Because...

...Lynx won't be tiny and cute forever.

We were waiting for this day...she now has a new favorite spot to hang out. We are wondering when she'll get brave enough to leap down onto the couch below. 

Princess Lynx

Jake's Bench

I got my bench, with all the credit going to Jake... but I'll take credit for coming up with the plan and design. It's perfect and looks as though it came with the house. This is the laundry/mud room coming in from the garage. Now I "need" some fun pillows, but these extras I had laying around the house will due until then. Thanks, Babe! :)

Winter is Knocking on the Door

Mt. Sopris on October 1st. Beautiful to look at, but glad it's still in the distance.

So it's time to take advantage and cram in as much fun as we can before the gorgeous weather is gone. Reece and Abby flying high on the Giant Canyon Swing.

Vail

Our next game was in Vail. Fall is the best time to travel in Colorado. The colors are too amazing.

GO #2!

Reece's team tied... again. This game they had the lead, 2-1, until the very final minute when the other team scored on a PK. It was heartbreaking. I just want a win for these kids. They play hard and never give up, so we are very proud.

The next day Reece had another game here in Glenwood. It was a very hard fought game, but they lost 4-6. The highlight was Reece scored off of a corner kick. The kicker is, he was the one who kicked the ball from the corner. The ball bounced off the other team and went in... and goal is a goal, no matter what, right? He earned his team a pizza party for that one. They have been working on corner kicks a lot at practice, and the deal was, coach would buy pizza if they scored off of one. This may not have been how they planned, but it still counted. 

Thomas Lakes

I got Riley and Jake to hike one of my favorite, but definitely the most rough hikes with me. Reece decided he "needed" a rest day... so he stayed home and missed all the amazing fall colors. It did rain on us most of the time, but it was totally worth it.

Hello, Mt. Sopris! :)

About 4 miles up and we made it to the lakes. 

The golden Aspens. Amazing!

All About Riley

Riley has had a pretty good start to 7th grade... he was one of two awarded this certificate from his Advisory class. He really has no complaints...such a relief having a kid do so well in the tough middle school stage.

I'm having a hard time getting used to this kid sitting in the front seat...I know I made him wait longer than most parents, but he just weighs so little. I'm so overprotective.... Can't believe he's getting so old. 

Picture day. Good thing his real pictures weren't at 7 am... and these brand new jeans we bought, well, they are just about too short for these long legs.

Riley found this on his locker. He isn't positive who did it, but highly suspects Ms. Hopgood (last year's Advisory teacher.) It made his day.

Lastly, we have Riley signed up to start guitar lessons through Aspen Music. We are very excited... and Riley wants to try out for basketball (not sure how the two of those will work out, but we will give it our best!)

Sick, sick, and MORE SICK!

The bug(s) have hit our house...and not even Lynx was spared!

It started with Reece. Just nine days into the school year, he came home with a fever. That's the only symptom he had (if I don't count his traveling pains...head, back, heart, legs etc.), but it lasted for 3 days.

Then it was Riley's turn. His started in Silverthorne with congestion and complaining about being cold... it turned into a fever, missing one day of school, and more head junk. Yuck!

The same day, Lynx started sneezing... I had suspected he was congested for a while, but it started to get worse... and fast. He eventually started coughing too.

The boys healed on their own...with a little help from IBU an Tylenol, but poor Lynx (and poor Jake's wallet) needed a trip to the vet, which is a new experience for us. (FYI: Potential vet bills have always been my reason to not have pets.) She had a fever and of course the obvious congestion had caused her to become dehydrated and she wasn't eating very well. They put an IV in her and gave her meds for us to feed her (which is a chore in itself) twice a day. Within 24 hours she was a brand new kitten. It was like night and day. She still is sneezing a little, but she is playful and fun, with a little ornery mixed in. Before she was sleeping all the time and almost lethargic...

Finally, beside from a small cough from Riley and the occasional sneeze from Lynx, I think the "sick" is gone. *knock on wood* But let's hope this isn't foreshadowing the kind of year that lies ahead.