The Rebellion of the Fat Cat

June 17, 2013 By

Our busy travel season is heating up and someone always gets left in our wake: Fat Kitty.

He’s usually a really great cat–snuggly, loving, gentle and oh-so tolerate of kids pulling him in every direction. He’s not destructive either (with the exception of his flip-flop fet1sh) and so when he acts out he doesn’t think to be mean or aggressive. It’s just not in his nature. When Fat Kitty rebels, he poops. Mainly: where he’s not supposed to.

When we go on extended trips we hire a cat sitter but for a weekend getaway, Fat Dude is on his own and he lets us know exactly what he thinks about it by the brown care packages he has been leaving.

But his latest incident caught us completely by surprise. We had been running errands all day and it was time for Bode’s piano lesson. The last thing Hadley wanted to do was be dragged there so I upped the ante for her. “Why don’t we bring Fat Kitty in the car?”

“Really? I thought he didn’t like it.”
“Who knows? Maybe he’ll change his mind.”

She was referring to the (NON)joy ride he took a few years ago when we looked at the Christmas lights. Terrified, he clung to me the entire time and took days to recover.

I decided it was time for Round 2 of Fat Kitty Torture.

Since I was driving, it was Hadley’s turn to hold him and it was like Ground Hog Day all over again. Excitement over finally leaving the house, then horror he was going in the car. He seized Hadley like she was the last chocolate egg in the Easter basket but after a while, he started to loosen up a bit, even putting up his paws to look out the window.

But be ye not deceived: he hated every minute of it.

We thought he had almost successfully completed the drive when, as we were pulling into the driveway, I caught a whiff of something.

“Does anyone else smell that?”

Bode immediately perked up. “It smells like POOP.”

Then Hadley looked down between her legs and Fat One had poop right on her lap.

Me thinks it’ll be another few years before we take him in the car again.

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley Tagged With:

A Week of Independence: The Johnson Kids Do Camp and Utah!

June 10, 2013 By

Jamie and I are kid-less for 24 WHOLE HOURS before I fly to Utah tomorrow for business. I tried to convince him to play hookey with me today but he was having none of that. Something about having to work to pay the bills (lame, I  know). Tonight, we’re going on a date to see Star Trek Into Darkness and eat at a new Cafe Rio that opened near our house (my fave restaurant ever).

So, why are we alone?

The Boy

On Friday, Bode boarded a plane by himself for the first time to visit his grandparents in Utah. I only cried a little bit but cried even more when a friend pointed out the gate behind him is actually to Portland!

I knew he was surrounded by people who love him but it is his first time away from home for an extended period of time so I worried a bit. If he had a different mother than me, he’d gravitate toward behind a homebody but he has really come into his own this past year and is turning into a brave, fun-loving and adventurous little guy. I called the first night after he arrived and he said he had dessert for dinner.  Yep, turns out Grandma’s ward at church was having a big dessert social and Bode loaded up on sweets.

He has long forgotten us.

The Girl

As for Hadley, I dropped her off at YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park for five nights at Camp Chief Ouray yesterday. To say she was out-of-her-gourd excited is an understatement because Miss Independence is ready to fly. And, truth be told, I was just as ecstatic for her because I always longed to attend a good old-fashioned camp in a beautiful mountain setting.

We paid an extra $175 for the horseback riding option where she will spend half her day at the stable with four of her cabin mates and then rotate through traditional camp the rest of the day. She has been obsessed with horses so this may cure her or fuel the fire.

Time shall tell if we’ll live to regret it.

We arrived promptly at 1:30 p.m. for registration and because we were among the first, whizzed through the process of checking in her luggage, getting lice-checked (Colorado state law) and her temperature taken. Before we know it, I took her to her cabin where her two bubbly counselors Laura and Lindsay were waiting. Every week at camp there is a new theme and the paper snowflakes and icicles testified they were going back to the Ice Age.

Camp Chief Ouray!

We then reviewed the schedule for the week and I almost threatened to crash her party because it sounds like so much fun:
7 a.m. Wake Up/ Dress/ Wash Up/ Clean Cabins
7:45 a.m. Flag Raising
8 a.m. Breakfast in the camper cafeteria (I’d like to be a fly on the wall for the week to see what she loads up on without parental supervision. I suspect mostly carbs and no vegetables).
8:45 a.m. Camp Clean Up (She was most excited about that).
9:15 a.m. Horseback riding (OK, this was the one she was looking forward to the most).

