#rogersboysfirstskitrip2015

Copper Mountain, Colorado

Highest Elevation: 12, 313 feet

March 4-8, 2015

Sleeping from Denver Airport to Copper Mountain

View from our Balcony at Passage Point

Nothing cuter than little skis!

First evening: Indoor pool swim time!

First Morning: Cartoons and the daily news

Caleb's first time down the learning hill!

Dylan's first time down the learning hill!

Family picture courtesy of Mrs. Heather!

1st time on the lift: Mrs. Heather:Best Ski Instructor EVER!

"Daddy, I didn't know chairs could fly?!" -Caleb

About to head down their first green slope: Roundabout

Afternoon movie watching with Mommy while Daddy hit the slopes.

Dinner at JJ's in East Village

Mint Chocolate Chip at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

Cookies -n- Cream at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

Ice cream eatin' by the fire in Copper Village

Mrs. Heather was teaching the boys while we snuck off for a run together!

Mrs. Heather = Rock star

Daddy in his happy place

Mrs. Heather found their cups! She's awesome.  See a pattern?

Saturday Morning game time with my Caleb

Saturday morning ski time for the big boys- 6 times down Roundabout!

Afternoon fun at Critterland!

Snow baby!

Snow boy!

We weren't sure if we were up for some fun or out of our minds to take our boys, ages 5 & 3, to Colorado....on their first ski trip.....without any reinforcements (a.k.a babysitters or grandparents), but we did it!

Was it work? YES! 

Were we tired each and every evening? YES!

Was it worth it? 100 TIMES YES!

We had such fun and made so many wonderful memories taking the boys on their first ski trip!  This was only my 2nd time ever to go.  Jonathan has been a handfull of times in the last few years and has fallen in love with the mountains.  It is beautiful and pretty awesome to see another side of God's creation.  We all were hit a bit by the elevation change the first day there.  Jonathan and I had lots of deep breaths really the entire trip.  Copper is one of the highest spots in elevation in Colorado. We fell in love with our ski instructor, Mrs. Heather.  She has two young boys of her own, and she was a great teacher for them!  We snagged her for a 2nd day after the boys did so well with her on day one!  The boys still talk about the trip and ask us when they will get to go skiing again.  If their daddy has anything to do with it, it'll be next year! (wink, wink)  And by next year, they will surpass ME in their skiing abilities.  That means my boys can go to the top of the mountain, and Mommy can sip her coffee at the base.....wishful thinking.  Until next time...

Our First Half Marathon

I know this blog is only about our boys or things our family does together. But, I am making an exception. Jonathan and I have been training for many months for our first ever half marathon. The boys have cheered us on and endured many of my treadmill runs where they were bored without my undivided attention. 

Race: Little Rock Marathon

Race Day: March 1, 2015

Conditions: 39 degrees, wind, rain

Okay. So we had to run our first ever half marathon in pretty awful conditions! Going into training especially after my brain injury, my first goal was to just finish. My second goal was to complete 13.1 miles in 2hr 30min. My third goal was to have an average mile pace of 10:00min or below. I started out great but hit a brick wall at mile 7. I ran through charlie horses in my feet and cramps in my calves. This was a first for me. After the race, I discussed with my chiropractor my experience. We concluded that my internal body temp dropped due to the conditions and at that point my body started shutting down and it was a fight till the end. I had run in cold temps and rainy temps but never the combo. I didn't have enough clothes on or enough body fat to re-warm. BUT, I still had a finishing time of 2hr 19min. I missed my third and final goal, but I am so happy to have completed 13.1 miles just 6 months after a brain bleed/concussion! I call it a success! Of course, the competitor in me wants to do another one. But I've already told my husband that it may have to be a destination with warmer conditions outside! Jonathan's finishing time was 1hr 46 min. He rocked it out. I was so proud of him. We just are all about staying fit. Running is part of how we are doing that! 

Runners expo with the boys!

In the car waiting to go to the start line....in the rain!

Finish line with my BRF (Best Runner Friend), Rosemary! We had a blast training together!

We did it, babe?!? Now to thaw out in my Epsom Salt bath!

Look who's 5 1/2?!?

