The first week of June Casey was in tennis camp every morning and then a free golf clinic at Keystone's River Course 3 mornings. She has TBall practice Tuesday and Thursday and her first TBall game Saturday morning. Coach Stan did great at preparing the team. Most knew to throw the ball to first base and to drop the bat and run to first after hitting the ball. Fortunately we have a lot of parental help in the field reminding the kids what to do so the game doesn't come to a stand still. We then had 3 more games in a row (Tues, Thurs, Tues), then the league decided to give the coaches a break and the rest of June was game Tuesday, practice Thursday. Casey really likes playing and loves having her Dad coach. Garrett keeps busy playing on the playgrounds or emptying the ball bucket or trying to get in the middle of everything. He is ready to play. Here are some videos showing what she has learned...
Week 2 of June, Casey attending Vacation Bible School up at our Church. There are over 250 kids who attend. She loves the fact that there are middle school girls who are her group leaders.
Both kids and Stan got some much needed haircuts this week too. Garrett would not sit still this time. He kept swatting at Betsy's hand while she tried to cut...he did allow the clippers and his haircut turned out really cute.
We finished off the week at the Frisco BBQ Festival. Friday night the kids got to bounce around in all the bouncy castles, listen to music and run into all their school friends. We had a good time too! Saturday we took a bike ride over to Keystone for a BMX bike trick show and lunch at Kickapoo. Saturday night we headed to Denver to hang with Mark, Amy, Ella & Hanna in their new house. Ella (2 1/2) loves following Casey around! Garrett was excited about their basketball hoop which was taller then the baby one we have, but small enough for him to make a basket...in which he now says, "Boom" when it goes in. Father's Day Sunday, Stan went golfing with the guys then met us over at Sarah and Geoff's for a BBQ.
Week 3, Casey went to Art Camp, where she got to create her own Fairy Mosaic Garden. Each day they made a piece of the garden, starting with the fairy on day 1. She tried to be very independent on day 3, "mom, you don't have to come down with me." With much hesitation on getting out of the car I suggested I would walk her to the stairs...a little more hesitation she decided I should walk her all the way down, but don't come down to get her at pick up...she will come up by herself...and she did.
We ended this week with our first camping trip of the Summer. We met Mark, Amy, Ella and Hanna at the Angel of Shavano campground about 2 hours South of us. It's right on a river and the Colorado Trail. Casey was a trooper on Saturday hiking 1 mile uphill on the Colorado trail and then the mile back down. We also went on a bumpy ride up to North Fork Reservoir where Casey, Ella, Mark and Stan tried to fish, to no avail. The camper is great. Stan put "peel and stick" hardwood floors in, to replace the indoor/outdoor carpet. Much easier to keep clean now that we can sweep. He also bought solar so we could charge our new monster battery, so we can run the heat all night when we aren't plugged in. It worked great!
Garrett is in a funny and frustrating phase right now. He might be getting his 2 month molars, because he has been extra sensitive/fussy and had a low grade fever for a few days. I just need him to slow down so I can look in his mouth. He does not like being told "no." He immediately throws a tantrum. Casey knows how to get under his skin. He drops a toy or gets up from a seat, she's on it, even if she could care less...G fights back though...literally...he like to swat, though you can tell he knows he's not supposed to. He tests way more than Casey did. You tell him not to touch something, he keeps doing, sometimes nonchalantly, sometimes right out while staring at you. He is not a great eater. He would rather throw his food. He likes fruit, pizza, pancakes, yogurt, cookies, lasagna and everything else it's hit or miss.
Casey is a constant noise maker. She is talking like me and doing my mannerisms more and more, I really need to watch myself... She loves helping me around the house, always asking, "What can I help clean." She is starting to figure out chores and how if she does a chore, she could get money and if she does it enough, she can get enough money to buy another Littlest Pet Shop animal. She makes her bed, sets the table and helps clean up...sometimes. She is still very shy and timid, but I have noticed her coming out of her shell more since she turned 5.
June has been beautiful here in the mountains, we have spent tons of time outside at the Farmer's Market (Fridays), the pool (Flying Dutchman's outdoor heated pool), biking, running, playing golf and just chilling in the backyard. In other news, Stan and I have been married 12 years today.
Belated Happy Birthdays go out to Aunt Kel (June 5) and Gramma Lois (June 13).
And we pray for our Yellow Grandma Katie who passed away this month at 92 1/2 years old. She will be missed! But as Casey said, "I'll see her again though mom in heaven...but you'll see her first."
Hope you aren't too overwhelmed by all the videos and pictures...enjoy!
Casey is 5 (May 1). She is 42 1/4" tall (47%) and weighs 37 lbs (34%). No shots at her 5 year old appt, though she was ready to be brave for them this time. She had her annual bday party at Abasin with her friend Rowan who shares her May 1st bday. There was plenty of snow this year and the girls learned how to get on and ride the bunny hill lift up all by themselves. A little scary for us parents watching, but they had a blast.
