2013 year sum up

2013 was stressful over all but I thing everything turned out even better then we expected.

We moved into our beautiful dream home.

January and February we went skiing once each.  not a good year for snow.

Then end of 2012 we finished fertility treatment and was unsuccessful. 

February 2013 we started to look into adoption.

The end of February started a long ordeal of a custody issues.

March Jon and I took a week vacation to Canada, which was amazing and stress free.

April we started the adoption process in Denver county 70 minutes north of us. 

May we traveled to Virginia to see Jon's family for a week. 

Then my parent came for two week visit, Jon went to California for military training, and we got full custody of Olivia!

June, my parents were still here for the very to close for comfort fire2 miles from our house.  Olivia celebrated her 10th Birthday and got a huge party.  We traveled to see my parents for a week vacation.  Olivia attended her first Lutheran Camp for a week.

 Olivia left for the summer to see her mom in Alabama. 

Jon and I went camping and attended a friends wedding.   

July worked a lot!

August Olivia came home, school started and she loves 4th grade.  Jon and I finished all 12 of our adoption classes.

September was adjustment month for all of us.  Olivia attached to her Best friend even more. 

I took them both apple picking at the end of the month.

October we had our home studies and house inspection for the adoption.

We attended our Halloween family run as Pirates this year and won best family again.

Jon got diagnosed with degenerated disc disease in his neck. 

Took Olivia Trick or treating for the first time.

November had issues on custody plane flights.  Jon was patient got us through this.  Olivia got a good plane ticket to see her family for the holiday, bitter sweet!

And finally just got the letter stating we got approved to adopt a kid in Denver county. 

One last month of this year and looking forward to the next 31 days to come.

Happy End of the Year.

2013



Family photo

Family photo for 2012-2013

I never had time to do one earlier this year so this is ours for now.  

Halloween Fun

 This year we were Pirates for our Halloween Run.

I only made Olivia's costume this year, the other two we borrowed.

Yes we won best Family again.

We all ran together this year and did it in 40 minutes.

 Later that evening I had to return to work, and Jon and Olivia joined us for a chili cook off and pumpkin carving again.  We all had a blast carving our pumpkins.

Olivia got the biggest pumpkin and had a hard time holding it.  Love the family traditions we have created!

Olivia's Art

Olivia's Aspen Tree Art

She is really good at this art thing!

Granby

 We go away for a night 

we went to Granby 

 We stayed in our time share.  

Beautiful resort!

Nothing to do in the town

 we did manage one hike to Adam's Falls.

 The birch trees still had some wonderful color.

What a wonderful time to spend as a family.

house update

Jon finished the fence on Tuesday

and

Olivia got her trampoline back up

hike

 Last sunday Olivia and I joined some friends on a hike through the Crags.

 We say some beautiful Aspens changing colors

 Able to take some beautiful pictures of my sweet angle

Just a great day to be outside.  

I love the fall in colorado!

Apple Picking 2013

 Yesterday was a wonderful day to go Apple picking. 

Olivia brought her friend Mary Alice.

 They picked Macintosh, Jonagold, Fortune, Jonathan, and of course Jonalicous.

 They played with the pumpkins!

 Olivia even caught a chicken so Mary Alice could pet one.  

We had 3 hours of fun together.

What a great sunday.

Cooking

Olivia making desert for dinner.  Reese Peanut butter cuts dessert.  

I let her do it all by her self.  (she added 1 extra stick of butter) 

Tasted Great still.

new additions

 We are trying to get things down with the new house.  Two weeks ago Jon and I put in the 4*4 posts for our fence.  We are hoping to get the 2*4's up this week.  Second exciting for me, we got a new taller trash can.  Our dog has picked up bad behaviors in our new house, one is eating out of the trash.  This bigger one he just sits next too and stares like something is going to jump out.  Yea new stuff.

Soccer

Olivia started soccer through our YMCA. 

Her first game is this saturday.

She seems to really like it.

I mean it is the first sport she is not picking flowers.  

I think we found something she likes.

O'yea in the picture she got the ball from the girl and kicked a goal.  

