indeed i do

one candle on the cake

It’s hard to believe, a year ago today we welcomed Jolee into the world. She is one sweet, sweet baby. Jolee made today even more significant by really walking for the first time. She took her first steps about two weeks ago and has taken a few steps sporadically since, but this morning she twice strung about 10 consecutive steps together. Certainly a nice way to start her big day.

Birthday breakfast. I think it was a berry-yogurt mashup. A food covered face was the theme for the day…

trying out her new chair from Grandma and Grandpa…

A piece of art. With help from the book Pie in the Sky (I’m pretty sure Adrienne would recommend the book for any high-altitude chef), Adrienne made a magnificent carrot cake…

hat is in place. time to start the party…

Unfortunately, this picture doesn’t capture our wonderful singing…

cake in her left hand, ice cream in her right…

Telling me to not even think about stealing her cake…

creating a magical hairdo with the help of some frosting…

looks pretty sharp, eh?…

Junie enjoying the festivities…

now that’s what I call a party…

it took her awhile, but she eventually figured out the unwrapping thing…

then to the bath for some much needed cleanup. here’s Junie using a vegetable scrubber to help the cause…

and Jolee playing with a whisk and a potato scrubber. what great bath toys we have…

Jolee went off to bed, but June and Rover kept the party rolling into the wee hours…

We’re going to have another birthday party for Jolee next week with some family and friends, so there should be more party photos to follow.

snow swim

We recently spent a few days relaxing at the Glenwood Hot Springs. Since the late 1800s, Glenwood Springs has been known as the “spa of the Rockies.” The large pool is 405 feet long and 100 feet wide, and the water is cooled down to about 90 degrees (it comes out of the earth at 122). The kids loved it and so did Adrienne and I. June was absolutely exhausted at the end of each day after spending several hours in the warm water. Jolee loved playing on the pool steps and she didn’t seem fazed when her little shoulders would go above water and become exposed to the 20 degree air. Adrienne and I really enjoyed the old-timey nature of the hot spring experience. You didn’t see cell phones or iPods, just people swimming and soaking in the warm mineral waters. And the springs had a decidedly un-touristy feel to it; most of the people using the pool were locals.

Jolee trying out her bather before her first dip in the pool…

Yes, it’s snowing, and it’s snowing much harder than it appears…

Despite the frigid air temperature, Junie made several leaps off the side of the pool…

the scene at the pool…

and finally we had lunch at the Doc Holliday Tavern before returning to Breckenridge. I don’t think Doc Holliday had any connection to the tavern, but he died and is buried in Glenwood springs…

Nice job, hot springs. I’m sure we’ll be back sooner or later.

build & hike

Yesterday, Adrienne and the girls enjoyed the beautiful 40-plus degree weather and built an alien snowman…

Today, she took the girls out for a hike. It was the first time that Adrienne carried Jolee on her back (thanks Emilie for the Ergo), so June decided to do the same with Rover in her Camelback (thanks Molly and Phil)…

and the après-hike juice and hot chocolate…

cattle & fish

After a successful trip last year to the National Western Stock Show, we decided to take a last minute trip down to Denver so we could introduce Jolee to the fun...

taking a ride on Twinkie…

time for everyone to refuel…

After a couple hours at the stock show we went to the aquarium for lunch…

assorted January photos

Junie’s first pigtails…

This was later in the afternoon after our sledding outing. She really knows how to put an outfit together…