greatest hits

we are back at it.  it's a million degress outside.  school has started.  summer is over.  i am sad about it (because it was so, so good) but we were ready.  and somehow, even though he was born just a couple of years ago, and was a super-chunky fluffy-headed toddler just last year, ben is now a first grader.  how can that be?  hooooooow?

here's a peek at the week:

1) i ran walked ran/walked the hottest half 10k.  at some point, i thought it was a good idea which is why i signed up in the first place.  i knew well into mile two that it might not have been the best idea afterall.  good lord, a billion degrees under direct sunlight.  but the race started and finished at community beer company (mmmm, the witbier) and my sweet family was there to cheer me on as always, which made all of the sweat and all of the walking worth it.

my daddio is training for a FULL MARATHON, folks.  he is fifty-six years old and decided that it's either now or never.  that man is a machine.  plus, he knocked out a half marathon in the heat like nobody's business.

2) to reward ourselves for stupidly running a race in ridiculous heat, we ate copius amounts of fried chicken that evening and used some family birthdays as an excuse.

3) even though i  was jsut potty-training him yesterday and feeding him a bottle the day before, my benjamin started the FIRST grade.  FIRST!  what?  it bewilders me.

and as if that isn't bad enough, he has developed the attitude of a thirteen year old girl, he flips his hair, he says things like "dude" and "man", and plays the air-drums all the time.  

what happened?

this is when momma tries to "get it together".

hugging good-bye.  sweet boys.

day two (because he was too embarrassed to take this picture on day one).

man, sometimes it's hard to imagine how my heart can handle this whole parenthood thing.  i feel like it's hanging on my a thread most days.

looking forward to going to a concert with marcy tonight and enjoying our long weekend ahead.

how are you?  what are you looking forward to?

love,

coco

full circle

there is something about watching my children play from the porch of the cabin i performed "concerts" on with my cousins as a kid, that makes me feel so blessed.  the same cabin i cleaned (for money, mind you) in college.

there were times my sister and i would look at each other during this trip and laugh, as if to say, "well, isn't this something?"

estes park is my place.  a second home.  where my daddy vacationed as a child.  where we vacationed every year of my life until i got married.  where i lived and worked one summer in college.

this year, we decided to go back.  except this time i was the parent and not the kid.

we've been home a week and my boys already want to go back.

me too.

you can see why.

                              

it was a cozy ride.

obligatory.

a columbine.

making friends in cuchara.

chai lattes by the river.

our pit-stop.

our view from the porch.

crosby and monkey made themselves right at home.

mimi and grandpa.

little cowboy.

giddy-up.

nose-picker.

on top of the world.

trail ridge road.

some people get real mad.  even on top of a mountain.

dick's rock shop.

cracking geodes.

this is mimi's happy place: mcdonald's book store.

learning how to blow glass.

glassworks studio and gallery.

reliving our childhood with the kids.

go-carts and the slide.

that sky and that river.  every day.

mountain breakfast at glacier lodge.

my former boss and friend, karen.

rocky mountain national park.

hike around sprague lake.

look!  it's my mom!  in a picture!

back to texas, where the air is hot, the land is flat (and has grafittied cadillacs sticking out of it).  totally normal.

since we've been parents, chris and i often discuss to pros and cons of vactioning in the same place every year vs. going different places.

we both love the idea of showing our kids as many different places as possible.  but pulling into estes park, a calm and an excitement came over me, which can be attributed only to my familiarity with the town.  traveling with kids is stressful, and i now see that going back to a favorite place each year can eliminate a little of that stress.

what are your thoughts?

did you grow up vacationing in the same place every year?  did your family switch it up?  what was your experience?  i'd love to hear.

love,

coco

p.s. thanks for your patience with me, dear readers.  based on my blog stats, i've lost a lot of you since i stopped posting as regularly.  it means the world to me that you're still here.  feel free to say hi in the comments :)

xoxo