Casey graduated from Ms. Lauren's preschool class, though her last day is actually tomorrow. What did she learn in preschool? She can write her name legibly. She knows all her letters and numbers up to 100 (though sometimes needs help). She is writing 3 letter words on her own and constantly asking how to spell other words. She is adding small numbers.
Casey started TBall this month. Dad is the head coach. They have had 2 practices so far and the teams seems to work well together. Basically working on how to throw, catch and hit...the basics. First game is this Saturday. Casey is also riding her 2 wheel bike. She is starting to get the hang of starting on her own. Getting ready for the Frisco bike park!
Garrett is a bundle of energy. He is now 18 months and wants to be one of the big kids. He loves watching Casey and her friends and tries so hard to do what they are doing. Though he is also completely fine playing by himself. It's like DisneyWorld when he plays upstairs with all the toys while Casey is gone at school. He has started making noises for animals...ERRRR...and he gets them to walk and tackle other animals. He is still very snugly. He leans his head in for hugs, he blows kisses and he loves to crawl all over us.
Garrett is 33" tall (75%) and weighs 23lb 8oz (45%). He had a shot and was not happy about it, though he recovered quickly. He is still mostly on 2 naps, still trying to get him down to 1. Some days he can fight through the morning if we are busy and take one 2 1/2 - 3 hour nap. But most of the time, he is ready for nap at 10:00. He wakes in the morning around 7:30, goes to bed around 7:30, so he is a good sleeper like his sister. He goes to school every Wednesday and seems to enjoy it, even though he cries when I drop him off. He immediately stops when I leave the room. His words are "ball, cookie, mommy, mommy, mommy, daddy, bubble, gurt (yogurt), mowha (more), hi, bye." He is trying to say Casey (Cay-he) and Marcy (Mar-ee) and other words or names that we repeat over and over to him.
He is very different than Casey. He is a climber. He likes to hit and throw things. We have been working on the hitting and he has definitely gotten better, but when he doesn't get his way, his arms start swinging. Casey learned "No" quickly. We believe Garrett understands "No" but really enjoys testing us. He will keep going for something over and over, even if we are right there telling him "No" or when we try and remove him from the situation. He thinks it's a game.
So what has been going on since our last blog...Aunt Kel was Casey's roommate for a month and a half and is now back in DC buying a house; I had a bday; Casey's bday party at Abasin; Casey had her last ski days at Abasin with her preschool class; went back East to MD for Marcy's 40th bday bash, then celebrated Casey's bday at Chuck E Cheese, then celebrated Grandma Gail's bday, then headed down to Roanoke to visit Gramma Lois before heading back home.
Enjoy pix and hopefully we will get back on schedule with this blog!
skiing at Casey's bday party
the birthday girls
taking time out of building snow castles to "cheese" with Connor and Dillon
hurry up...gotta play
cute
riding the Roanoke Zoo train with Gramma Lois
"where did she go?"
hehe
playing with Grandma Gail and Grampa Tom's new puppy, Rimsky
this has been our morning ritual...playing on the deck with sand and water table and bubbles
Stan turned 40 on March 4th. To celebrate, we went to Silverton, CO March 16th for a guided ski tour with 12 of our friends. Aunt Kel came out to join the party. Grandma Gail and Grandpa Tom drove out to take care of the kids for the weekend. Saturday we arrived at Silverton at 8:30 a.m., broke up into 2 groups (total of 80 people are allowed on the mountain each day). We got 4 runs in. There is a lift you ride up halfway up the mountain...you have to hike the rest of the way. The snow was variable, but we were able to find some powder here and there. It was an experience!
The kids had a blast with Grandma and Grandpa. They went to family night at the church, which was filled with moon bounces, obstacle course blow ups and a big slide blow up. The kids also got to go swimming and bowling while we were gone too.
Grandma and Grandpa left Wednesday, March 20th. Marcy, Stuart, Lily and Jack arrived Sunday, March 23rd for Spring Break. Kel is staying with us, though in and out of town with work and social activities. She was able to be around the week Lily and Jack were in town. We went to the pool 1 day, tubing another day, the rest of the time was spent skiing. It's fun that the kids can now ski with us!
Casey's preschool goes skiing at ABasin Ski Resort every Wednesday for a month in March/April. She is loving it. Her group...basically Casey and Lydia, though sometimes Greta goes with them too, got to go to the very top of ABasin.
While Casey was at ABasin and Garrett was at school, we went to Vail. We got a bit of snow the night before so the back bowls were nice. Though def more than what Marcy and Stuart were used too, they were awesome on the steeps and loved it.
We dyed Easter eggs Saturday and had a great Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday. After a morning of jump rope races and sidewalk chalk, Marcy, Stuart, Lily and Jack bid us farewell.
Thursday we went to Kindergarten Round Up at Summit Cove Elementary School. Casey got to see the Kindergarten classroom and meet both teachers. She seems pretty excited about starting school.
