Fall Fun

Every year, we venture across the street for the annual Harvest Festival.  It's tons of fun for the kids, and tons of fun for the wannabe photographer in me.  After all, what's cuter than sweet kids and lots of pumpkins?  By the end of every year, I always feel like some of our best pictures of the year come from the Harvest Festival.  I learned this year, though, that it gets harder each year.  As the number of kids grow, it becomes more and more impossible to get all three to cooperate simultaneously AND to actually be excited about smiling for a camera!  I'm all about candids, but everyone would like at least one good picture with everyone looking at the lens and smiling.  Here are some of my best efforts from this year.

PS-  You may or may not notice the change of clothing from last year's event.  As it turns out, probably not since it seems I never posted those pictures.  Oops.  Last year, 20 degrees, snow flurries, hats, mittens, snowpants, and all things winter.

And here are just a few others from things we've done this month that fall into the category of "It's definitely October":

Happy Halloween, Friends!

A Growing Babe

Watch my Sweetest P grow!!!  I've been more intentional about taking regular pictures of her each month to document how small she once was!  (Funny how that happens with the 3rd kid- when you have far less time to do so, but when you have learned that time just passes FAR too quickly!)

Labor Day Weekend

This year, over Labor Day Weekend, we were able to take advantage of the long holiday weekend- as much as people who work in a church can, anyway.  We have some incredibly generous, blessed friends from church who own a cabin in the mountains here in CO.  It's in a small town called Alma, in between Fairplay and Breckenridge.  Someone had described it as "rustic", and if this is rustic living, I'll take it!!!  There was no dishwasher, but other than that, the kitchen was far nicer than the one in my home.  Our friends have put quite a bit of work into the place, and it definitely shows.  It was the perfect place for a little Nielson family get-away for some much needed R & R.

So I should qualify our weekend away with all the facts.  We invited some friends of ours for the first night in the mountains, so Tim and Kyle hit the links Friday afternoon, while Erika and I headed for the hills with a van full of kids- our three and her little boy.  We got there long before the men, settled in, fed the kids and put them to bed while we kept the dinner warm for the guys.

Saturday, we explored Breckenridge and took advantage of the free gondola rides.  I can not put enough expression on paper to convey to you how excited Sophia and Noah were to ride the gondolas.  We were driving down the road through town, and Noah saw one passing over us on the road.  He nearly shrieked, "MOM!  HOT AIR BALLOONS!!"  Once I finally realized what he was talking about, and told him that was what we were riding, he could hardly contain himself.  Sophia either.  They couldn't WAIT for us to get babies situated and get going.  (Which took longer than usual since Phoebe showed off her skills with a massive blow out and we had to borrow clothes from baby Jack for the rest of the day.  Hence the faceless baby girl with us in all blue.)

Sunday morning, early, found Tim headed back into town by himself to be at church.  Our church had a ministry fair expo that day and all employees were required to be in attendance!  Although Tim rarely misses a Sunday, he otherwise would have taken a vacation day and stayed with us for the weekend.  Alas, not to be.  So he was gone for a good portion of the day, and then met us back at the cabin that afternoon.  Which still gave us time for exploring.

Then, just to maximize our opportunity, we stayed until after nap time and didn't leave until about 5:00 on Monday.  Which we ended up paying for on the way home, but in my book, it was totally worth it!!  We had lots of time to finally find the old mine that was just a short hike behind the cabin.  It only took us three separate attempts with some vague directions and a bad map, but we did find it.  And it was well worth it.  We could have explored there for hours.  And Tim could have been annoyed with me for all my attempts at good pictures as a wannabe photographer.  (You can tell I'm such a novice.  I'm still experimenting with all the light settings on our new camera, and have a lot to learn.  Some of these pictures would have been far better if I wouldn't have screwed up the lighting.)   Anyway, that may, or may not, have actually happened.

So, all in all, we had a great weekend, even if half of our family time was spent in different locations!

-Most- of the stuff we "needed" for 4 days away from home.

Riding the gondola in Breckenridge

More gondola riding

One very intense game of "Ms. Pac-Man"

Love those two!!!!

These were the only backpacks we brought, so I loaded Sophia's up with snacks and water for hiking.  I was fully planning on carrying it myself, but she insisted.  And since she had a backpack, Noah insisted on bringing his- full of more totally practical hiking gear like coloring books, crayons, and trucks.

More of Noah's practical hiking equipment.  He insisted on carrying these rocks the whole way.  Tim kept trying to convince him that he could leave these rocks behind and get new ones right out the front door of the cabin, but he wasn't buying it!  He did, however, keep trading the two rocks for progressively smaller ones!

