Harry Potter; huh? We straddled the teeter totter and Aspen began singing "Teeter totter, Harry Potter, wash your face in dirty water." So thats a Harry Potter!
Aspen, for the longest time, always insisted on wearing her purple shoes (Croc's; which I loathe, but are cute on kids) everywhere we went. Now she won't go anywhere without her yellow 'blip-blops'.

Scott decided to wear Neico out with Mercedes bike last night before an outing to Farm Country and then the new Ice Age movie.

Baby Boy Flygare

I gave in. How could I not after the allergist told my little girl not to pet or play with her cats anymore? She sat in the back of the car crying and then said she was so mad; mad that she can't play with her kitties and mad at Daddy that he gave her his allergies. I told her just be happy he only gave you HALF his allergies. Then I did the unthinkable; mentioned to a dog crazy husband that I'd been thinking that a dog might be good for our girls; hypothetically. I'd done a little research on breeds and so immediately he asked to show him what I'd found. Before I knew it we had appointments to see 4 different litters. What did I DO!

Meet Neico (nee - ko). A 9 week old male black tri Australian Shepherd. If we ever gave birth to a son Scott insisted we name him Neico; which I'm not all that fond of. I said here's your chance to have your boy named Neico. He's confident, smart, sticks to Mercedes like glue and cute as a button. He went rockclimbing with us the first day we had him and completely wore him out. He sleeps in Mercedes room in his crate and his first night didn't even make a peep until 5am (until guess who took him out to potty and play). Now I have that extra bit of motivation to get outside - or deal with a hyper, neurotic dog. He even looks a bit like our first mutt we adopted after we got married; we still miss you Chella!

Gardens

We took advantage of the nice weather to see the gardens at Thanksgiving Point while my Mom was in town.



Do they look anything alike?

Aspen had to smell every rose.

Lexie and her kids came with us too. Mom and Cortney helped a ton after my sinus surgery. Aspen and Mercedes had a cute new hairdo every day with Cortney there. Half the time I don't get their hair done until noon.

Why is it my 7 year old insists she's too tired to walk while my 2 year old just wants to run? They are so totally opposite in every way. Aspen can now open the fridge, the pantry and unlock every door and let herself outside. When Mercedes was her age we would just tell her not to do something and she wouldn't do it. We definitely have a mini-Scott on our hands.

Roller Coaster

No I'm not talking about the wind in your hair, tears streaming down your face, make your stomach turn with exhilaration roller coaster ride. I'm talking about the tears streaming down your face, make your stomach turn, pull your hair out EMOTIONAL roller coaster ride. Half our house is packed in boxes. After almost four months of unemployment, Scott got a job offer in Spokane. We took it. I quit my job. Mercedes cried telling her teacher and friends. We prayed - if it's not the right thing for our family, please throw up a road block. THREE days before Scott was supposed to leave for Spokane he got a call from a local company. TWO days before he was supposed to leave he got an offer. Mercedes sat down at dinner, looked at us and asked, "Are we moving or what!" ONE day before his departure he negotiated his requirements. THE DAY OF departure we called off the move.

I was totally in move mode. Looking forward to a house with a big yard, a pool just up the road, a landscape that felt like the northern Montana and Idaho of my childhood. We found a baby rattlesnake in our backyard a week ago. Perils of living on the mountain. I WOULDN'T miss that. I had to totally switch gears. And now I'm up at 3 in the morning feeling SO happy that we're staying in our home, Mercedes gets to keep her friends and her great school, we will be able reap the benefits of the garden (mmmm, beans, tomatoes, peas etc.) and all those other things that come with feeling settled. At least all those projects that Scott started and never finished finally got done. I'm no longer obligated to my job, although I will miss my clients and having the time for a good workout every morning. BUT, I can now play all summer with my kids. Season passes to Thanksgiving Point?, Seven Peaks?, swimming lessons?, gymnastics? we'll do it all!