October: no tricks...just treats.

Hello my sweet friends and family.  Do you want to build a snowman?  Holy nutmeg, this place has been cold.  We didn't rise above 20 degrees there for a few days and I thought I was going to sneak out in the night and drive to Phoenix.  Colorado has a lot to live up to.  Many people sold us on the weather when we were making the move.  Here is a letter:

Dear Colorado Weather Loving People,

Are your pants on fire?

Love, Jill

We had a wonderful October though.  May I tell you about it.  Please don't let me give you the impression that our life is glamorous.  You are receiving the exciting highlights, but most days are filled with hotdogs and Disney channel reruns.  Whateves.  We started the month out with a trip to La Jolla, San Diego.  You see, I am married to a very smart man.  He knows that if he takes me to my favorite place in the world (the beach), then I will keep making him brownies.  Win, win.  We didn't have much planned except for sea lion watching and cupcake eating.  Our sweet E and Jay joined us for a day as well.  My best 36th birthday ever.  We ate tacos at a random restaurant, walked the shore line, ate Sprinkles treats, and laughed our heads off.  Love you E and Jay.  I made my family see the movie, "Meet the Mormons" at some random theatre on the day of my birthday.  Averi and I cried our stinking eyes out.  It is amazing to me that you can be so far from home, and instantly the Spirit testifies to you that you are never alone and that Heavenly Father knows you personally.  

That's hot chocolate guys.  Although her sweet face makes it look like there is something much stronger in there.

Troy was such a sweet heart (he still is currently sweet, I am just trying to make a point).  Each morning he would take the kiddos to breakfast while I enjoyed a morning run.  Those few moments running along the beach are nothing but magic, first because the scenery is breathtaking and the weather is lovely, and second because the altitude is much easier of the lungs than the 6,000 feet I am usually in.

Fast forward a few weeks and we are headed to Breckenridge, Colorado to be with my family.  Breckenridge is an amazing ski town.  My sis had rented a fabulous condo which fit us perfectly.  We played games, swam in the pool, ate delicious food, hiked, shopped, and giggled until our faces were going to fall off.  Some of my favorite moments included trying to eat like a T-Rex, and watching the youngest girls attempt to navigate the city with a map.

A-hizzle with his new ski hat.  

Skipping rocks yo!

My handsome nephie.

This is the profile picture I would use if I was ever on LDS Singles.  Totally kidding.  Troy had to work that morning.

I made my gorgeous Sissy pose like they do for school pictures, all awkward and stuff.

Uh...is that not the cutest thing you have ever seen?  I'll have those girls with a side of chips please.

Our sweet family came down the mountain to stay with us for a few days.  We had a birthday party for Addie, miniature golfing, pumpkin painting, house decor shopping, "The Voice" screening party, and once again more laughter.  Love these guys so very much.  Eternal Families Forever!  Woot, Woot.  I am going to make that into a bumper sticker, even the woot, woot part.  Thank you for coming...truly, thank you.

Love these beautiful girls.

Ash had the opportunity to join his young men's group for a trip to the LDS temple.  He said the experience was great.  He took a selfie with his friends which is totally hilarious, but pretty adorable. I hope he keeps that image forever as a reminder of his incredible decision to be in the temple that day.

One night I was laying in bed feeling sorry for myself.  I was feeling pretty overwhelmed with things.  I felt like I was trying to make a difference in the world, but no matter how hard I tried I would always come up short.  There was always a task that was left undone or a child that needed more than I could give that day.  Troy must have sensed my frustration and simply asked, "Do you feel like you're drowning?"  To which I replied, "I know I am drowning."  He listened while I confessed all of my imperfections and didn't judge me for them.  That's just how he rolls.  The next day I was reading something online and came across this image.  

I have no idea who made this image, and I certainly don't want to go to prison for using it here, but isn't it breathtaking? This image captures my whole world right now.  Leaving our home several months ago has been a difficult, seemingly impossible task, but just when I think I'm going to sink to the bottom He lifts me up so that I can breath again.  He'll do the same for you.  I know he will.  Just reach out your hand and look up.  Love you so much.  Stay warm until I can give you a snuggle myself.  Not you Mr. Beaver, there will be no snuggles for you.

September morn, we danced until the...never mind.

Guess what?  They called me to help the girls in activity days!  I warned you that if I didn't post for a while it was because they had asked me to help with scouts.  Well, activity days is similar to den mom duties except that instead of pocket knives we are playing with frosting and butter knives.  I have been teaching aerobics two days a week as well so between that and the overwhelming responsibility of keeping three little people alive it has been busy.  Hope you are well.  It was awfully cold today in Colorado.  I do like fall weather though, and the scenery here has not disappointed in the least.  My squirrel friend (my niece Maggie named him "Jumper") has not been coming around as often.  I think it is because all the fruit is gone from the trees in my yard.  It never occurred to me that the squirrels were using me for fruit.  I thought we had something.  We have encountered a fox and several snakes in the area, so don't worry we are not getting lonely!

September was spent trying to adjust to our new school schedule.  I don't know how I would have made this move without T's constant help.  Here is a quick letter to all single moms:

Dear Single Moms,

You are amazing.  I don't know how you do it.