Click to enlarge

11:30 a.m. Pavilion Call (I hope there is a dinner bell involved).

11:45 a.m. Free Time
12 p.m. Lunch (Carbs, carbs and more carbs)
1 p.m. Rest Period. B.O.B. “Bodies on Bunks.” (I would like to see this actually happen).
2 p.m. Freedom of Choice Activities. (Include archery, riflery, sports and games, dance, drama, outdoor survival skills like orienteering, nature building, fire building, arts and crafts, hiking, mad scientist, climbing, newspaper and cooking).
4:30 p.m. Snack Time (Rejoice! I suspect she will think she’s starving because normal snack time is 3 p.m.)
4:45 p.m. Cabin Activity Time. (Archery, planning for skits, games on the ball field, cabin adventures, hiking, arts and crafts or climbing).
5:30 p.m. Flag Lowering
5:45 p.m. Dinner (I suspect desserts will be interspersed with her carbs).
7:30 p.m. Evening Program.  (No idea what is involved but I highly suspect funny, corny skits)
8:30 p.m. Vespers Campfire (Hopefully they’ll sing plenty of songs and have s’mores!)
9 p.m. Cabin Devotion
10 p.m. Lights Out (10 girls in one cabin? Good luck with that).
Since Hadley was the first to arrive, she had her choice of 10 bunks. I helped her weigh her options. “If you’re in the middle, you’ll be right in the center of the action (what I would have chosen). If you choose the sides, it will be a bit quieter and may be a bit easier to fall asleep.”She selected the top bunk on the far side left, the furthest away from the counselors (they sleep in an adjacent, open room). Smarter kid than I would have been.We said our good-byes and as I was leaving, she was already delving into her first project of decorating a sign for her bunk bed.

Camp Chief Ouray is located in one of the prettiest parts of Colorado so I opted for an adventure of my own by taking the “scenic route” (which added an additional 3.5 hours onto the 1.5-hour drive from Denver), passing through Grand Lake and over infamous Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park.

It was worth it. #Understatement

Upon arriving home, I downloaded the day’s events to my husband.

Me: “And then Hadley cried when I dropped her off.”

Him (knowing his independent daughter so well): “Cried tears of joy?”

Me: “Pretty much.”

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley, Humor Tagged With: ,

The Broadmoor Brunch: Tearing Families Apart and Bringing Them Back Together

June 5, 2013 By

During our stay at The Broadmoor, I didn’t demand much from my kids. Well, except for things like, “Eat your gourmet steak.” “Go on this amazing horseback ride through Pikes Peak National Forest.” “Let’s go paddleboating to see the baby swans.”

Sucks to be them, right?

One of the highlights of our stay is always The Broadmoor’s legendary brunch (consistently ranked one of Colorado’s best) and we have always posed for pictures in our Sunday best. Except this day. Remember Hadley’s I-don’t-want-to-smile-for-your-pictures phase? That morning, it was an all-out revolt because all she wanted was brunch. And all I wanted were pictures of my happy, smiling family. See the issue here? She was given the ultimatum to smile and go to brunch or just go back to the room.

She chose to semi-smile and go to brunch. A couple of the family pictures turned out so badly I won’t post them but we’ll take it.

With Aunt Lisa

By the time she walked into that gastronomical wonderland, all conflicts were forgotten. She was the first to the buffet and quickly came back loaded up with pastries.

“I couldn’t get past the first row of all the breads,” she confessed.

Bode and I took a different approach and we piled our plates with delicious fruits. “I want to eat healthy for my first round,” he explained and I agreed.

When he left for Round 2, like any sugar-loving kid, I expected him to come back loaded up with cheese blintzes with berry sauce or maybe those waffles with Grand Marnier caramel topping. But he arrived with Cheerios.

I thought Jamie’s veins were going to bulge out of his head.

“What is this?”
“Cheerios. I like Cheerios.”
“Son, let me explain something to you. You can eat Cheerios every day of your life. There are literally hundreds of things in that buffet to eat that you will never see again. You need to try all the delicious new treats.”
“But I want to eat healthy and I like Cheerios.”

Now, lest you think Bode has turned into a health nut, I assure you he has not. I’m constantly harping on them to make good food choices but this was not the time to finally do it.

