Mother's Day 2013: Lookout Mountain

For Mother's Day, I requested breakfast in bed. Our little chef, Oliver, helped Dad mix pancake batter, and they whipped up some pancakes, scrambled eggs, and veggie "sausage" patties. The kids decided to climb into bed to eat with me, and Oliver declared it was a picnic. This was the best way to wake up!

This photo is pretty much my favorite photo ever. I just woke up, had hair everywhere, and couldn't keep my eyes open. Oliver decided to help Jo eat by feeding her pancakes. <3>

After breakfast, I asked to go hiking. I looked up some family-friendly trails nearby, and we decided to head to Lookout Mountain. There are numerous bike paths and trails throughout the area, but they have a pretty flat, 0.6 mile hiking trail from the Nature Center. On the drive up, we saw dozens of cyclists and joggers. At the Nature Center, the crowd changed, and we saw lots of families with small children.

Andrew put Jo in the hiking backpack. It's the first time we've used it since last summer, and she didn't remember it. She freaked out and started to scream at first. Once Andrew started walking, she calmed down and really enjoyed the ride. Here she is with her lovie, Tod the fox. Her Uncle Andy & Aunt Erin sent it to her for her birthday, and it is a very loved little animal.

As soon as we stepped out onto the trail, we spotted deer!

DEER POOP!

 

After the hike, we went into the Lookout Mountain Nature Center. Oliver loved exploring the poop molds they had. He got to compare elk scat with deer scat, which was very interesting to him.

Jo's favorite part was the animal pelts.

The kiddos fell asleep on the drive home. I was sleepy from the hike, too, so we made a stop at Starbucks. I bet they were busy today! When Jo woke up to a chocolate milk and cake pop, she was so excited that she squealed, "Yay!"

Once again, I had a very happy Mother's Day! Thanks for all of your hard work, Andrew! I feel incredibly lucky, and I look forward to seeing my mom this afternoon and Andrew's mom this evening. Happy Mother's Day!

The Story of the Starbucks Troublemakers

My husband made that flyer for the Starbucks crew on Florida & Kipling. After work, he took Oliver to go tell them he was sorry, and they left the flyer and a tip for the crew.

Here's the full story:

Spring

About a mile north of our house is a Starbucks right at our main reservoir. We can stop for a cup of coffee and take a stroll, and I love it.

Today was the first time Oliver walked around the whole thing himself. It's a mile around, and he usually wants to be held near the end. I was so proud of him for walking the entire thing. He's such a big boy!

Trail of Lights 2011

Every year, we get free passes to Denver Botanic Gardens' Trail of Lights and Blossoms of Lights. We usually opt to go to Blossoms of Lights downtown. It's really lovely, but the lines are long and the event is crowded, so it's not ideal for taking little kids. Last year was the first year we took Oliver, and we chose to go to Trail of Lights. It was less spectacular, but it had more of a rugged, "Colorado" feel that we enjoyed.

We decided to bundle up the kids and take them to Trail of Lights. I was cold--close to freezing--but it didn't feel uncomfortable when we left. Here's Jo, ready to head out and check out the holiday display:

We arrived at the Chatfield location, and, like last year, were amazed at how busy it wasn't. There were about a dozen cars in the lot, so we parked close. Almost immediately after stepping out of the car, we regretted our decision to go. The open fields provided no protection from the wind, and it felt bitter cold.

We hiked up to the entrance where there was a large fire pit. It was quite cozy, and we were able to stay warm.

We enjoyed the lights from afar and opted not to go through the trails. Ten minutes or so in, I decided it would only get colder outside and decided to take Joanna back to the car. Oliver cried because he wanted to go see all of the Christmas trees I'd promised him, so Andrew took him over to a nearby bush to count lights as Jo and I made the cold trek back.

I felt disappointed. It took about half an hour to get our kids bundled up and ready to leave the house, and it took about 20 minutes to drive to Chatfield. We only spent 10 minutes there. We didn't want the outing to be for naught, so we decided to stop at Starbucks on the way home.

Oliver and Jo were a hit at Starbucks. The tables were filled with women who were, presumably, taking breaks from Christmas shopping. They gushed over our kids in their snowsuits, and I sipped my latte feeling like I had the most adorable kids who ever existed.

Even though the night didn't go as planned, I enjoyed getting out of the house and spending time with my family. Next year, we'll try again, and I'm willing to bet things will go a lot better!

Our First Family Outing

We went on our first family outing today! We packed up the kids and took them to Starbucks. The Starbucks near our house is located right on a reservoir, so after sipping on our coffee (in Oliver's case, his milk), we took a walk around the reservoir. It's a mile around, which is the perfect distance for me post-pregnancy.

Cherry Creek Arts Festival

A few weeks ago, I signed up to sit at the Starbucks Coffee Master table at the annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival. It runs all of Fourth of July weekend, and it's my job to work the tables and do coffee tastings and be open to questions about our coffees. I was certified as a Coffee Master in 2006, so I thought it would be a fun opportunity.

Today, during our district meeting, I learned from a man that Howard Schultz (our CEO) is going to be in town and stopping by our table! I'm nervous, and now I'm worried my coffee knowledge isn't extensive enough. Eek! Time to read up.