The Broadmoor 2012

Last weekend we headed up to Colorado Springs for our annual trip to the Broadmoor Hotel.  It's always a treat to go there, it's just beautiful and the weather just spells Fall!  We had a great time hanging out together as a family, playing golf, going to the zoo and visiting Garden of the Gods.  It is such a family friendly place and the kids just ran themselves ragged!

Up bright and early on the playground Friday morning!

Swinging with daddy

Parker and Blake actually being still for a split second.  This does not happen often!

I think visiting Garden of the Gods was my favorite thing, it was just awesome!  Another reminder of what a Creator we serve!

The five Austin cousins

Faith 10, Blake 4, Parker 3, Adelynn 9 and Katherine 6

Meredith, James and me

The kids had the BEST time crawling through rocks and caves and just exploring!

Of course they wanted a challenge, Luke and James were there to catch any humans falling off the rocks!

They made it!  Parker had no interest in this...he was busy throwing rocks into a crevice, he called it his basketball goal!  ;)  The kid will turn anything into a sport!

So pretty!

The first snow covered mountains of the season.

Our little fam

Don't you love this pathetic attempt of a Christmas card?  Too far away, shadows, Katherine is crying, and Parker is looking at the dirt!  Bless her heart, I think Ann starts trying for a family Christmas card pic in January with the hope that one will work out by Thanksgiving!  ;)

You better believe there was golf and Parker was in the middle of it!

Meanwhile, I enjoyed driving the cart and picking out the perfect Christmas tree!  Isn't it pretty?  Too bad we couldn't take it home...it would be a scenario from "Christmas Vacation".  No saw, tree on top of the car and too big for the living room!  Ha!

Teeing off!

Adelynn and Parker watching the guys putt.

These three always rode together

Beautiful course!

Me and my handsome hubby at dinner

The restaurant we ate at was right on the golf course and outside they had a fire pit.  For dessert they brought out smores for the kids to do.  Parker had never roasted a marshmallow before and he loved it!

Taking a bite of his first smore!

Sweet Faith and Parker

Sneaking another bite

Heading to the zoo Saturday morning

The best part of the whole day was feeding the giraffes!

Check out that tongue!

Auntie M brought animal crackers for a snack...very fitting for the zoo!  :)

So we were watching the lions walk around and all of the sudden a mood struck Parker and Blake and they just started hugging.  It was hilarious!  These two are so lovable!

Look at the kid to the side, he's like, does this happen often??

Crazy kids climbing on a zebra!

After the zoo I was too tired to take anymore pics (that zoo is uphill all the way).  The rest of the trip was great, it included a babysitter and a night out for the six adults...always a bonus!  :)

I don't have a picture of this which kills me but I am writing this down so I can remember it for years to come.  Saturday evening we were getting dressed for dinner and I came out of the bathroom looking for Parker so I could get him in his pjs.  There was no Parker to be found.  I walked over and looked in between the two beds and I see feet sticking out from under one of the beds.  I get down on my hands and knees, lift up the bed skirt and find Parker with his face covered with his blue blanket.  I take the blanket off his face and find him stuffing his face with the chocolates they leave every night in our room.  BUSTED!  Little sneak was getting away with eating Lord knows how many chocolates.  Needless to say, he was not hungry for dinner that night!  I would consider that Parker's first time to really be sneaky and hide while doing something he shouldn't!  Ha!  :)

First day of preschool

How can it be that my baby is 3 years old and ready for preschool?  He only goes two days a week but I still had a lump in my throat as I walked him to his classroom on Tuesday morning.  I can't bear the thought of what the first day of kindergarten will be like.  Parker was super excited about starting his school and even more excited that his buddy Jack is in his class.  ( they were in the same MDO class last year).  Parker did great, not one tear was shed!  As I drove away I quickly realized how much I love school days as much as he does!  ;)

Handsome little guy melts my heart!

 CHEESE!!

 Walking in

Inside the classroom and taking it all in.  He was overwhelmed at first but never cried and eventually hugged my neck and went on to play with his friends!

I have to remember this...when I picked him up he asked ME how my day was before I could even get one word out.  Love him.

