First Tooth Fairy Visit

Saturday night, August 24th, during bedtime book time, Jenna said, "Mommy, my tooth feels really weird." She let Kevin look at it and sure enough it was about to come out. He told her to wiggle it a little. So, she did and it came out! Then, there was some major excitement!

She had already planned to sleep in Kellen's room that night, so there was the issue of whether or not the Tooth Fairy would be able to find her tooth. So, Daddy wrote a note directing the Tooth Fairy to Kellen's room.

She wanted the tooth fairy to come, but she also wanted to keep her tooth. So, she wrote a note to the Tooth Fairy asking if she could keep her tooth. Sunday morning, she found this note from the Tooth Fairy, her tooth, and $3.

First Day of 1st Grade

Jenna and her 1st grade teacher, Miss Stedman. Glad I thought to take this on meet the teacher night because this year, we just dropped her off instead of walking her in and spending some of the morning with her in kindergarten. Sigh.

First Day of 1st Grade - August 20th, 2013. First time to go to school all day, 8:00 am to 3:15pm Monday through Thursday. Fridays 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. I think we're going to love Fridays!

She's using her "Cat Pack" again this year. Thank you, ACU!

And here's what we all look like together. As soon as we dropped her off, the "I want mine Jenna"s started. Me, too, Kellen, me too! Since Jenna was in morning kindergarten last year, this was the first day to experience the afternoon pick up process along with the rest of the school. From door to door, it took me 1 hour to get her home and we only live 3 miles away. Surely it will get better, or I'll be reading a lot more books this year!

Summer Wrap Up

In addition to our two fun vacations this summer, we did a lot of other fun things. Can't believe that school starts tomorrow - summer went by really fast! Here's a taste of some of the fun we had this summer:

On June 4th, we visited some dear friends in the Denver area and Kellen had a blast with their costume selection! Still can't believe that we didn't get a picture of all of us together!

My knight in shining armor!

One of my summer goals for Kellen was to move him to a big boy bed. So, he first transitioned to his crib mattress on the floor on June 22nd.

Then, on July 21st, during our trip to Winter Park, he got to try a twin size bed for the first time. When we returned home on July 28th, we set up his twin bed in his room for him. He also started sleeping with his football every night.

Papa and Kevin had some fun with Twister!

And, on July 13th, we saw this rare twister over Pikes Peak!

There were some fun swimming times.

And, some precious sister/brother lovey times.

There was LOTS of silliness!

And more costume fun!

There was a little movie watching. Kellen went to his first movie in the theater - Despicable Me 2, on July 13th. He loved it and sat still the whole time. We went to his second movie - Planes, on August 17th, but that one didn't hold his attention very well. And, Jenna and I enjoyed several Thursday night outdoor free movies.

We had a fun time celebrating a sweet friendship.

And, I just had to capture Kellen at his cute table at church before he gets too big.

We went bowling, on August 4th - Kellen's first time to bowl.

Bowling has come a long way since I played as a kid. Bumpers that adjust in or out for each player setting and a ramp that you just push the ball down!

Kellen's shoes were two sizes too big.

For the record - I beat Kevin at bowling.

I got a bike this summer and started riding for the first time in 20 years. My mad tight rolling skills from the 80s have come in handy.

It's been fun to go on bike rides around the neighborhood with Jenna.

And I'm sure Kellen will be joining us before long.

They both got new molars this summer. Kellen: Lower right two-year molar on July 16, lower left two-year molar on July 19, and upper right two-year molar on August 14. Jenna: Lower molars on August 7 and upper left molar on or around August 14.

Friday, August 9th, we started a week of soaking in the last few days before school. We went to the zoo and saw this 8 day old baby giraffe.

Tried to get a picture of it with its mama for some perspective (baby in lower right corner of picture).

This new lion exhibit was so neat.

Baby peacocks!

Our zoo friends: the butterfly, the sabertooth tiger, the blue cat, and the cheetah.

Monday, August 12th, we had a playdate with some fun friends.

The plan was to play at the playground. But, who needs play equipment when you have a pond and mud?! Make sure you notice how dirty Kellen's bottom got!

Monday night, we had a pizza dinner with these super heroes.

We packed in a haircut for Jenna, two more playdates, and meet the teacher night. Then, went to the North Pole on Friday. I took Kellen on the little roller coaster and when it was done he said, "That so awesome, Mommy!"

Sweet siblings

After all these years of going to the North Pole, we realized for the first time that this "north pole" is actually made of ice!

Saturday, we had a party with the band director families. Sunday, we celebrated Papa and Mima's birthdays.