Finally, we located the anticipated mine.

"Drumming"

Along the road to the mine, was this crazy, totally random junk pile.

Also spotted along the road to the mine.

Sophia's new favorite hobby.

Remember how I said we paid the price for waiting until later in the day to leave the mountains at the end of a holiday weekend?  At least there was a view!

Camping

Last month, we took our first- and last :( camping trip of the summer.  You may think it was the baby that kept us away, but sadly, it was just an overcrowded schedule.  Somehow, I think that next summer when the baby has become a toddler, it will be even more difficult.  So we took advantage of the one weekend opportunity we had, and packed it up for the mountains.  

Turns out we I forgot several things.  The most significant thing I forgot?  The kids sleeping bags!  Augh.  As if any of us sleeps that much in a tent at this point anyway.  We really didn't get that much sleep that night, with Tim and Noah sharing a sleeping bag and me and Sophia sharing.

Nevertheless, we had a GREAT time, and I can't wait for another opportunity.  But next time, I'll remember the sleeping bags.  All 4 of them!

 As you can see, the baby isn't phased by the change of scenery at all.

 Sophia was "sliding" along on our hike.

 Tim taught Noah how to chew some grass while we were hiking.  Like father, like son!!

 This would be Noah hunting the bears.  Yes, with the pruners.

 On our way back into town, we stopped along the road for a short hike.  (As much as Sophia loves hiking, her little legs don't last long these days!)  There was this river at the end that was a great place for climbing and throwing rocks.

 My favorite camping partner.

 We're praying she grows out of this awkward throwing phase.

Sophia's 5th Birthday

Sophia has been telling me probably since her 4th birthday that she would be 5 soon.  No joke.  So it's not exactly as if this birthday sneaked up on me.  I think there might have been a 364 day countdown.  This does not, in any way, shape, or form, mean that I was in anyway at all prepared for this birthday.  Emotionally, that is.  I don't think I can count for you the number of times I was teary eyed just thinking about it.  5 is so old!  I'm just not ready to have a 5 year old.  5 moves Sophia out of the preschool category and into the elementary age group.  I'm so not ready for that.  I'm not old enough.  And I'm not ready to let go and admit that my first born is that big.  Already.

It takes me back to when my littlest brother was just a kid and every year on his birthday I would tell him that he wasn't allowed to have any more birthdays.  I remember telling him that every year for as long as I could remember.  He never did listen to me, though.  Now he's married and turns 25 next week.  This year, I managed to refrain from being the bossy older sister trying to prevent him from growing up.

Instead, I rechanneled my efforts and told Sophia that she is absolutely, positively not allowed to have one more birthday.  5 is it.  I'm done celebrating her birthdays.  Forever.

That being the case, I took a few pictures to memorialize this last birthday celebration.  Sadly, they aren't nearly the caliber I would hope for for a last birthday tribute.  (But the disclaimer is that one of our really good friends has been at everyone of Sophia's birthday parties and she usually plays photographer so that I can focus on the party, and she was absentee this time around.  I always knew I appreciated her talents, but now I know even more so how much.)

Sophia's 5th birthday was all about horses.  She has now proclaimed that she wants to be a "back horse rider" when she grows up.  Every year we struggle to find a gender neutral theme.  (Let's be real; we all know she'd LOVE a princess tea party.  But she always wants to invite just as many boys as girls, and somehow I think they would be less thrilled than Noah about fancy dresses, lacy gloves and very fragile teacups.)  So this year, when she suggested the horse theme, we ran with it!  We started off the party with everyone creating their own stick horse.  It was a pretty intensive, hands-on activity for the parents in attendance, but fun none the less.  Too bad I missed photographs of any of the Kentucky Derby races that ensued in our front yard to end the party.

Needle in the Haystack Game.

Never mind that they were actually pennies and plastic horses instead of needles.  And straw instead of hay.  And that Tim and I failed to communicate that for the sake of the small people involved, the game should not be as difficult as it's metaphorical namesake and hence used the entire bale of straw.

There's my cowgirl digging for treasures in the straw.

And my cowboy.

Horseshoe Toss.  Never mind that they were actually plastic rings rather than real horseshoes.  Those that came expecting the aforementioned princess tea party were not as excited about Straw and Horseshoes.

Horsie cupcakes.

This was her actual birthday.  Ensemble courtesy of Oma (minus the sunglasses, which were actually a birthday gift from Phoebe).  All to ensure that she has something to go with the cowgirl boots.

