Happy Halloween!!!

We took Kendall out to our neighborhood recreation center for fun and games for the kids.  She enjoyed pumpkin bowling and "fishing" for candy.  Afterwards, we went to a couple houses on our street for a little trick-or-treating.  

Our little angel laughing!

Trick-or-treating with daddy (and a HUGE bucket!)

Pretty girl  :)

 Funny how we go to get Kendall's costume on and somehow her white tights that I bought just the other day disappeared!  Kendall has a sock drawer that I threw them in after I bought them.  Well, she also likes to empty out and throw each and every pair of socks that she owns, down the stairs almost on a daily basis.  We searched for those tights for a half hour with no luck, so we ended up with white and pink striped leggings (which you can't even see). 

I think Kendall enjoyed handing out candy to all the trick-or-treaters more so than receiving it herself, so we let her hand the candy to the kids when they came to the house.

As you can tell, she is into taking things out of places where they belong, ie. candy out of the candy bucket.  She has learned very fast, however, that when things are taken out of their place, they must be returned.  She is very good about putting things back where they belong (at least for a 16 month old!)

Hope everyone has a safe and happy halloween!!!

Today we spent the morning at the library and the afternoon at the park.  Kendall was pooped by the end of the day!  I even found her lying on the middle of the living room floor with her blankie at 7:30, ready for bed!!!

Although the day was busy, she still found the energy to be goofy in the bath tub  :)

Kendall being goofy this morning.

Happy baby tonight  :)

She even smiles now when I ask her to!

SNOW!!!  It snowed about six inches on Wednesday here.  Kendall looked at the snow like she'd never seen it before!!  (Obviously she doesn't remember).  It is supposed to be back up into the upper 60's by the weekend, so I'm sure it will all melt.  Nevertheless, I do like the snow.  However, I do NOT like the cold.  Kendall and I went out to run some errands today all bundled up, but it was actually really nice outside with the sun shining!  I'll take the 300+ days of the year that the sun shines in Colorado any day :)

Snow?

Derek took off for Iowa this morning for work until Sunday.  So it's just me and Kendall this weekend.  We picked up her Halloween costume today....check back on Monday night for pics :)  Kendall has been feeling a little under the weather the past few days with a runny nose and cough.  Despite not feeling so great, she still is full of spunk!! 

Enjoying bath time!!

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While we were in Minnesota two weeks ago, we had a get together with our high school basketball team.  It was good to see all the girls, their kids, and the coaches.  I can't begin to say how many times I wish I could go back and play one more game with those girls!

From left:  Alexis, Michaela, myself, Leah, Emily

Us girls with Coach Craig and Coach Rita

I learned so many things from basketball and from playing with these girls.  I learned that nothing is easy.  That life is never fair.  You have to work hard to reap the benefits.  But you should never give up, complain, or gripe about what you don't have because what you do have may not be there the next day.  I learned how to compromise and be a team player; that the game (life) is not just about one person.  Winning in basketball and in life is so much better when you have your teammates (family) by your side to enjoy it with.  :)

We headed out to the pumpkin patch/farm today to enjoy the beautiful fall day.  Kendall fed the goats, sheep, and cows.  She also enjoyed the chickens, but didn't want to get too close to them!! 

This afternoon we carved our pumpkins and watched the Packer/Viking game.  What a game!! 

It is supposed to snow here on Wednesday, so we're trying to enjoy the outdoors as much as we can WHILE we can  :)

Feeding the sheep!

Feeding the goats!

Climbing in the hay.

Already driving one handed!

Look at my pumpkins!!

Kendall with the boys  :)

These last couple weeks have been packed full of fun and family!  We had a great week with Derek's mom out here visiting and then Kendall and I headed back to Minnesota to my parent's house for a short and sweet trip.

I attended a great friend from high school's wedding while Kendall stayed and visited at Grandma and Grandpa's.  They went to the pumpkin patch and picked out pumpkins.  We then carved the pumpkins on Sunday afternoon.

