Early March

We have enjoyed the start of March, minus the shoveling.  Today is a beautiful day that we have spend entirely outside.  (Waves from back deck). 

 

Seth and I celebrated his birthday a bit early at one of those paint and sip places.  Monet we are not, but we had fun together!

 Oh and yes I dyed my hair, although is looks black in this picture it's really dark brown.  I love the dark brown, I don't love the fact that it photographs black.

We had dinner with our friends the Atherton's after MUCH too much time apart.  With 6 kids between us, lots has changed since Anne and I worked at the Little Gym together.  With so many kiddos, we decided that it would be easier if we didn't have to watch the girls.  Just kidding, they loved hanging out in Rudy's cage together!

 

Great Uncle Tim decided that my children deserved to cheer on a "better" football team than the buffs and outfitted the kids in Michigan gear.  While we are not abandoning our beloved buffaloes, there is enough room in our hearts for the blue too.

And two weekends ago I hosted a gathering to make bowls for the Empty Bowls campaign here in longmont.  And I brought along a wonderful date John Michael.  We TRULY enjoyed our grown up time together making bowls and then going out for ice cream afterwards.  It is so fun to see him alone in his elements.  I cannot wait to hangout with him again!

I have NO idea why the middle two pictures are upside down, and cannot figure out how to fix them, we will all survive!

St. Paddy's is coming!  Prepare for the fun!

We're Lucky!

The weather in Colorado has been amazing for weeks, with just a slight repreve this week.  Although it's late I thought I'd include what we did for S.t Patrick's day because it is proof that I do things:) While the daddies watched basketball at a bar, all the mommies made green day memories!

 All the kids dressed in their green-Colin, Riley, John, James and Mallory.

And the babies-Emerson, Carter, Macky and Cameron.

The big kids were delighted to discover that a michievious leprechaun must have been in the park and spilled his gold. They had so much fun running around and collecting all the gold coins that they could find.

Gold!

With the contents of a recycle bin, tape, string and some glue and we turned them loose to make leprechaun traps. With absolutely no adult direction or suggestions (and let's be honest, between babies to watch and maragaritas to drink, minimal supervision) the 5 older kids worked together for over an hour creating a leprechaun trap and rigging it up in a tree. They even scattered green food and gold around to attract the leprechaun. John was a bossy leader...

 

Trying to catch leprechauns is hard work! Re-fueling with a green picnic (pasta with spinach and cheese sauce, green apples and green veggie booty).

After lunch all the kids played together at the park until it was time to head home for naps, all of the kids were filthy and exhausted.

All of the Haley, Andrews, Gahn, and Nichols kids and Mamas!

Baby girl on green day!

And a flashback:

John and Colin March 2009 (colin in the kiss me shirt..)

 John March 2008 in the kiss me shirt!

Concert in the park

Quite possibly my FAVORITE thing we do over the summer is go to the free concerts in Roosevelt park. This year we took things to a whole new level with sportbrellas for shade, lots more friends, and food that would make Emerald say BAM, twice!

This is our Camp Sportbrella, home to many nursing babies and their families.

 This is a fine representation at the dedication we have to these "picnic" pork kabobs, grilled veggies, orzo salad and a beverage of the week.  Seriously, we're not messing around, no PB&J's are to be found, though the kids usually get a scaled back version of whatever we make.

 It's a trifle, Seth made it and though it rivaled the make your own s'more from the previous we in the kid's eyes, not in the parents, it was divine!

 This is just an outfit that Em wore a bunch this summer, but has now grown out of.  And because I know GG only comes for Em pictures:)

 This is John and his best friend James and the girl he has told me he is going to marry, Riley.  She is adorable and she is exactly two weeks younger, her mom and I met in birth class, how cute would that story be?  It may make the paper, but you know they'd have to have a good engagement story;)

 There are games and bubbles to keep the kids entertained, though usually they just play around Camp Sportbrella.

But this day we let them do crafts and bubbles, and running!
Boy do we miss the concerts over the winter, but it gives us something wonderful to look forward to for next summer.  Well that and the 100 different parades that Longmont does!  Today we kicked off parade season with the Fire Muster parade and play time.  As usually it did not disappoint, I'll post pictures from that soon!

Life's a beach!!

Yesterday we went to Boyd Lake State Park for a little R & R.  Wow did we have a great time!

 I mean really with 3 sportbrellas, a giant tent, and numerous blankets to lay any and all of the four babies one and under, who wouldn't want to drink.  I mean have fun!

 Best buddies had fun posing on the beach!

 And eating fake cheese flavored chips!

We took turns holding the baby, but both Seth and I still got too much sun :(

 Eating, was an Olympic sport for Colin, you can also see his split lip from the brother:(

 We did some boating, thanks to the Andrews family's boat!

 We played in the water,

 And in the sand,

 We creating a large levee system that may or may not be better than others built elsewhere.

 We rinsed off the sand by taking a dip.

And we had the best time! 

And for those of you near water (Hi Michigan!!!), this is huge for us!  There isn't any substantial water near us, so playing in the water or on a boat or in sand isn't something we do ever! 

The 4th of July, 17 days later

These are totally out of order, but just had to share the cuteness!  We were able to spend the very hot day with lots of people we love!

 Em all dressed up!

 My adorable husband and baby!

 Colin, Cam and James, Doo snuck into this pic, but looks quite pleased doesn't he :)

 All the babies...Except one on the way!! no not mine!  we're done!

 And the big kids!

 Popsicles!!

Em and I at the concert, it was SO hot!

 The parade to the concert!

 Sparklers!

 Super cute outfit!

 Being friendship spinner fireworks :)

 Boccie ball!

I'm not sure what they are looking at but this will be shown at their wedding, which Riley has already planned!