super

one thing that was not so super about this weekend was the bronco game.  it was quite a disappointment to say the least.  what would have made it worse would have been snow.  which didn't happen.  so there is a silver lining. i am thankful, so thankful, for the experience.  which leads me to why i love my husband.

most people don't ever know how their actions.  their behavior.  their day to day routine affects someone's life.  enter steve atwater (former denver bronco).  we happened to be standing next to one of his publicity events and started chatting him up.  i said we got to see you play in the super bowl in miami.  my husband used to work for the broncos.  you could say a lot of things to a football star.  you could talk up his game play.  you could stroke his ego.  but my husband says to him, "you were such a pleasure to work with."  and he didn't stop there.  he made sure to tell his wife what a decent man he had been and how appreciative he was for his kindness.  hands down classiest men in the room.  my husband and steve atwater.

last, and certainly not least, heather.  remember our babysitter, heather?  broncos cheerleader.  rookie of the year, now cheer captain.  pro-bowler.  super-bowler.  we are proud of who this girl is and what she stands for.  she is gold inside and out.  and as luck would have it, i got her attention at the game.  i was in tears.  so proud.

yogurt parfait

we hopped in the car right after work on friday night.  most people my age were heading for south padre the easy way.  the way college kids go.  with their friends.  on a plane.  a smallish suitcase holding very important spring break items like a bikini, sunglasses and a change of clothes.  we began to drive south.  no real destination in mind.  we just knew that when we got to las cruces we would have to make a choice.  right or left?  california or texas?  most people in my shoes would have taken the right.  spring break on the beach.  but we were not most people.  and we'd never seen texas.  we spent spring break together.  it was one of our weeks after the divorce.  we drove all night and reached san antonio sometime in the am.   he drove all night long to get us there.  he napped and then rallied just like he was in his twenties again.  we did all the tourist type things.  we enjoyed the river walk.  we had margaritas and mexican food.  we shopped at the alamo.  and all the while he listened to me on repeat, "there's no basement at the alamo" (circa: pee wee's big adventure).  why we couldn't leave well enough alone i will never know.  san antonio is pretty amazing.  but the ocean was calling.  so we continued to drive until we reached the gulf coast and found ourselves smack dab in corpus christi.  oh yeah!  oil refineries, jellyfish, and some crazy sea gulls waiting to take your head off.  fun times.  we talked a couple of times about heading over to south padre.  just like all the other spring breakers.  but he was a little funny with bridges, toll roads and paying to get in anywhere.  and although we travelled for a million hours to a place we'd never seen.  a place we will never see again.  we chose not to be like the other spring breakers.  we bunked at an interesting little hole in the wall with a fancy restaurant.  i guess he felt like we could splurge on the food since the accommodations were so sketch.  we sat down to breakfast and i was be-dazzled like only one could be in texas.  i ordered the yogurt parfait.  as it called out to me from the menu, i imagined that it was the perfect blend of all those things that mostly alluded me.  yogurt, granola, and fruit.

this morning i sat down to breakfast with my family.  i spent the better part of an hour making granola.  we were scheduled to eat yogurt parfait.  that's what i had written out on the menu schedule.  do not mess with my menu schedule.  i let the boys make their own.  they mostly stayed away from the granola.  and rightly so.  it was burnt.  i dipped my spoon in my special glass and was whisked right back to that fancy restaurant on the coast.  our memories do show up at the most unexpected times.  i hadn't thought of yogurt parfait ever.  not since that morning in corpus christi.  it still alludes me.  both corpus christi and mixtures of fruit and yogurt.  but the memory of my dad wasn't half bad.

the boys of summer

after a swim, sweet pea and his buddy packed up their old suitcases with yogurt, string cheese and juice boxes and read under the sheets drying on the line.  yep.  it was that kind of a swoony  country day.

moonlight beach

sandy self portrait

the ghosts of Christmas past

 

after we went to see the lighting of main street in down town littleton, i forced everyone to take a detour and visit one of my all time favorite "griswold" houses.

we've been stopping by this house since high school.  it's my dirty little secret.  my very own tradition.  that one day my kids will love as much as i do.  they will.  but don't tell anyone.  it's obnoxious and over the top.  it's the kind of display you see on the news from a helicopter aerial view.  each of the neighbors has a protective coating on their windows to avoid the intense lights.  that you can see from a mile away.

there are a number of animated features.  and music playing over a stereo system. 

we introduced some friends to "our" special tradition this year.  it was like seeing the entire thing through new eyes. 

and i'm not going to lie.  i'm kind of freaked out about it.  brad might get his Christmas wish this year if i agree to forego this particular "family" tradition in favor of something a little less CARRIE ish.  i might have to oblige.  Merry Christmas early, Brad!  (but i reserve the right to secretly drive by this place in the future).