My best friend from high school, Kayla and I.

Janessa, myself, and Kayla at the wedding.

Kendall's pumpkins!

Not so sure about those pumpkins yet.....

While we were in Minnesota, Kendall mastered kissing and dancing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies".  She picks up on things so quickly now, it is too cute!!!  When Derek picked her up from daycare on Wednesday afternoon, our daycare lady asked him if Kendall is into kissing lately and after he told her yes she was, she proceeded to tell Derek that Kendall was going around giving kisses to all the kids at daycare!!

I'm off this weekend but back to work Mon, Tues, Wed.  So we plan to enjoy the beautiful weather we're having in Colorado and go to Venetucci Farm tomorrow to check out the pumpkins and fall hayride!!

Kendall and Grammy Diane

Driving home tonight after my 3-in-a-row-12-hour day stretch, I learned of a 20 year old dear friend/coworker of my dad's, stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.  Not what I wanted to blog about tonight, but I just don't really have much more to say right now.  Although Kendall, Derek, and I have had a crazy fun and amazing last week and a half, none of that really matters right now.  Hearing news like this really makes me appreciate my family and teaches me to never EVER take even one day for granted.  Life is too short.  Tell the ones you love each and every day that you love them and that you APPRECIATE them.

On that note, I am sending love to our family and friends back in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  We LOVE you and miss you every day.

I'll post again tomorrow.  Goodnight world.

You may remember the hike that I talked about two weeks ago that Derek and his dad attempted, but ran out of time.  Well, we tackled it on Monday and found ourselves back down the mountain after 6.5 miles.  It was a beautiful hike, but a little sketchy in some areas with some rock climbing involved.  All in all, we're glad we went for it.....and made it to the reservoir!!!

Derek's mom flew in last Saturday for the week, so we broke her in easy with the hike to Stanley Canyon Reservoir.  (Just joking....this was actually a difficult hike :) 

On the way up to the reservoir.

Derek, his mom, and Kendall.

There was quite a bit of snow toward the top!

Brrrrr!!!

Mom we made it to the reservoir after 2.5 hours!!!

Beautiful :)

Stanley Canyon Reservoir

Derek, his mom, and Kendall at the reservoir.

How lucky we are to have such wonderful, supportive family!!  Both of our parents have been able to come out to visit us within the last month.  Although we may miss our family and friends back home in Minnesota and Wisconsin, these last few weeks have been great being able to show our families just why we love living in Colorado!!! 

We've got a monkey on our hands....

 

Notice a theme??

What a gorgeous day for an afternoon in the park!

Off to the park!

What's this stuff?

Digging in the sand.

Crawling in the hippopotamus.

On our walk home :)

Later, dancing in the kitchen.....

On Thursday Derek and his dad made the attempt to hike to Stanley Canyon Reservoir.  After three hours and still no reservoir, they decided to turn around and head back down the mountain.  Probably a good decision considering it was nearing the end of the afternoon and Derek had never hiked that trail before. 

So yesterday Derek and his dad had this bright idea to drive to the reservoir and hike a short way down to see how much further they would have had to go on Thursday if they would have kept hiking.  We set out driving by way of Derek's directions.  10 miles later we were driving along the mountain side on a gravel road in hopes of Stanley Canyon Reservoir as our destination.  Needless to say, we never made it to the reservoir and we aren't even sure there is a road that goes to the reservoir, but we stumbled upon beautiful views of Pikes Peak and the mountain side. 

The next time Derek's dad comes out to visit his goal is to "drive a mountain road".  We'll have to work him up to that considering he wasn't able to look out the window while we were driving along some of the mountain side!!  All in all, we had a good time with him out here visiting and look forward to the next time he visits. 

Beautiful views!

Pikes Peak

We've got a little hiker on our hands!!

On the side of the mountain :)

Kendall and I :)

Derek and his dad.

"I want to do it all by myself!"

Reading books.

Reading books with Grandpa Joe.