Exploring Colorado
“Are we there yet?”
“How much longer?”
Luckily Ezra was asleep most of the ride so we were only getting it from one kid. But as we entered the mountain pass we saw all the traffic heading back to the city. I knew it would be a long day.
We began with pizza. Thankfully in fru-fru Vail they have a family friendly, hip pizza joint with skeletons everywhere (which India loved) and ’80’s music piped through the speakers. We ate, then headed to the trail that would eventually take us to a waterfall. India and Ezra really enjoyed hiking up the trail… even with the chilly rainfall. Most days in Colorado have a rain in the afternoon. We are still getting used to that. We hiked as far as we dared (who wants to be stuck in a flash flood… or just in rain?) and I think that was key to having a good experience with the kids… no pressure (even without the waterfall). After the hike I suggested we head back to Vail and really take a look around the place. I also had my eye on some shoes for Ezra around the corner from the pizza joint. I’m glad we returned because I ended up getting a really cute pair for him and we saw what Vail is all about… it is basically an outdoor mall.
These were under $20… great sale.
Most the shops were closing so we headed for home. Being Labor Day weekend we figured we would have a very long drive ahead of us. Once we hit traffic we pulled off the highway and had some dinner. We found this really cute little diner with the best peach pie around. I was very happy to eat dessert. Too bad India would only eat the ice cream. Some day she’ll appreciate the finer things in life. Hopefully.
A few photos from the hike:
Over the Rainbow
Since we’ve been in Colorado we have seen several rainbows. It feels like years since any of us have seen a rainbow. Is it because their are fewer buildings and trees where we live, or are there just more rainbows here? The last time I saw one was before India was born and when I walked from Cambridge to my work in Boston. We lived in Cambridge about 7 years ago. It was beautiful, right over South Station and between all those buildings along Winter Street. One of those times I wished I had a little Lica or even a little cheapy point and shoot… anything!
We caught this beauty in our yard last week. Since the sky and where India was standing were so different in exposure I took a shot metering on the sky and another metering on India from the same distance and swapped skies in Photoshop. This can also be done by bringing the exposure of India up to the same as the sky using a flash (preferably off camera). Since I was using my point and shoot, that wasn’t possible.
Where India is standing I have plans for a raspberry patch with maybe a few blueberry bushes and herbs mixed in. I can’t wait until the spring. I also would like to start a compost pile. If anyone has any tips on getting one started let me know.
First day of school
India is officially in Elementary School. Can you believe it? She began on Monday. Other than the early mornings, she is loving it. Ezra doesn’t seem to notice the loss of his playmate. He gets to sleep when he wants and even some quality time with mommy… grocery shopping, poor boy.
As for me, I’m fine. I can’t wait to finally update my out-dated website. Although now is the time when I most miss my friends. We have yet to build a close relationship with anyone. Today we thought a family was moving into our ward right up the street from us. Too bad they got the street name wrong and their house is actually across town. We got so excited there for a minute. Oh well.
No, this isn’t her schooliform. Although she told daddy she wanted to wear it every day it was warm and get another outfit for the cooler days. That sounds all right. Hopefully she stays easily satisfied for a long, long time.
My Favorite Mini
Ezra loves his red Mini Cooper. Well, it was actually Zach’s Father’s Day present last year. Daddy’s already got the real thing, Ezzy needed one just like it. Every time Zach comes home and we head outside Ezra struts up to the Mini and tries to open the door. I’m not sure which is his favorite Mini, they are both pretty exciting. When he first discoved the car he would beg me to hold him (in his baby way) and then point me to India’s room where the Minis were kept on a shelf too high for him to reach. He knew what he wanted. He even makes car noises. His favorite park of “Annie” was the helicopter and roared whenever it was in a scene. What a boy.
4th of July Game
On July 3rd we had quite an adventure. We went to a Rockies vs. NY Mets baseball game. The Rockies beat the pants off the Mets which was lots of fun. After teh great game there were fireworks. Not only that, we were able to go on the field to watch them. Zach came home from that wanting to make our grass greener. If you have never sat on a professional baseball field, you hav no idea what you are missing. The most beautiful grass I have ever seen (oh, and the fireworks were good too… can’t really top Boston’s show). Anyway, the amount of water and care it would take to have a beautiful lawn is beyond us. I think we’ll just have to reduce to amount of grass we have.
This is us on the way to the game.
Clown Camp
India spent a week learning how to be a clown. She learned acts, how to paint her face, and even made balloon animals.
