First Day of School!

Today was Drew's first day back at preschool and everything was wonderful! He was so excited to get there and get into his class he was running! Drew has his same teachers this year, Mrs. Fenton and Mrs. Parker, and about half of his class are friends from last year. He also has his new friend, Kenley, in his class. (Kenley's daddy works with Patrick and they just moved here in April from Louisiana and live in the neighborhood behind us. It's nice to have friends from the south!) When we got to his room he had to find his name on the door and then attach it to the bulletin board across the room. (It was their sneaky way of getting the kids through the door via distraction!) Drew grabbed his name and then darted over to the board to attach his name. He came back, dropped off his backpack at his cubby and then ran over to sit down and read (the morning activity every day). He didn't say goodbye, never glanced back and basically just forgot I had even been there! Sad for Mommy, but it was great to see him so happy to be back! He definitely did not miss a beat!


Running to class...


Meeting up with his buddy Kenley...


Finding his name on the door...


Matching up his name on the board...


Finding his cubby...

Allen got to see his buddy Nate at drop off...one of few words he says clearly is "Nate!" They are 9 months apart in age but already becoming partners in crime! Allen was sad to drop Drew off and not get to stay himself, but Monday is Little Gym day so he got to have some fun while Drew was at school. We arrived for pick up a little early and Allen got to run and play around the church grounds. There is a beautiful fountain in the middle that he loves to play in...and he got a bit wet today! But considering it was 105 degrees, it was a good way to cool off!


The little brothers...waiting patiently!


A slightly wet little brother waiting for Drew!


So happy after a great first day! A happy boy makes a happy mommy!

Reading to Maddie

Yesterday, Allen was looking for Maddie (who he loves SO much!!) and I told him she was taking a nap. Then, when I went looking for Allen, this is what I found...



Allen had taken a book, his teddy bear and lovie to Maddie's kennel and was "reading" to Maddie. I guess he figure if she was going to take a nap then she needed a story first, just like he gets before nap! Too cute...he definitely cracks me up every day with something!

Cute little man...

Allen is, how shall we say, a man of few words. And the words he does have are often quite difficult to interpret. However, he has a new phrase. He holds up his little index finger, looks at you intently and says "ba-ba". It took me a few times to figure it out...he's saying "be right back". So cute! If you respond "oh, you'll be right back?" he'll nod his head and run off. I guess he hears that a lot from mommy!!

We Love Public Transportation!

On Thursday, we spent the day riding public transportation in downtown Denver. It was great! The boys thought it was awesome and loved every minute of it. We rode the light rail for a while so they could see downtown from a distance then got off and rode right back into town. We got off at Union Station so Drew could see a "real" train station and "passenger trains". Then we hopped on the 16th Street Mall free bus and rode up and down the line. Allen LOVES buses...it's so funny!

Waiting for the light rail


Here it comes!


Finally on the train


A real live train station!


Kicking back on the bus

Colorado Photos

Daddy's "score" - finding a caboose at an information center in Raton, NM...the first of many train encounters on our trip!


Rock climbing at Garden of the Gods


After our trip on the Cripple Creek Railroad (it started raining just as we got off the train)

Family Vacation to Colorado!

We are on our first "real" family road trip...10 days to Colorado! We left on Friday morning and stopped the first night in Santa Fe, NM. We stayed in a wonderful hotel just off the plaza with a fabulous upgrade to a 2-bedroom suite. The boys thought it was great! Things were going well until Drew got sick at 5:00am Saturday morning. Bad news! Allen woke up and never went back to sleep so I got up with him, went to breakfast, walked around the Plaza where there was a great art festival going on, and generally enjoyed Santa Fe...well, as much as you can with an almost 2-year old! Patrick dealt with Drew and was able to get him to rest some more and get started a little more slowly. We got back on the road and the drive to Colorado was pleasant. We arrived at a campground outside Colorado Springs and met up with Grandma and Grandpa. The boys were very happy to see them and I'm sure the feeling was mutual! We have spent the past 3 days alternating between sightseeing, hanging out at the camper, and dealing with Drew being sick. We have seen the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Cripple Creek Railroad, Garden of the Gods and The North Pole. We also got to visit an urgent care clinic with Drew's fever getting to close to 103! We still don't know what is going on but we are doing things as he feels up to it!
We have seen a train every day of our trip and ridden one the past 3 days. It's definitely all about the boys!
Tomorrow morning we head up to Denver to show the boys where Daddy grew up and see some of the sights up that way. We start our return journey on Saturday morning...another 2-day drive!
I'll add some photos tonight if I can get a faster internet connection. I'm having trouble uploading them...

Hilton Head 2009

Click here to view this photo book larger

Measurements of Time

Drew has, for a while, used the term "last night" to refer to anything in the past. Well, his newest phrase absolutely cracks me up..."way back before the interstate." This is used to refer to anything he can't place on the timeline in his brain or anything that happened more than a week ago (best I can tell). For example, tonight at dinner Patrick told Drew that Ms Lauren (our babysitter) was coming over Wednesday so that Mommy and Daddy could go out. Drew's response: "Again? You just went out last night! You know, way back before the interstate?!"

I think the boy has watched CARS one to many times!

Someone has Mickey on the brain...

...this is how Patrick found Drew when he went in to wake him up from his nap...



When he woke up he was all grins...



...and he still has them on, playing with cars on the floor. Such a crazy kid!

That was easy!

So I was quickly able to upload the photos from our trip to the Children's Museum on May 29. But I can't edit that post...I'll have to work on that!
Anyway - the boys had a great time and I enjoyed time with a friend that I met through MOPS. She has a little girl who is 2 1/2 and another girl on the way! The museum is wonderful for kids and I'm sure we will be back this summer to enjoy the air conditioning!