“Bode, don’t take one more bite of those Cheerios.”

The waiter approached at that moment. Jamie demanded:

“Please take those Cheerios away. Bode, you’re coming with me.”

Confused, the waiter grabbed the bowl as sensitive Bode looked like he was going to burst into tears. The horror! Parents telling you to eat sugar!

A few minutes later, Bode’s plate was appropriately loaded up and its crown jewel: his very first bananas foster (the top left picture below was taken at the very moment Hadley tasted hers for the first time). Little dude never looked back. In fact, he was so inspired he stole my iPhone and took literally a hundred (blurry) pictures of the spread. And not one of them was of Cheerios.

But the story gets better. After Hadley’s fourthish trip to the buffet, she tugged on my skirt.

“I have something I want to show you.”
“Now?”
“Now.”

I followed her out of the Lake Terrace Dining Room to a majestic overlook of the property.

“Isn’t this the most magical place, Mom? Here. Take my picture.”

And then she smiled.

The Broadmoor really is a place where miracles happen.

====
Stay tuned tomorrow for the details of The Broadmoor’s famous pool, which Hadley deemed “paradise.”

In case you missed it: The Broadmoor’s Birthday Bliss and an Apology to My Daughter’s Future Husband.

Filed Under: Bode, Family travel, Hadley, Humor

The Broadmoor’s Bliss and an Apology to My Daughter’s Future Husband

June 4, 2013 By

To Hadley’s Future Husband,

I am thrilled you have chosen to join our crazy family and love our daughter as much as we do. She is a happy, funny and spirited girl who loves digging in the dirt but who also enjoys the finer things in life. That’s what I want to talk to you about today.

You see, I’m afraid The Broadmoor may have ruined her forever.  She celebrated her ninth birthday at this iconic AAA Five-Diamond luxury resort in Colorado Springs. At this “Grand Dame of the Rockies,” she was pampered, primped and indulged in every way.  As she lounged poolside in her cabana sipping a milkshake, I asked her what she thought of everything and she resolutely declared, “Paradise.”

Room Service Perfection

Imagine, if you will, sleeping on the resort’s Platinum Suite Plush non-flip one-sided mattress and waking up to painting-perfect views of Cheyenne Mountain with a glorious spread of food including Belgian waffles delivered to your room with a “happy birthday” message.Then, for her adoring family to shower her with presents fit for a queen.

And that’s a pretty cool candle-lit crown.

The Broadmoor’s Charms

Of course, a leisurely stroll on the immaculate grounds is a must after breakfast.

Charming mama swan and her baby cygnets

As is stopping to pose near the cottages, just as she did five years ago when we stayed at The Broadmoor with Grandma and Grandpa B.

Hadley at The Broadmoor: Then and Now

Memorial Day weekend at The Broadmoor is not lacking in festivities and she took it all in on the North Lawn–from face painting, to the bouncy castle to making cotton candy.

Because when you’re 9, your childhood is that much closer to fading away and it’s important to hang onto it as long as possible.

It’s also important to work off some of those calories so that’s where paddleboating Cheyenne Lake comes in handy.

Oh wait, calories don’t count when you’re 9 so no worries that she overindulged for lunch at the Golden Bee, the resort’s authentic 19th century English Pub.

Going Western

But all of those weren’t even the highlights. That afternoon, she participated in one of her favorite things: horseback riding at the Stables at the Broadmoor. After an adventurous 30-minute drive up Old Stage Road, she bonded with a kitty and her spirited mare Dixie. 

Then she was set loose to rediscover Spencer Penrose’s (the Broadmoor’s founder) bootlegging trail through Pike’s Peak National Forest past spying deers and bear-clawed aspens. The owner of the stables bought Hadley some birthday cupcakes that she graciously devoured. But what happened next cannot be matched. The owner called the stable’s resident pig Mildrid. On cue, Mildrid leisurely sauntered up the dirt path and, on demand, sat like a dog. Hadley then fed Mildrid her very own cupcake.

Think you can duplicate that, dear future husband? I’d like to see you try.

PLAY, PLAY, PLAY

But the day wasn’t over yet. That evening, her dear family gathered for a birthday celebration like no other at Play, The Broadmoor’s newest eatery that features six lanes of bowling. gourmet eats and a game room. For the next two hours, Hadley drank (two milkshakes, thankyouverymuch), ate (New Mexico Nachos, BBQ Pork Sliders and the Parmesan white truffle popcorn were especial favorites) and bowled. 

