Exciting Estes Elk Experiences!

This weekend we did what most people may consider to be boring, but of course, we had a great time. We ventured up to Estes Park for the afternoon with the kiddos and watched the elk, looked at the leaves, and went for a short hike or what you might call a little walk around the lake. I have been asking Brent to take me to listen to the elk bugle for what seems like an ion, and he finally got sick of me asking and followed through. We managed to pick the day for free visitors, which was good because we didn't have any coupons! Brent showed me where we take our students for their ECO day and we saw a couple of deer but nothing too exciting. Then we went to the Rocky Mountain National Park and just before we entered the park we saw a 5-6 point elk. It was massive and very close. Then we went to Sprague lake where we took a little walk around the lake. Unfortunately, we didn't bring our stroller which meant we walked with a 20 pounder and a two year old (that's right, Old McRylan is weighing in around 20 lbs). I didn't need to do my Firm workout that day. Just as we were leaving, we stopped on an elk viewing pull off and managed to score an amazing parking spot right in front of an elk that was some sort of pimp because he had already sectioned off 3 females and was ready to go for a few more. Well, I have started to ramble so I'll wrap it up by saying that I absolutely had a great time hanging out with the cute little family that Brent and I have created. I couldn't have asked for more. I guess it is the simple things in life that count, and getting into the park for FREE! Here are some sweet little pics from our weekend: Bull Elk at the Park Entrance
Jolly Old McRylan

Family Pic

I Love Colorado!!

My Cute Kiddos

(catch the scowl on Rylers, I swear he didn't learn that from me)

The Daddy posing with our posse

River that runs next to the highway up to Estes

Pimp Wanta be a Daddy Elk Callin' his Women

(You can tell they are really interested!)

Gooooooo Rockies!

I finally got to go to my first and only Rockies game for the year. They played the Diamondbacks and won! That's because I was there:) We had such a great time and laughed a whole lot! Shocking, I know! Here are some pics from the game: Our friends Amy, Denra, and Shelly (Check out the guy in the background smiling for the picture, like I was taking a picture of him, funny)

Hilim and Brent (he looks sort of nerdy, what else is new)

Brent and I

Dinger

I haven't fallen. . .

Off the face of the Earth yet! Although it has been almost a month since my last post, I have been taking pictures. Here are a few cute ones that I thought I should share. As most of you know, school started so I have been busy trying to be a mom and then a teacher. Not an easy gig, I must say, but I love doing them both. Okay, so next time I'll try to be a little more unique when I post instead of so general and brief:)

Mommy and Rylers at the Harvest Fest Parade on Labor Day (my favorite bib for obvious reasons)

Daddy and Paytor Pie at the parade with their sack full of candy

Love that smile!

My sister came to visit today and I got to play with my nephew Kale (soooo sweet)! I can't get enough of hanging out with my sister! We have the most fun together! I love that she comes to visit me!

I just had to post these adorable pictures of my kids in their prime! As most of you know, my daughter is a ham and loves shoes. Imagine that!

I guess she was cold??????? Loves her new tap shoes and both of her stocking caps :)

Rylan's first swimming experience! He seems to be enjoying it!

Aaaaaahhhhh! Now this is the life!

Payton being the risk taker that she is in the water. She attempted sitting down in the water. She was tall enough (not usually a problem for Payton) to sit with out getting her face in the water, but it was a little too close for comfort.

This video is absolutely hysterical. She likes to look at the camera after I take a picture of her. I see dance lessons in her near future. I'm sorry that this video is sideways and that you have to listen to her annoying parents voices, but it was so funny that I had to put it on here. It's worth the neck ache.

Welcome to the World!

Yesterday, was yet another day that belongs in the super memorable category in my file. I got to help welcome my sweet nephew, Taylor Kale Oleson, into the world. As nervous as I was for my sister, I had tears to show that this little boy means something very special to me. My sister, Shauna, is by far a woman I have always looked up to and I still hope to some day endure all of the strength and goodness that she shares with every person that crosses her path. My "Marie" had some very strong contractions for about 24 hours and wasn't dialating for actual labor, so she and her husband, Shawn, elected to go the C-section route. Now, I did let my sister know that all my life I have lived and learned through Shauna's choices and sometimes mistakes and just when I think I have blazed a path for the first time for her to learn from me, she decides to take the other path. SHOCKING!! I don't know that I have ever worried about her more than when she was in the OR. I know that the man upstairs was watching over Shawn, Kale, and her the whole time. Her delivery went very well and Kale's stats show that he was 6 pounds 6 ounces and 18 3/4 inches long. He's just a little guy with a big heart. I look forward to holding my nephew within the next 24 hours. Here is a couple of pictures that I managed to get when he came out to meet family and friends.

Taylor Kale Oleson

6 pounds 6 ounces

18 3/4 inches

The one time when Kale will want to weigh as heavy as possible!

A new Daddy observing his good work!

