4th of July Hot Air Balloons

We were so grateful that we got to spend the 4th of July back in Utah in this year.  It was fun to relive some of my childhood experiences through my children.  We enjoyed tons of family time in Utah and I have to admit that it was fun getting to introduce everyone to Eliza.

The first 4th of July event that we went to in Utah was the hot air balloons.  I used to go as a child when we spent 4th of July in Utah so it was a lot of fun to see Anders' and Alden's excitement about being there.  They loved seeing the hot air balloons inflate and take off.  Alden even started asking Grandpa if they could ride in a hot air balloon sometime together.  I am so grateful that we got to be there with so much family!

Eliza meeting her Papa.

Eliza getting comforted by Grandpa.

Getting settled and set up to watch hot air balloons.  Both boys got time with their Grandma's and they are so happy with them!  I love family!

Watching the balloons inflate.

I love how excited Anders was about the balloons and I love the fact that he held his car the whole time too.  Anders loved the balloons so much!

It is so neat getting to stand right next to them as they inflate and get pulled upright.

One of the first balloons taking off.

It is so neat getting to see so many balloons inflate and go up so close together. I always loved watching this as a kid.

It was a beautiful day to watch the balloons go up.

My dad took some awesome pictures of some of the balloons.  It was a great morning and I am glad that we got to go.

Summer is Starting

The weather is warming up and the kids are loving it.  It is so nice that the kids can play outside a lot now and enjoy the sunshine in our backyard.  I am loving having a fence so that I don't always have to be outside with the kids if I need to feed Eliza or something like that!  The boys play really well together and keep each other entertained for much of the day which is super nice!  Eliza is an easy baby for the most part and I am loving getting to cuddle with her and watch how much she has changed in the few short weeks that she has been with us.

Alden loves watching Eliza and trying to interact with her when she is awake.

She is so much more alert now and I love it.

She definitely loves her pacifier!

For some reason she does not like lying flat on her back for very long.  She prefers to be propped up a little.

The boys are loving the warm weather.  One day we put the sprinkler out on the grass and the boys had tons of fun running through it and making their own little water slide.

She is so fun to watch now!

The boys are really excited that Dad has started to teach them how to play hockey.  It is really funny watching the boys try to figure out how to use the sticks.

They usually play with Daddy working to block Alden and Anders.

I love watching her sleep.  I find it so peaceful.

Some days I do get a little overwhelmed, especially if the boys are fighting or having a hard day. Sometimes I also start getting stressed about all the things I am not able to get done, like cleaning or errands, and I have to take a minute to regroup and remember what is important.  Eliza is a great cuddle buddy for moments like that!  Holding her and sitting somewhere quiet for a couple minutes helps me remember that as long as the kids are taken care of and I am doing my best to show them I love them then I am accomplishing the most important things.

How can I not find joy with this sweet little girl around.  (Not that finding joy is always easy, but she makes it easier)

Eliza is finally getting big enough to use her swing and she really likes it.

Alden has figured out how to pick up Eliza and hold her on his own.  I have had to talk with him about being super careful but he loves his sister so much, he is good at being gentle.

Alden loves being a big brother!

She is growing so fast!  I want her to stay a baby for a long time but I also want her to grow healthy and strong.

She is so precious to me!

The boys are really excited that we set up the kiddie pool in the backyard for them to play in.  They love getting to play in the water outside.  It has been 80-90 degrees lately and so the water has been a great way for them to still be able to play outside.  I love seeing my kids have fun and enjoy summer like I remember as a kid!

Red Rock Canyon Open Space

On Memorial Day we decided to head out and go explore a new area in Colorado Springs.  We decided to go hike in Red Rock Canyon Open Space that is about 20 minutes from our house.  It ended up being a really fun outing with some beautiful views and fun areas to hike in.  I carried Eliza and Drew carried Anders while we hiked about 2 miles.  It wasn't too far but it was enough for Alden and me while I am getting back in shape after doing very little while I was pregnant.  I am so excited to be able to get outside and explore more now that I am feeling well enough to do so.  It was great being in the outdoors, enjoying nature because it makes me feel calm and brings me joy.  I love that it is a fun activity that we can do all together that everyone in the family enjoys.

We had a lot of fun getting a feel for the park and we will definitely be going back to explore more trails in the future.  I loved the views and being back, hiking in an area with red rocks brought back memories of family vacations in southern Utah when I was a kid.  It is so fun for me to get to see my kids enjoy the outdoors now that they are getting older.

There were parts of the trail that were a little steep but the views were beautiful.

Alden was an awesome little hiker and I loved the view of this little lake.

Enjoying the view!

My awesome hikers!

We thought this tree with cool because there were so many roots that you could see.

Alden was excited to find a little cubby in one of the rocks.

I love my boys!

I got one picture of me and Eliza enjoying the outdoors.

Alden loved getting to climb over lots of rocks.

We let Anders walk at the end and he loved getting out and being independent.  He also loved trying to pick up tons of rocks.  It really was a great outing for all of us.