Yeah

My husband nominated Me! Thank you

Amy, Falcon FireMy wife Amy has gone above and beyond the call of duty in the last year. With the Waldo Canyon Fire she supported CSFD by staffing station 15 as well as spending time on the front line battling the fire doing structure protection. Again this year she was first in in the Black Forrest fire and her contribution saved many homes that were in the path of the fire. My wife works hard and always has a "Can Do" attitude. She is the only full time fire fighter with Falcon Fire Protection District and well respected within the department. She works out daily and puts all the guys through a strenuous abdominal work out. Not only a full time fire fighter but also a full time mother to our 10 year old daughter. They are the best of friends and our daughter looks up to her as a role model. Olivia excels in school and has always been the top in her class because the time and effort Amy puts into school work. For the past three years Amy has produced a picture album for all of the students and teachers for each class Olivia was in. Everyone has been so grateful to have the memories and shared with one another. Amy spends time as a board member with Prince of Peace Lutheran church. She has organized on her own several events for children including safety fairs, Car safety seat checks and Easter egg hunts. 

I won free Panera Bread for the Fire Department. 

Yea free Food

Thanks Jon,

I love you so much

grounding

After being home for two weeks the behaviors have started.  Olivia is grounded for a week and in her room.  She finally got bored after 2 days of playing.  Here she made punky and slipper to help is foot heal since he keeps liking it.  She is thoughtful.   I will post more of her creative stuff soon.

imprint

In our neighborhood they poured fresh concrete, and we let Olivia draw something small to remember later as she grows up.  Not sure why the swirl but it is cute.

4th grade

 First day of 4th grade.  

I asked her how excited she was from a scale 1-10 (10 the highest)

She said a 7!

 This is her best friend Mary Alice whom is in her class again this year.  

Oh My

At 420 this morning I hear Bailey one of my cats at the side of my bed playing with something.  

I go back to sleep and when I get up for my run she is still there with the other two cats.  

I think nothing except they might be out of food.

I get dress come back out and I hear a squeaking noise.  

Oh My Goodness, Bailey got the mouse. Olivia's mouse.  I run to the side of the bed wake up Jon to warn him the light is about to be turned on.

I look down and sure enough my indoor cat caught a mouse.  

Good new it is a field mouse not Olivia's pet mouse. 

I grab tissue thinking it is dead, NOPE still alive.

I take the little guy and flushed him.  

What do you do with a half dead mouse?

I had no clue.

Good morning Tuesday

Home

Miss Olivia is home.  She arrived home on friday and got bombarded by all the neighbor hood kids.  They missed her too.  They are fighting on whom will get the first sleep over with her.  lol
Yesterday we went to church and took this picture after the service.

Mount Quandary

 Last friday Jon and I hiked up Mt. Quandary.

 It was a beautiful 5.4 mile one way hike.  

 We have perfect weather

 we saw mountain goats

 marmot

 we had a wonderful day in the mountains.

Donation

I want to share my latest adventure! I'm participating in the Pikes Peak Challenge Hike for Brain Injury Awareness on Saturday, September 7, 2013 in memory of a co-workers 14 year old son that passed away almost 5 years ago. I will be hiking Barr Trail to the 14,110 foot Pikes Peak Summit. When I finish, I will have hiked 13 miles and 7,400 vertical feet to the summit to join other hikers and supporters in celebration of brain injury awareness.

  In this country there are 3 million persons living with breast cancer and public spending is $295 per person, 900,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS and public spending is $18,111 per person; but there are 5.3 million persons living with disability from Brain Injury and public spending is $2.55 per person! Research into treatment of Brain Injury receives less than one penny of every Federal dollar spent on medical research. This is why I am involved!

If you would like to support my endeavors to make a difference, there are two ways to donate. You can donate to me online now, or by visiting PikesPeakChallenge.com, clicking 'Make a Donation' on the right and then finding my name in the list and clicking it. This is a special event of the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and you will be able to print a tax-deductible receipt for your donation. The second way is to mail me a check and please send it to the address I have listed below. Please do not mail your donations directly to the Pikes Peak Challenge.

Every dollar makes a difference and I appreciate any help you can give. Thank you for making a difference and I will be thinking of you as I crest the summit!

Back in June

 Back in June my Parents came out for two week visit.

We went to a Meteor exhibit, which we were able to gold pan and keep what you found.

 We hiked in Garden of the Gods for a bit.  

Can you see mum in the picture below?

 Mum came with me to do my last 1/2 Marathon for this summer.

  After the race we went hiking in Denver/Boulder area.

 On there last day we went to the Olympic training center.

 Thank you for coming out Mum and Dad.