Seriously?

What a mess!  We just cleaned this play room... it does not take much.  And all that you see in the back ground are cars and pet shop animals... at least they use their imagination!

What's the saying...?

"Cleaning they house while the children are still growing 

is like shoveling the snow while it's still snowing!"

First Day Today

Got our teacher gifts made... B & BW apple hand soap...  with a little card attached.  Happy kids ready for new grade, new teachers... good times!  Walking to school... here's to a new year!

* * *

Back To School Traditions

 (photo inspired by this post... photo above by me of my son.)

The night before the first day of school pray these verses over your kiddos... if you do this every night soon you and your child will have them memorized... and that my friend is a true treasure!
Colossians 1:9 -14

"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the LORD and may please him in every way:bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God..." vs. 10 NIV

The first day of school photos...
Of course our friend Becky Higgins has some great suggestions on back to school photos... click here.

An apple for the teacher...
Some ideas for back to school teacher gifts here... and here.  Oh and check out this gift... way cool... it could even be a gift you give after the first week of school really... check Nora out here.

Special back-to-school breakfast...
love what Deliciously Organic has cooked up here.

First day of school... here we come!

Good Bye Summer...

*sigh* We had a great, relaxing, fun-filled summer... I've decided to stop mourning the end of summer and get excited about the school year... What always gets me out of a funk?  School supplies, new gear and back-to-school new shoes!  Interpretation: shopping! (H & E sporting their new shoes above.)

In this last week we've hung out with fun friends, played in a spray park, swimming, children's museum, B & N in downtown FW (what is it about a bookstore in the downtown area that is so wonderful? We love it there...), played basketball with fellow cub scouts, made our own comic book - super heroes that live in a gold mine no less... (where did H get that idea?) -- just trying to pack it all in before The Routine sets in....

I'm having trouble embracing that... can you tell?

Day 6 and 7

Last few days in Colorado... scenes from the back yard... photos by me...

Feeding the fish on the last day... part of H & E's daily routine! So much for a kiddo to do...

Road Trip Day 4 and 5

Hanging out together with the family... at the house...

Day 5 - Estes Park and Fun City

Road Trip Day 2 and 3

We arrived at Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Dave's home...  first thing... visit the goats.  They own three goats... these goats are so great, too.  The kiddos fed them at least once a day.

Their back yard... Uncle Dave and Aunt Kathleen work SO hard on their yard.  It's an oasis.

The pond... it's huge.  More photos to come.  Dave can put one in your yard!  Just ask me and I can get his information to you... it's amazing.

Just down the road from their home...  yes... it's beautiful.

Our trip to Idaho Springs... a fun little town.  Ate lunch at Bou Jo's pizza... yummy!

The temperatures were perfect... such a nice break.  Needed a sweater in the shade!

Hudson wanted to pan for gold... he had some real ideas of striking it rich!  We toured a real gold mine... saw real gold in mine of the mountain, too. 

Sporting our hard hats... entering the mine with Uncle Dave.

Little chipmunks every where... they would just come right up to you...

End of Summer Road Trip

Leaving over 100 degree temperatures... we began our end of summer journey to cooler Colorado to enjoy the week with Danny's side of the family... a celebration of the end of a great summer. 

 Our view for most of the Texas drive... until we came to mountains.  The clouds were amazing.

 We love road trips... we've always enjoyed driving.  (In 1998 we went on a trip (pre-children) for 10 days driving through New Mexico and Colorado... no reservations, no plans, skiing... good times!)

 Endless Texas highway.... the majority of our drive is in Texas... kids enjoyed reading, drawing and watching movies.

The kids LOVE hotel rooms... it's the greatest adventure to them to stay in a hotel... I wonder why?

 Next morning... Raton Pass... Next stop -- family in Colorado. (all photos taken with my camera phone.)