This video of Elijah Eating a Lemon is HILARIOUS!

I crack up every time I watch it and I've watched it like 50 times! 

Sophia's Black Eye

 Two weeks ago, Sophie was playing baseball with Dad and the kids. She is looking forward to playing softball in the summer and is starting to practice now since her season starts when Mark is in Africa, and I know nothing about sports and am scared to death of the softball (the fear stemming from high school with a horrible swollen ankle from a softball while running to first base) 

Well, Elijah was up to bat and Mark hadn't quite gotten to the tip about not throwing your bat once you hit the ball. Elijah got a perfect hit and threw the metal bat which connected with the side of the catcher's face, which happened to be Sophia. It was horrible. She cried for a good 2 hours. Mark took her to Jamba Juice to stop the sobbing and it helped. 

Her black eye took well over a week to go away. 

Day One- just a huge knot! 

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

 Day Seven 

Day Eight- I LOVE this picture!!! Her smile and eyes are just totally her! 

She's all better now and both she and Elijah learned a very important lesson about baseball. 

Poor Elijah felt so bad and was so embarrassed that he hurt her. 

BIRTHDAY FREEBIES

I thought I would compile a list of birthday freebies that I get every year 

that really make a birthday something to look forward too:) 

I know there are many lists out there but these are the ones that I think hold the most value. 

Noodles and Company- sign up for their e-club and get a free bowl on your birthday! You can get anything on the menu with meat too:) up to $9 free!
Starbucks- register one of their gift cards and get a free drink on your birthday! I ordered a Venti Cinnamon Dulce Latte- one of my fav drinks from there:) I was hyped all morning! I never drink that quantity of caffeine in one shot:)
Einsteins- Sign up for their e-club and get a free breakfast sandwich when you purchase a drink. I got the Asparagus, mushroom and swiss egg white bagel sandwich and medium coffee and paid $2.12
Caribou Coffee- Sign up for their e-club and they will email you a certificate for a free medium drink but you have to get it ON your birthday (sort of a pain) Thankfully we were near the only one sorta near un on my birthday so I got a Mint Condition Latte. YUMMO!
Qdoba- Sign up for the e-club and they will send you a coupon for buy one get one free- haven't used mine yet. But it's good for a few weeks.
Anthropology-  One of my favorite retail stores- if you sign up in the store for a anthro card (not a credit card) they will send you a postcard in the mail with a 15% off coupon. It's always cute and I look forward to the snail mail from them:)
Dunkin Donuts- a free medium beverage of your choice- I registered a gift card and am using their app which gives you lots of good deals

I think that's about all the Birthday Deals that I partake in here in Colorado:) If you have any other great deals- make sure to leave a comment so I can be sure to check them out and add to my list:)

I'm in a whole new {age bracket} now.

So you know on most surveys, how you have to fill in that little dot at the end saying what age you are. Well, the standard age divisions are 18-24, 25-34 and now, one that I have come to know 35-44!! Last Wednesday I moved into that third age bracket. Yes, I turned 35!

The kids are on Spring Break. I am still working but took the day off for some birthday celebration!

 (I really like birthdays!) 

We visited Voodoo Doughnuts in Denver. 

There are two other locations in the US and 3 months ago, they came to Denver. Apparently, they are AMAZING! That's the word on the street. So we went around 10am during a work week on a Wednesday morning and there was a line out the door. After 40 minutes, we got to taste first hand the voodoo magic that's supposedly in these doughnuts:) They were VERY yummy and the best doughnut I think I've ever had but I probably won't go back until the hype has died down. (although the cashier was saying that the store in Portland still has lines out the door and they've been open over a year! These stores are open 24 hours,too- the cashier said that they slow down right after the bars close around 2am but then pick right back up around 5am!!!! She said during the day there has always been a line- and they've been open for 3 months in Denver- 24 hours a day! crazy! )

Here is a sampling of our sweet donuts! Can anyone say SUGAR RUSH! 