the Christmas story

it's fun to see how everyone makes their homes festive at the holidays.  our little town is putting on a magical light show as families get ready for the annual firehouse hayride and cider festivities this weekend.  i was actually shocked, as i drove into town last night, to notice that my house was visible from miles away.  yikes.  but cool.  stay classy, i always say.

i have special memories of decorating the Christmas tree when i was little.  the tinsel phase.  bubble lights.  the favorite ornament.  a childhood steeped in tradition.  as a young adult i worked painstakingly to create a tree that was a showpiece.  not that there was anyone to show, but i felt like it was the thing to do.  fancy.  the old ornaments were boxed and each year the tree was adorned in some new kind of "special."  then there were babies.  and all that fancy just seemed ridiculous (a collective eye roll and sigh from the family peanut gallery).

needed:  perspective.  

welcome the green m&m.  we picked this one up from the mall.  literally.  because when sp was 2 he wanted it for the tree and mommy said, "no way jose."  it didn't fit the "theme."  so he chucked it across the tile floor and the injuries sustained resulted in a total amputation of the right leg.  and $10, please.  i was so angry at the time.  because it was a tacky, $10, green m&m (not that there's anything wrong with that, lover of green m&m ornaments).  now when i lay eyes on it, funny memories surface.  no longer laced with misplaced bitter.  just one smile for my back pocket.  and the m&m hangs prominently in the front of the tree.  sans "theme."  reminding me that a family is built on memory and tradition.  however simple.  and green.

blast ball

sweet pea is going to play tball this summer.  and sweet pea can't do anything without beans wanting to do the same thing.  both to sweet pea's joy and dismay.  we found this little league for kids beans age.  they hit the ball.  they chase the ball and throw it.  they run to a base that squeaks.  it is adorable!!  there are four boys on the team.  they have a coach who is super enthusiastic.  seriously.  and yesterday in the middle of the game, beans ran up to the coach and said, "coach, hey coach!  i yuv you."  and hugged him.  good times! 

pga

we were really lucky to get tickets to the pro/am at the u.s. senior pga championship yesterday.  most people came to see the golfers.  i couldn't take my eyes off of pikes peak.  i would be so distracted at a driving range facing this mountain.  or at least i would say that was the reason i was having a hard time hitting balls....

apparently they let just about anyone into this country club.  even the rabble rousers.  but these guys kept it on the down low so we would not be forcibly removed from the premises.

we got to follow colorado avalanche hockey all star joe sakic... (my aunt is drooling right now)  for about three holes {before a total earth shattering beansy melt down occurred}.  there were virtually no spectators.  someone said as sakic passed by..."he walks like a hockey player."  and in my mind....i was like..."DUH! you moron."  but don't worry, i didn't say it out loud even though i had a low threshhold yesterday.  fortunately i was modeling my quiet, serene, country club manners for the boys and showed restraint.

then i lost interest and went to play in the dirt with sweet pea and beans.  wildflowers always have that effect on me.

more boise

i have a back log of stories to share.  a really fun memory from our trip to boise was meeting grand jane (and all the aunts, uncles and cousins).  she was having a ball watching the boys play with the puppies.  the boys had a ball playing with the puppies.  the puppies....they probably did not have such a ball.

we also got to spend some nice quality time with g'ma and g'pa while we were in boise.  we played some derivation of badminton, and made pixie houses in the garden, and played card games.  they were amazing hosts to our little ones.  we soaked up all the goodness that brad's grandparents had to offer.  what special people.  my boys are lucky to have so many wonderful grandparents and great grandparents in their lives.  it makes my heart swell for them! 

hi ho, hi ho it's off to work we go!

we spent a once in a lifetime kind of vacation in california at disneyland. so much fun was had by all. i cannot even express how well behaved and wonderful the boys were. especially on the plane. it was truly magical. unforgettable. we are so amazingly fortunate. since words cannot possibly do this trip justice...here are some highlights...

this weekend

we had an action packed weekend. we watched tall jen coach her team at crossroads. they are 12. hard to believe. i was not that a) good at volleyball, b)self-controlled or c) good at volleyball at that age. they were amazing to watch. and it's really fun watching friends at work. plus we took the train downtown and that was a super hit with the boys. as an aside....does anyone else ever have problems with people giving their kids things? beans struck up a conversation with "harold" on the light rail. "harold" asked him his name and beans said, "i'm beans. nice to meet you harold." then "harold" gave him a CANDY BAR. umm....excuse me?!? we had a long conversation about NOT TALKING TO STRANGERS, and NOT TAKING CANDY FROM STRANGERS. very unnerving.

we also went sledding at mueller state park near colorado springs. sort of. and we drove the long way there. all the back roads from sedalia to woodland park. fun and beautiful. we almost ran out of gas. it made my brother nervous. but it was still fun.

obviously the little boys had so much fun in the snow. the big boys did too. and me. i had so much fun playing with my brother's zoom lens. good times!