The Colors

Autumn in Colorado reminds me of why I moved here in the first place. The mornings are crisp and lovely, the days are sunshiny bright, and the evenings are perfect for bonfires. And, of course, the colors are beautiful. In our new neighborhood, there are more fall colors than anywhere I've lived in the Denver metro area. We have the most vibrant yellow tree right outside of our bedroom window and our street reminds me of the view outside of 100 Willow. 

This weekend, we marveled at the beauty of the drive from our house through Springs, and up to the Pueblo Mountain Park. It was a perfect weekend to be at the Lodge. We had some fun family time in the outdoors with Jose's parents and two of the boys' cousins. Griff experienced his first bonfire-made s'mores. Diego hiked just about as much as anyone else. And, I finally took a baby belly pic (Court!). 

the newest addition to the Lodge

superhero moves

daddy and deo love

25 weeks

let's go, everybody

a self-satisfied smile...nice throw, Jose

Go For a Hike.

Maybe it's their personality types or just being exposed to the outdoor beauty of Colorado, but my boys truly thrive outside. The more time we spend hiking and playing in the wilderness, the more contented they seem. I'm so thankful for their love of exploring and moving. While we aren't exactly hiking fourteeners, they impress me every time we head out. I see them building their confidence, taking risks and recognizing God's majesty in our lovely state. There is nothing like climbing up the side of a mountain to make you realize how small we are and how powerful and awe-inspiring our God truly is.

The Table.

Every once in a while Jose and I embark on a project that I know will be challenging. Simply because we are different people with unique opinions. Naming a child comes to mind...or driving a long road trip. In that vein, I was a little nervous about one of our most recent projects. You see, after searching for furniture for our patio and feeling extremely discouraged about the quality and price of what we'd found, we decided we would build a table. A big table. And, I had big dreams for it.

Five years ago, we bumped over dirt roads to our honeymoon destination in Belize--Black Rock Lodge. It was magical. The canopy of the jungle overhead, the rushing of the river below, and the twinkling, romantic light in the dining pavilion greeted us upon our arrival. Every evening all of the guests would join together under the pavilion for a family style dinner. It might be our favorite place in the resort. 

So, when we first saw our spacious, covered deck, I knew exactly what I wanted. The romance, ambiance and magic of Black Rock. To do that, we needed a huge, wooden table and twinkling lights and friends to fill the table, of course. We set our sights on Diego's birthday--we would have plenty of family there to fill our table. We designed, researched, redesigned, and work-work-worked every night. We barely finished the table in time.

Here's the thing, though: Jose and I felt like a dream team on this project. We felt perfectly suited to get this done, each using our strengths. We trusted each other and questioned each other, but had our eyes on our goal. And, we are so proud of the results. We like this table a lot. I think we will use it for years and years. I am certain the deck will become one of our favorite rooms in the house. But, mainly we felt so good at having completed it together.

Third Child.

I've heard people say that "Mommy Brain" is not a real thing. As if it is, perhaps, an excuse for careless moms. Welp. It's real, people. And, it seems to get a little more severe with each pregnancy. How did my mom keep all four of us fed and dressed when she was pregnant with Sam?

We had our 20 week ultrasound (at 21 weeks, no less), this week. We were super excited, but had to bring the boys with us. When they flew through their snacks, we set them up with one of our old phones--playing games and watching Wild Kratts. Griff was so excited that he was yelling at the top of his lungs. Diego just wanted more, more, more popcorn. It wasn't quite the sweet, almost sacred experience that it had been previously. We were thrilled to hear that the baby looks healthy, of course.

But, here's the thing, I lost the ultrasound pictures. In the craziness of trying the leave the doctor's office and not wanting to wrinkle and ruin the pictures, I tucked them into one of Griff's books. It was actually a library book. So, when we made our weekly trip to the library, we returned the ultrasound pictures with the books. I realized it as I lay in bed that night. Thinking, oh no, I am already not giving this baby enough attention!

I guess that is my fear--that it will be harder to capture and appreciate the precious moments with the busy-ness of having three kids. That I will forget to journal about the characteristics that strike me about baby number three. That I will forget to slow down. I know we all just do the best we can, and really I don't know what my kids will cherish later on in life. They (and I) may not really care much about ultrasound pictures. Thanks to a helpful librarian, though, that's one thing I don't need to worry about.

A Great Day.

After Diego's birthday, we were joking that he would be expecting every day to be filled with all of his favorite foods, songs directed his way, lights and gifts. After celebrating Diego on September 11, we planned a little backyard bash for him on Saturday. We love to extend a birthday, so it was not only a great day, but a great week. We're so thankful for all of the family and friends that made Diego's second birthday one to remember.

He was this excited about everything!

This is his third candle blow-out...in case you're keeping track!

A little post-birthday relaxation at our newly built table. Whew! What a week!