Casey had her last soccer class today. The first half of the session was a lot of whining and not much participating. The second half was increased participation every week and today she wants to do the next session. She is actually a pretty good player, but she is very shy and really afraid of losing her ball to another kid (even though all the balls look exactly the same and there are more than enough balls to go around).
This weekend was Keystone Ski Resort's closing weekend. Saturday, Kristi watched Garrett so Stan and I could take Casey on her last Keystone runs of the season. We then watched Robert Randolph & the Family Band play before dinner at Luigi's. Sunday, we went back to Keystone in the morning to watch the annual "Slush Cup." People skiing/snowboarding across a pool of water. Pretty amusing.
Happy Spring!!
hanging with the Grandparents
Erica, Amy, Kelly, Sarah, Tracy, Stan at Silverton
Tracy Hiking on Top of the World
Tracy Living on the Edge with Sarah and Amy
Tracy, Stan and Kel after our 4th and final run
cousins getting ready to tube...Lily, Garrett, Peaceful Jack and Casey...
ready to ride
Garrett had so much fun...sleeping
Kelly, Jack, Marcy, Casey and Lily skiing Keystone
let's shred
Lily the babysitter
in jail at Keystone
Aunt Marcy showing Garrett the ropes of Easter egg dying
Garrett had his 15 month well baby appointment last Tuesday. He weighed in at 19 lbs 10.7 ounces. Unfortunately, that is almost 2 lbs less than his last weigh in 3 months ago, so we will check him again at 18 months. He is 32 3/4" tall, 85-95 percentile. Tall and skinny, like his daddy.
He got 2 shots, one in each arm, had a quick cry, but was very good.
We went to San Diego the week of February 15-22. Casey, "It's really sandy here...is that why they call it San Diego?"
We drove to Las Vegas on Friday. It was a bit of an eventful trip...and not the good kind. Casey threw up in the car while driving to Las Vegas.
Saturday, Stan woke up with the flu...fever, chills, sore throat. We drove through the Mojave National Preserve and then through Joshua Tree National Park. We stayed in Palm Springs Saturday night.
Sunday, every one seemed to wake up feeling better. We walked down Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, ate lunch at Tommy Bahamas Restaurant in Palm Desert, drove South to Salton Sea, then headed West through Anza-Borrego State Park towards San Diego, where there were hundreds of RV's and wheelers camped out. We stopped in the tiny town of Julian for their famous apple pie and apple donuts holes. Right before we made it to our hotel in San Diego, Garrett threw up in the car. We ended up taking him to Children's Hospital Sunday night after checking into The Bahia Hotel in Mission Bay. They told us he just had a virus. He had a temp in the 100's since Friday, an upset tummy out both ends and was a little lethargic.
Monday we visited the San Diego Zoo. We took a double decker bus ride around the park, sitting on the top level of the bus. We got to see a polar bear swimming, the panda bear eating bamboo and a flock of flamingos running in a big circle.
Tuesday, we drove down to Point Loma to see the view of Downtown, Coronado and tried to find whales swimming south. Unfortunately, it started to rain so our whale watching was cut short. We went to Sea Port Village for lunch and a cookie, then drove the bridge to Coronado, then down to Imperial Beach and back to the hotel. By the time we got home, Garrett looked exhausted again and his temp was up to 103. He was having trouble walking, wasn't eating much and was very sleepy, so we decided to take another trip to Children's Hospital. This time they actually looked closely into his ear and realized he had an ear infection. We were sent home with antibiotics and he started feeling better 2 days later.
Wednesday was another overcast and cool day, so we decided to do another driving tour up the coast through Pacific Beach, with a stop in La Jolla Shores to see the Sea Lions sleeping at Children's Beach. The kids played at the playground in La Jolla, then we grabbed sandwiches and headed up Mt. Soledad for a great view of San Diego. We then drove through Torrey Pines and then over to Penasquitos, my old stomping ground from 3rd through 5th grades. We drove past my old house and Sunset Hills Elementary School. After we got back to the hotel, Casey and Stan headed to the Bay Beach to play in the sand. We then took a walk down to the Mission Beach Boardwalk to see the sunset.
Thursday, on our way out of San Diego, we stopped at LegoLand. It was finally sunny and in the 60's. The park was perfect for Casey. She rode all 3 roller coasters and loved them.
The drive back to Colorado was uneventful, thank goodness. We stopped in Monroe, Utah for lunch at the Sage Brush Restaurant and drove past Mystics Hot Springs, run by a guy who used to work with the Grateful Dead.
Garrett is much better! Stan is much better! Casey is much better! I never got sick.
Casey and Garrett wish everyone a belated Happy Valentine's Day. And a Big Happy Birthday to Aunt Lisa (March 3) and Daddy/Stan (March 4).
Enjoy the videos and pix!
wii time
baby Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree
hanging with Marilyn in Palm Springs...we did get to wear shorts 1 day of our week long trip
