Suck it up Krista!

These were the words written on my facebook status by my mother after I claimed to have cried the whole drive up Mount Evans.

This is why I cried...

This is 12,840 ft up the mountain...and it looks like we're about to drive right off the mountain and into the clouds. IT'S A SUICIDE MISSION!!

This is the side of the road. No shoulder. Signs that tell you that there are narrow lanes. You either stay very straight or plunge to your certain death!

I'M ALIVE!! SOOOO ALIVE!! YAYYYY!!!
We did NOT make it to the top of the mountain which would have been another 2000 ft up. I really did sob like a baby the whole way up....and down. I had to hold on to the seat for dear life. My extremities started to get tingly as I was about to pass out. It was awful!

We stopped at Summit Lake though which was beautiful. We had no idea we were there. I just needed a break from the stress and there was a little spot to pull over in. I had scared myself so bad that I almost peed my pants so I ran up this hill and walked through a pasture then yanked down my drawers and had to pee in the field. With passing cars able to see me and hikers on their way in. I'm telling you, I was hysterical...it was an out of body experience at this point! Anyways, after my pee we kept walking and walked right into Summit Lake.

Summit Lake was beautiful. We got to see a marmot and some mountain sheep. We did a small like and enjoyed the views...and the solid ground!

And the perfect family shot...

I would love to get my mother back for her comment by driving her up this stupid mountain...however, the only way I will make it back up is hog-tied, duck-taped and thrown into a trunk!

Penis Envy

Or not!

Ok...so this post is a bit TMI but it's so funny I can't pass it up. I do have the better judgement to at least not use it as an article!

My boys are not circumcised. James was not circumcised in Russia and when we brought him home we decided not to do it at that age (1) and I am not a big fan anyways. So, when Jagger came along, we just opted not to do him either.

When you are not circumcised it can take up to age 7 before you can pull the foreskin back.

Jagger pulled his back last night. And apparently it was not ready to be pulled back because it was so tight it couldn't go back to the original position. In other words, his foreskin was strangling his penis!.

I took him to the doctor, with a very swollen man part, this morning. She pulled his pants down, looked up close and had no idea what to do. She called in another doctor, who also pulled his pants down, got up close with the first doctor and mom to explain how it all started and we had a right little chat over Jagger's business. Nothing was figured out and we were sent to the ER at Denver Children's immediately

We were expected and welcomed at the Children's and we got right down to business. Jagger was stripped and put into a gown and then it was all hands on deck (hahahahahaaaa) again. We needed to get the swelling down so we could put everything back together. Apparently the very scientific medical way to do that is to wet the penis and then sprinkle sugar all over it. With the sugar packets from the cafeteria, this is what we did. People...I could not make this stuff up! Even the very hot young male nurse who was in the room was trying his darndest not to laugh.

Then we needed to sedate Jagger so he would not have horrible penile nightmares. They gave him stuff that is sort of like Valium, or vodka..whichever you've tried. He got so loopy. He was like a drunk sailor. He kept lifting things up in his hand and then his hand would fall and he would giggle uncontrollably. He was slurring all of his words. I would have been on the floor with laughter except I had to keep holding on to Jagger because he was falling all over the place and not laying down letting the sugar get to work.

Once Jagger was as loopy as he was going to get the nurses came in and pulled the foreskin back over his swollen penis. He screamed. Poor man...it hurt. When it was all done I told him that his penis was normal again. He wanted to sit up and see so I sat him up and he yelled "my penis is back" and then promptly fell into his own lap.

We were kept for another 30 minutes so he could test run the new penis with a pee. We also had to make sure he could walk normally. He was determined to be up and around and just kept bouncing from wall to wall. He dropped a toy at one point and went to pick it up..but he was still in the skies and the momentum didn't stop until he hit the floor. A drunk sailor...it's the only description that fits.

As we left the hospital we had to walk through the security lobby where two officers were sitting. Jagger stopped. He wobbled a bit. I explained he was still a little woozy. Jagger looks at the men then yells "I got my penis back" and then feels well enough to keep walking.

Oh the day I've had.

Little man is alright now...mommy may need a drink or two to move on....

Jagger is a T-Ball Player!!

Jagger played his first game of T-Ball this week. It was such a big deal in our house. Jagger had been looking forward to it for weeks and counting down the days. Jimmy took off his first couple hours of work and the whole family went to cheer him on.

Even after all the excitement though, Jagger proved to be very much like his sister....not pleased to be the center of attention in a crowd! He cried the first half of the game. I had to stand on the field with him. I begged (okay bribed) him to go up to bat the first time. I even had to hold the bat with him and swing with him....pathetic! He was the last batter though and got to run all the way back home (holding his mommy's hand!). He felt very proud that he had made a "home run" and it (thankfully) changed his attitude.

During the last half he was out in the field and running for balls and throwing them to first base. And when he went up to bat, he did it himself, hit on the first try and ran all by himself. He took off the helmet though and ran with it in his hand to first base..that was cute. And he ran to me over by third when he left first and I had to send him back to second. Not exactly a pro...but still the cutest little slugger I have ever seen!

Hanging out on first base with our friend Bill.

Here he is coming into second from the wrong way...hahahha!!

Third base coach pointing how to get back home so as not to have a repeat of the lost base!

Running home and then to give his coach a high five.

Giving the other team high fives for a fun game.

What Happens When Mom Takes A Break...

Puppy dog face with tattooed belly..
So proud of the number 4 on his belly...

He has turned into Spiderman!!

And, of course, James got in on the action too...the number 6 on his foot.
Feel free to call Kaylee for all of your tattooing needs...

