Blisters Are Worth It

Maddie loves the monkey bars but last year, after two kids broke their arms, the monkey bars were off limits for K through 1st. Now that she is in 2nd grade, she is back to monkeying-it. After the first week of full days and lots of recesses, Maddie came home with band-aids on her blistered hands. When I asked her if she realized her hands were starting to hurt, she smiled, "Yeah! But it's okay. I can't believe that I have to wait a week until this heals!" Some times the blisters are worth it!

Bike Mechanic

My bike was in the lawn the other day and Gus loved playing with the wheels and pedals. It was a real fascination I have never seen in the girls. He loved spinning the wheels and seemed to be trying to figure out the mechanics.

I know...what a stereotypical observation of a boy, but he does things differently than Maddie and Elise. I remember, before I had kids, I would say, "When I have kids, I'll treat them the same regardless of their gender and they won't be girly or tough boys, just kids." But now I realize that some of those things must be pre-programmed. I am amazed at how many times they act steoreotypically like their gender. When Maddie and Elise were really little, they would put things on their arms or necks like jewelry. Gus loves to swing sticks and spin bike tires. Perhaps I treat them differently now that I am just being a mom and not analyzing every decision, but there is something that makes them different. Does it matter? Nope. But I cannot deny that they are already who they are, I'm just along for the ride.

Artsy Fartsy Kids Store

Maddie, Elise, and the neighbor came up with an idea: make art and sell it. Their store is called "Artsy Fartsy Kids." After school was spent with paper mache, paint, beads, pipe cleaners. They haven't sold anything yet. Do you need a decorative top for your pencil?

Singer

Elise is our little hummer and singer. She sings all day while she colors, eats, paints, rides her bike, plays, ... Sometimes it is a song I recognize, other times it is just happy notes. The other day she was singing this song. I have never heard it before. She said she heard it on a Barney video we checked out at the library last week. Don't you love her sidekick, Gus. He seems to be a little singer too and he loves to copy his big sisters.

Happy School!

Maddie and Elise had a great first week of school. Maddie's bus was late on the first day so we drove her through road construction and ran with her to her room She was so worried about being late on the first day. Then Eric, Gus, and I brought Elise to Canyoncito Montessori. She is now in Ms. Brunner's Class (Maddie loved her) and Elise has been telling everyone lately.

Elise ran to the door and down the hall to get there quickly. She goes 3-4 days a week depending on my teaching schedule. She said she wants to go 5 days a week but I said that she could go everyday next year in Kindergarten. I want to spend one morning a week with her and our babysitter Sandy wants to walk with her too. She is in demand! :)

Elise was psyched that her cubby is the first one as you walk into the room.

Maddie had 1/2 days all week so we had lunch together and took it easy in the afternoons. She loves Mrs. DeVore. "She's nice and she doesn't yell!" Maddie really is just an elementary kid now and knows the ropes of Mountain Elementary School. She stops by her Kindergarten and 1st Grade teachers' rooms for hugs, she couldn't wait to get back on the playground, and she has a lot of buddies in her class. One friend and she thought they might be able to pass notes this year but their desks are too far apart. I heard them talking the other day at our house, "Maybe if we talk a lot to our neighbors we'll get moved from our desks and get put next to each other." They already are trying to work the system! This picture is of her pointing to that friend as she got settled in.

We Love Old Hedgehogs!

Uncle Steve, are you 40?
We love you! We miss you! The other gifts are on their way.

Here We Come!

School starts tomorrow and we are ready!

End of Summer

Summer ends early in Los Alamos since school starts on August 17th! We had the Ronnings and Eidenbenz over after they returned from their summer travels visiting their families in Europe.

We celebrated the "end of summer" by roasting some marshmellows and having sleep-overs.

Special Time Together

As my mom's birthday, August 7th, approaches every year, I get weird. Eric and I talked about making it a meaningful weekend. So I decided that Maddie and I would spend sometime together. I miss her! She is a kid now. She doesn't need me like Gus or Elise do and we don't have much alone time anymore. So we spent a night in Albuquerque. First, we school shopped -- she was so mature trying on the outfits and really deciding on her backpack and school needs. Then, we went out for dinner to an Italian restaurant. It was great to really talk about life and not have to cut food or clean spills. Then we finished the evening back at our *amazing* B&B, Hacienda Antigua, a 1790 trading post for weary travelers across New Mexico. We talked about why old things are good things. As Maddie wrote in her journal, "We stayed in Albaqry in a old hotel. it was cool." We swam in the pool all morning, followed by a visit to an antique store where she got a old Navajo ring to remember the weekend. A fresh hair cut ended our trip together. We returned to Elise, Gus, and Eric with warm smiles knowing we had reconnected. Wonderful memories at a time of the year that usually makes me sad.

Photos were taken on a disposable camera so I'll post them once I get the developed.

Elise and I decided that we needed time together too. Even though we'll have our afternoons this year while Gus naps and Maddie is at school, we headed to Santa Fe for dinner and shopping. We got her new "sparkle Hello Kitty runners" (aka shoes) and a water bottle. It was a great night to just listen to her talk. She has wonderful things to say and I don't always hear her. "Mom, I don't really want to go off the high dive this year. I'll wait until I'm 5 or 6."

Goodbye Shelby!

Our babysitter, Shelby, is headed off to college. The kids got one last day with her. They went to the Farmer's Market, the pool where she works, CB Fox for gifts, and Sonic for treats! What a day! They miss her so much already!

Our Secret Garden

The girls and I read "The Secret Garden" this summer. It was a fun to read about coming alive while we watched our gardens and seeds come alive. We decided to make a little "Secret Garden" for them in their bedroom with our old hulahoop, tulle, flowers, and felt.