Not even her obnoxious brother and father could put a damper on her spirits.

From her dad’s “I’m on fire” to Bode’s competitive drive turning into overdrive “I’m just a little kid and I’M BEATING YOU ALL!”

Of course, no birthday is complete without a gloriously gooey chocolate cake.And what kind of parents would we be if we hadn’t brought our disco ball for a late-night dance party to Taylor Swift in our room before bedtime?

So, pretty much the bar is set unreasonably high for birthday celebrations. I’d facetiously say “you’re welcome” except her father and I still have to survive nine more birthdays after this one. Heaven help us all.

Love,

Your favorite mother-in-law

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, travel

School’s out for summer!

May 31, 2013 By

How glorious the final day of school was yesterday! While Bode’s sweet teacher Mrs. Dorough fought back the tears as they sang the “good-bye song” one last time, he and his friends were REJOICING!I couldn’t really blame her. First grade has been a pretty darn perfect year and I was sad to bid farewell to such a wonderful stage in his life.

Hadley’s school opted to have their field day, which is smart because it’s not like a lot of work gets done anyway.

Wild. #LikeMotherLikeDaughter

 

She has had a good year at her new Waldorf charter school and we’re glad we made the switch to a school that better helps develop her strengths. Her bestie will be going to a specialized school next year so saying good-bye was bittersweet. Bitter because she’ll miss her, sweet because she won’t miss school.

She is, after all, a kid.

Case in point: Hadley was really excited about celebrating her birthday at church. In Primary, the kids get to wear a silly birthday hat and glasses while everyone sings to them, after which they get a treat. Prior to that, the teacher gives clues about what the birthday girl/boy likes to do and the class needs to guess who it is.

I wasn’t sure Hadley would be recognized last week because her teacher hadn’t reached out to me for a little biography but I was wrong.

“They did my birthday party at church today,” Hadley reported.

“Oh, good. How did it go?”

“They must have used my information from last year.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, they got some things right. My favorite food is Timbits and I still like cats. But they got one thing WRONG.”

“What was it?”

“They said I love learning, which I don’t.”

Then, there’s her brother. He woke up depressed on the last morning of school.

“What’s wrong, buddy?”

“I wish we had six days left of school. I don’t want it to be over.”

“Yes, but think of all the fun we’ll have this summer.”

“Will you homeschool me every day for four hours, Mommy?”

Not likely, little dude.

And that, my friends, is a geek in the making.

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

Happy 9th Birthday to My Hurricane!

May 25, 2013 By

Dearest Hadley,

I can’t believe you’re nine years old today! Your birth story was forever immortalized in the Denver Post for Mother’s Day and why shouldn’t it be? You made one memorable entrance into this world and continue to leave your mark on it.

Eight was kind to you. Not only did you get baptized last summer surrounded by the people you love but you started a new charter school that you enjoy. Your bestie is Grace and two boys have had crushes on you–Ethan and Ryan (this is happening already?!)

Between a three-day camping trip to Mesa Verde, your recent one to a farm or going with your class to find worms in the creek last Wednesday, the more experiential the better in your world. You were nowhere to be found when I came to retrieve you at school last week and discovered you lost in the greenhouse tending to the plants in a state of bemused joy. This is becoming one of your passions and you have started your own soiling projects. You’re constantly barking orders at me to tend your plants while you’re in school–Water Them! Take Them Indoors! Put them under the grow lights after 2 hours!

It’s like living with your father. #HeavenHelpMe

I fret more than I should about you finding your place. While your friends’ lives are full of sports and dance, you show no interest in these traditional pursuits and prefer your schedule to remain as unfettered as possible. Your gauge of a good day is having time to create or imaginative play.  You love anything artistic and spend hours in your crafting area Grandma Johnson helped create for your eight birthday. You enjoy knitting at school, art and will learn how to sew this summer. You continue to enjoy individual sports like swimming, hiking, skiing (moguls already!) and tennis and I’m fine with that; in fact, I kinda cringe being dragged to team practices and games so I need to remember you are choosing a different path and passions.

