Potty?

We are in full potty training mode. We started Saturday with a full day at home, Casey hanging out in undies. She did great on Saturday, no accidents, but mostly because I made her go to the potty constantly. Sunday, went well too. Casey even wore undies out to dinner. In the middle of dinner she announced, "I DON'T have to go potty!" So I took her and she definitely DID have to go.

Monday, she had 3 accidents in her undies. Her friend Rowan was over, so Casey was more interested in playing then going to the potty. At one point, I walked downstairs and smelled "something." I said, "Who pooped." Casey immediately and excitedly volunteered, "I did!" And yes she did!

She still has yet to go poop in the potty, and she still wears pull ups to bed. Hoping as the week goes on, she'll get better and better.

Casey wants to say congrats to fellow potty training cousin Jack on his hard work this weekend learning to use the potty.

Enjoy the pix.

Casey and Stan built a Daddy snowman, while I was out snowboarding! Frisco helped too.

They also built a Mommy snowman and a baby snowman.

Casey and Rowan chased each other around the house yelling, "I'm Minnie Mouse!" "I'm Tinkerbell!"

Santa Baby

Santa spoiled us this year! We had a great Christmas on the East Coast. Our road trip took us from CO to VA by way of Hot Springs, Arkansas to visit Hot Springs National Park and the old bath houses and then a quick stop at Elvis's home, Graceland.

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in Roanoke with Gramma Lois. Aunt Lisa, Uncle Dave, Ashlynne, Morganne and Max were up from Miami. Auntie Cousin Blair, Uncle Cousin Chad and Grayson were down from Ithaca. Great Aunt Linda and Great Uncle Marvin hosted a yummy Christmas Eve dinner. Great Aunt Donnie visited on Christmas to play with all the kids toys they got from Santa.

We then headed up to Burke to visit with Grandma Gail and Grandpa Tom. We got to see Great Uncle Mike and Great Aunt Jeanne, Alli and Davis before they headed back to KY. Aunt Kel was around to play with us too, even though she is busy with her new job and now her new apt in DC.

Casey did pretty well adjusting to staying up late and being off schedule, however, she definitely through in a couple 2 year old tantrums here and there. One minute Casey is a cute little toddler, the next minute she sounds like a 13 year old, walking around the house with her cell phone resting on her shoulder talking away, the next minute she is throwing a good ol' temper tantrum. It's fun for all! She had fun entertaining everyone over the holidays and was definitely spoiled this Christmas. She has not stopped playing with all her gifts. She can spend an hour upstairs playing by herself, it's great for Mom and Dad!!

We got home on Monday and spent Tuesday sledding with Sarah and Rowan. Casey and Rowan are fearless. They ride down the steep hill in their own sled on their belly's. They go so fast and when we get down to the bottom to help them back up they're both yelling, "Again!!" Casey went back to school yesterday, so we got to head to Keystone and snowboard all morning.

Happy New Year to everyone! Come visit us in CO. The snow has been great this year. Enjoy the pix.

Family Portrait

At the Garvan Woodland Gardens Light Show in Hot Springs, Arkansas



gingerbread house at Garvan Woodland Gardens



In Fordyce Bathhouse in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Yes this is where people came from all over the country to soak in!



The men's side of the bathhouse was much more luxurious than the women's side.

 it was a little windy at the top of the Hot Springs National Park observatory tower.

 Elvis's home, Graceland

 hanging with Elvis

 Casey, Max, Morganne, Ashlynne and Grayson on Christmas Eve.

 Casey the DJ

 Frisco loves her present

December is Flying By

We have been busy in December. Casey is still tumbling and can do a somersault on her own and can hang from the bar doing a basket (her hands and feet on the bar at the same time). She still goes to school every Wednesday and seems to be more comfortable with the routine. She loves her teachers, Jess and Seth, and knows most of her classmates names. As far as learning, she knows her letters and numbers pretty well. She loves books. She'll go upstairs and take every book off the bookshelves and read them. She is also really good with songs. She can pick up on a song very quickly. Today we were listening to the radio in the car and she said, "Mommy, he said he's tired of singing." I had no clue what she was talking about until the verse came up again in the song. She also takes tunes that sound similar to other songs and mixes them together to make her own song.

We went sledding the other day with her friends, Connor and Dillon. She took a few test runs with Mom and Dad and then was very brave and went by herself on her belly. She had a blast. We've been to a couple Summit County holiday events and also hosted our own Holiday Party.