10 Years in Los Alamos

At the beginning of the summer, we realized that we have been in Los Alamos for TEN YEARS! We closed on our first house here on June 28, 1999! Crazy! In those ten years, we have had a lot of experiences -- good and bad. We laughed at how simple our life was back then: hiking together, watching movies, going out for dinner in Santa Fe, living in 886 sq.ft with Bucky.

Everyday living is so much more complicated now, wonderfully hectic, eventful, and full of life. Since 1999, we have had three children, lost my mom, watched a forest fire, moved and remodeled our house, traveled to Alaska and Hawaii, spent many hours at our jobs, run/hiked/skied/biked/fished/played all over the Jemez mountains, ran marathons, visited family in WI, MN, AZ, camped in VWs, and made many wonderful friends who help us call Los Alamos home.

Unbelievable!

Maddie took this photo of Eric and I with our 10-year gifts from our jobs at LANL and the schools. He got new flatware and I got a little Nambe bowl.

Yee-Ha!

County Fair Time!

We enjoyed breakfast with friends, followed by the parade and lots of bouncing, dancing, and eating downtown.

Nooooo Guusssss!!

He is getting into all sorts of trouble now. As we were leaving the other day, Eric got the girls in the car while I grabbed diapers and Gus. hey, where did he go? He was in the bathroom, standing on his potty chair, squeezing all the toothpaste out of Elise's new princess tube. No!!!!

Oh well, it was probably fun!

Happy Birthday!

One year ago, Malin Eidenbenz was born on August 7th. I was overwhelmed since this was my mom's birthday and I was so happy to see life continue on this special day. This year, we invited their family over to celebrate this special girl since Eric and I are her godparents. :) I feel so thankful that there is such a joyful reason to celebrate on a day I would miss my mom.

Happy Birthday Ladies!

Spearmint or Watermelon?

Maddie got a bubblegum making kit for her birthday and we invited the neighbor girl over for an evening of gum creation. Eric was their first taster and he said, "Yep. Gum." :)

A Barrel of Fun

We have been looking for a rain barrel but couldn't find one for less than $100. Then we found out the county had some for $60! The kids couldn't wait to see it in action. When we got back from our camping week, it was full and, in no time, they discovered how to turn on the faucet and get all wet!

Cartwheeling and Somersaulting

We are thankful for our backyard and the summer's crazy rain so we can run barefoot in the grass.



Maddie has been trying out her cartwheels in the backyard. The other day I said, "Stretch out those long arms and legs, girlie!" And it clicked and she did it! She is tall and doesn't know what to do with those gangly limbs sometimes.

Then Gus and Elise joined in the fun. Gus loves to do somersaults in the grass.

Happy Boy

Gus has really changed a lot this summer. In the spring, he was so frustrated because he knew what he wanted and couldn't say it very well. Now he loves to tell us all things and we understand! :) He is adventuresome in the pool, loves to get pushed on a big kid swing, and "keep up" with his sisters. And I just got my first "I wuv oo" while we hugged and he won my heart forever.

Gunnison and Crested Butte

Since we missed out on some family time together in the midwest, we decided that we all needed a little trip this summer. Eric took the week off and we drove the Eurovan into Colorado without specific plans, knowing that we'd start in Gunnison and head to Crested Butte. We camped four nights and splurged on a hotel the last two nights.

We camped the first night at Hartman Rocks, a BLM area with great trails and sweet smelling sage. The kids loved to play on and around the rocks. They named a bunch: Caterpillar Rock, Roly Poly Rock, Mountain Club Rock. We all liked it so much we stayed the second night there. Eric and I ran on the trails and we went into Gunnison to check out the town.

We brought the bike trailer for Elise and Gus but forgot the connector piece. Bummer. Elise got rides on Eric's back which was way better!

This was our second campsite. We drove through Crested Butte, the ski area at Mount Crested Butte and the biological research in Gothic to this little campground. Even though it seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere, there were tons of mountain bikers, hikers, campers, horseback riders, and wildflower lovers around.

You just cannot stop yourself from running in the wildflowers and picking bouquets.

Eric went on THE mountain bike ride just down from our campsite. It is a classical because it takes you through huge meadows of flowers with spectacular views of the mountains.

The kids and I hiked near our campsite into gorgeous flower meadows. We couldn't stop picking flowers so we had flower bouquets, flowers on the picnic table, flowers in our hair, and even flowers on the van.

Elise gave everyone flowers.

Some real cowboys camped near us. They lived on the other side of the mountain and were rounding up sheep. They were rough and tough, but gave us their horses to ride up and down the road. As the girls rode "Toby," Gus yelled and yelled for his turn. He got his chance and was SO happy!

You know you've been camping when you wear pants like these for days. Eric and I decided that we could use a hotel so we packed up and drove into Crested Butte. After lunch, we found the adventure park at the ski area for rock climbing and bungee bouncing until closing time.


We look pretty good after a shower, huh?

We rode the chair lift to the top of the mountain and hiked the last 1/2 mile to *almost* the summit.
The chipmunks loved Elise. They came right up to her and one was about to crawl in her lap. This girl is meant to work with animals.


The Secret Stash had fun drinks, and a groovy atmosphere where we ate super tasty pizza on the floor. It was really worth the 2+ hours wait!

Before we left Crested Butte, we walked through the Arts and Crafts Fair in town. The kids had a blast at the art alley where they could be artists.

The best part was watching the girls draw each other.
Gus couldn't resist trying on all the hats. What a cutie!