our vacation in the clouds ;)

The denouement of our month with the kittens this year was our first big family vacation... in Colorado, no less! Richard keeps referring to our trip as "the vacation in the clouds" because, well, we were pretty much in the clouds the entire time! (9000ft. altitude will make you feel like that, you know) We stayed in a little cabin in Divide, just out of Pikes Peak & Cripple Creek and basically in the middle of nowhere (it took a 20 minute drive into town to get cellphone reception). We went into town each morning for breakfast and got in the hot tub each night after coming home from our adventures -- it was so lovely. We had our fair share of mishaps (to be expected with a 6-person crew!) but we had such a wonderful time hanging out as a family. We even got to spend some time with Tonya & Stephen! I took quite a few pictures throughout our stay, so here'a few to get ya started!

Fair warning: The scenery was so gorgeous, so there's 192038910 pictures of our spectacular views. #sorrynotsorry

So excited! So scared! For their first plane ride. :)

On of my favorite parts of Colorado: all the yellow flowers! There seemed to be little yellow flowers everywhere :)

A cute little breakfast/ice-cream shop in town (and where Meghan discovered her new favorite ice-cream: Bluebell's Magic Cookie Bar!)

The breath-taking views from our cabin...

... which Richard soaked up every minute ;)

The kids' newest obsession: the hummingbird feeder (Emily fell the hardest, even trying her damndest to catch one!) We were all so smitten with our little cabin buds we just had to buy a feeder ourself for back home :)

Walking sticks for morning walks around our cabin (which took the kittens' approximate 2 minutes to find once we got there!)

A cute little pub in Colorado Springs where we all went to dinner with Tonya after an exciting day at the zoo. We even saw a little street performance on the corner afterwards! It was so fun to enjoy that with the kiddos. :)

Sadie's pub doodles :D (!!!)

  

We even saw some deer at our cabin! One night, the kids were in the hot-tub and did their best "silent scream" to call Da and I out to see. I just had to walk down there and see if I could get some pictures -- it was a husband and wife! The deer were a little shy (obviously!) but I managed to get a few awesome shots. ;P

The view of my dumplings walking back up the hill. :) They were so excited! We also saw a fox running through the hills, but that little bugger was too fast for a picture. ;)

Why did we ever leave?!

Our last night in Colorado, we drove to Denver to hang out with Tonya & Stephen in their neck of the woods. We went to a delicious dinner at a little Italian joint around town, and Emmy was very proud of her selection (she's turning into such a foodie!)

The morning of our flight, in Tonya & Stephen's apartment. We do a good job of squeezing everyone in! ;P

sadie is 8

The beginning of this year was crazy (when I wasn't in class, I was studying for class!), so I obviously got way behind on keeping up with the kids' birthdays. :) Sadie's birthday is always first, meaning she seems to get the biggest bang! Surpise parties, decorations, elaborate home-made gifts...And then spends all the remaining birthdays thinking, "Why didn't I get that?!" ;P

This year was no exception, as Meggie rounded us all up to decorate for her surprise party (including a helium tank!) while Daddy took her out shopping for her gifts. For our "Kylie Date" later, I took my little dumpling out to see "Frozen" (which was still playing in theaters!) and eat gelato. 

I'd like to talk about how much Sadie has grown up over the past year, but there are so many things I wish I could freeze in time -- like how she always tells us a million time a day how much she loves us and refuses to put on clothes any time she can get away with it. The night she watched "Little Shop of Horrors" with her dad and I and when she would watch "RuPaul's Drag Race" with me and Meghan at our apartment. She'll always take a veggie smoothie when I make it and is finally tall enough to wash her own plate in the kitchen sink. When she swears she isn't going to be mad at me (for various reasons) when she's a teenager and how she cries little clear pearls whenever Minecraft upsets her (for various reasons!).

Meggie, who made the cutest little rainbow strawberry cupcakes for her sister's special request. :)

Obligatory obstacle!

When the balloons don't float quite as high as you think, you improvise! With a floating kitten "on a leash" and a kitten person! ;P (Thanks Em and Richard!)

And whenever is all complete, you play with the helium tank (we're terrible parents, but at least I can show Meghan's future children this video of her, mwahaha).

Annnd, one of the balloon "animals" made it over to Meg's head while enjoying our cupcakes. Of course! ;P

Sweet Sadie during out later Kylie Date at the theatre -- in her new little birthday dress, no less! :)

We love you so much, little shtumpet -- even more than all the times you tell us you love us. :)

meggie's dun gradu-tated!

Meghan is officially a high-school graduate! Girlfriend manage to graduate a whole year early (hollah!) but due to some strange course-work requirements she wasn't able to walk across the stage ceremoniously until August. (Lemme just say that we're pretty sure she was the only early high-school graduate at this ceremony!)

Congratulations, sweet bb. We're so proud of you! 

LOOKATTHISCUTIE. :D

Shaleah even came with us! Yay!

You know, they just have to. ;P

bogie and bacall :)

Here are a few pictures of our wedding day (I say "a few," when it's like 50!). We were lucky enough to have the wedding/after-party at Del's gorgeous house, as well as one of my favorite people, Shaleah, do our pictures and I'm so butt-crazy in love with how everything turned out. :)

And before I begin, my dress, necklace, earrings and post-ceremony tennies are from Kate Spade (j'adore!), my heels are Jessica Simpson, and my blusher veil is from David's Bridal.

Alrighty, here we go!

hey, it's easter!

Alrighty-roo! Things that happened ages ago! This year for Easter, we went up to Grandpa Jim's house for some fun with Brendi and Dana, who fortunately were in town. The weather was perfect for our little family day. :)

Dana and Brendi are so sweet and wonderful, they had an entire mound of eggs ready to be decorated by our little dumplings. 

Then we all just played around in the backyard. A perfect distraction while the grown-ups set up the Easter Egg hunt in the front yard... ;)

Meg, being awesome (and smiling voluntarily!) ;)

Getting ready to go! (Trust me, when there are allegedly quarters/dollars in the hidden eggs, Meg's all-in as well!)

A little fuzzy, but I couldn't help myself. ;) That smile!

Spoils!

And just a few other good shots from the day... :)

Such a fun day! You want to know why I blog? Because I almost forgot this happened! When I was cleaning out my camera a few weeks ago, I saw these pictures and though OMG, we did that! I almost forgot! ;P 

Big thanks to my sweet family for putting on such a fun day for our sweet kittens. :) We always have the best time with you!