Casey got her second haircut and was perfect! We're working on growing out the bangs, always fun.

Casey is getting excited about Xmas. When I ask her who we will see at Gramma Lois's house, she says, "Santa!" Enough writing, here are the pix.

Long, overdue Happy Birthdays to Uncle Dave and cousins Jack and Ashlynne.

Dillon, Connor and Casey sledding

Casey and Stan sledding

Casey adding the angel to our mini tree

showing off her new haircut

this is what casey does now with her toys.  she calls it her "race."  she lines up all her toys into their categories.

cheese

the kiddos cheesing it up

playing around

this is where we live

potty talk

While potty training today, Casey squatted over her potty without actually sitting on it and said, "Mom, I'm gonna go potty like you."  Gotta love bringing toddlers in the public bathrooms with you!!  They don't miss a thing.

Race to the Finish

We were back in VA for Thanksgiving.  Casey was great on the plane and it was really nice having Stan on the plane with us. 

Thursday morning, Marcy, Kelly and I ran a 10K Turkey Trot.  After our race, Casey, Jack and Lily ran their own 50 meter race.  Casey didn't really know what was going on and was more worried about the girl balling behind her and was most excited that a lollipop awaited her at the finish line, but it was fun.

Thanksgiving was at Grandma Gail and Grandpa Tom's house.  Plenty of yummy food we all stuffed ourselves.  Friday morning we put up the Xmas tree, so Casey had more time to play with her cousins.  Santa Claus visited the kids to make sure they had started the holidays right.  Casey was much better with Santa this year.  She did not want to get too close or sit on his lap, but she talked to him, even called him "Grandpa!" 

Friday night we had another turkey dinner at Gramma Lois' house.  Aunt Donnie joined us too.  Saturday, Casey entertained Gramma Lois and Aunt Donnie while we went to the VT/UVA game, VT won!!  Sunday, Sweets, Maryann and their daughter, Ellie, came over to play and have lunch, then Aunt Linda and Uncle Marvin stopped by for a visit.

Before heading back to CO, we got to visit Jessica and her new baby, Madelyn, have lunch with Dyani and got to visit Santa.  When it was her turn, she ran up to Santa hugged his legs and he picked her up and sat her on his lap and she leaned in the rest of the visit.  So cute!

Enjoy the pix.

Casey snuggling with Santa

Watching Tinkerbell on the plane

Hanging with Jack, can't remember why she doesn't have a shirt on

After the Turkey Trot race

Grandpa pushing Casey around

Hanging with Aunt Donnie

Playing with Ellie

Madelyn and Casey

Making cookies with Grandma Gail

We've Been Busy

We've been very busy the past couple weeks.  Stan had a week off between projects, so we drove to Montrose, Telluride and Black Canyon, all in CO about 5 hours from us.  We've been snowboarding quite a bit for early season, heading to Vail opening day tomorrow.  Stan started officially working from home, and has a nice "man cave" in our basement, where he can work, play guitar and watch sports all day long.

Casey has been growing like a weed.  She needs 1 more inch to be 3' tall.  She still weighs around 27/28 lbs.  She had her first dentist visit.  No teeth cleaning, but she got to watch Daddy get his teeth cleaned, got to ride the chair up and down and then dental hygenist checked her teeth with the mirror.  Casey had a great time.  Then her preschool had a free teeth cleaning, where they actually cleaned her teeth and gave her flouride.  So hopefully we will keep cavities away from her little teeth. 

She is still in tumbling and is learning to spin around the bar.  However, she tends to let go completely in mid spin and flies down on the mat on her back.  She doesn't seem to mind, but the coach is trying to teach her the right way to do it. 

We are still working on potty training, but she did finally go poop in the potty today.  We've been trying to get her to do this for a couple weeks now, bribing her with a twizzler.  We'll see if she continues.

The past two days, Casey has been talking with a country accent.  Bath, That, Bag, Back all now have 2 syllables, Bayth.  Even Daddy is Dayddy.  Not sure where she learned this and I think she now thinks it's so funny.

