Costa Rica 09'

With a couple free tickets and some extremely generous baby/dogsitting help from our parents, we ventured back to Costa Rica the week before Christmas. A wonderful week was found while exploring jungle trails and deserted beaches. We learned some of our old haunts had been found by the masses and lost to development (ex. Esterillos now has lifeguards and breakfast cost $15) but found new no-where's deserving of exploration and safe from all but the most devoted escape artists. Suggestions as well as an incredible amount of photos are available upon request......

SEA WORLD!!!!

Twice in one week... I know. That is why I love vacation, and specifically, San Diego. I feel like I can breathe here.

Mimi, Addy and I went to Sea World today. We missed the Shamu show unfortunately, but I don't think Addy was a big fan of the huge killer whale anyway. Her favorite by far was the sea lion pool. They were being fed so they were really playful and swimming. Mimi's favorite by far was the Beluga Whale exhibit. If anyone knows anything about Beluga Whales, can you talk to mom? She is really curious.

Here are some photos!

So Tardy

To all who have asked, I do apologize that I haven't posted any new pictures. In fact... I haven't even taken any new photos! Actually, I did take a few, but they are naked bathtub pics, and I don't want to be accused of child porn.

A few updates from the Hayes house...

1) Mimi, Addy and I are taking a super spontaneous trip to San Diego tomorrow!

2) Leigh Ann is having a baby girl!!! Yeah! Congrats to Chloe on her new big sister status! They also sold and bought a house. We couldn't be more excited for them.

3) I haven't returned anyone's phone calls, so don't take it personal, it isn't just you.

4) Grandma is coming in to town for Halloween! She will see Addy get all dressed up as a Tree Frog!

5) Eric got to see Kirk, Alli and James last week. So jealous.

6) I miss the Jehle's. The whole lot of them.

A few pics that others have sent me!

New Beck House!

Cute Baby James

Addy at the Pumpkin Festival. She looks like she is casing the joint.

We went to the next door neighbors 2nd birthday. She played with necklaces (big surprise!) and did 100 laps on the slide.

We're back!!

Whereas my natural instinct is to whine and complain about my post-vacation depression, instead I am going to post the picture that depicts our trip...

This one you can almost hear Addy's growl...

Chloe and Addy ran around so cute together. Chloe is so cute and friendly, and Addy just watched in amazement and copied everything she did. Addy taught Chloe something too... how to use your voice during a meltdown. By the time we left, Chloe was screaming the way Addy does! I was so proud. But felt a little bad for Leigh and Jeff.

What an amazing time we had. It is too bad we live in vacation world for like 2 weeks a year, instead of 50 weeks a year. I wish we could just visit the real world for a couple of weeks and then head back to the beach club.

Unbelievable...

Not to be a buzz kill, but Eric and I are watching a documentary about a town in Charleston, Mississippi

where they still have segregated proms. Morgan Freeman, who is from Charleston, offered to pay for

the prom if they integrated. Many parents and some kids refused. I am completely floored that this still

happens... in 2009... in the United States. I don't even know what to say. Where to even begin...

6,300 minutes

I live for weekends. With a little tear each Monday morning, I start counting down the 6300 minutes until Friday afternoon. The past 2 weekends were no exception. Last weekend, Sarah and Bob came in town and we really never stopped playing. In one day we went to the farmers market, the pool and City Park Jazz. It was the perfect trifecta... We didn't stop long enough to even take pictures. This weekend we resolved to take more pictures. We aren't really good at keeping resolutions, but we did well this weekend.

We took Addy to the Rocky Mountain National Park today. Although it was way too many hours in a car seat, she had fun picking flowers, falling over and visiting the Bakers! What beautiful girls they have, and such a cute home!! Sometimes I worry that we are too old to make new friends. Proven wrong again.

Addy almost caught her first fish tonight. It bit at the fly, but she wasn't quite quick enough. Maybe when she is 2.

Then tonight we said goodbye to our weekly tradition of City Park Jazz. Eric and I were naming our top three reasons we love living in Denver and City park Jazz was on both lists. Addy totally agrees and gave dad a huge high 5 when she got there.

Note Addy's new dress... it is my new creation, again struggling with lenght. It isn't as long as it appears, her feet are actually under there- I promise. I need to come up with a name to put on the tags inside. Any ideas???

OK, just one more.

Thanks to the Howards who gave this to Addy for her birthday. She loves it, but I am not sure she knows how to breath while she is playing with it! And as expected, she is trying to eat the water.

Enjoy the multitude of posts! Make sure you make it all the way to the Taos picture!

Our little Sumo...

One More.

We had such a great weekend. It started as we invaded the Trotters house while the Jehles were staying there and the Trotters were coming back from Chanute with a great new puppy, Louis! They will have to send pics, because this could be one of the cutest puppies ever. We spent Friday night outside on thier great wrap-around porch and back yard. Addy's face took a real hit. Can you count all 6 bug bites!?!?!?

