The Denver Botanical Gardens

Last weekend we went to the Denver Botanical Gardens because the weather was getting warm and we had an awesome coupon. We had such a great time that we are thinking of buying season passes. There were acres and acres for the kids to run and explore and it was fun looking for little signs of spring popping up everywhere.


As a photographer (or shall I say a passionate Mom with a "big girl" camera), I was simply amazed at the afternoon light and my daughter's hair. I have always loved blonde hair. I had it as a little girl and then it turned brown. As a teen, I debated everyday dying my hair blonde. There was just something about blonde hair that I loved and thought was so beautiful. Now as a photographer, I know why. Blonde hair captures the light in an unparalleled way. Wow.



Lots more posts to come, I am really behind in my blogging thanks to a great visit from Granny, Aunt Eryn and Alyssa. I am also behind due to huge night tantrums thrown by my little girl. But more on that later too.

Fun in the Sand

Our church is undergoing some renovations that included tearing up a patio-ish thing. Underneath the patio was this wonderful sand that has become the ultimate play area for the kids after Mass. We played a lot in the sand last summer, but the snow has been covering it for months. Now that the snow has melted, the kids once again get to play in their precious sand. They play in it for hours. Seriously. After daily Mass, all the kids gather outside and build stuff out of twigs and leaves and paper plates and cups. I get to just sit there and take pictures. :)

Oh my Margaret Mary...

When did you grow up to be so big?!?!?! Today I was taking some pics of some friends kids after Mass and Margaret Mary wanted in on the action. I can't get her to look at the camera these days; my cool black camera is old news. I literally have to chase her around with the camera to get a good shot. So when she posed, tossing her hair back and forth, I was so delighted! Not that she was posing like her little friend Isabel, but that I could get some great shots of my active little girl (who is almost THREE!)!


Margaret Mary is SO excited about having a baby in the house soon. She sings about the baby and talks about the baby all the time. Today she colored the baby a picture. She says she is going to wear her white dress and her white bow when the baby is born and that she is going to rock the baby to sleep in her little red rocking chair. :) She comes up and kisses my belly all the time and then squeals "so excited!." I am so thankful for her little loving heart. She really is a devoted big sister. John Henry is crazy about her. Today she said "I hope the baby is excited to see me!"

Young boy, two hands on the wheel..."

John Henry throws a tantrum every time we come out to the car. He does his "car" sign; he wants to drive. He's a long way off from 16, but sometimes we let him sit in the front seat with the car turned off and let him play with the wheel, spin the AC knobs, put on the flashers, etc. When we let him do this, John Henry is in heaven; the boy is HAPPY!

He pushes things...
spins things...Of course it takes us a couple of minutes once the real driver gets back in the car to readjust everything, but look at this face! How can we say no?

Eventually, he resigns to sitting in his car seat. But not until a few tears have been shed.

Thankfully, he has a big sister sitting beside him to help cheer him up.
Here she is coming to the car now! What a fun little girl.


He doesn't get to play in the front seat as much as he wants to, but we love Henry's love of driving. It reminds me of that country song "Drive," about a little boy and his love of driving (when his Daddy would let him!).

Just Another Day at the Park

We have really enjoyed the snow, but having it melt and open up new areas of the park we haven't played in in several months is so exciting! The kids love exploring, collecting sticks, walking around with sticks, eating the last of the snow, and enjoying life. I love taking pictures of it all!

34 Weeks

Our Little Artist

Margaret Mary has turned into quite the little artist. This makes her Papa VERY proud as he also loved art as a little boy. For about 75% of the day, she rolls out play dough, paints and colors.

She loves to make snakes, and to make balls (or should I say lumps), and then tear play dough off the back of the ball, flatten it and then stick it to the top.

Painting is by far her favorite and in just a week or two, she has already used up all of her watercolors! Here is the artist hard at work and some of her creations.


She is starting to really pick her colors when painting (can you tell she likes blue?), and not just mix them all to make a brownish looking thing. Her pictures really are pretty (and we aren't the least bit biased! :) ).

I don't have too many pictures of her coloring, because it is hard to keep Henry out of her business. He likes to take the tops of the markers on and off and then throw them all on the floor. Pretty distracting for a little artist.

Word of warning: If MM asks you to color or paint with her...beware. She has a very particular image in her head she wants you to make, and if you don't make it exactly right, she will LOOSE it. I once tried to be humble and to apologize to her for messing up her picture. She now will exclaim through sobs of tears, "You messed up my picture!" Oh, toddlerhood. But don't they just act out what we all feel and struggle with inside?

Another funny note: MM colors A LOT. SO much so that I have to toss pictures because there is no way to keep and display them all. The other day Margaret Mary saw her pictures in the trash can and got really upset. :( Sweet girl. I will have to be more discreet in the future.

Enjoying the Warm

We have had a couple of warm days recently (mid 50's) and John Henry has really enjoyed extra time out on the porch. He mostly just hangs out on the tricycle.




He isn't quite big enough yet and his little feet dangle as he kicks them back and forth.


They are just inches away from touching!!! I wonder if he'll be big enough by summer...



He also loves to point to, and then sign "birds." What fun. Oh, the simplicity of little ones!


Its funny how taking a child outside can change an attitude like this:



To one like this: