...The Madness Never Ends...

I remember longing to take a vacation last summer. Longing just to get out of the house and go somewhere besides the grocery store...ANYWHERE. I had a newborn and was itching to do something fun. I was so restless. I stayed home all day every day and took care of the kiddos. This did nothing good for me but allow my thoughts wonder...and made me miss friends and people I longed to talk to again.

Summer came and went and before I knew it, it was winter and I didn't want to leave the house b/c it was so cold. I missed my favorite time of year b/c I trapped myself in the house trying to keep everyones nap schedule.

This summer we had several trips planned and I was so excited to get out and go. It has been super busy. Both kids have been in heaven and I find myself just trying to keep up with them. Trying to find things that they will both be able to do. Trying to find things that will "get their energy out" (when in actuality I am the one who ends up being exhausted). Summer is almost over and though I had a blast on each of our trips, I find myself longing just to stay home for a bit. Wanting for things to settle down and learning to truly appreciate when the house is silent and everything is still.

How can that be? Do I never really appreciate what I have? When I have nothing going on I want more, and when I have everything going on I want less? Seriously. Girls are confusing, aren't we?

We got back from Bear Lake, Ben's Mom and Dad stopped by for a few days before their long drive back to Ohio. Ben said he would plan the activities so he planned a road trip down to Colorado Springs.

It was fun...but SOOOO long. Both kiddos were sick and tired of being in a car and were at each other the entire day. I used up all my good threats and bribery (yup, that's my parenting motto) and was at a loss how to make them get along.

We stopped by Garden of the Gods for a bit. I love Garden of the Gods. It is just breathtaking. It was pretty hot out but the kids were just glad to be out of car seats.
Not sure why I am the only adult in these pictures. Ben had the camera and Ben's Mom and Dad were ahead of us. (I promise they were there though.)
We had a good time (except for Kai who wandered off the trail and stepped in a cactus (while wearing flip flops.)
What can I say? Kai still likes to learn the hard way.


We hit up some shops, drove to a waterfall (but didn't pay the $50 to go see it), and then drove up to Pike's Peak. Pikes Peak is AM-A-ZING! Seriously. It is beautiful. We had never gone before but I would totally go again. Ben got out several times during our climb and took some shots of the view. It's crazy that we were above the cloud level.
Love these shots of the clouds resting on the mountain.



This picture was taken at the top. What a view...(even through the clouds)

I didn't realize how cold it was going to be at the top. It was like 54 degrees and I was FREEZING.








Ben's Mom and Dad.


This was so cool. There was a storm rolling in and we were just standing there watching the clouds (which were eye level now) get closer and closer.


It started raining...not hard, and on the way down we saw a beautiful rainbow.


It was just perfect.
1/2 way down we had a brake check and our brakes were too hot so we had to pull over and let them cool. Kai was more than happy to get out of the backseat and hang out with Daddy.
Hurray for yet another fun adventure this summer. I think I am pretty much road tripped out for a while. We do have one more SMALL road trip planned for this summer and then let the holidays begin!

"OthEr thIngs mAy chAngE Us, bUt wE stArt And End wIth fAmIly." ~Anthony Brandt

We went to Bear Lake in July for Ben's annual family reunion (on his dad's side.) I have to say that his year was my favorite thus far. I wasn't pregnant, or with a newborn so we really were able to enjoy ourselves at the beach. (My favorite kind of vacations are on a beach.) Ben's folks rented an amazing...AMAZING condo for everyone to stay in. The weather was beautiful and the raspberry shakes were delicious (as always)!

I took a ton of pictures (of my kids) and am so bummed I didn't get more of everyone else.

These are what the boys did. All. Day. Long. Kai and all his boy cousins.
I have a ton of pictures of Cic. A TON. Way more than I have of Kai...but Cic seems to be attached to my hip and Kai is more independent (at times). I spent more time with Cic at the beach so there are just more pictures of her.
She is at such a fun (and hard) age right now. She is totally walking and trying so hard to be independent...but wants what she wants and will let you know when she is unhappy. Church is especially hard right but but surprisingly the beach was easy. (As long as I would let her eat sand, she was happy.)
Here is my "Cici-pie" eating sand and seashells.
The lake was beautiful while we were there. Couldn't have asked for better weather. One of my favorite things about Bear Lake is that you can walk out super far into the water and still not be below waist deep. It just feels like a "safe" beach for kids.
Oh how I love this picture of Cic watching Kai and Ben play with beach balls. Next year she will be out there with them.
One of the few moments in my life when Kai and Cic are playing together and actually getting along.

love this shot.
Kai playing with one of his cousins. (Though this picture doesn't show it...he really was having a good time.)


What a hunk.
Ben's sister, Andrea had a baby just a few weeks prior to the reunion and drove from Ohio to Idaho with her. (She's a better woman than me b/c I would NEVER have done that.) We had the baby blessing while we were there together as a family. It was so awesome to be at a baby blessing with a family who all wanted to be there. It was an honor.
Day 2 at the beach~



I love these kind of pictures. I can remember pictures of Kai at this age at Bear Lake...in this same pose. I'll have to see if I can find them.

My busy little guy.


This is Cic BEFORE she was covered in sand. What a happy girl. Ben played volleyball with all his cousins at the reunion. There were so so many activities to do. It was kinda refreshing to be at the reunion. They get together every. single. year. Same time, same place. And they all get along.
Cic working on getting completely covered in sand...



One of my fav shots.

The kids were both getting pretty fussy so I took them out in this little boat we bought. I love that they can both fit into it. They weren't happy about it, but once we got out into the waves...
...they were both rocked to sleep.


love this shot... I never get many pictures of Benny with his shirt off. He is a golfer through and through and earns that "farmers tan" every summer.
Our little family at the beach. This was at the end of the day and Kai and Cic were exhausted.
Right before we left to drive home. All the cousins together.
Cousins with grandma and grandpa.
It was such a great trip! Thanks for the memories Rocky and Cindy.