Kale's (otherwise known as Snack Pack) perfect prints!

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me....I wish I were 23! Just kidding. I had a great birthday and celebrated with some friends and kiddos at Guadalajara's Mexican Restaurant. I got the royal treatment which included a margarita, loads of salsa and chips, yummy enchiladas, topped off with some spanish singing, a sombrero and my favorite sopapillas with whipped cream, strawberry sauce, and whipped cream. How could anyone want more than that???? My day was complete with mowing and pulling weeds, playing with my kids, dining with friends and watching a super scary movie with my hubby. I got the best gift in the world which was some quality one on one time with my babies and to remind me that they grow up so very fast and it won't be long and we'll be celebrating their 23rd birthday too! ) I hope that my 29th year of life holds as much joy and accomplishment as the 28 previous years!

Here we are after we enjoyed some icecream cake!

Our walk to Amma's house in the rain! We got out the umbrellas despite the weather and enjoyed the cool temperatures.

She was sooo darn cute with her little umbrella. Cloud 9 (ha ha ha)

Belly Giggles!

Okay, so today our little man decided that his mommy was the funniest thing since sliced bread. I was rolling out our pizza dough and you would have thought I was on stage for Comedy Central. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer and pulled out the camera for some footage of the giggles that I live for. When my children laugh it reminds me of how much I absolutely love being a mom and having the two greatest kids in the whole wide world. I know that seems sort of cheesy, but until you have experienced it you wouldn't understand. So here is the footage I was telling you about only this time I was stomping my feet on the floor and that seemed to tickle his funny bone.

Chillin' on the pool side

So we decided that inspite of this incredible heatwave we would put water in the kids' pool and have some fun outside. Needless to say, we got all dressed for the occasion and it started raining. We waited it out and got about 5 minutes of sun to take some quick pics, before it started sprinkling again. Payton constantly talks about wanting to get in the "big drink" otherwise known as the pool, and all she wanted to do today is play in her sandbox. Whatever suits my 2 year old!

dazed and confused

bribed to smile for the camera

a little grin mixed with some spit bubbles in the "big drink"

all in a days work

4 months already!

I can't believe that my baby boy is already 4 months old. Time is flying by and he is growing up so quickly. Rylan had to see the doc today for his wellness check up and you might say that he is certainly doing well. Here are the stats on our little linebacker:

Name: Rylan William Uhrich
Date of Birth: March 30, 2008
Weight: 16 pounds, 7 ounces (75th %)
Height/Length: 25 inches (75th %)
Skills/Talents: Rylan is very good at smiling, eating his 6 oz. bottle in 6 minutes flat, rolling over unintentionally, scooting on his belly, talking to anyone who will listen to him, attempting to stand on his own, sitting up in his bumbo chair to eat. . .

This is a short clip of Rylan eating rice cereal before bed for one of the first times.

Rub-a-dub-dub

I love that smile!

Alfalfa's sidekick

one goof in the tub

one man in the tub

I love bath time pictures of my kids and got some pretty cute ones the other day. Unfortunately, Rylan decided he didn't want to cooperate and that he would rather cry. Payton happens to love baths and is posing for the camera. Enjoy!

Shakin' it with Sugarland

Brent took me to the Sugarland concert at Cheyenne Frontier Days. This was the first time we had seen them and they WOWed us! I enjoyed every song and Jennifer Nettle's southern accent. Loved it and we will definitely see them again in the future. As you will see, we got a little wet from the rain during the concert but that didn't keep us from having a great time.

Before the rain and after a drink or two!

After the rain and looking as lovely as ever!

Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush

Rockin' out at the Rascal Concert

Rascal Flatts Groupies

Rookie Groupies

We look like some hard core partiers don't we! This was our 5th Rascal Flatts Concert on Saturday night at Cheyenne Frontier Days. Going to concerts is something Brent and I love to do together. You can bet that I had to buy a new t-shirt too! Kinda dorky, I know, but it's a good time that's for sure. I'm looking forward to going to the Sugarland Concert on Friday night.

R.I.P. Kodak Easy Share

So, I have some very sad news! While we were on our summer vacation in South Dakota our camera met its very last day! I managed to have one of those typical Amy days where I was rushing to get the stretched limo stroller ready to go. I had set our camera on the bumper of the car and slammed down the tailgate to go view one of the wonders of the world, Mount Rushmore. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about our camera and managed to put a little crease in the camera. I guess I should have looked before I shut the tailgate but you know, this is just how life goes. Our beloved refurbished camera now only shows us an error message. Needless to say I haven't put any more pics up because well, I don't have any way of getting those things taken. I am hoping to get a new camera for my birthday week which is only one week away and then you will get to see my little kidlets!

Here goes nothin'

So here is my first experience with this blogging business. I'm hoping it will be a great way to keep in touch with friends that think it is necessary to move away when they are sooo loved here in CO. I am also thinking my family will stop harassing me about not seeing updated pictures of my kiddos.