Oh, and what about the dinosaur pin she's sporting, you might ask?  That was actually for Noah's birthday, left for him specially by the birthday fairy.  Grandma actually sent one to Sophia for her birthday last year.  But it was pink.  And had sparkles.  Sophia didn't care for it.  It's been in our playroom ever since.  The morning of her 5th birthday, first thing in the morning, I can't get her to come up for breakfast.  She's wandering the playroom.  Looking for the long-forgotten (by me, anyway) birthday pin from last year.  Obviously, no luck.  So we substituted Noah's.  I'm pretty sure she wore it to church that day.

Doing what she loves best.  She's a self-proclaimed "little fishy in that water."  Every year since she was two, we have ventured to our smaller, local water park Pirate's Cove for her birthday.  We briefly tried suggesting somewhere else this year, just to change things up, but she was sold, and I guess if you have a good thing going, there's no need for change.

And, lastly, just because I can't resist sharing this photo, here's a glimpse of what she loves to do these days.  All day long, "Mama, can I hold Phoebe?"  Phoebe, on the other hand, isn't always quite as excited about this form of sisterly bonding.  Is there really any wonder why?  :)  After all, who really needs two Mamas?

And there you have it.  The chronicling of Sophia's last birthday.  Ever.

Wet Feet

I've stated-several times-that I am on a new mission to write more.  I'm trying.  And failing.  Somewhat.  That's all beside the point.  I've also spent a lot of time getting my feet wet in the world of blogging lately.  And I've learned somethings.  (Just a few, mind you.  I have a LONG way to go.)  And as a result, I've been challenged to define my purpose in blogging.

In thinking through why I write, I've realized that I've been trying to use this blog to serve two purposes.  And that bothers me.  So, I've come up with a new solution.  I'm going to complicate my life by attempting to keep up with two blogs.

I was telling my mom this tonight, and she was grumbling that as a result, I was going to complicate her life because now she would have two blogs to keep up with.  But she might be the only one who cares!  :)  So... I'll risk it.

From this point forward, I plan to take this blog back to it's original purpose.  It will be solely for the sake of posting pictures and news on our family and the kids.  For all you far away family members who aren't on Facebook and want to see how our kids are growing and changing, stay tuned here!

For all of you who are just dying to read my ramblings and happen to think I am a fabulous word wizard, stay tuned!  I am in the process of creating a second blog-simply for the purpose of recording my rants and fulfilling my writing desires.  If you want to support the wannabe writer within me, follow me on that blog!  I'll give you the details soon.  (I'm still under construction at this time.  Ironic that the first thing you need to start a blog is a blog name, when I happen to think that's the hardest and most difficult part!  I hate titling things!)

There you have it!  At the risk of over-blogging, I am headed home right now (I'm at a local coffee shop that's eager to kick me out.  I think they've turned off the AC in an attempt to sweat me outta here) to do exactly as I said I would and to find some less than stellar pictures of Sophia's fifth birthday to share.
  

The Water Bottle Solution

So...you want to know what happened, right?  Well, here it is.  It didn't quite work out the way I planned, but I am not sure what I should have done differently.  (Besides go back for the water bottle in the first place, because the more I have thought about it, the more I think maybe I should have.)

Anyway, I liked all your answers.  Thanks for the feedback.  I really liked the idea of selling a toy to come up with the money.  I think that would have been the best solution to teach Sophia the cost.  I think her having to part with something would have left more of an impact.  The problem is that I don't think she has many toys that are worth $15 used.  We would have had to sell several things for a few dollars here and there.  And to be honest, I just wasn't willing to go through the work and the wait of posting them on Craig's List, hoping that someone would want her used babies to teach her a lesson.  If I could have thought of anything she owned that would have been worth the right amount in one shot, I think I would have done it.

So instead, I made her pay me back every penny.  I was determined to do it, no matter how long it took.  I loaned her the money so that I didn't have to wait four months for a new water bottle, but then we taped the receipt right next to her payday chart, and subtracted amounts every time she was able to pay me.  All of her savings and spending money were coming back to me until she could pay off her debt.

What I didn't take into account when I decided on this solution was that she had a birthday coming up.  Duh.  Which wouldn't normally factor in too much, because my kids generally don't really get money for gifts.  Until this year.  Guess how much she got for her birthday?  You got it, $15!!!  Come on, Mom, you could have just bought me a new water bottle!  :)

Not really sure that the lesson was driven home the way I intended, but what else can I do.  Lesson learned.  For both of us.  Or at least me!

Thanks for the input!