Daddy comes up!

On Sunday, Brent came up to join us, and we all went horseback riding.  Adults accompany kids until they're six, I think, so this was the first and last time that Brent got to ride on a horse with his son.  Gavin was hard to read with this one--maybe just undecided as he took it all in--but Gage seemed to love it from the get-go.  It was just a nice, easy meander on the horses, which was just fine with me after my near-death experience on a horse in Mante, Mexico years ago.  

I'm glad that Brent got to join us for the afternoon and was up for the horse ride.  We all really enjoyed seeing him and making memories together.

Here is a picture of Tara and the boys after the ride.  They were fairly dirty and dusty but quite happy.

After the horse ride, I (Brent), took them up to the lake above Estes for a bit as Tara took a nice massage hour.  We walked around this whole lake, though it was challenging to keep them "on trail".  Too many exciting things all over the place to see.  They had fun, though it got a bit colder toward the end of our hike/walk.

More Estes...

These elk were there to greet us when we arrived at the YMCA camp in Estes Park.  I couldn't believe how close they let people get to them!  It's pretty common to see them just hanging out and grazing on the property. 

At the craft shack, Gavin did some sand art.  He filled a sea shell with different colored sand, and I think he was more in love with it before he shook it up and mixed some of the colors.

Gage and I painted a wooden fire truck, and I think we're both pretty proud of the outcome.  It sits on the dresser in his room now and reminds me of our fun trip to the mountains. 

Estes Park - Day 1...

I had never before contemplated what a FANTASTIC arrangement the YMCA Camp is for families with young children.  I've been up there for plenty of retreats as a teen and as an adult (with women's retreats), but I didn't recognize the sheer genius of the family lodges on the same grounds with a swimming pool, a craft hut where we could easily spend all day and a whole paycheck, horses, put-put golf, nature walks, sports, and a dining room where the kids eat free!!! 

So we did some of everything!  After going on a bug search outside, then the kids made butterflies with coffee filters and pipe cleaners inside.

The boys really enjoyed the mini golf, especially Gavin, and it was their first time doing it.

And there were games like this parachute activity going on at all hours of the day.  My boys don't discriminate when it comes to choosing fun activities, so they did it all!  We just sort of built our days around the meal times and when we might be able to intersect with our friends, "Tall Natalie" and their four kids. 

Estes Park escape...

When my friend, Natalie, told me about a deal at the YMCA camp in Estes Park (buy two nights and get the third night free), I hardly delayed in making our reservations.  Brent had grad school work to do, but I was really itching for a get-away to the mountains and for an adventure of any kind.  I got a room with two beds and a fold-out bed, so that each of us had our own, and these were the shots I took after Gavin and Gage both passed out on Night #1 in Estes.  We had shared a pizza with our friends and explored the grounds a little bit, but whatever we had done was enough to wear 'em out, and I was so glad to have the peace and quiet when the lights were out.  I brought the kids' portable DVD player and caught up on my Modern Family: Season Two (thanks, Zach and Lorna!) when the kids went to bed.  Man, that's a funny show!

Last day of school...

I'm so glad that I captured this shot of the kids with their favorite maintenance man at Apple Tree, Mr. Chet.  He's so good with the kids and has a special fondness for our boys, especially Gage.  "Up high, on the side, down low, too slow!" is the exchange several times a week around school, so it was only fitting that they do it one last time before summer began.  And, just like we took a picture in front of the sign on the first day of school, we took another one to mark the end.  Gavin's classmates signed his beach ball, and the teachers wrote down the messages that the kids dictated.  What a treasure! 

Tara & Andrea...

A fun "selfie" when Andrea and I were out to eat together one night.  We attempt this outing about once every month or two, and we're both always so grateful for the focused (well, as much as can be expected with the two of us), childless time together.  Andrea is a dear friend, and I'm so thankful for her faithful friendship in my life. 

Swimming lessons...

I bought a Groupon that allowed the kids to have four or five sessions of swimming lessons through an organization called Planet Swim.  Oh, that's funny:  The moment I typed the word organization in conjunction with this outfit I knew I needed to tell the story, because it was actually anything but organized.  I was told that the kids' former swim instructor, "Miz Liz," would be teaching the boys on Friday afternoons.  I showed up at a hotel swimming pool (yes, I already had my doubts about that), and there was a young woman in the pool TOTALLY clueless about our lessons.  So I ended up calling Mr. Stephan on his cell phone, the owner and lead swim instructor, who informed me that a.) he was "just around the corner" (which was interesting, considering that he was already supposed to be in the water with one of my sons) b.) Miz Liz no longer worked for them (though somehow her status with the "organization" had changed in the last couple of days since I had made these arrangements with Stephan on the phone) and c.) I needed to pay some sort of registration fee that was nearly equal to the Groupon itself.  Wow!  Needless to say, the deal was shady, though I have to say that everything was great once the kids and the instructors were actually in the water.  

Miss Heather loved Gage.  Bless her heart, she just always showed up and got paid (I hope), even when Mr. Stephan was nowhere to be found.  Despite the fiasco, the kids learned a lot of good stuff in their sessions, and we need to get them back to some more lessons soon.  If I had to sum up their emphasis at Planet Swim, it was on getting the kids to put their faces under water.  And their bellies up and, of course, "pillow arms," which Gage still likes to practice in the bath tub. 

Mother's Day tea at AppleTree...

I love this day every year.  The staff at Apple Tree does such a nice job with their Mother's Day teas for the mommies.  It's a day when I'm so proud of my boys for who they are and who they are becoming.

The kids present poems and cards and homemade gifts galore, and we all eat yummy snacks that have been prepared by the teachers and kids.  It's all so special.  And this is Gavin with his Junior Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Carter.  She did a fabulous job with the kids this year!

Our little goofy pants...

This is a favorite posture for Gage these days and really has been for both of our boys, when I think about it.  It's so cute to see your kids having fun and making others laugh, huh?  And, of course, they do things over and over again if they know that you think it's funny. 

Zach and Lorna visit...

I can't believe how cute this picture is.  I love seeing my boys with their cousins, a sight that's more rare than any of us would like for it to be.  This was Gage at Camille's second birthday party at my mom's house in Lafayette.  They were coloring some Minnie Mouse pictures. 

I just noticed that Gavin sneaked in to the Bro/Sis shot here.  Oh, he must get so sick of hearing the multitude of "When Uncle Zachie and I were little..." stories, but they'll just keep coming.  We unknowingly wore the same color to Camille's party, which was fitting. 

Now Gage couldn't get enough of holding his new little cousin, Rylan, who was only a few months old at the time.  I never think of my baby being a giant until I see him around real little babies.  What happened?!

This is Gavin playing with Camille.  And Lorna's mom, Karen, is on the left.  We had a good time celebrating Camille in Colorado. 

Gavin's class fieldtrip...

These pictures were from Gavin's class field trip to Growing Gardens in North Boulder.  Gavin's wearing an over-sized bee suit that the kids had to wear in order to get close to the bee hives.  We got to see baby goats and walk some on leashes (that was funny!), and the kids planted something that they got to take home with them.  Their wonderful teacher, Mrs. Carter, gave them each a bug net and a watering can when they left that day.  What a neat idea to give a gift that would evoke such positive memories for the kids!  It's fun for me to see these faces (with the goats) and strange for me to realize that Gavin will go to Kindergarten with only one of them.  He's had a terrific two years at Apple Tree with wonderful teachers and great classmates.  We really can't complain.