the monkeys.

So we were almost done at the zoo.
But, alas...we can't forget about seeing the gorillas and chimpanzees, etc.
Oh please tell me- who doesn't just love monkeys?! Well, apparently we do. There were lots of them and we so enjoyed them. Like, I am talking about belly-rolling-laughter enjoying them. I couldn't resist putting some of these pictures on here. They are even quite the artists. No really, look at them! Talk about A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E.
Beware: the last picture is R-rated. Seriously.

the zoo

we got to feed birds, giraffes, pet joeys (baby kangaroos)...

the girls were just walkin' along next to a peacock...then pow, it decided to show off- 

too cool.

 really Josh? alright, I'll try...and NO I didn't get licked. eew!

Ya know when you have one of those days and it's just a plain-ole-good one? It certainly wasn't today- I woke up with a case of the grumpy's. Good days filled with sunny skies, relaxation, being with the best people ever, laughing, good food, breathing in the moments? Last Friday was one of those. We went to gorgeous "Garden of the God's" park in Co Springs and then to Cheyenne Mountain zoo. A zoo totally on a mountain. These were some pictures of the day.... a bit of a birthday thing with the fam.

my...dag, how old am I now?...birthday wish...with help from some cutie's

"In spite of illness, in spite even of sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways." -Edith Wharton

sPriNg? wiNteR? crazy?

Here is a glance at the weather here this spring so far:
May 11: go to Lowe's and get veggies/fruits to be planted in our garden; almost 80, sweating a bit.
May 12: Five to six inches of snow overnight.

May 13: Snow melted. Perfect.

May 14: More snow. Massive flakes.

May 15: 40 degrees; winter
Today: the girls put bathing suits on tonight, jumped in the pool; spring
Yep.

Mom's Day

some of my favorite's:
family (especially two lil' ladies-n-a man who rocks my world)
sleepin' in (that doesn't surprise anyone)
breakfast in bed
homemade goodies to eat with 3 other amazing Mom's
bright blue skies, sunshine, spring breezes, perfect temp
parks
naps-n-snuggles
cheesiest pizza (bonus: chowin' on it outside w/ mnt view)
c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e
Monopoly (workin on it on our kitchen table for THREE nights now)
Modern Family show (yea, recorded: watched 2x)
All this = a lovely Mother's Day

Apartmentschooling.

I applause (standing ovation really), take my hat off, and seriously bow down to all the home school mother's out there. It's a special and grand thing you are doing.

I certainly can somewhat handle the home/Mommy part of the homeschooling thing but not-too-sure about the school part of my role right now these past 4-5 weeks. It. Is. Tough. I don't mind having the girls home all day-for the most part-but instruction and books and lessons? THAT's another story.

Let me explain the homeschooling thing. We (meaning Mommy/Daddy and Lauren's teacher) figured that since the girls only had about 8 weeks or so of school left and we had not found a home yet, finishing the school year in our place would be the best option for our tender, sweet one's. Being that this is such a huge transition for us, we wouldn't have wanted them to be stressed out about starting at a strange school, summer starting, and then starting them at a completely different one in August. So their incredible teachers gave me some of the material I need to finish the school year off. Aaaaand....they like it...for the most part. As for me: a big adjustment along with too many other adjustments and to-do's right now. Having a very traveling hubby, adjusting to our new life, trying to find a house, car...AND instruct (let alone keep a handle on) two kiddos= losing my mind at times.

I'm truly hoping to get the hang of this just a little. Perhaps the days may slow down a tad for me to focus on just a couple things. Who knows if it will be school stuff. Josh thinks I am super at teaching essential "life skills" like cooking/baking, opening and keeping a bank account, letter writing, creativity.....
Alrighty. Sounds good to me.

So we have this incredible-huge-modern library 5 minutes from here. This is an example of our ginormous pile when we go EVERY week. The girls work on chapter books, poetry, Where's Waldo, crafts.... I, myself,  have flipped through everything from gardening, to cooking, to decorating and read a couple great non-fiction books. The girls love it too. Hey, at least they are reading alot right?

a journey.

 What I've come to know these past weeks: 
    (in no particular order; just as they come to me)
- always dress in layers in Colorado
- dry air= dry skin= Aveeno heavy moisture cream
- miracles happen every day
- you can meet a new forever friend in a day
- teeny tiny babies are only teeny once
- parks are good for your soul and for homeschooled kiddos daily built up energy
- homeschooling?? see the next blog post :)
- it's good + so hard at times to be patient
- some days are incredibly exhausting and difficult at times: pray through them
- we are all connected; every one of us
- Grandma's rock (and family in general I must say)
- it's a fab-u-lous thing in Stacey-world to have Target, Michaels, Chickfila in walking distance
- second floor apartments and dogs don't gel
- little boys named Tristan are full of sugar and sweetness
- creative artsy dreams are always in reach
- there's nothing like the smell of a newborn baby
- you can trust your inner, delicate instincts
- true friends are never far and always true
- appreciate your hubby that works so hard every day; and tell him often
- a bank lender these days dissects every penny of yours when buying a home
- you can sell a car on Craigslist in less than 12 hours
- you can buy a car on Craiglist in less than 12 hours
- it takes about 5x to become used to/comfortable with new things
- you can live with far less than what you have
- every detail of every day works out according to God's delightful timing

Easter.

