missing pics from post below, maybe?????

mooing at cows and pretty scenery

4th of July...see below about the wet parade...Liam with his PopPop and Kyra with Hailee (a favorite)

hangin' out in the backyard and on the kiddie rides at the park

you'll notice Liam is looking back while "driving" the boat...he rode that way the whole time...he liked to see/talk to the kid behind him :)

Why are my pics not showing up???? I seriously might cry...I've been trying to do this for hours today and countless more over the last few weeks

attempt number 768392 to update my blog

I've been trying for days and weeks to update this blog and my computer fails me everytime (I SERIOUSLY need a new computer that will allow me to import pictures and update this blog!)...



We've spent some time up at my folks' "mountain house" doing some fishing, nature walking, and mooing at cows!

The 4th of July wet parade was a BIG hit. Kyra loved (and I do mean loved, as in loved so much I had to work hard to keep her out of the street) squirting all the participants and wanted them to keep on squirting her...the bigger the hose the happier she was!

The kids have spent a lot of mornings and evening playing in the water outside. It's too hot for them (or I) to be out the rest of the day. We've also made it to the park to ride the kiddie rides a couple times.
We went to Pagosa Springs a few weeks ago to visit a dear friend, but we were so busy having fun I didn't take my camera out!

The last bit of news....I started a working for a wage/have a real schedule/be outside the house job this week. I didn't want to do it. I love being home with my kids. But, I have to put food on the table. Fortunately, I found a job I think I'll really enjoy! I'm working for a local photographer. I will be running her studio, scheduling appointments, answering phone, and all that office-y stuff. But, I'll also be re-touching photos and doing lots of stuff with Photoshop. It should be a good mix! And, my boss has been taking the kids' pictures for the last 1.5 years so she's aware of my circumstances and is super flexible/understanding. I think that if I have to work, this is a good fit. Plus, I can still do a little tutoring on the side 'cause I only work Tues-Fri!
Hope you're all well and that this posts and I don't have to re-do it for the umpteenth time!

Rainbow Slide

This rainbow slide is at a school near our house. The kids LOVE it. I do too. It's in the shade. It's fenced/gated (part of the school's pre-school). There is no where they can really fall off. And, it's on wood chips so the ground is nice and soft.


At the top

He figured out pretty quickly how to do it all by himself.

At the bottom!

Pure joy! I never know if he'll hit the bottom like this or flipped over on his belly. He doesn't care how he lands. He has the same big smile either way!

Look below for 3 more posts!

4 wheelers, robin eggs, herding cats

PopPop took the kids for a little ride on the 4 wheeler...they love it!

We saw these robin eggs on a little walk. We snapped a pic and then left 'cause the momma bird was in the tree above and her opinion on us looking at her eggs known, in a very loud way!

Trying to get a pic of the kids with Mommo and PopPop...I think herding cats would've been easier. Maybe next time!

Kyra finds a beaver dam

walking with Mommo

On the beaver dam with PopPop

PopPop showing her where the beaver had chewed on the wood

Great! Let's throw it in!

Liam on a nature walk

Walking with Mommo

Throwing sticks in the water

Just bein' cute

My silly boy

Update and a treat

Quick health update: We still don't have all the test results back (don't get me started on how ridiculously long it is taking). But, we are feeling better and have been for a couple days. I'm really hoping it means we're really "in the clear" this time. We'll see. I did some research on parasites in kids on the CDC website, I believe we've had Cryptosporidium. It's fairly common, you get it from water (or caring for someone who has it), is cyclical, causes terrible diarrhea and occassionally vomitting, and sounds exactly like what we've had. The good news is, you usually get over it (even without treatment) in 2-6 weeks (it'll be 4 weeks for us tomorrow).

Cute pics from today:


Isn't he just about the cutest little guy?!?!? He's quickly going from a baby to a little boy though. He has started shaking his head "yes" to answer questions. It's so cute 'cause his whole upper body shakes with him. He also is starting to express his opinions on things (mostly about what he wants to eat, not that he's picky, but if he says "cookie" and I say "apple" he says "no, no, no, no, no!") Too cute, but I'm not sure I'm ready to have two opinionated ones around here!

What could this little girl see out the window that has her so excited? The words she was saying as I snapped the pic, "WooHoo! A playhouse for me to play in!!!!!"

I've been looking for a playhouse for our backyard 'cause I knew both kids would really enjoy one. I wanted a wood one, but they're really expensive to buy new. So, I've been looking in the classifieds and on craigslist for a used one. I saw this one last night and couldn't pass it up. It's only a year old and in REALLY good shape. It has a little sink inside, two tubs for sand or whatever on one side, a spot for a puppet show on another side, a grill, and enough room on the inside for me to sit with my legs outstretched. New, it costs around $450. Mommo and PopPop bought this one for the kids for less than half that!!!! YEA!!!!! I'm going to put some stain on it tomorrow morning, but it's awesome! And Kyra has hardly been out of it. Liam liked it too, but he had to take a nap :)

PopPop and Pappy getting it all set-up for the kiddos!

watermelon and twinkle toes

We had our first watermelon of the season a couple weeks ago. Kyra LOVES it, William liked teething on the rind.

Kyra painted her own toe nails and my finger nails. See how the polish is all the way to the second knuckle on her toe? That's how my fingers looked too! :)
Sickness update: We're all still sick. I decided it had gone on way too long so we went to the doctor on Monday. It appears as though we have a parasite of some sort and are "heading toward anemia." We should know later today exactly what kind of parasite and what the treatment will be. I'm hoping so! We're all pretty tired. Plus, everyone has felt good for a couple days which should make me happy, but, as the course has gone lately once we feel good for a day or two it's only 12-36 hrs before sickness strikes again in full force.

the night before

It's been awhile since my last post. I'd apologize for my absence, but it's been a bit crazy around here. You see, since Sunday, May 15th one, two, or all three of us have had some sort of stomach bug. I won't go into all the nasty details, but it started with Liam on the 15th; then both kids had a touch of it that week (Kyra said she had leaky toots~so funny!); Liam got worse the next weekend, both seemed to improve over the next week; the evening I took these pics I thought we were "in the clear" 'cause everyone was better. I was wrong. We all got MUCH, MUCH, worse just a few short hours later. Now, Liam seems to be about over it (finally!), and I'm hoping Kyra and I are just a day or two behind him.
For those who know me, you know I handle most things quite well. Pee, poop, diarrhea, snot, blood, whatever. They don't bother me. But, vomit. Well, that's a whole other story. I would say I have a borderline phobia when it comes to puke. I've handled it all fairly well. Was proud of my handling of it on the night when it was really bad. But, when it all became too much (about 3am on the night in question), I called Jeremy and he came over to help. He's been a great help. He's pretty much kept the kids at his house so I don't have to worry about taking care of/cleaning up after them while I've been sick. They've come over here a few times, but he has really done most of the caring for them since that awful night. I appreciate it!


A pretty columbine growing in the yard

Blowing bubbles is a popular outdoor activity around here. Notice Liam in the background? He's pointing at the cupboard where I keep the bubbles and saying/whining/crying "bu-bl!" I' already given him some, but he apparently didn't like them or something 'cause he wanted different ones.

Kyra is very into pouring things from one container to another. A very typical developmental thing. It's fun to pour bubbles from one container to the next. Unfortunately, it's not fun when the bubbles make the concrete slick and you slip and fall (no pics of it, but both kids took a couple tumbles, then mom said they had to come inside!)

Blowing bubbles and splashing in the puddle of bubbles. Even the cat got in on the action!!!