Mud Pits, Fish Creek Provincial Park, Canada

Last fall, you made your television debut on a 9News back-to-school fashion show. You started to get sick the night prior and I stressed about finding a replacement for you but you assured me you were fine. The next morning, I went to the studio early so your dad took you and your brother. Upon arriving at the 9News parking lot you got out of the car, threw up and made a pledge with your dad not to tell me about it until after the segment (where you performed like a pro). That, my dear, is what I call leaving a mark on show business (a very large one).

You recently asked me about the truth of Santa and took the news in stride. It makes me kind of sad you’re growing up. Nine years old is half-way to adulthood and there is so much more than I want to do with you and show you. Because you’re such an independent soul, I know that once you’re given wings, you will fly far from here. You are doing your first week-long overnight camp at YMCA of the Rockies this summer and when I was lamenting that you might get homesick, you consoled me, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll forget about you.” Some consolation!

For my birthday, we took a mother-daughter trip to Copper Mountain. We had the most delicious berry waffles for breakfast, snowshoed around Lake Dillon and almost lost our breakfast on Frisco Adventure Park’s crazy-steep tubing hill. We also skied together and you impressed me by brazenly tackling the moguls. I love that you are not only adventurous but have a deep curiosity and appreciation to connect with nature. Just not too close. Remember when you lost your balance and slid slowly backwards into a tree in front of the Ski Patrol? Oh, and I won’t mention when we were racing down the mountain a few minutes later and you almost ran into that Emergency Phone. But, let’s face it, if you’re gonna crash, those are the safest ways to do it.

Snowshoeing in Frisco

You are wrapping up your first year of piano and violin. While I wouldn’t say you have any particular passion for them (remember faking your Christmas violin performance?), you are playing well. This year, you and your brother will each be growing your own pumpkin and you know far more than any kid should about organic gardening but you enjoy it. You were proud to have your dad come speak to your class about growing giant pumpkins but let’s both breathe a little sigh of relief he didn’t wear his crazy pumpkin hat.

I’ve never heard you utter “I’m bored” and your biggest complaint is you don’t have enough time to play wherever or whatever you’re doing. You are passionate about travel and I can always count on you to help plot our next trip. You are thrilled to be going to The Broadmoor for your ninth birthday and who wouldn’t be with horseback riding, swimming, bowling, 5-star dining and paddleboat races, not to mention some of the most luxurious accommodations in the whole world?  If your future husband is reading this, I apologize now for setting the bar very, very high. I should know, Hadley. Your father has become rather unbearable with his opulent demands. :-)


Fat Kitty remains your favorite thing in the world and I often vacillate about what occupation you’ll chose someday. Sometimes I’m sure you’ll work with animals, other days in the arts or, knowing you, you will surprise us and choose something unexpected. Whatever it is, I hope it fills you with the same joy I’ve had of learning to balance motherhood, travel and writing.

You are so different than me and I learn from you every single day. Sometimes it’s not easy being your mom and I’m sure you often think it’s not easy having me as your mom. You internalize so much that I hope, as you wage the battle of your adolescence, you realize it’s OK to put yourself out there. You have a few really good friends but are not inclined to follow the crowd if it’s not to your liking. You are strong, beautiful, a spiritual wonder and will leave a mark on this world.

Let’s just hope it’s not on anymore trees or on the 9News parking lot.

I love you,
“Moms”
=====
P.S. For a stroll down memory lane, read letters for your 8th birthday, 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd.

Filed Under: birthday, Hadley

Life in Pictures: Field Trips and Those Irate Pigs

May 21, 2013 By

My next two weeks are too frenzied to detail so I won’t even try. Even our last day of school on May 30 won’t be the end of it as our summer travel and play season ramps up. No complaints here. What I will complain about it finally recovering from a cold and having a nasty cough that keeps me up most nights.

Yep, Fat Kitty and Jamie have still abandoned me.

Field Trip

We’ve been cramming it all in, including Bode’s class field trip to the Denver Aquarium. I was put in charge of a group of four kids that included a sweet but mentally unstable girl. Think I’m lying? Their last field trip, the teacher had her husband be solely in charge of her. But he didn’t have my secret weapon: Bode. He ensured she stayed on task in his OCD yet kind way and we all had a grand old time.

With bestie Brody

I didn’t lose even one kid so deemed it a success.

Field Day

Then there was Bode’s field day. From obstacle courses to hula-hooping to long-jumping, it’s one of the highlights of the year.

