Colorado 2010

So, I have been absent for quite some time from blogging, etc... January is SO busy for work and life and obviously I don't like January. So, who wants to blog when they have no nice feelings, right?

Well, I am happy to say that I am feeling much better!!

So, I'm sure you remember my previous post... about missing my dear sister and her sweet family? Well... I got to go out and visit her last weekend (just Alan and I) and it was heaven! I got a much needed break and I think it cured my winter blues! We always have such a great time there. They are such good hosts. We even got a "taste" of Denver, if you will. We ate at two jummy restaraunts that are VERY Denver. Pappadeuxs and The Grand Luxe Cafe. It was scrumpdittilyumptous! So, I'm sure I gained a pound or two or three, but it was well worth it!

And now for the BIG news... (drumroll please)... WE ARE MOVING TO DENVER!!

What?!?! You may be saying... so let me explain.

Alan has been job hunting recently in hopes of finding somewhere where he can grow in his field and have opporunities to move up. So he has been working with recruiters and there were two openings that sounded like a good fit. One in Texas and one in Denver ! So, he had a phone interview with Denver and then they flew him out for a day of interviews ( this is why we went to Denver without our kiddos) and apparently they loved him. Which we are SO thrilled about, because Denver is a much better company then Texas. More growth and more growing potential. Plus, Alan relly likes their "community" feeling.

And, it just so happens that this wonderful job is near my sister!! Guess I really got a jump on that goal of mine for this year ;) Funny thing is, I think we would have taken this job no matter where it was, but we are just SO blessed that it was in Denver!

I am ecstatic! Granted I will miss Utah and our family ( my little sister Elli, especially) and all of my friends, but I know this is what we are supposed to be doing and I am so blessed that after all these years I get to raise my kids with my big sister... I have missed her SO!

I know ALan will miss his brothers and boating and dirt biking and such, but I know we will find other things we love to do in Denver, like hiking, maybe?

So now the hard part begins. Alan will be leaving in a few weeks and we will stay behind to tie up loose ends (until the end of the school year)... and there are SO many loose ends to tie up! I should really make a list so that they don't all drive me crazy floating around in my head!

So, wich me luck as I embark on being a single Mommy for a while! You probably already know I don't do well on my own ( I need my man), but we both knew this would be hard (anything worth it, is). So, if any of you want to stop by and keep me company, I would LOVE it!

Denver, here we come...

Missing You...

So, I have decided I reeeaaaally DO NOT LIKE JANUARY! There is nothing to look forward to, it's cold, it's depressing (not to mention the bills from Christmas :) ) and it just down right sucks!!

So when I start feeling that January depression setting in, of course I start to miss these kids:

And I start to think about all their milestones I am missing, their soccer & basketball games, their recitals, when they start walking etc.. (you get the picture) and it just makes me sad :(

I think that my new New Years Resolution is to move to Colorado... cause isn't life just too short to not be with those you love? Not that I don't love all you Utahn's, but I just really miss my sister... ya know?

I mean, look at what I'm missing:

Look at those cheeks!

(Isabella's, not Jamie's ;) )

I just can't take it much longer... really missing these people!

Hopefully Alan will be on board with my New Years Resolution... or else!!

Thanksgiving Bliss

This Thanksgiving we headed out to sunny Colorado (literally). It was incredibly warm... like in the 60's!! We stayed at my sisters with Elli & Dewayne and my parents and Andres & Sandee stayed at a hotel nearby. It was Christians baptism weekend so the whole fam damily went out to celebrate! It was really fun for us and for the kids too... they LOVED having big slumber parties every night with their cousins and playing their guts out! Jamie & Caro were such great hosts too... always making us ALL feel welcome!

On Thanksgiving we all went to the skate park by her house before the big feast and the kids had a great time:

We always joke about these two in pictures together... they make such a cute couple!

Here is their engagement picture:

All the little kids really like Marcus... especially Isaac!

I miss this little beauty everyday!

This pic was at a local park that the guys took the kids to the day after thanksgiving while we ladies got caught up on some sleep! We headed out Thanksgiving night at 10pm (which is when her outlets opened) and didn't return until 7am the next morning! I was on a shopping high! It was SO crazy fun... I have said it once and I'll say it yet again... Colorado has THE BEST shopping!

All the cousins (on Jamie's and Caro's sides) after Christian's baptism.