The kids all wrote me very large posters and hung them on the walls. very sweet:) 

Sophia's message

All the kids signed this 

Arianna's note- I think she has a future as a card writer:) 

Elijah's : "Dear Mom, I love you 200 and billion much" 

Ella drew me a turkey family- not sure the meaning there:) At least us adult turkeys are kissing:)

 We had planned to go hiking up in the mountains but the day before, Mark was playing baseball with the kids and half the neighborhood kids came out to play:) He was chasing Palmer (a fast 5th grade boy) and rolled his ankle very badly. It swelled up and was all bruised. So, needless to say, hiking wasn't on his radar for my birthday.

So, we just chilled at home. I ate leftover homemade Chinese food from the night before's Missional Community Group. They had Oreo ice cream cake for me, too! Awesome group of people and they know how to cook! Chinese has been my main staple this week- Doug and Tina ordered Chinese for me at work to celebrate my birthday and Doug bought me a cherry pie. It was awesome! I feel very loved:)

So, after eating a lot (which I love to do) Mark and I went on a date later that afternoon, thanks to the awesome McClish family, who babysat the kiddos. We went and saw the movie Divergent. I have read the series and was dying to see the movie and it didn't disappoint. I loved it! Then we went to dinner at Breckenridge Brewery off of I-25 and 6th. It was such a fun night and 35 feels great. Although from the picture below I may need botox around my eyes soon! (just kidding)

I have honestly really liked my 30's. It's been my favorite decade of adulthood. The kids are all older and it's been so much easier than when they were all so little. I love that we can have deeper conversations about so much and they are so much more self sufficient. I feel more confident in who I am, especially in the Gospel. I feel like Mark and my relationship has gotten so much better in every way. I truly love this stage of life and look forward to it getting better and better as the years roll on:)

Frisco Sledding

 Our dear friend, Britta, invited us up to Frisco last weekend to enjoy the beautiful snowy outdoors. 

We found a great sledding hill in Silverthorn at Rainbow Park and it was really fast. 

The wind had made it pretty icy but we had fun sledding for a few hours. 

Our friends, Trish and Davin came along as well and Davin let the kids wear his Go Pro camera. Check out the video below:) 

 and yes, there were tears! 

 But lots of smiles and laughs:) 

We are so blessed to have some pretty awesome adults that love 

our kiddos and enjoy investing in their little lives. 

Heres the link to the video:) 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi_mHHzvxN0

Godzilla

 It snowed last night- a good 4 inches of wet, packing snow.

Mark took the kids out this morning and they made Godzilla. 

After a day in the 60's, the snow in the back yard is all gone and 

only Godzilla remains, slightly shorter and skinnier. 

Baby Lewis {7 months} Photo Shoot

I have not had much time to do photography lately but I was able to squeeze in a short little shoot with little Lewis. He is such a cute little man! I loved how these pics turned out:) 

Salida Mountain Getaway

 We were able to get away this past Friday to Sunday. We went to our friend Dan and Sarah's cabin in Salida. We are always on the hunt for good food and found this yummy BBQ and Burger place in Canon City. It should be on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives- SOOO good! 

 We spent most of the weekend relaxing at the cabin. No technology. No internet. A GREAT break!  

 Mark and I read a ton. The kids played with the Connolly's legos a ton. 

And we played a ton of board games. We played a game of CLUE where Ari won fair and square. It's pretty cool when that starts to happen- real competition is fun! 

 We had a fire going constantly and roasted S'mores every night. 

 On Saturday, we did go into Salida for the afternoon. We swam at Salida's Hot Spring Pool. The whole pool is indoors and fed entirely by hot spring water. They filter it so it doesn't have that sulfur smell but it is PLENTY hot- they said it comes in at around 99 degrees. The whole pool is like a hot tub. I loved it. The say it is the largest Hot Spring Pool in the country.

The girls loved doing flips off the diving board. It made me so nervous.

We then walked around Salida and ate at Amica's. GREAT restaurant! I think Salida is one of my most favorite mountain towns. We also went to Buena Vista on the way home but it didn't have anything on Salida. The shops are so fun, the food is amazing and its just such a cool town. 

Every time we go to the cabin, we take a picture here. The mountains are just gorgeous! 

Lots of wildlife! 

 We ate lunch on the way home at this Mexican place. It's right by Buena Vista- don't ever go there. 

Denver's Mexican food is 1,000 times better than this place! 

Overall, it was a great trip and so very relaxing. I think I enjoy going in the summer better since I love hiking in the mountains but this was a great trip to just chill and relax.