Home Improvements

Well this one isn't an improvement -- it was just on the camera. Jody complies with Shae's request to sit at her table and color.
Miss Bossy Britches at her finest.

So I've been saying for a little while now that I really want to finally "move in" to our house. What do I mean by that? Putting things on the walls where nails/screws are still visible from the previous owners, etc. Step 1: hang the curtains in the living room I purchased 6 months ago.

Before:

After!:

Testament to my... um... particular favor towards order and neatness. (I don't care for the word "anal" in this context. Well, any context really...) I color coordinated the books on our bookshelf and it made me giddy with glee!

The other side of the front room, just to share. (I'm thinking another panel drape on that small window just for the sake of coordination and "completing" the room... thoughts?)

How much do I love color coordinated books? So much so that I coordinated the bookshelf in the family room, too! Ahhhh.

Greeting autumn with a smile and a jig

As a belated birthday present to Jody, we went to an Air Force football game on September 11.
The band!

The cadets!

In formation.

Cadets rush to the student section. Fun to watch.

Very orderly considering the madness.

A pretty emotional way to spend 9/11.

What happens when Shae goes to bed with piggies still in her hair.

September means Oktoberfest! (Naturally, right?) Shae joined us for Oktoberfest celebrations in Vail.

Vail Village has a great water spash area just for kids.

Kyle and Jody celebrate Oktoberfest properly.

Down by the river. "Hi, everyone!"

Mama taught Shae how to dance a proper polka, then Auntie Amy took over.

Oh man. Polka'ing is exhausting!

Mis-placement... sometimes blogger is weird. Here's the flyover at the Air Force football game. Cool, yes, but kinda lame in comparison to some of the Broncos game flyovers. I'm just sayin'.

The drive up to Vail. Hard to believe we're still almost two full weeks before peak colors -- it's beautiful in the mountains!

A Labor Day weekend camping adventure

As we say goodbye to Summer 2010 (can you believe it?!), it was time for one last camping trip. Okay...it was time for ONE camping trip. I'm ashamed to admit that this outing was our one-and-only camping adventure of the summer. Oh, how times have changed! While we can't do anything about the past, we can vow to do better in the future. But I digress.

Shae sends some last-minute important emails and sets her out of office message before heading into the wilderness.
Some gratuitous scenery shots from the drive up. Copper Mountain! Hard to believe those slopes will be snow-covered and open for the season in 8 weeks, eh?

Near Leadville.

Twin Lakes!

Our little home away from home.

Shae takes in the lay of the land -- with juice.

Posing on a stump.

Time to move, mama. C'mon -- let's go!

Hey you. Yeah, you. Right there. Hi!

Shae helps Kim light the first night's fire, but has a chat to be reminded that the fire is HOT.

Repeated for consistency. HOT!

As happens in the mountains, once the sun goes down it gets downright chilly. Overnight temps dropped into the low 30s. Brrrrrr.

Cheese!

Rise and shine! Shae helped Grandma Becky with the puppies -- she walked Dexter while GB walked Roskoe.

Mmmm... camping breakfast is the best!

Time to blow bubbles!

There are so many rocks to climb over in the mountains! I wonder what they call these particular mountains? Hmm...

Going with Auntie Amy to get chairs from the other campsite. Such a good helper.

Shae's got her own camp chair. Thought it was pretty cool, too, although hard to sit up straight in.

Who needs to be ladylike? WE'RE CAMPING!

It's bubble time again!

While Shae napped (and by "napped" I mean learned how to unzip the tent windows and the jumped up and down in her pack-and-play for an hour), the ladder ball tournament began. Amy demonstrates the Team Girl intimidation factor: dance distraction.

Despite their best efforts, the boys lost in a best of three series. Maybe next time, fellas.

Zoey's all tuckered out from the afternoon's activities.

So is Dexter.

But not Shae -- it's time for puppy chow!

And s'mores! Helping daddy roast the marshmallows.

It's important to learn early in life that a scorched marshmallow is a delicious marshmallow.

As is tradition, Dexter takes his own chair at the campfire.

Roskoe prefers to snuggle.

Zoey woke up chilled, so she opted to wear her jacket until the sun was fully up.

Shae took charge of putting her own hat on. "This is how all the kids wear them, mama. Trust me."

Goodbye, Twin Lakes! See you again next year -- I promise!