Buddies.

These 3 boys belong to our friends, who also happen to be in our neighb.  We caught them today out on a walk & asked if we could join.  :)

Meg's hitched!

I grew up with Megan.  And now, so has Laila.  Congrats to the beautiful bride and here's to a blessed future!

Not only did she get to celebrate this special marriage...  Ingi did her first sparkler!

Bye Mer!

While my kids were doing this:

I was doing this: (sniff sniff)

 You're looking at my very first MOPS table (minus sweet Jaime who wasn't able to make it & minus our mentor mom who was taking the shot...)

We all had one, one year old when we met & we each had a bun in the oven.  Out of my 4 years in MOPS, this was the table I still meet up with.  Sadly though, sweet Meredith is moving to AZ.  While we're so happy for her & her family - there will be such a void at our quarterly hangouts.

Halloween.

As you saw, we had the ballerina & monkey for one Halloween party.  We then had Rapunzel & monkey for another.

Happy Halloween!  

Visiting a friend in a nursing home.  

THEN:  Visiting more friends!

Laila could not believe Ingrid ALSO had a side braid!  

It's become tradition to visit the Thorstenson's on Halloween.  The costumes come off, we eat Halloween candy & the trains come out.  

First cone.

I don't think Axel has ever had an ice cream cone before.  Since Jason wasn't around for this meal, I wanted to document.  As you may recall, L's first cone was in a fabulous ice cream shop in San Diego.  This place was almost as great.  Fabulous pizza, fabulous gelato and fabulous friends.

Seattle memories with Denver girls.

Holly & I roomies in college.  We hadn't seen each other in a decade.  In September 2011 we stayed with their family, vacationing in Denver.  This year she brought her girls out to Seattle to stay with us.

It was a special time touring our lovely city with some really sweet girls by our side.  The kids were such troopers as we saw as much as we could in a mere 4 days.

Zoo

Ferry ride 

Docking

Beach time where we found 2 seal pups! 

Troll

Kerry Park

Rachel the pig, at Pike Place

Matchy mamas - at the Locks...

The kids got along so well.  It was fabulous to get some good girl time in.  Thank you for making the big trek up here, Hol!  We love and miss you!!!

Play date.

Thanks for hosting, Katie!  

My kids took a great nap after this super-fun play date!

Princess & ballerina cutie-pies!  

This pic is all about the boys...
(I'm pretty sure it would have made my whole week
to have the other boys shirt-less as well.)   

Julia.

We became friends in 5th grade!  Julia has lived all over the place since high school & is now back in Seattle for a quick visit with family.  I was able to steal her for a quick (wet) run around the lake & a 'post run' donut up on beautiful Queen Anne.  Loved & cherished our time together!

Zoo day.

We met up with a friend of mine for a loooooooong over-due play date.  Kelly & I worked together for many years, we've since both quit to be SAHM's.  It was so special to get to meet her kids.  Her eldest, was such a joy to hang out with & I'm in love with her twins. (I'm pretty sure I'm in love with all twins...) but hers are especially sweet.  :)

It was a great outing & we'll definitely have to do it again soon!  Thanks Kelly for such a great morning!

This isn't this however, it's pretty amazing that the king (& queen) of the jungle are about 3 feet away from my little girl... 

Swanson's

This year we met up with a few MOPS moms & their little ones at Swanson's to see the reindeer, camel & donkey.  Curly, the camel was our fav this year.

Halloween x 3.

Celebration #1 at a local church with the twins.

Celebration #2 Family dinner at 13's the day before Halloween.  Dave, Lee, Jason, Andy.  These guys worked together for over 8 years.  It was rough seeing both Dave & Lee leave.  However, both guys were able to make it back for a special evening together.   I feel like it's such a cliche saying how special it was having everyone together again.  But, it was.  We don't take anything for granted these days.  They are our Station 13 family.   We enjoyed every minute of it.

Our version of "Raggedy Ann & Andy".  

Laila was so happy to see her buddy back.
She often asks to speak with him when calling daddy at work.  We miss Lee terribly.   

Celebration #3 Various neighborhood quick visits.