Dylan,
Anyone and everyone that asks how old you are knows about that 1/2!  You are super proud of it and we are super proud of you.   Your 1/2 birthday was February 28, 2015!

Things we don't want to forget:
Weight: 37 lbs.
Height: 44 1/2 inches
Favorite food: Watermelon
Favorite thing about PreK-4: That we get to play outside
Favorite Bible Story: Samson

-You still call M&M's: N-a-M's and we LOVE that!
-You constantly want to be active!
-You will sit down and play Legos.  You love making your own little "models".
-You also LOOOOVVEE everything about reading.  You are a reading machine!  You are reading Level 1 readers and I love seeing you figure out new words.  It's amazing!  Here you are reading a book from the Starfall app.  And yes, Daddy didn't quite make it through the entire event!

-You are playing Micro Soccer at Lakewood for the first time!
-You are also going to play T-Ball this spring/summer for the first time!
-You enjoy basketball as well and like to play against Mommy.
-You are a green belt in karate and will be a purple belt by then end of April.
-You love to play wrestle challenge in the evenings with Daddy and Caleb.  Uniform requirements include underwear only.  Your wrestler name is usually Joe Sco but we just call you Joe.
-You enjoy going to work with Daddy.  He lets you help him label the checks and now you even have your own badge!

I tell you all the time that I love you with my whole heart and boy is that ever so true.  You are my favorite 5...and a half year old and I enjoy watching you learn and do so many new things

Happy Times Day!

For the rest of my life, I will happily refer to Valentine's Day as Happy Times Day!  Dylan coined the term when he was just one year old, and it has stuck around in our family.  We celebrated Valentine's Day all week long!

We had our play group over for a party.  We decorated Valentine's bags, passed out Valentine's, ate grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, decorated (and ate) heart cookies, and played outside.  The weather was beautiful!

Dylan and I worked on his Valentine's box for his party at school.  He did such a great job on drawing all the details of R2D2.  He is such a detail-oriented little boy.  

He wrote his name on his Valentine's for his classmates!

 Star Wars, logically.

We had a great time at his Valentine's Party.  I'm so thankful to share these moments with him, even if they are hectic!

 We love Mrs. Brady!

The FORCE IS STRONG with OUR Valentine's!

And these jammies.  Hanna Andersson.  They say "I Love You Dad" with little Annakin looking up to Darth Vader.  I think I love them as much as they do! Ha!

And finally....to 2-14-15!

It started off with a run with my favorite Valentine on this earth.  We ran his 8 mile route through Park Hill and it was tough!

Caleb got to go ride the forklift at the shop because he filled up another row of stickers for going to bed well at night!  Lots of love for him.  And he has lots of love for all things construction.

The boys played outside all afternoon.  Thank you, February, for your nice weather.  They opened their Valentine's treats from us.  The Star Wars Itty Bittys.  They were pretty pumped!

And of course, our annual Valentine's cupcakes from Cupcakes on Kavanaugh.  We each picked our favorite and saved them for dessert! 

We enjoyed a steak and baked potato dinner cooked by Daddy, ate our cupcakes, then Jonathan and I watched the Hogs play basketball.  My kinda Valentine's Day spent with the ones I love the most!

Super Bowl Sunday

We had a little Super Bowl party at home.  We all made our predictions, and sported our All-Access Super Bowl passes for the game. 

 I was the lone Seattle Seahawks fan.

This boy started out as a Seahawks fan, but decided to go with Dad and Dylan and root for the Patriots.

We had all kinds of appetizers for supper, and then football cupcakes and popcorn in football bags!

The cupcakes were a hit...and a mess!

 I also made huge lacing football cards for the boys.  It was definitely a hit with Dylan, and it kept Caleb's attention for a little while. 

 We also did pin the football in the goalpost before the boys went to bed. 

 It was a fun evening.  Jonathan and I could not believe how the game ended.  I was CERTAIN the Seahawks were about to win, when that infamous one yard line touchdown pass was intercepted.  I think the expression on Tom Brady's face was priceless.  Pure joy and quite a bit of shock.  It was a great game and more importantly, we made some great memories as a family.