Casey: "Daddy, Be quiet, Baby is sleeping."
Daddy: "OK"
Casey: "Hey Daddy?"
Daddy: "What?"
Casey: "Shhhhhhh"

On the Colorado scene, we have squirrels again.  We finally had to get animal control involved.  This time they are in the top of our A frame, so there is no safe way we could get up there.  There are at least 3 of them.  They tend to sit out on the beam and look down into our window at us...I swear they are pointing and laughing at us.  But we have the last laugh now.  Animal control shut out all their ways in, so hopefully this is the end of the squirrels!!  Not keeping my hopes up.

As for the slopes, this weekend Vail opens, which means all of the resorts are open.  We had tons of snow the past week, including a blizzard on Wed, which Kel and I drove home from Keystone in.  It was quite a blind drive!  Speaking of Kel, we had to bid her farewell, she came back into town to pack her stuff into a uhaul and is in the midst of driving it back to VA.  She starts her new job in Rosslyn, VA on Nov 29th.  Congrats Kel, we'll miss you!

Congrats also go out to our friends Jessica and Craig for baby #3, Madelyn.  Can't wait to meet her.  And a belated Happy Birthday to Tracy's Great Grandmother Katie who turned 90 this past Monday!  We'll see you next week!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving and Safe Travels.


Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride.  We drove halfway up a one lane rode that basically dropped on one side.  It was scary, especially because we had to stop because of ice on the road and because the Yukon does not a good turning radius!



Casey skipping on the one lane road

 a yummy chocolate flower in Telluride

 under the lift in Mountain Village, Telluride Ski Resort

 Casey hugging Frisco

 our kids at Telluride

 Black Canyon, that is Gunnison River down below

 letting baby walk on the trail

 a great view of the west side of the Black Canyon, we had the park to ourselves

 Casey and Rowan off to the playground

 Dillon, Connor and Casey cheesing it up.  I'm sure immediately after the picture they all went after the phone in Connor's hand.

"take my picture.  lemme see"

The First Big Snow

It snowed in the mountains. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday we got snow. Abasin Ski Resort opened on Monday, so Stan, Kel and I dropped Casey off at Kathy's house then hit the slopes on Monday. Only 1 run is open and it was a little icy, but it was exciting to finally get back on our boards! Stan and Kel went again on Tuesday and then Stan and I went on Wednesday.


Stan finished the project he has been on for the last 5 years and is now home. We're still in transition, but it's been real nice having help and company.

Last Sunday, the town of Silverthorne had a "Pumpkin Patch" and Trick or Treating at the Outlets. Casey was excited to get dressed up in her witch costume. She wasn't very into trick or treating, until she realized she got candy. She wanted to open everything she got immediately. Her favorite, pink tootsie rolls. Friday, she got to dress up again for her daycare's Halloween party. Saturday, again the witch costume was worn to her friend Connor's birthday party. And then tonight, we ended October with trick or treating on Main St. in Frisco. Casey was very into saying trick or treat and getting her candy. The witch costume was a hit.

On Friday, we started a new tumbling session and at the beginning of the class, the kids were running around crazy and Casey and a little boy ran into each other...which happens quite often. Unfortunately, his head ended up hitting her right below the eye and her eye turned black and blue and a bump formed immediately. So, Casey has her first black eye.

Casey is doing great in school. She now walks into class on her own, turns to me to give her a kiss and hug, then goes off to play. "I go to school today...I don't cry." We've been working on her colors and her numbers for a while now and she is pretty good at them. She can count up to 10 on her own. She knows her numbers up to 20, just gets them mixed up a bit, but if I say a number, she can usually pick the next number. Her coloring has gotten better too. She'll actually color the pictures on the paper instead of just scribbling all over the paper. The other day she was coloring on a blank piece of paper and when I asked what she was drawing, she told me "a sailboat, a baby sailboat and a bird." She is saying days of the week and using yesterday, today and tomorrow. She uses yesterday a lot, even if she is talking about something that happened a few minutes ago.

Another quote:

Mommy: "You are going to Rowan's to play, while Daddy, Aunt Kel and Mommy go to the gym."
Casey (almost about to cry): "I can't drive your car mommy!"

Happy Halloween to everyone!!
Casey also wants to send out a belated Happy Birthday to Uncle Stuart! And a farewell for now and good luck to Aunt Kel, who flies back to Virginia for the month of November. Thanks for playing with us.

 Dillon, Connor and Casey

 Snuggling with Buffalo Daddy

 "I'm a scary witch, look at my beautiful dress."

 witch, elephant and eyore

 sleeping in her big girl bed

the black eyed witch