The other day she told Zach that she no longer wanted to be a scientist, she wants to be a clown. I told her that while being a clown she could be a mommie too. Great career choice.
Ezzie Kisses
Ezra loves to kiss. He learned to blow kisses from a Laurie Berkner song “Blow a Kiss”. Since then he kisses daddy and India before going to bed every night. It is now part of the bedtime ritual. This photo was taken at our rental house in June.
Estes Park with some old friends
We haven’t seen Nancy and Jared since Thanksgiving 2002. India and Issac were just little babies cruisin’ NYC (where they lived while Jared was at Pratt) and braving the cold to see The Wiggles at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. It was sooo cold and Zach yelled very obnoxiously at the Blues Clues guy (I think it was Joe) to get him to come over to our freezing babies who didn’t have a clue who Blue or Joe were. But that’s another story.
Anyway, Issac now has a yonger sister about the same age as Ezra. We seem to have kids at the same time. It’s quite uncanny. Too bad we live so far away from each other. But just before we moved to Colorado they moved from Ohio to Utah. Jared is now director at this cool little gallery in Heber, near Manti. In any case, they were at Estes Park in June for a family reunion so we made the trek up there to spend the day with them.
While there India had her first experience fishing! It was a blast. India was the only kid who tried to hold her own fish. Once she got it she kept picking it up when it would wrigle out of her hands. Fearless, with a good grip. She’ll make a fine fisherwoman. After catching the fish the kids got a kick out of watching them being gutted. This was a full service place. Nothing authentic about it; the bait was a little plastice-like flourescent orange ball, the pond stocked with trout, and we couldn’t even gut our own fish. It was actually perfect for a bunch of young kids egar to give fishing a try. We didn’t have to wake at the crack of dawn or even wait longer than a few minutes for a bite. I think we were in and out of the in an hour and caught at least 6 fish.
Once home, I cooked up the catch and India even took a baby bite to see how it tasted. She said it was pretty good but that bite was enough.
Ezra;s crazy laugh shocks adults and kids alike.
How cute is Isaac
The assisted hold. That’s Jared and Ez in the background.
Isaac caught an upside-down fish.
It may not seem like it but this is a laugh. Ezzie was really excited and pulling out all the stops with his crazy laughter.
Blood on the wrist.
Some of the gang.
The oh so popular gutting sink.
First Impressions on Our Return to the West
Ok, so I was emailing a fellow photo major from BYU the other day who had lived in NYC for awile then after that in some midwestern state I can’t remember off the top, then recently moved to San Fran. We have both returned to the west. I was mentioning in my email a couple of items that I keep seeing on my walks around town. Once we crossed into Colorado I began to see tumble weeds… not too many, mind you, but enough. Ok, maybe one. The other day while walking to the local grocery store we kept seeing wagon wheels in people’s yards. I kept thinking “wow, wagon wheels. It’s like the Western version of the Madonna statue or something.” I have also seen quite a few rock gardens. Not cool rock gardens just a whole boat-load of big rocks over what used to be the lawn. Also, there are lots and lots of building from the 50’s out here. Things are in general newer and there are tons of retro-type signs on buildings… that are still in use. We also live near the railroad tracks. I am excited to explore all the potential backdrops in this city. Not so many trees but lots of cool walls and funky colors. Hopefully I’ll begin work soon… but not too soon. Gotta move in first.
Stay tuned for photos of Ezra in India’s tap shoes.
India’s Haircut
This was written in reply to the question: “When did India’s hair get cut, and how did that get decided? I’m very curious! She looks fabulous….”
So you want to know the story of India’s hair cut… Well, it all started when after her bath it took me 10 minutes to untangle her hair. This is while the conditioner was in her hair! After all of that we only had about 10 minutes to dress and get out the door for the bus to pick her up. I was so frustrated (since I didn’t even get all the tangles out) that I pulled out the scissors and chopped off about 5 or 6 inches then and there. So some of the earlier photos of her short hair she is sporting a 2 minute hair cut. Just before her dance recital I decided that the one long piece in back needed to be trimmed. So we sat on the deck and I did a more detailed cut. I don’t really know how to cut hair, I just did what was done to my hair the last time I got it cut… 6 months ago. HA!
Anyway, I told India that she can grow her hair out again once she learns to brush her own hair. I know it sounds terrible, but we would forget to brush her hair and that is when it would get really badly tangled. Now her hair is typically brushed, by her, and if we forget it doesn’t mean we have to struggle for 10 minutes or more to get it nice and smooth. What a relief. Thankfully she has a pretty tough head.