Here we are at our weekly outing to City Park Jazz. For those who never visit- we take snacks, a blanket, usually some fun friends, and a bottle of wine to the park and listen to great bands. Addy's favorite part is feeding Dad blueberries. Seriously, she is addicted.

Wow, if I could spend a million days...

It would be in the Outerbanks, in Rodanthe, North Carolina with some of my favorite people in the world. First, I should say that we should all give Dr. Alex Jehle the biggest round of applause ever. He has really busted his tail and has spent the last... well, I don't know how long... maybe a total of 32 years... learning, studying, and becoming really smart. That does include Kindergarten I should add. Second, to add that to celebrate, Alex and Stacy honored us all (Cotter, the Trotters, the Coors, the Bakers and the Hayes') with a fun week in NC. It was truly splendid. One of those perfect weeks that would drive others crazy and yet speaks to the kindred spirits that went on this trip. It involved sleeping in, spending an hour or so at the beach, nap times which corresponded to pool time for moms, eating, cooking, drinking, laughing, playing, sand, saline pool, hot tub, kayak... etc. It involved very little beyond 100 yards of the house. One lighthouse and one trip to the grocery store was about as touristy as we got. The Bakers did some exploring, hopefully that counts for the rest of us.

Here are some pics. They don't really do it justice. For other accounts, see Stacy, Kelly andHeathers blogs. They helped me overcome the post-vacation blues. I got them pretty intensely. I am pretty sure anyone at work would agree that I still suffer from them.

Thanks for all the pictures guys! I was too busy enjoying the coastal life to take pictures of my own, apparently.

Everyone minus Cotter. 17 people in one house. And I think we all really liked each other. Who would have thought that was possible!

Elsa and Stacy

Pool, hot tub and a hammock. Who could ask for more?!?!?

The funny thing about this picture, is that Elsa really likes Addy, and Addy is pretty much head butting her away. They became much better friends by the end of the week.

Cute little butts...

The Coors really got good at Kadima (west-coasters call it Smashball). I think their record was 21 hits.

She lived on sand and blueberries. I am not sure which wreaked havoc on her digestive tract, but either way- she ate a lot of sand.

The view off the balcony, and Eric fishing. Unbelievable.

Really... she ate a lot of sand. Buckets-full- as you can see here.

Thanks Jehles! It really was such a treat spending time with your family and friends! Good luck in Montana!

The last 6 months...

It seems like forever since we have posted. It has been a pretty busy month - full of vacations, funerals, outings, the flu, work, etc.

It started in mid-June with a trip to Taos for my Uncle Larry's funeral. It was bitter sweet- good time with family, although sad for our family who has spent too much times at funerals in the last few years. It is unfortunate that time spent reminiscing, story telling and creating new memories comes at such a price. It was good to see family- it has been a couple of years since we have seen everyone, and much has changed in the last couple of years, needless to say. In an effort to get to vacation pics, see Leigh Ann's blog for Taos pics. You will note the overarching theme to that post is the stomach flu... You can take that story, change the name to Addy, Meredith, Eric, Karen, Lynd, Cori, Tracee, Kelly or Liz. We all got sick over about 10 days, although I am still pleading the 5th for Liz and Kelly- I really don't think Addy was contagious! Sorry anyway! I know the flu isn't fun.

This picture kind of epitomized our trip- Jackie spent hours and hours walking with Addy, playing with her, entertaining her, etc. Chloe was sick and spent hours and hours puking, pooping and contaminating. I love Chloe. She is adorable, and teaches Addy lots of things like how to talk on the phone, how to share, and how wonderful Mimi is. It was fun to see her despite the days and days and days of sickness that followed.

Identity Crisis

Addy goes to bed by about 7:30 every night. On weekends, she sleeps upwards of 4-5 hours a day. (Wakes up at 9, nap 10-1, nap from 3-5, bed at 7) While that is undeniabley great news, it makes for a lot of time in the basement waiting for her to wake up. So... enter my new hobby... making Addy new clothes. Or trying to make Addy new clothes and them giving them to the children whom they actually fit. Any requests????

First piece of clothing... It is huge on Maile, who is 2. Needless to say it was way to big for Addy. And, it looks like she should be in a cult in Idaho or Utah.

Her first pair of pants. They still need a bit of work around the waist. I may have to start over. I do like the fabric combo though.

This is my big success. It almost fits! A bit big though. I think if I make it a bit shorter it will work. And it will be cuter when she is walking. If she ever starts walking.

The new Addy we have grown to love. The Addy with lots of teeth coming in and the periodic melt downs. Although today tooth #3 popped through and she was refreshingly happy! Happy babies make for happy parents!

There is one more dress (2 really- the first will go to Elsa since it was too small, and the 2nd actually fits more like a shirt) but I didn't have the heart to make her try on a 3rd outfit today. Pictures will come sometime...