The kids played a musical number for the baptism. They played "I am a Child of God" with Nico on the piano, Hallie, Jaxon and Sydnee on violin and Summer playing the violin obbligato part. It was SO cute! They did such a great job!

Summer with Cassidy & Max (Jamie's niece & nephew).

Aren't they all so cute?

Let's just say Summer really enjoys going to Colorado ;)

A bunch of CRAZIES!

We had a serisouly CrAzY family night a couple weeks ago. It all started with a little of this:

Then we mixed in a little of this:

And got this:

And this:

It was a night full of Crazies! I think family game night is here to stay... expecially if it ALWAYS includes milk shakes!

Loving Music

The kids had their annual Suzuki Violin Recital the week before Thanksgiving. It was a HIT! Hallie played "Long, Long, Ago" (the Book 2 version), Jaxon played "The Happy Farmer" , and Summer played "Spring" by Vivaldi - 1st movement. They all did so great! I was VERY excited that I got to accompany them on the piano too... I am loving piano lately and obvisouly loving music! I love that my kids play. It makes me happy to hear them playing... especially when they are loving it too ;) I am so grateful for music in my life and in my home.

The kids love their teacher (Marcii Palmer), and so do I! She makes music so fun and she is an amazing person! We are so grateful that we are in her studio!

This pic is of Summer and Denise Willey (her Orchestra Director). Summer auditioned for the Lyceum Chamber Ensemble this year and she is really enjoying it! This was after their Christmas Concert on Dec. 2nd. It was an amazing concert seeing so many young kids up on that stage making beautiful music together... again... I love music!

(As an interesting side note: Jaxon told me at this concert that he likes the DEEP sound the Cello makes and he wants to play Cello! I think that would be SO fun for both of us... but can I really add that to my plater right now? We shall see ...)

In fact, I love music so much that ... Alan bought me a Brand New Piano for Christmas and I couldn't be happier! Here she is:

I have been in heaven... big change from our little keyboard!

Now for some piano lessons...

The kids are really enjoying playing it. Summer has amazed us all at how much she can play on the piano and apparently... she can read piano music! She is awesome...

wish I was that awesome ;)

SaN fRaNcIsCo

Alan had a business trip in San Francisco last week for NASS (North American Spine Society) ... I kept teasing Alan about the name... wouldn't it be funny if it was just the

American Spine Society??? (I'm a nerd)

Anyway, I met up with him on Friday Morning and we had SO much fun! It felt like I was gone for EVER, but it was only two nights.

I really love that city.

Golden Gate Park. Dutch Windmill

'The Renzo' from Mastrelli's at the Ferry Building.

It had fresh Prosciutto, Coppa, fresh Mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, & olive oil - all on Rosemary bread... I was in HEAVEN! I also bought a salami to bring home!

'The Meatball' from Mastrelli's. The bread was toasted and the Mozzarella was melting all over the meatballs! Alan was in Heaven!

We rented Bikes and rode from Fishermans Warf, over the golden gate bridge, down into Sausalito and back (it was about 16 miles). This is on the way back... I was pooped!

Sausalito was so cute!

I think there is no better way to really see a place then on bikes!

On the other side of the bridge looking into San Francisco.

Alan was taking photo's WHILE riding his bike! It was totally safe!

Golden Gate Bridge

Our only picture together...

I was in shopping heaven! I found the best Ross in the world and spoiled myself! It was friends & family at Gap and Old Navy so I HAD to tak advantage of that! ;) All these stores were HUGE! I mean like 3 - 4 stories huge! I got to see stores I'd never seen before too like H&M, Crate & Barrell, Juicy Coutoure...etc... it was SO fun!

We ate at Sears' in Union Square. It is a breakfast hot spot and is famous for little pancakes. People line up outside and wait for quite a long time to get in. It is so cute inside too...

Alan got the little pancakes.

These Sea Lions live on Pier 39. There are hundreds of them and they are SO stinky and loud.

Yes, it's true... we saw WICKED!! And it was Friday the 13th too! I am SO glad we did it... Alan even loved it! What an amazing show... I can't wait to see it again ;)

Bad picture of me. Great picture of the Orpheum Theater.

Alan's SHOCK after purchasing the Wicked tickets.

My shock after buying the tickets!

Oreo Milkshake from Lori's diner (cute little 50's diner).

It was a great weekend... and SO needed! I love being with my man!