Today, Monday, Jenna got to pick what we did on the last day before school. She picked the North Pole, so we went back. Why not?

Tonight for dinner, we took a picnic to the park (Kellen's request). And Jenna learned to pump her legs and swing on her own! Tonight she learned in about 5 minutes what we had been trying to teach her for at least a year!

Summer went by way too fast, but we soaked it up. Some pretty great accomplishments: Kellen - big bed and potty training (we're almost there) and Jenna - bike riding and swinging. And LOTS of fun!

Winter Park Vacation

On Sunday afternoon, July 20th, The Keathleys (minus Leslie) and the Whitelaws headed up to Winter Park, CO. By Sunday night, I felt pretty terrible with a cold, so I slept most of Monday morning trying to get better quick. So glad Aunt Katie brought some great new toys to keep the kids entertained!

 This girl makes the best funny faces!

Tuesday morning, we took the kids out fishing for a little bit. But, there just weren't any in these little ponds.

She wanted to catch a fish so bad!

There was some bike riding and some after dinner swimming at the condo pool. On Wednesday, Kevin and I took the kids swimming at the community pool. It's a really great facility - perfect kids area, lazy river, and giant water slide.

Leslie arrived late Wednesday night and on Thursday morning, we went to the Winter Park Resort.

Thanks to Leslie for taking this picture. I need to get in the pictures with the kids more, but am usually the one taking the pictures.

Kellen really liked this train play ground.

Mini golf!

Lots of nature made water hazards on this course.

After mini golf, we all rode the chairlift up to the top of the mountain. Glad we got one complete group picture during the week.

Jenna had to ride the Alpine Slide by herself this year because she's 6. So, the plan was for Aunt Leslie to go in front of her and Aunt Katie follow behind to help make sure she was okay. Kevin got on the lift with Kellen, then Jenna and Leslie, but then they cut the line off and Katie didn't get to go. Sure enough, it started raining and the slide was shut down for a while. So, we waited and waited for them to come down.

Slowly, but surely, they made it!

Then, it really started raining and storming and hailing. Wow! We took shelter at Starbucks.

And, when it got too crowded in there, we spent some time outside under the awning while the storm passed.

At one point in the rain, Kevin and Jenna made a break for it to find Jenna a sweatshirt and use the store credit that came with the resort passes. And, they found a really cute one. Then we all needed some ice cream!

Cute old chairlift made into a chair.

So much hail that someone made a tiny snowman. Pretty cute! And, Jenna is sporting her new sweatshirt.

Kevin wanted Kellen to try the zip line and I wasn't so sure. But, he loved it! (See video 0589 in Winter Park '13 pictures folder.)

Jenna wasn't so sure either, but once she saw that Kellen did it, she had to try, too! (See video 0591)

Kellen giving Kevin zerbets while waiting on Jenna to bungee.

The bungee wait was so long, that Katie, Kevin and Kellen gave up and went to ride the Alpine Slide. So, Katie finally got her turn and Kellen got to go "super faster" instead of slowly behind Jenna.

By Friday morning, Jenna, Kellen, Katie, and Mom had all gotten the same cold (I won't call it my cold, because I blame VBS the week before), but we pressed forward. Matt, Leslie, Kevin, Jenna, Kellen, and I went out to breakfast (second breakfast for the kids and I).

Then, Matt, Leslie, Kevin, and I went fishing on the Vasquez. Beautiful!

While we were fishing, Mom and Katie took the kids to the park.

These are Leslie's catch. I caught two and I think we had around 20 total from the four of us. Dad and Katie and Kevin and I spent time fishing earlier in the week and caught some too, so we had enough for a feast. Dad fried them up and we had a delicious trout dinner that night.

A little pre-dinner down time.

After the trout dinner, we went to this really neat park. Great play equipment and a walking trail.

All week, Kellen kept calling Leslie, "Uncle Matt's Mom" instead of Aunt Leslie. It was so funny! I guess he thinks that all wives are "moms" because he also talks about "Santa's Mom" quite a bit.

Saturday morning, Kevin, Matt, and Leslie climbed Byers Peak. Elevation 12,804 feet. The rest of us had a pretty lazy morning, Mom, Katie, and I took the kids back to the park, had lunch, and naps.

Kellen had an early nap, so we were able to drive to Grand Lake. When we got there, Kellen started coughing so hard from his cold that he made himself throw up. I had a change of clothes for him, so we changed him and he just kept going. He's so tough! We hiked to Adams Falls, then it started raining, so we turned back and didn't go past the falls.

We went up to the Grand Lake Lodge and did some porch swinging.

Dinner at the lodge was a great end to a fun vacation.