4th of July Camping Weekend

Last week, at our small group meeting, our friends mentioned going camping for the weekend. In the end it was just our family and one other family that were able to go. We went to a campsite in Carbondale, CO which is just outside of Glenwood Springs. And what a beautiful weekend it was!

I am posting all of the pictures and posts tonight, and I'm doing them all backwards. So, when you look at the posts you will look at them in the order in which they happened.

Here is a view around the campsite.
This is the river that ran through our campsite. We didn't stay on the river, but it this picture is taken from the site right across from us...so, we were still pretty darn close...but not so close that we had to worry about our kids the whole time!

Kaylee made some flower art. Such a little camper.

Enjoy the posts and the pictures!

Hanging Lake

On the morning of July 4th we decided to head out to Glenwood Springs to check out a hike to Hanging Lake that our friend Cassie had told us about. I think it is my new favorite place on Earth!

The hike is 1.2 miles uphill and listed as difficult. I wish now that I would have taken a picture of the sign warning how difficult the hike is and that you should have comfortable shoes, lots of water, etc etc etc. We were a little worried about the kids...but they were incredible. They did the whole hike and didn't complain at all!

There was a waterfall beside us during the whole hike. Any time that we would come to an area that was even remotely flat, we would stop and play in the water to cool down a bit.

Cute brother picture...

Okay...so totally not a good picture of me. But, it is one of the few pictures where you can see the steepness of the hike. And this was a "flatter" area. It was so steep that you could feel your muscles in your thighs with every single step!

Jagger was very excited to see one of the bridges had "his" number on it.

At the top of the hike was the most difficult part. They actually had railings partially to stop you from falling down the hill and partially so you could pull up on them to get to the next level. It was pretty much like walking up a rock ladder. It only lasted about 30 feet but it was pretty scary with the kids. They weren't fazed at all and made it up just fine.

Once we made it to the top...we got the prize we had been waiting for. The beautiful lake and waterfall (I do have to tell you that we don't know why it's called Hanging Lake. It's supposed to look like it is suspended on the mountain but Jimmy and I didn't get that at all).

A picture Kaylee took.

There was a log in the middle of the lake and I think I surprised Jimmy but jumping out and walking out into the middle of it. And went even further and told the two older kids to walk out to me.

A rare picture of these two...

Mama and her babies.

Look how far out we were! And check out that scene!!

Family picture at the top.

And a family pic near the waterfall on the way back down.

A view from the bottom.

Walking back to the car...this is the worst part. The hike is over but you still have to walk a quarter of a mile to the car! And my legs are killing me!! And the kids are now tired! ARE WE THERE YETTT??

I was so incredibly proud of my kids today. If they can do this hike, they can do anything. It was tough on me and Jim, so I know they pushed hard to make it to the top. It was an awesome hike and probably my most favorite thing I've done in Colorado so far.

Fourth of July in Aspen

Jimmy heard that Aspen is supposed to have awesome 4th fireworks and wants to go see them. Considering I thought Aspen was in Europe, I decide to just shut up and go along for the ride!

I'M IN ASPEN!!! At least that is what I'm saying in this picture!!
Once we got into Aspen we parked and walked around downtown. So much fun just people watching. There are A LOT of rich foreigners in that place! And it seems the richer they are, the more ridiculous they dress. Jimmy and I had some good laughs!

We had gone up separate from our friends and we met them in the center of downtown where they have a playground.

The Big Dawgs watching the kids play in the playground.

How cute are these boys....I will never get tired of "cute brother" pictures!!

After we were done walking around we went to a field that Julie and Bill had found. There were not very many people there, parking was right beside the field and it was a prime spot to see the fireworks come up over the mountain. Such smart friends we have!

Now...to occupy ourselves until darkness falls.....

Brotherly love...

Ryan and James having a quiet moment..

Breaking out the backpack full of toys...

All of our kids together wearing matching shirts. So cute!

Bill and Julie had some other friends that met them in Aspen. They had brought some sparklers and were so generous to share with our children. This picture is pretty spectacular considering Kaylee is TERRIFIED of all things firey/sparkly including fireworks. This was her first fireworks since she was 4!

K-Bug and her Daddy.

A silly 4th picture with glow sticks that our friend Julie had bought for us.

All of us getting ready for the big show.

Ya, so firework pictures don't turn out when you have your flash on...

They boy's position on my lap while they watch the show.

It was a perfect night, with perfect friends. We are sooo blessed!!

Happy 4th!

Picnic with Doc Holliday

Sunday morning we decided to explore downtown Glenwood Springs. And being the hiking expert that I've now become...I decided that I wanted to go on a half mile hike, uphill again, to see the Outlaw, Doc Holliday's, grave site. Seemed like a cheery thing to do.....and being Sunday afternoon and all, may as well stay and have lunch with our old buddy too...

This is a view from the top of the hill, where we stopped to have our picnic.

Aren't they precious??

The graveyard had lots of head stones and Kaylee, being my odd child, loved running around and reading what they all had to say. She liked figuring out how old they were and felt very sad when she found babies. She asked lots of questions and made up stories about some of the people she found. This was so her thing...very creepy that kid!

It was also a great opportunity to talk about death and God and trying to explain life after death to our children. Jagger has been adamant for the last two days that he does not want to meet God and would much rather staying with Mommy and Daddy forever. Guessing that talk didn't do much to put him at ease with death.....

And here is what we came to see..

Here is a whole other kind of talk that our kids didn't understand either. We call our kids hoodlums all of the time, but really....they have no clue...

I'm telling you, she was at home in this place....

Who knew this would be such a fun excursion?!