Hike

We went on a hike. Gabe finds sticks for Emory to chew on and then whittles down the sharp parts. Emory loves them but eventually drops them. Then Gabe makes a new one. This kept Gabe and Emory busy for most of the hike.

Growing Pains

After two months of telling everyone who would stand still how much fun I was having with Emory's recent stage, we reached a snag. TEETHING. Emory has combined trying to learn to crawl, with trying to feed himself, trying to pull up, and teething. The poor boy is a little frustrated. All of his skills are improving but he desperately wants to go go go much faster than his legs, balance, and arms will allow. This makes him (and me) fussier than normal. Thankfully, Gabe is still on his paternity leave. Emory does LOVE to swim in his little pool. We try to go out in the afternoon and spalsh around everyday.

Dinner time

We had our favorite niece over for dinner last Sat. Shilah was very cute eating off of Gabe's plate. Everyone at the table thought Emory's table manners could improve. He recently went on a solid food strike, insisting that he only wants to nurse. When I try to feed him he clamps his mouth shut and squirms away and then screeches in protest. Gabe and I are forsaking restaurants for a while.

Andrea's Aunt Sue and Uncle Don spent the week at a Condo in Winter Park. Andrea, Emory and I went up to spend some time with them, and we went out on a pontoon boat on lake Granby in Norther Colorado. It was a beautiful day, and my were they trusting, letting Andrea and I drive the boat! We had a lot of fun and it was beautiful!

Andrea's Aunt Sue and Uncle Don are in town for a week to visit and we took a trip to the zoo. I just want to remind everyone that my Birthday is coming up, and high on my list is the very cute mini Falcon pictured below...Hint, hint.

Trip

We have just returned from our trip today. If was wonderful seeing family and friends and yet exhausting traveling. In random order here are some pics from our trip. Gabe and I were both very sad to leave last night. Happily though, at least some of our family will be coming out here soon to see Aimee's new baby!!

Happy Father's Day Gabe!

Gabe is a beautiful father, filled with strength, love, and patience. I can't imagine undertaking this endevor without him.

The mice play

Aimee and I went to a batchelorette party leaving Gabe and Shanti in charge of the babies. Emory and Shilah had a great time playing with the Daddies and learned some new skills like driving! I don't know if the streets are quite ready for my little boy! I know for sure I'm not ready.

We have another big day today with a barbeque for my friend Ramone, a softball game, and then a midnight flight back east. Tomorrow we wake up in Massachusettes...assuming that we get to sleep at all!

Hey Emory! Keep your hands on the wheel!!

too cute

"I'm too cute for my bath, too cute for my bath, too cute for sure!"

New Career!

Today I finally achieved my life long dream and wrote a book. Actually I finished TWO books. One is called Shilah's Book and one is Emory, Emory, what do you see? I found this website where you can order blank board books and then you can use your own pictures to write personal picture books! I suppose you could draw your own pictures...but my talent lies more in taping in photos.

I think I could market this idea. Let's see...if I charged 20$ a book, subtracting for materials, adding on health insurance and taxes...I would only have to make about 1500 books a month to quit my job!!!!

Just in case my new business doesn't make it, I'm going to continue unpacking my boxes in my new class room.

Emory gets a job

We visited Gabe at work today and Emory took a turn at answering the phones. The group decided that he could be the company's expert on the Earth's Best Baby food products. While this blog is privately owned and not supported by any advertising dollars, I will tell you that Earth's Best Baby food is wonderful and made with all organic ingrediants. While I enjoy making most of my own organic baby food, it is nice to just open a jar somedays.

Emory now eats many foods including brocoli, tofu, beans, rice, squash, spinach, peas, carrots, and potato. Yes that's right...my seven month old eats more foods than I do. Shockingly he like veggies more than fruits. This kid got some wierd genetics from daddy! So now there are two vegetarians and one fallen vegetarian in our household.

