screen time

Over the last couple months the boys have shown (or maybe we've just finally allowed) a newfound love of technology - especially games and videos. LT loves to play Angry Birds and Alder's a big fan of watching youtube videos of trash trucks. And here are a few pictures of them doing exactly that.

Deep in concentration.

This is serious stuff.

Adler occasionally looked up to see what I was doing with the camera.

When I tried to get both boys to look at me for a photo, they got annoyed with me and complained that they needed to concentrate.

Easter Fun

Last year Baba brought the idea (and materials) to make an Easter bunny cake in Estes Park. Although LT was very sick with a stomach bug, he hasn't forgotten the idea. When I mentioned that Easter was only a week away, he instantly asked if we could make the cake. We made a vanilla bean cake with vanilla frosting (all from joythebaker.com) and accessorized with candy.
Adler, aka sweet tooth, ate more than he decorated with, but he managed to get a few pieces on the cake.
The finished bunny!
While Adler napped, LT and I dyed Easter eggs.

Class on a Caterpillar

LT's little school has this play caterpillar on their playground. I came to pick him up one day and almost all the kids were riding on it!

Schools out for Spring break!

This week is spring break for LT. The weather has been gorgeous and we have enjoyed spending the majority of our time outdoors. In addition to doing a lot of gardening and playing in our yard, we have also spent some time with friends. We found ourselves at the Botanic Gardens twice this week. Its one of my favorite places to take our kids.
LT and his buddies Ewan and Isaac took this wonderful little class at the gardens on Wed. They learned about cold weather crops. They read a book, tasted veggies that grow this time of year and were even able to plant their own little gardens to bring home!
Afterwards we let the boys run around the gardens. They (with their little brothers) spent a lot of time rolling down this hill, running back up and rolling again!

Adler and Holden had a blast trying to keep up with their big brothers.

Pirate Playground

The pirate playground at Sloans Lake was a big hit this week. The boys clocked over 15 hours there in one week! This particular day we met nearly all of LTs and many of Adler's friends. All schools in the Denver area have spring break this week, which means we got to see a lot of our friends who are typically in school during the week full time. The big boys did big guy stuff, digging, scooping, climbing trees, wandering around.

And Adler, well, he put buckets on his head. Happy as could be.

Pumpkin Jammies

I realized Adler's pumpkin jammies have become such a part of our day to day life that it almost seemed silly to write about them. We wash them nearly daily. He's been wearing them since early September, almost every day. They don't have a crotch, the arms are tattered and they look ridiculous, but he loves them. I wish I could express his sweet little excited voice when he finds them clean in the dryer and yells, "MY PUMPKIN JAMMIES ARE CLEAN" while clapping his arms together.
Eating donuts at Baba's in the special attire.
All boys wear pumpkin jammies to the stock show, right?!
Donuts again, pumpkin jammies again.

Someday these won't be as big of a deal to him and we will miss the pumpkin jammie days, so I had to write a tribute to them.

First salon haircut for the boys

I have (or Brian) always cut the boys hair. It seemed easier, cheaper and less intimidating for the boys. However, I realized after the last few cuts I have done that I don't in fact have a clue as to what I am doing! I had heard about a place in Cherry Creek that had cars the kids could sit in while they got their haircut and finally decided to take them.
It was worth every penny. The stylists were trained to work with wiggly little boys. The boys enjoyed driving perfect little people sized cars and best of all, they got a lollipop and a prize when they were done!

Even Adler sat very still, amazing.
The best part for both of them may have been the pink motorcycle they rode on at the end. We will definitely go back!

it's not about the bike

We've had really nice weather recently which inspired me to start biking to work again. Papa gave me some new clipless pedals for Christmas and, inspired by the weather, I bought some actual bike shoes to go with them so I could ride into work on Friday. I thought I should practice just a little with the new gear before attempting an early morning commute so I headed out to the alley. Kar and the boys came to see the wreckage but the boys soon decided just watching wasn't very fun so their bikes came out too.

As we start a new season we are doing the hand-me-down shuffle with the bikes. LT is just staring to ride a real pedal bike handed down to him by his cousin. And we finally lowered the seat on the push bike which will soon be Adlers (LT even tried to help him learn).

 


But old habits die hard and both kids enjoyed a little time on their old bikes too.

Happy Kids

Kar sent me this photo from the park yesterday.

Winter Park

We rented a house with some friends in Winter Park for a ski weekend earlier in February. Lots of boys, lots of food, lots of skiing and lots of fun!

LT built many lego structures and wanted me to take a picture of each and every one.
LT skied 2 of the 3 days we were up there. Unfortunately, most of the other kids either weren't into skiing or were too young. Luckily Dylan came up for a night and LT and Dylan skied a bit together. Dylan's skills are beyond little LTs, but they did manage to enjoy chocolate covered marshmallows after skiing!
As I said, Dylan has been skiing a little longer and has the ski genes our kids will never have. LT really wanted to go with Dylan, but after arriving at the top of this lift, it was probably a mistake on my part to follow their family. LT did ski all the way down, but he was tired, hungry and a bit worn out at the end.
Ski buds.
Our room had a huge jet tub that we bathed the boys in one night.
We ate some amazing food. Each family planned a breakfast and a dinner for everyone. Shawn brought make your own pizza things. She and Ben had a pizza dough tossing contest!

Below, little Adsy enjoying the snow.

I promised the boys on our way to Winter Park that I would take them to a classic old school restaurant for lunch on the way home. We stopped at Dairy King in Empire for some greasy burgers and fries.

Life

Shameless Plug

Looks like Denver is supposed to get something like five to nine feet of snow through tonight and tomorrow but if you're looking for something to do on Friday night, and are willing to brave the coming snowpocalypse, please come check out (maybe even buy) some of my photography at Tenn St. Coffee and Books and Art.  The opening reception is tomorrow during the Tennyson Frist Friday Art Walk and the show will hang through most of February.

The M.A.N. Show, a set on Flickr.

Hop on Pop

A couple months ago when Tino & Phoenix came over we played a game where the kids jumped off the side of the couch and I caught them. I'd sort of forgotten about it but apparently they had not because they came over again last week and when I got home from work the whole crew accosted me demanding to play again. LT said it was kind of like that book Hop on Pop but a actually little bit different. I was getting pretty tired after my hundredth or so catch so eventually decided to rework the game a little. We put a bunch of pillows on the floor for them to land on and I got my camera.


Tino is a natural.


And Phoenix has some skills too.

LT and Adler were a different story. Adler just sort of fell face first into the pillows and then did his best to get in the way of the other kids. LT, being somewhat gangly and uncoordinated like his father, isn't exactly the picture of grace and poise as he jumps though the air. Also he somehow ended up jumping in only his underwear. So I didn't get any decent photos of them that night.


But we did decide to try again the next day and Adler started to get the idea.

LT's style didn't improve much but at least he managed to keep his pants on this time.