1- Community neighborhood egg hunt/activities/food (like, thooousands of filled eggs).
2- Lunch and egg coloring tradition at Uncle Steve/Aunt Heather's.
3- Lovely church service.
4- Feast @Nana's.
5- Baskets.
6- Naptime.
7- About a day later: a new angel in the family born.
8- ...feelin' the love.

Every time I get a snuggle, I want to put adorable Tyler in my pocket and take him home with me. Got some baby fever!!

Pure love. Pure joy.

"There's a place in every heart just waiting for someone special to fill it with love."

Tyler Steven Whiting

April 26, 2011

7lbs 6oz- 20 1/2inches

5:51pm

Proud Daddy and the beautiful unending circle of life.

blue or yellow?

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

 It took us about a year to sell our home in Texas. In that time, we have been searching for one here. We knew that Colorado lifestyle was 35% higher and completely different from Texas lifestyle. We were totally up for the it. Challenge and all. When Josh was working here I even trusted him (and Mom, brother, sis-in-law...) in February to actually put an offer on a home that seemed "perfect" for us at the time. With me only seeing it through the eyes of the internet and Josh's camera- that's a pretty big fat TRUST if I must say myself. Well, low and behold it wasn't the one. Another offer was accepted not an hour before we wanted to put one in. We stopped looking then. While getting ready to move- we were getting too exhausted, desperate and way too vulnerable. Time was ticking. Apartment it is.

So here we are. And I will try to make this a bit short. We found a new house (a darling blueish one) this past week in a neighborhood that we started looking at a year ago. With family opinions and all- in two days we put a contract on it. To be honest the whole time I/we had a bit of this "oh, we are settling, rushing, there might be something else out there, kinda great but not quite sure feeling". Totally a heart thing because it really was a nice home. On the way to look at the elementary school that the girls were going to go to, I stopped and noticed another house in a different location. A yellowish one. I couldn't get it out of my mind and heart. It turns out.....THIS WAS THE SAME HOUSE ON A FLYER THAT WAS SITTING ON OUR COFFEE TABLE IN TEXAS FOR MONTHS- THAT WE DIDN'T THINK WE COULD AFFORD!

We called realtor friend and went through. It was older, needing a tad updating and oddly the EXACT plan as the blue home. It offered so much more and felt just right (see: instincts, heart stuff, Holy Spirit always comes out on the top). We quickly decided to terminate the contract on the blueish one. Yellow house was it. Well, not-so-easy. This is where the short part of this blog post is coming in. I will spare the details.

A heart-racing but blessed week.
Offer on the yellow house. Blue house finally terminated. Yellow house contract signed. Loan stuff starting (so we aren't celebrating quite yet:) and that heart thing? Much better. Confused now?

For the most part we are continually being convicted, tested and ultimately surrendering to listening to the magic of life and love. Every detail of it. Every moment. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Those soft spoken heart voices.
They most always are right on.

                       among other things working out; to mention later...this was on the master bedroom wall 

Santa Fe

"Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest." Georgia O'Keeffe

My hard-workin-honey had some work down in Santa Fe this past week and he insisted that I would go with him. Insisted. Ooookaaay. ha. The drive down from here was about 5 hours and it was a spectacular mountain drive. We got down to our old, beautiful downtown El Dorado hotel and IT was spectacular. The architecture everywhere is so native and over 400 years old. Santa Fe is America's oldest capital city. We chowed at a local Mexican restaurant with way-too-ohmygoodness-good-margaritas. Gettin' away like this was just what was needed. My Mom kept the girls, so no worries there, she was happy to be around them because it had been too long not.

Well, the next day- Josh had to work so....he ordered a hot stone massage and a day of shopping for me. What. a. guy. I. have. It was delightful being on my own in such an artistic and eclectic place. I only touched upon the over 200 galleries, old buildings, sculptures, turquoise jewelry, sites and world class food. All are one of a kind.

There is a strip of local Native Americans selling handmade jewelry. They just lay blankets out and sell their beautiful sterling silver/turquoise/beaded things. Most of them had symbols hand stamped on them. I got a sterling guitar pic for Josh that had a bear, arrows, sunrise on it (for strength/protection/direction) and I got a tiny bracelet with a small turquoise on it with sunrise symbols (meaning new beginnings). It was neat talking to some of the natives, of whom still belonged to tribes.

Here's the old hotel we stayed at and their restaurant had THE best steaks. The pool/hot tub on top of the roof and wood burning fireplace in our room topped off our 2 night stay. It was really special for me to wear some of the beautiful Indian handmade jewelry that was Grandma Foster's from the 1920's when we had our fancy dinner there.

I didn't want to leave!

After the best french toast breakfast of my life in another popular local place we headed to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum. I must say, I have always loved her but now I adore her even more. Her life. The way she looked and enjoyed her surroundings. Her ways of abstract freedom in her art... an inspiration I tell ya. I actually got teary eyed when I watched the little documentary film of her life and some of the things she said about art. It would have been touching for any creative spirit.

There is so much more to do and see there. It will be saved for next time. I now know why everybody that has gone to Santa Fe has told me to go. The southwest organic style and art/design is unmatched.

okay- one more picture...