A walk

This is a walk I took with Emory. It will show you parts of the neighborhood and maybe startle you with a new view of Colorado. It is not usually this green.







Here Emory and I set out for the walk. He is in the sling. At 22 pounds he is pretty heavy, but I am determined to do this every day. I don't have time to go the gym like Gabe does but walking is both free and schedulable. I figure carrying him is like a weight workout...for one side anyway.












We walked across the street and into another neighborhood. Soon we came upon this little OPEN SPACE. Jefferson County if very good about building these protected parks and wildlife areas into the neighborhoods. This one looks like a very green swampy valley the tavelles west. I was enticed to enter.










Further up in the wetlands we came to a lovely grove of trees. It looks like a place where dryads would congregate to sing and dance. The path continues up a steep embankment. Curious about what it contained, we continued.









Denver is a dry area and water is always a problem. Ironically, there are over 300 lakes in the Denver area. I actually live within walking distance of two! Unlike lakes back home, you cannot swim in any of these. I am tempted to come out one night and BREAK THE LAW... Don't worry I'll probably end up just taking a shower instead. Somedays that is a major accomplishment!









On the other side of the lake, there are more wetlands. What you can't see in the picture are the calls of the many many red wing blackbirds that have chosen to live in this place. They call to each other lending the appropriate sound effects for our nature walk.










On some parts of the walk there is a great deal of what looks like cotton on the side of the path. And when I say a great deal...I mean it blankets the edges of the path in 3-4 inches of white fuzziness. Then I came across this tree and recognized the culprit. You can't see the dancing fluffballs that fill the air, but Emory and I both found them delightful.

Our way home took us on this peaceful path where I got to satisfy my spying urge by looking into the gardens of many houses. Also, Emory got to laugh at the barking dogs. Whenever I see paths edged by trees, I get this urge to follow them. It seems like they should lead somewhere romantic like Narnia or Darcy's great estate. This one leads to a very busy road filled with loud abnoxious cars.

Our walk takes about an hour. When we return home I collapse on the couch to rest. Emory seems to think that the whole walk was a wonderful rest time and is now ready to play.

Leaving Ceremony

At the end of every year on the last teacher day, the staff comes together to recognize the teachers that are leaving or retiring. I have been looking forward to this day for awhile, because, ok I'll face it it's just nice to hear good things said about you in public. At one point I even wanted Gabe to come and be there to see me be presented and get my leaving present. He couldn't come because he is taking a month off next week, so I went proudly with my baby and set off to enjoy the festivities.



I think it started to go wrong when the principal came up to tell me, "When I think of something nice to say about you all, I'll call you up all together." I thought he was joking. Alas...his closing comments on my last eight years of service for the school where I've trained teachers and students alike were...(get ready) "The GT center is a good thing for GT kids. And the GT teachers are a good thing for GT kids. And now they are leaving." But lest you think I left the school empty handed...I didn't. See a picture of my leaving present.



I have to admit to being fairly mad when leaving the party. I mean.. would it kill them to supplement our income with some words of praise? But then I gently reminded myself that the honor is in the work and that the opinion of a man who only visited my classroom once in 3 years shouldn't mean that much to me. But that's the problem with people who were good in school...we're always waiting to get an A on that next assignment.

I guess I should just be happy with my good evaluation. ( or that I got evaulated ha ha ha ha)

FREEDOM

The last day is over. I turned my keys in and signed out. The movers come on wednesday and my new life as a stay at home mom has begun. What do I do to fill my time? Here is a synopsis of my first two hours at home.

First I make lunch (notice silly grin of excitement)

Books

I reread some of my old favorite books and remember the times when I first read them. And I think about the many

upcoming books to come out!

neglected cats

I play with the poor neglected cats.

Baby gate

I even install baby gates! (Ok in reality I didn't install this gate..but I did go to the store and buy it and then ask gabe to install it..and that's something)

Mostly...

Mostly I cuddle with the baby!