Long jump

A new addition this year was  the game “Rat Tag” (bottom top right) where kids put a rope in the back of their shorts and tried to grab each others’ tails.

First grade field day

It was rather unsettling when I realized I was yelling at Bode to get some “tail” from the girls.

Animal Project

First graders in Colorado need to do a big research project on an animal and Bode chose a sloth. This month-long ordeal included a lot of research, whipping up his first PowerPoint presentation and he then had to do an oral presentation to the class based on his diorama or poster.

I was put in charge of helping him and confirmed that he has inherited my lack of artistic ability. After a few frustrated meltdowns (from us both) I think we did pretty good job.

Though I won’t mention the mammoth bone structure our resident artists Hadley and Jamie constructed last month that looked like it was right out of the Ice Age. #overachievers

Farm Girl

Hadley had a three-day field trip to a farm a couple of weeks ago. I went back and forth on volunteering, ultimately bowing out because I planned a garage sale with my neighbor. It’s a good thing, too because that’s when I got sick and it rained for most of the three days. You know, in Colorado. Where is almost never rains.

I wish I’d snapped a picture of her when she returned home after three days of camping in the muck and rain. Let’s just say I’ve never smelled anything quite like it (and hope to never again).

Activity Day Girl

She and I also had a mother-daughter night out with the Activity Girl days at church. This group of 8-11-year-old girls meet together a couple of times a month for activities that range from sporting events to service projects to crafts. They planned a fun night of dinner with fun games from Minute to Win It.Because nothing says mother-daughter bonding like having a nylon on your head as you pretend to be an elephant knocking ball. #YouHadToBeThere

Angry Piggies

Bode wrapped his sixth soccer season with his buddies. He scored regularly and even had four goals in one game. Their team name has evolved from the Lava Bullets to this season’s gem: “The Angry Piggies.” Don’t knock it. They had they winningest season ever.

Here’s to surviving the final two weeks of school!

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

Mother’s Day: Something to Smile About

May 13, 2013 By

Mother’s Day can be joyful but also full of hurt and despair. I am surrounded by women who are tremendous mothers and examples to me. I also know several who have yet to become mothers–some struggle with infertility, others chose not to have kids, a handful have lost their mothers or have a bad relationship with them and many more want to settle down but haven’t found Mr. Right.

My own mom never liked Mother’s Day so I’ve always treaded softly around the subject. This morning, I posted a picture on Facebook of Bode reading a book he wrote to me with this message:

Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful women who mother, even if they are not moms.

I had been up most of the night with an unrelenting cough, causing Jamie and Fat Kitty to leave me alone in my misery so they could get some sleep (and I didn’t blame them a bit). Early the next morning, I saw three faces peek through my bedroom door and when they realized I was awake, burst in with my favorite breakfast: fresh mangoes, raspberries and strawberries with yogurt.

They showered me with homemade gifts–Bode a beautiful picture, Hadley a fun notebook she had made at church and Jamie spoiled me with a new juicer (send me your favorite recipes), two four-hour deep house cleaning Groupon cards (HALLELUJAH!) and he reluctantly wore his Canadian maple leaf tie in my honor.Our ward’s tradition at church on Mother’s Day is to have pie at the end of our meetings. One year, some silly man got it into his head the women didn’t like the pie so changed it up. I won’t go into the  ugly details of the Mom Revolution (think: World Ward III) but I was very happy to see pie back on the agenda the following year.

And this welcome addition: Jamie prepared a smoked beef tenderloin, thyme-rosemary fingerling potatoes, garlic mushrooms and poppy-seed coleslaw.

My vote is he’s on dinner duty from now on.

Our little family likes to keep Mother’s Day low-key. A couple of years ago, we went for a walk around gorgeous Evergreen Lake where we love to skate in the wintertime. It was so memorable I declared it our new tradition because there are just so many things to smile about like this: Not to mention this.

And this.But don’t tell that to Hadley. She thinks I have a camera constantly in her face and she would be correct. Sorry, dearie but such is fate of the iPhone generation of parents who always have their camera phone with them. Doesn’t she just looked thrilled to be in this picture?

May2013

Jamie wasn’t much better. The first shot I took, he was mimicking Hadley by scowling at the camera.
I obviously made him retake the picture.

For this one, I told Hadley we weren’t moving until she would smile. Stubborn Miss took a while (so long poor Bode declared he was going to start crying because he had been smiling forever).

It’s my Mother’s Day and I’ll MAKE YOU SMILE IF I WANT TO.

But don’t be mislead. She was smiling 99.9 percent  of the time as we took that beautiful stroll around the lake. I even caught this candid shot of her (gasp) smiling.

Just don’t let her know I’m onto her.

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Filed Under: Bode, Family, Hadley, Jamie

On Raising Miss Independence

May 7, 2013 By

When did these kids of mine start growing up?

I admittedly couldn’t wait to get through the baby stage (a colicky, sleepless newborn will do that do you) but now that they are fun and thriving, I want to put the brakes on this whole growing up thing. Everywhere he goes, Bode sings and always has a smile on his face while Hadley’s growing self-confidence in her school work is making her happy and agreeable.

They are ready to start flexing their wings and I’m straining to give them more independence but it’s tough, even for a non-helicopter parent like me.

When we were in the mountains at YMCA of the Rockies last winter, we drove past their summer camp facility, Camp Chief Ouray. I described it to the kids–five days of new friendships, horseback riding, swimming, hiking, rope courses, field games, firesides, skits and more. They thought it sounded like the coolest thing ever and judging from the camp’s active alumni community and the fact it’s almost sold out, it is.

A couple of years ago, Hadley took her first solo flight to see Grandma in Utah and we’ve been promising Bode the chance to do the same thing. So, when we found out he needed to be 7 to go to camp (he’s a month shy), we decided to book him a flight.

Neither of my kids have ever been the hang-on-my-leg-begging-me-not-to-go types. Bode was more clingy when he was younger but now, they’re up for pretty much any adventure, anytime. And I’m so relieved they’re courageous and thriving.  (If you’re a helicopter-type, read this article about why playing and “helping” them actually hinders their creativity and development).

But sometimes I think I’ve done too good of a job of raising them to be independent.

I recently registered Hadley for Camp Chief Ouray and paid $175 for the additional horse camp option. She’s obsessed with learning to ride, lessons are expensive and the more affordable programs like Westernaires require parent volunteers to do menial tasks like mucking out stalls.

HELL, NO. (Can you tell I’m not a fan of horses?)

She was literally bouncing off the wall when I told her she was confirmed for horse camp and fired questions at me a million miles a minute. I was jealous and happy for her–I was a big fan of the Parent Trap and always wanted to go to camp as a kid. And then I got worried. Would she be OK? Would she miss us at all?

“Hadley, you’re not going to be homesick, are you?”

“Don’t worry about it, Mom. I’ll forget about you.”

She’ll never be mistaken for the sentimental type.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

Why I will not be going to beauty school

April 30, 2013 By

I’m Florida-bound today and will be checking out the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village for Travel Mamas. I committed to the trip before I realized one very important thing: I would be missing the kids’ piano recital. I am particularly remorseful because it is Bode’s first one.

Fortunately, Aunt Lisa came to the rescue, as per this email chain from yesterday.

Lisa: Jamie, I know that Amber is out of town this week, so I’m a little worried how Haddie is going to look for her piano recital (and Bode too but we can’t do much for him J ).  This is not to offend you but you are a guy (that’s true).  Let me know if you need any help and I can stop by your place before the recital.  Are you offended now?  I didn’t think so. lol

Jamie: I have never been offended by having less work to do.  Especially when it comes to girly stuff.  Feel free to swing on by.

Me: AMEN, Lisa. I sent Jamie an itinerary for the week and included on it for them to dress nicely for the recital. I was also worried about Bode going to school every day with bedhead without me there to comb it down so I took matters into my own hands and tried cutting it for the first time yesterday. Those two bald spots on the side of his head will hopefully grow back soon. #NoLie

Jamie: No joke.  Our neighbor asked what letters were carved into the side of Bode’s hair yesterday.  She asked, “is it a G?”   I then began to explain that Bode is a big fan of the Green Bay Packers and that it was a G that he requested on the side of his head.”

Lisa: Oh no.  We are not Green Bay Packers fans in this family.  I’ll go buy him a hat!!! lol

Jamie: Lol  #savebodeshead

Hair grows back, right?

And for the record, I shaved that “G” for Great, which is how he’s going to do at his first recital.

===

Video of Bode’s recital

Video of Hadley’s recital

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor
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