Wild West Day Two

Fort Collins is such a fun town. It feels like a really upscale college town but smaller and more manageable than Boulder. It also has a lot of beer. Like a lot.

So the place we stayed was this wonderfully unique hotel/hostel I found on Airbnb. Solarium Intetnational. We stayed in the green room which was a hit because it had the exact right number of beds including a bunk. But it’s the "solarium component", an indoor oasis/common area that made it truly serene.

We at a late breakfast at Choice City a place we discovered when we were here 9 years ago for a cousin’s wedding. We still have one or two Chimay glasses the owner sold matt last time. 

We had a brewery tour to get to and tried to find a playground we had passed but weren’t able to retrace our steps quite right/bathroom was needed urgently/miscommunication between parents about when the tour started meant we didn’t really get to play but were really early for the tour!

New Belgium has a great tour complete with samples and a slide. The kids entertained themselves with my old phone turned camera.!

Eva listening attentively.

Alex drinking water from a fancy glass.

This is where they make the sours.

Slide/fire escape!

We met Matt’s cousin, Brian, in old town and the kids got to play on the bear.

We had Colorado pizza which is crusty and tasty! Lucy got spaghetti on a pizza "bowl". All the carbs!

Lastly a stop at a rock shop for souvenirs. Look I found some dragon glass!

Lucy got some Little Rock’s for her collection.

Thanks Fort Collins! You were a great first stop!

Wild West Day 1

We left! Wasn’t sure that it would really happen. But it did and it did early. I didn’t go to bed til 5, trying to pack and finish up a few things for work. Our plan was to leave at 7 and we left at 7:10. Vacation Miracle!

Why are you guys driving 600 in one day? We like driving? It’s true. Well... Matt loves driving and I love being a passenger while he’s driving. And we are pretty good at it. We are patient with each other. We have great conversations. We used to drive from Baltimore to Iowa and back several times a year. 

The kids are good in the car as well. The older they get the longer we push them as far as distance in a day. They certainly make things more complicated. And they definitely have moments of impatience, defiance, urgent bathroom needs, and annoying sounds. But they are 8 and that’s exactly what they are supposed to do. And they are still young enough for enthusiasm for experiences we plan and ones we take for granted.

There are other reasons for the trip--dear friends, new babies, relative cheapness, influence of neighbors, etc. I may get into more of these as I go.

First stop, Lewis and Clark historical trail visitors center in Omaha. We got there before it opened!

Matt likes maps!

Guest book with an inkwell and Quill.

Fish and bird statues.

In Omaha we saw a Uhaul with a monument we are planning to visit. National Parks are so hot right now!

We tried doing a tablet, reading, writing rotation. It worked....ok. We have car sickness and technology issues. Mostly we listed to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as read by Jim Dale. So entertaining.

I can’t say I was super impressed with north platte, ne. What can I say Iowans are socialized to be pretty snooty about Nebraska. But it did have a Train Museum next to the little league fields. 

We found a local coffee shop "downtown". We tried to get frozen yogurt from a new place but they were out of... frozen yogurt. Lucy liked her mango smoothie.

After a fun drive though the last of western Nebraska and Colorado (patiently waiting for the kids to notice the mountains) we arrived at our Airbnb/ Hostel. It’s called Solarium international and I can’t recommend it enough. Cheap and comfortable and unique!

It even has hammocks!

Finally it was time to eat dinner at a random Irish pub in old town Fort Collins. It was delicious in the way that food at the end of a long day when you are super tired and hungry is kinda the best.

Then we poured ourselves into bed feeling super encouraged that our first day went so well.

The blog returns

First off - Random photo dump.

Women's March 2017

They made their own signs.

Trip to St. Louis

Rare picture of dad.

Chairs

Early Family Photo Extravaganza

I heart Louise!

New House 2015

Winter at Grandma and Grandpa Miller's House

Easter 2016

Louise hearts Louise (2016)

Playing with Uncle Michael in Elkader

I'm briefly dusting off the old blog. We are going to be having the kids do start some journal projects so I though we might start here.

In update to previous posts. Kids are in 2nd grade doing well. Their current favorite thing is to play for hours outside with our nextdoor neighbor. They still share a room. They are in all separate classes. We don't really have a choice but we like it that way anyway. We moved back to my home town (and hopefully won't ever move again). I'm a working as a pediatric psychologist at a children's hospital, so that grad school thing is finally over. Matt worked remotely for the University for ever, but now works at the MAN and absolutely loves it (not being sarcastic, he is seriously so happy). We still have bomber. She still thinks she's a wild cat.

We enjoy playgrounds, watching "educational shows" like brain games, cosmos, planet earth, and fixer upper. The kids have turned into voracious readers. Matt and I go on almost weekly date nights. Tonight is Avengers, and we are pretty excited.

I'll be honest. I may or may not post ever again. There is a very small possibility I will, or that the kids may start blogging or vlogging. Who knows?!

Take Care!

Parented!!!

I must share a moderately monumentous occurrence from tonight. All my kids were asleep within 30 minutes of bed time and did not get out of bed once! Back story: if you are a longtime follower of 'here we go', you know I have bragged in the past about my babies wonderful sleep habits. Well then they got big kid beds and became toddlers and preschoolers and still shared a room and the night time routine became a nightmare. We'll not all of it. Bathtime, jammis, brush teeth, story time, lullabyes were fine ( especially story time). But approximately 30 to 60 seconds after we leave their bedroom starts the unending barrage of " tuck me in", " I need a book". " my blankets don't work", " I have a cough cough , "etc. this is the WORST hour, two hours, plus. Mainly because we parents are fried. Once in awhile they'll be so exhausted and it's not as bad but usually it's incredibly frustrating for every one. Tonight on my way home I had an idea. This idea only occurred to me ( and should have occurred a lot sooner) because my job is to work with kids who are having difficult behaviors and one almost universal strategy is rewarding appropriate behavior. This is based on the teachings of skinner and his ideas of operant conditioning........kids like stickers!!! Of course! So I made a quick sticker chart for bedtime. You get a sticker for staying in bed 1 min, then 5 min, 10 min, 15, 30. They were all asleep by the 15 minute stickers!!! Even Lucy! I have no idea if this will work again but even a one night reprieve is restoring my faith in this whole parenting thing. Good night !

Games

Game of the Day: Library

Dining room table covered in sheets with a lantern and pillows underneath to make a literary den. Lucy "read" Pride and Prejudice (board book style), but continues to struggle with the word single (as in not married). I hate to say it but the board book lacks some of the subtle character development as the unabridged version.

Martha

Happy New Year!

Phew...we made it. 2013 was way too eventful. I'm glad things are calming down and moving forward.

Things I'm looking forward to in 2014.

1. New episodes of Sherlock
2. New episodes of Downton Abbey (mixed emotions after the turmoil they put me through last year).
3. Meeting my first nephew!
4. Celebrating with my brother and soon-to-be sister at their nuptials in August!
5. Fun with the kids in the cold and snow.
6. More fun in the summer.
7. Family reunion in June.
8. Celebrating graduation in May.
9. Trips to the twin cities.
10. Walking to the park.
11. Kids really learning their trikes.
12. Can't believe I'm saying this.....work.
13. Using my new pizza stone for all kinds of shenanigans.
14. Hiring house cleaners.
15. Date nights.
16. Swinging on the porch with a glass of wine and a book.
17. Finally finishing Anna Karenina.

Its late. I'll probably think of more as I fall asleep. Probably big ones that will make me feel guilty for not remembering them in this very moment. If family and friends are reading this, know that spending time with you is what I look forward to most.

Happy New Year!

Martha