Love, Jill

I remember asking mothers if parenting became easier as the child got older.  Their answer was always that it didn't get easier but the job description changes.  I get it now.  I am not wiping down high chairs anymore, but I am working equally as hard on Halloween costumes, lunches, classroom help, callings, bills...you get the point.  T stays busy with his responsibilities as well.  Ash seems to be doing well in school.  He enjoys chess club and serving on student government.  He is all about magic tricks these days.  He is constantly pulling a quarter out of my ear and asking me to pick a card.  I've done enough card tricks with him in the last few days that I can't remember the card I have picked out of his deck.  He will just say, "Was that your card?" and I will answer, "You bet it is buddy" even though I don't have the foggiest idea if it was my card.  He spent a few days at an outdoor education program with kids from his school class.  They even spent the night there.  T was able to chaperon.  T's pictures and texts about how the events were unfolding was priceless.  My favorite texts were the ones about his snoring roommates or trying to find a seat at the breakfast table because he knew that sitting by his son would be totally uncool.

Troy's Bunk Bed! He shared that room with two other men.

Ash on his way down the mountain.  Pretty long night I guess.

Shortly after Ash and T arrived home from camp we headed to Salt Lake.  My sweet niece was having a birthday and there was no way we were missing that.  As we drove into the valley late Thursday night I couldn't hold back a tear or two.  Those mountains are like my old friends.  There was Mt. Olympus, just patiently waiting for my return.  We filled every moment with sweet reunions.  Mom and Dad had the house all dolled up.  We felt like we were at the Ritz.  They even had a mini-bar for us!  Of course they didn't have a mini-bar guys. Dad always has pumpkin chocolate chip cookies on hand so we were well taken care of.

Love you guys.

At the Station Park fountain, dancing to Michael Buble.

I think this picture is especially flattering of me. We saw some missionaries in the store and I asked T to give them a little cash.  He obliged, but he was probable thinking, "They are on a mission Jill, they are not homeless".

A view from the car window.

We were sad to go.  The kiddos took turns crying on the way home.  The good news is that Wyoming provided bathrooms every 30 minutes.  Once again, thank you Wyoming for your hospitality.  One of these days I am going to shower at one of the trucker stops we always end up at just to say I did it.  They seem quite private and well priced. Ha! Beef jerky and a shower?  Yes, please.

We have a chalk board in our kitchen that reads "52 days until Christmas".  I have found listening to Christmas music or counting down to Christmas before Thanksgiving can be offensive to some people.  I apologize if my Christmas cheer is to much for you to hear.  Please don't worry about Thanksgiving though.  It doesn't feel bad.  In fact, I'm pretty sure Tom Turkey is more than happy to skip right over Thanksgiving because it means he gets to keep his gizzard.  Anyway, my wish list is not to extensive so feel free to call me for my sizing or whatever.  Just teasing!  I would love a pet beaver though.  Oh wait, send me a beaver and your dead to me.  Love you.

Red Rocks = Dirty Socks

Have you ever been so tired that even putting the kids to bed sounds like to much work?  That's me right now.  It is late in Colorado, but I am pretending that I am paying important bills.  If I stare at the computer and make intense faces then T will take care of the bedtime madness.  Rude?  Yes.  The cold has set in a bit.  The days are still beautiful, but the nights are crisp.  Our bedroom must have no insulation, because it is about 10 degrees colder than the rest of the house.  Can you say flannel?  Poor T gets to cuddle up to a cozy lumber jack every night.

The weeks are flying by, but all is well.  At the beginning of September our dear friends from Salt Lake came to see us.  E and Jay both work extremely hard, but they took time out of their crazy schedule to stay at the Dutch Manor.  We were incredibly excited to see them.  E is gorgeous, and Jay is a handsome cat, but that is not why were are friends with them, although it is fun to have amigos that look like J-Crew models.  They are unbelievably sweet with our kiddos, generous in every way, and fun!  They arrived with a dozen cookies ready for the taking.  Um...now we are speaking my language.  Cookies are the language of love.  We ate sugar until we shook and then sent our friends to bed.

The next day included some shopping, dinner, and an evening at the Rockies game.  It was "Mormon Night" you know.  What in the blazing saddles does that mean?  I don't have the foggiest idea, but we were surrounded by people spilling beer.  Why do they fill those cups so full? It was more like Jack mormon night.  Just teasing.  I felt strongly that I should meet the people sitting in front of us though.  I fought with the prompting for a while, and then finally I just leaned my big head over the side of them and introduced myself.  Well the woman happened to be my stake relief society president.  They were the kindest people. The couple next to them asked Jay for his number so that he could bid a job for them in Salt Lake.  Dear Rockies, Thank you for sticking some mormons together in your huge stadium. By the way, your cheesecake on a stick helped us tolerate a long sixth inning.  Love, Jill

E and Jay came to church with us.  When we separated them for different classes our ward tried to marry them off to other people.   E had to explain several times that she was happily married, because simply saying she was married didn't deter a few.  We had lunch that afternoon and them drove our friends to a place called "Red Rocks".  The area is actually an outdoor concert venue, but the sights are amazing.  We drove in the parking lot only to find that a comedy festival was going to take place at the theatre that night.  Needless to say it probably wasn't the most family friendly environment, therefore we left the crowd and headed up a trail in the opposite direction.  The smell of weed only followed us for a second which made the walk a peaceful excursion.

The following day we were able to get a little shopping and lunch in before our friends headed back home.  Thank you for coming E and Jay.  We love you to the moon and back.

One of my favorite quotes from the film "Ferris Bueller" (the TV edited version I watched 824 times as a kid) is, "Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around a little you might miss it."  I could not agree more Ferris.  Let's be honest, moving can be hard.  You spend the first month unpacking, the second month adjusting, and the third month missing those you left behind.  I realize that it is time for me to stop and smell the roses, well more like reeds in these parts.  I am thinking of you though.  You are loved more than you could ever imagine.  Not you Mr. Beaver.  You are simply being tolerated.  Until next time America.