Let Freedom Ring!

The 4th of July is a fantastic holiday. It comes with very little expectation, low pressure and a day off. 

This year, we all got involved in making a very patriotic treat that left us with a lot f yellow, orange, green and brown M&Ms.

The red and blue ones served as American flair. 

Then came snaps...

smores...

snakes...

sparklers... (my folks joined us for the 4th. It was a lot of fun)

and the city fireworks. 

Followed by the most brutal Wednesday morning at work. Next year, I'm going to save up vacation time and take the 5th of July off. Let's see if I can actually hold on to my leave well enough to make that a reality. 

But in all seriousness, I am so happy to live in America. We have our problems, but I still believe it is the greatest country on the face of the earth. Happy Birthday USA!

The Dystopian Future

For Emily's birthday, she asked for tickets to Denver Comic Con. She was so excited to go. She laid out her Princess Leia costume the night before and dreamed about being in geek heaven.

Reality was a bit different. It turns out that Comic Con had an unintentional theme this year: Dystopian Future. You know, the kind where everything turns to mob rule and there are food shortages and it turns into every man for himself. 

After a half hour walk from our parking space, a half hour standing in line just to get in the building and another hour standing in line to get food, without actually getting any, we left.

At that point, we were willing to do whatever it took to salvage Emily's birthday present. We put everything on the table. 

She chose the aquarium, something I was grateful for because it was a blazing hot day. After a long walk back to the car, during which Jane had to strip down to her undershirt (a look that I told her was all the rage), we were finally able to drive to...

the aquarium!

And Emily rejoyced.  

Emily's greatest wish is to go to the beach. We will get her there someday, but for now, this was a nice substitute. 

We rounded out the day with dinner at Cinzetti's. The girls said it was the best dinner they ever had. I chose not to see this as an insult to my cooking. 

And our Harry Potter/Batgirl/Sherlock/Monty Python gear looked just as nice here as it would have at Comic Con. 

Hiking and Hail Damage

I love June. It's not too hot yet and the snow is done. 

We celebrated with a hike around Crystal Reservoir. I think it was about 6 miles or so. Perfect distance for little legs. 

Hiking in Wyoming beats the pants off of hiking in Colorado on account of the lack of crowds. 

Hiking is always good clean fun. 

Not too long after, we had our first hail storm of the season. This is incredibly unfair, since we had big hail last summer as well. That storm totaled out our 15 year old Subaru Legacy. 

This time, Chris' four month old Forester took a beating. 

The poor guy waits 15 years for a new car and in the matter of 10 minutes it looks like a pock marked, acne faced teenager. 

My car was also damaged, but it's not as sad because it's not brand new.

Both cars have appointments to get fixed in September. 

The storm was on Tuesday. Sunday was Father's day. My long-planned gift of car care products did not end up being as exciting as I had intended. But he was a good sport nonetheless. He knows a gift that comes from a place of love when he sees it. 

It's the thought that counts. 

A Farewell to Diana

My Grandma left for heaven last week. She was an amazing human being. She was a young widow and a single mom to four amazing children. She was a role model to all women.We miss her.

She found out she was sick the month before she died. That was a kindness, in a way, but it didn't leave much time to say goodbye. 

We managed to make it to Evanston to visit one more time. 

She was weak but she wanted to get down on the floor and play with the Russian nesting dolls with the kids. So that is exactly what she did. 

She mourned the fact that she couldn't make us lunch. Just a couple months ago, she said, she would have been able to make us a pie. But we didn't want a pie. We just wanted her. 

She watched the kids play in the yard, bemoaned the fact that we were eating lunch from Arby's, and told us stories about when she was a girl. 

For as long as I can remember, every time we would leave her house, she would say, "Would you like a brisket of beef? Would you like an egg sandwich?" There is a story there that I forget. But this time we left without offer of either. She did, however, insist on standing for a picture. She refused to have us gather around her like she was some sort of invalid. 

She hugged the girls one last time. 

Two weeks later she was no longer sick. We joined with family to say goodbye. 

Jane comforted cousin Lucy. 

Emily comforted Jane. 

And we all missed her and admired a life well lived and a woman well loved. 

It's Not Every Day Your Young Lady Turns Eleven

Emily is 11! Now, as we all know, eleven is a very important birthday because it means you are finally old enough to go to Hogwarts. 

Unfortunately, Emily's owl must have gotten lost along the way. But she did get her cake inspired by Hagrid. 

And a mermaid cookie to share with her class. 

She also got tickets to Denver Comic Con. More on that later. 

Happy Birthday kiddo! We love you!

Easter 2017

We love Easter around here. And while we do believe in Jesus, we don't believe in the Easter Bunny. That doesn't stop us from having some good old fashioned Easter Fun. 

We have to dye eggs every year. Because the kids love it and it's a tradition. I love having family traditions. 

We said we weren't going to do any toys this year in the baskets. We wanted the kids to to focus on the reason for the holiday. Besides, they were each getting a movie and a book. Toys just end up underfoot. Saturday night, we relented. That's how I ended up in Walmart at 10:00 the night before Easter combing over what was left of the toys. 

The kids didn't care. They were just happy to have a surprise. 

They picked out their own Easter dresses. They get their sense of fashion from me. Except for when Jane wears leggings with holes in the knees. That's all Chris. 

How much longer will they hunt for eggs? I hope many years to come. But I savor each year, just in case it's the last. 

We rounded out the day with entirely too much ham and a lovely Easter family walk. 

Not pictured: the children who rode on ahead with their scooters. 

Easter is the best. It reminds us that hope is never really lost. 

Goodbye Tonsils

Spring break is usually a time of fun. Winter is slowly dying, school will be done for the summer soon and a week off is incredibly welcome. This year, we threw around a few ideas for some road trips. And then strep hit. Again and again and again. After the third time in 4 months, Emily's doctor decided it was time to get those pesky tonsils out. And spring break would be an excellent time to do it. 

Emily was originally very optimistic and excited for a surgery that would eliminate strep.

But young bodies don't come out of anesthesia very smoothly. And while we tried our best to prepare her for the pain, it still came as a shock.

She spent lots of time on the couch in the mermaid tail blanket Auntie Ami sent. 

And lots and lots of time watching the Great British Baking Show. Here we are watching it on my phone at some totally insane hour of the night or early morning. I'm not sure which. It's all a blur. 

After a few days she was up for mall walking. 

She returned to school after a week with a few ibuprofen in her pocket. Shhhh..... don't tell the school nurse. We are real rule breakers in this house. 

While it was a miserable week, she says it was worth it to stop being sick all the time. I think so too.