A Hot Afternoon

Come over and splash in your backyard?  Why yes, of course.  We're always up for that!  Dale, Rose, Claire and Vivian are always a blast to watch.  Even when it's a million degrees outside and almost nap time.

Jenn wrote all over her fence with chalk, so that the kids could take turns squirting it clean with the hose.  I mean, talk about awesome good times.

Friday Night at the Orchard

Wanna go to an extremely crowded place with tiny kids and just hope you don't lose them?  Sure!  Let's go!

The Orchard shopping center in Thornton has free Friday night concerts in the summer, and it's right by the Palte house, so when Abbey suggested we go play around there, (because she's nuts), we were in, (because we're nuts.)  Do two crazy mamas make a sane one?

Dale shows Addison and Emily how to go crazy on the splash pad.

Also nuts is the Sebring family, so they joined us for the fun.  It was so nice to have everyone back together again.  This time there are SEVEN kids!  Jeesh!  Ten, if you count the Daddies.  And we were all back in the same place at the same time for the first time in years.  Yep, years.

These dudes.

They were rather agreeable, because we were on our way to get them ice cream.

It's great to be back with my peeps.

Watermelon Faces

May 25, 2013

Kids + Watermelon = Adorable sweet juicy watermelon smiles.

We love hanging out at the Sebring house.  Dale and Claire are a great pair for crazy active playing, Rose loves all the new exciting toys, and I love staring at baby Vivian as she attempts to join in all the fun.  And this visit included Jenn's brother and his family, including the sweet little Trent.  Lots of cute kids eating lots of juicy watermelon!

Dale eats as much watermelon as he can as fast as he can.

Claire smiles upon request.

Look at Trent's sweet smile!

This one wasn't as eager to smile for Mommy, so Daddy helped her out a little.

Vivian is always happy.

It was a fabulous hot evening with lots of chatting and playing.  Loved it.

Claire's harmonica performance, Trent peeking under the deck, Jenn and her brother Andrew.

Wendy, Jenn, and Heather.

Rose finally surrendered to the smiles when she went back to the pile of discarded watermelon to finish off all the leftovers.

Yuck!  But whatever.

Little Monkeys

We were so lucky to be in town for Claire's fourth birthday party and even luckier to be able to celebrate with her at Monkey Bizness.  Dale and Rose had never been to a place like it, and they were amazed.

And of course I was thrilled to see my bestie Jenn and her insanely adorable Vivian.

But where are their pants?!

Once we left the party Dale was so sad it was over that he pouted the whole way to dinner.

For reals.

Perfectly Imperfect

The day of Abbey's baby shower was so much fun.  Abbey was all smiles as she greeted everyone into her house, and Abbey's mother, Debbie aka DeeDee, was a gracious and delightful hostess, making sure all us mamas were well fed and happy with our mimosas.

Why yes, I will have a mimosa...or two!

Britney and Annalea, Abbey's sister-in-law and niece.

There were a lot of smiley happy girls at the shower, and we were all gathered to help celebrate the upcoming arrival of the new baby girl in true Abbey fashion; making a quilt.

Let's face it, it's about the only thing I can do to help.

The letters were made with great teamwork, and they were all perfectly imperfect.  Just like us!

The "I" was the best if you ask me.

Great progress was made in just a few short hours.  Abbey's plan is to finish it in her own spare time.  This blanket is going to be adorable!

What an honor to be a part of this quilt and the experience!  And what an honor it will be to be a part of the new baby's circle when she is born.


UPDATE June 2013-  Abbey finished Elizabeth's beautiful quilt:

Photo by Abbey Palte.

Getting Silly With the Sebrings

Do you know what Colorado means to me?  It's more than the mountains and the energy.  To me, Colorado is friends.  Gosh, I have missed my friends so much.  This particular trip to Colorado was  a house hunting trip for us, but we made sure to visit our good pals while we were there too.  While we were gone in Kansas for a few years, the Sebrings went and had another precious little girl, and I am so excited to rejoin their circle and get to know this new smiley princess.

Jenn and Vivian.

The Sebrings also added a fabulous playroom for the kids.  Why yes, we'll be right over.

Claire was all smiles to see Dale.

"Wha?  What sock?  You can't prove there was ever a sock."

"Psh!  You and your sock issue!"

"Uhh, Mommy?  Wendy?  Anybody?  Should she be doing this?"

We had so much fun playing at the Sebrings.  We were so happy to reunite the kids again and cannot wait to be back permanently.

It just works.