It's become a tradition to trick or treat at Gina's.   

When it was all said & done, I had a very tired lion & dolly.

The Farm.

We tried out a different pumpkin patch this year, The Farm.  

Megan joined the kids & I for the fun-filled day away.  

Hay ride! 

We loved this place & both agreed this was the best one we had ever been to.  After arriving home, I read a friend's blog & apparently we missed the corn pit & duck races - shoot!  

We'll for sure have to go back next year.  

Colorado whirlwind.

It's been exactly 10 years since I moved back to the NW from ColoRADo. So, when we were given the opportunity to attend the International Association of Firefighters, Fallen FF Memorial in Colorado Springs - we packed up the fam & headed to the Rockies.  There were a handful of things I had to do/see with my family by my side:

Denver:
  Red Rocks Amphitheater
  Colorado Christian University
  eat at Beau Jo's
  Drive up I-70 into the foothills
  cruise through downtown

Boulder:
  a stroll on Pearl Street

Colorado Springs:
  Garden of the God's
  Drive up Pike's Peak
  Manitou Springs

The kids were AMAZING travelers.  We were able to see everything plus squeeze in a full day at the Denver Zoo, hang out with the Tiemann family, & see Lo Lo, (on top of everything related to the Memorial).  Whirlwind indeed.

DENVER - CCU:

Taking a stroll through campus (my apt my first yr is across pond...)

Relaxing in the shade of an aspen.  

Red Rocks:

That's J, Lai & A on the stage... (a stage I once came & studied on at midnight with some candles & friends in college).  Little do they know the amazing artists that have stood there...

Playing after such a long day of travel.  The elevation didn't effect them at all... 

We then snuck in Beau Jo's & quality time with Holly's fam before hitting the zoo the next day.  (Check out the Beau Jo's link to see how to honey your pizza crust.)

Holly & Axel, 2 of my fav's... 

BOULDER:  

Aaaaaaaaaand, crossed another Diner's, Drive-In's & Dives hot spot off our list:  Foolish Craig's.  Amaaaazing crepes (singing "amazing")!  

Good 'ol Pearl Street - sadly we didn't see Zip Code Man.  

COLORADO SPRINGS:

We arrived in the Springs along with a huge rain storm.  But, that didn't stop us from visiting the site of Saturday's memorial.  

Jeffery Allen Birt   WA 27

Some Seattle Honor Guard with J & Lai 

The 343 on the 9/11 wall. 

Laurel drove up to see us for a super quick visit.  It was so great of you, Lo to come all that way!!!
We love you & miss you!  

On Friday night Jack Quinn's was the place to be.  Great conversation, drinks, T-shirts
& the Seattle Pipes & Drums played for a packed house.  Here are some of Jeff's crew that RV'd down.  

Up next?  Garden of the God's:

I've been here many, many times & I still can't get over the beauty of this national treasure.  

The snow/cloud covered peak in the back is Pike's.

Kissing camels.

The Ceremony:

Air Force Choir

Tom with Jeff's flag (center)

Melissa being presented the flag.  

Jesse Youngs' widow being presented a flag.  Next to her (seated) is another Seattle widow from last year.
It was an honor getting to meet both of these amazing ladies.  

Jeff's crew.  

3, 000 seats & still standing room only.

Seattle families with SFD Honor Guard & Chiefs

Pipe's & Drums with the 3.

My kids & I with an United Airlines pilot super handsome guy.  

We ended the evening with a fabulous dinner  (at which time Axel may or may not have wandered off without me even knowing & was returned by strangers) & watching Pipes & Drums play the streets of COS.   

Pike's Peak:

I've summited a handful of Colorado's fourteener's (14,000 ft mts) in my day by foot & have driven up one (Evan's).  On a whim, we drove up Pike's before heading for the airport.  We obviously were not prepared for snow but, threw caution to the wind & had a great time.

View on the drive up to "America's Mountain"

Dream come true - family by my side on a 14er!!! 

View from the top

Drive down - many scenic stops... How's your aspen?  

Farewell Colorado.  Thank you for the memories!