Take me out to the ballgame!

Last weekend we were in Dallas for one last hoorah before summer ended.  Dad, James and I took Parker to his very first Rangers game and it was so much fun!  He definitely didn't give the reaction we were expecting, he was very quiet and just took it all in.  He kept saying it was scary.  I think the loud speakers, yelling fans and fireworks were a bit much for our three year old but all in all, it was a fun time!

Parker and I drove down on Wednesday so we could spend some time shopping and seeing my bestie from Baylor, Ashley.  I am sick I didn't get a pic of us Ash, so sorry!

Parker and I had a fun lunch date at Jason's Deli that ended in ice cream cones!!  We also hit up IKEA afterwards and that was a task in itself, no pics of that either, I did a terrible job documenting this trip.

The next day Neesie took the grandkids shopping for new clothes and shoes and of course these two scored a cookie out of the deal!

Cousin love

Being silly!

Walking into the Ranger game!

Look at Parker's face, he's totally not sure about what's going on.

The experience would not have been complete without a ballpark hotdog, yum!

Summer days!

I print all of my blogs into a book and I know one day, when I'm old and gray, I'll love to sit down and live in the past.  ( I like to sit down and look at pics from just a year ago and wonder how my baby got so big).
 That's why I like to post about normal everyday life sometimes, not just the big events!
On a typical day this summer, we go to the gym in the morning and get home around 10:30, in time to take Waco to the park for her daily run before it's too hot.  We eat lunch and then pack up for the pool until about 3 and then it's nap time!  Daddy gets home and fires up the grill most evenings and then we are outside with daddy, playing all kinds of sports. I'm sad these days are ending, I love summer, it's the best season of the whole entire year.  I'm sure once it cools off and I see pumpkins around, I'll finally give in to the fact that cold weather is heading my way and that I should go ahead and buy a pumpkin and go with it!  BUT...until then, we are living up sweet summer time!

These are random pics of what we've been up to lately...

 While Waco runs at the park, Parker practices golf!

Nothing cuter than a boy and his dog.

This day, he woke up at 6:30 am asking to go outside.  Of course we had to let the sun rise and eat breakfast, but we eventually made it to the park, even before the gym that day!  Good thing the park is just down the street.

The city repaved our street last week and rocks were thrown up all up and down the sidewalk.  He wasted no time in helping me sweep them up!  He kept telling me they would make his wagon ride too bumpy when we go to the park!  ;)

A new night time ritual...reading with daddy inside his tent on his bed!  Three year olds...love their imaginations!

Can you just see the question in her eyes?  Can we go now?  Please?

Playing in the dirt and looking in the "tunnels" aka drainage pipes.

We've been working on putting up a new basketball goal in the driveway for P and we finally finished it last night!  He was such a big help!

 Up bright and early ready to play!

So much fun!!

Friends

This past Saturday, James and I had the girls I workout with and their families out to the ranch for a day of fun!  I think the only time we slowed down was to eat!  I am so blessed to have these girls...we go through the daily grind together.  Not only do we see each other at our "best" (no make up, workout clothes, hair in pony tails), but we have kids the same age and we support and love each other through each stage of life.  We laugh, we cry and we can talk up a storm (especially about food)!  I love these girls and I'm so grateful God has blessed me with their friendships!

The reason I love going to the gym everyday!

Leah, Julie, Tiffany and Amanda

 Two sweet girls, Charlotte and Olivia, Amanda's girls

 Kevin and Chloe (Julie's hubby and daughter)

Cooper (Julie's son) decked out in his Rangers gear and ready to ride the four wheelers!

Julie's fam fishing on the dock

Olivia caught a perch!

Olivia and Brian (Amanda's daughter and hubby)

Leah with sweet little Eli and Amanda with Charlotte

They had fun watching all the activity on the lake.

Teel, Tiffany's hubby, canoeing with the older boys, Cooper and Henry

Tiffany, Leah and Eli taking a four wheeler ride!

We ended the day with a game of frisbee golf!

 It was a fantastic day and we can't wait to do it again!!

I'm sad I didn't take one picture at the pool, but you can bet that's where we were during the heat of the afternoon!!  :)