The Bartmann Family

Sick...Still...Again...

2012-02-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

When we're stuck in the house, sick, with nowhere to go, art activities get us through the day.

We paint, draw, color, glue, marker, you name it, our table, floors and walls have it on them.

But that's okay! True art is in the eye of the beholder...and hopefully in the eye of the person who will next own this house!

We are slowly getting better. Logan is our champ and hasn't gotten a single sniffle knock on wood.

Torin is on the mend from RSV and pneumonia.

Ella's double ear infection has cleared up beautifully thanks to antibiotics. We even ventured outside for a short walk yesterday. I hope we can enjoy our normal activities away from the house again soon.

Video Flashback - November 2010 #2

2012-02-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

3:08 A.M. Those were the days...I mean nights!

Video Flashback - November 2010

2012-02-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

Snow Day! 2/3/12

2012-02-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

A blizzard came through this past Friday and Daddy got a snow day from work so we took advantage of it and played in the snow. Many places in Colorado had feet of snow, so we lucked out with 8 inches give or take.

Children's Museum 2/1/12

2012-02-06T13:03:00.000-07:00

We went to the Children's Museum last week with the kids and they had a blast. The firetruck was the favorite station this time around. We went out for pizza afterwards and the kids took great naps on the way home!

Sick

2012-02-06T11:49:00.001-07:00

We've been unlucky in the flu department the past couple of weeks. Between bad colds and the flu, we are hoping our house is healthy again for the rest of winter. So we've spent lots of time in the house watching movies and playing games trying to get better.

Denver Stock Show 1/21/12

2012-01-23T21:31:00.001-07:00

I took the kids to the stock show when Papa Pat and Grandma Kelly were out visiting and could help with the kids. It in fact takes 8 adults to care for 3 kids at the stock show, so thanks to all of the "extra grandparents" for their help!

Video Flashback October 2010

2012-01-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

Grandpa and Grandma Bartmann have sent Halloween presents in the mail and Torin is super excited to open his goodies!

Video Flashback September 2010

2012-01-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

We haven't been able to post videos since May of 2010 from our flip camera due to our computer not accepting the updates. Now that we have a new computer we can FINALLY post videos again. I have been digging through some videos from the past 19 months and will be sharing some as I go. ENJOY flashing back with me!

Santa Arrives 2011!

2012-01-13T15:17:00.000-07:00

Zoo lights 12/20/11

2012-01-13T14:37:00.001-07:00

We went to Denver zoo lights with the Atherton's and Smith's before Christmas. The kids had a great time as always.

Monkey Bizness

2011-12-06T13:26:00.001-07:00

It has been bitterly cold here the past couple of days so we took the kids to Monkey Bizness yesterday for some indoor play. They loved it!

Snack

2011-12-04T13:27:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure where the twins got this idea from, but every time they have a cracker snack they go to the entertainment center and sit and eat their crackers. I love it!

Dear Santa

2011-12-04T13:03:00.001-07:00

Here are the kids' wish lists for Santa so far. Torin said he might want to add more later :)

I'm a Big Kid Now!

2011-12-01T15:20:00.001-07:00

We are all big kids now. There are No more high chairs at the Bartmann house. We use plates, cups, forks and spoons at the big table with mom, dad and Torin.

Children's Museum of Denver 11.20.11

2011-11-21T13:01:00.001-07:00

I took the kids to the children's museum yesterday. They loved it and it is an amazing place for kids. I hope to take them back with Paul or Jacquelyn, our nanny, soon as I couldn't do all of the stations with them by myself.

Ella and Logan's 18 Month Well-Check

2011-11-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

We had both Ella and Logan's 18 month check-ups this morning which included their last set of shots now until Kindergarten. Thank Goodness! Two babies getting shots is NOT fun! Here are their stats:

Ella - Height - 31 inches - 50th percentile
         Weight - 25lbs 3oz - 70th percentile
         Head Circ. - 18 1/2 inches - 80th percentile (though I don't think this is accurate as she was moving all over the place while the nurse was trying to measure her)

Logan - Height - 32 inches - 75th percentile
              Weight - 25lbs 7oz - 50th percentile
              Head Circ. - 18 1/2 inches - 75th percentile

Above all, they are completely healthy which we couldn't be happier about. Lets hope this continues as they grow into toddlers.

Jumpin' 11.14.11

2011-11-16T14:29:00.001-07:00

Reading at the Library - 11.7.11

2011-11-07T21:26:00.001-07:00

My Babies

2011-11-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to be able to call them my babies much longer. They will be 18-months-old in a few short weeks. It amazes me how quickly time goes by with these little ones.

Halloween - 10.31.11

2011-11-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Torin was a rock star this year trick-or-treating. He said trick-or-treat at every door and said thank you to everyone as he left. He loved every minute of getting candy in his bucket.

The twins hung in there for the first couple of houses, but by the end, they just wanted to be pushed in the wagon.

Next year I'm guessing we will have three very eager trick-or-treaters in our house.

Brothers

2011-11-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

I snapped a photo of the boys before nap a couple days ago. They were laying in the chair together watching Diego before nap.

It was an adorable moment for me!

Trick-or-Treat Street Night - 10.28.11

2011-11-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

We headed to Longmont High School, where Anne teaches, for Trick-or-Treating last weekend.

We went with the Toy Story theme this year as Torin really wanted to be Buzz Lightyear.

Logan made an adorable Woody and Ella was Jessie (only in a pink cowgirl costume).

We arrived to the event early, so we spent some time in Anne's classroom first.

Soon the event began and we were digging away for candy and playing lots of other games the high-schoolers had set up for the kids.

First Snow - 10.26.11

2011-11-06T18:54:00.000-07:00

Our first snow of the season hit with a fury leaving us with over a foot to deal with.

The kids loved it though.

I should rephrase. Torin and Ella loved it. Logan isn't a big fan. He preferred the garage where it was warmer.

Spiderman and Ella could have spent hours outside if we would have let them.

Our tree, and many others in the neighborhood, were damaged from the storm.

The kids had a couple of days to enjoy the snow before it all melted in time for Halloween.

Decorating Halloween Cookies - 10.22.11

2011-11-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

We were invited to the Athertons for some Halloween cookie decorating a few weekends ago. The kids had a blast decorating the cookies.

They all worked very hard.

Torin was very proud of the cookies he decorated.

Ella decorated one cookie the entire night. She would put frosting on it, lick it off, then ask for more frosting. Repeat the above about ten more times.

It was exhausting work decorating these cookies. In fact, someone even had to put her feet up and relax at the end.

Afterward the kids all played and the boys relaxed on the couch to watch a movie and pose for a picture.

Thanks Athertons for an evening of sugar highs and fun!

South Dakota Trip - Harvest - 10.11.11 - 10.19.11

2011-11-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

Family Day in the Mountains -10.4.11

2011-11-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

We spent an entire day in the mountains in the beginning of October. It was perfect as the leaves were changing colors and the weather was mild. It was a wonderful family day.

Swinging at the Park - 10.3.11

2011-10-27T20:40:00.000-06:00

Pumpkin Painting - 10.1.11

2011-10-27T20:32:00.000-06:00

We painted pumpkins with our neighbors to kick off the Halloween season this year.

The activity held the attention of Ella and Hope by far the longest. The boys were off doing other things in the garage soon after we began.

San Diego Weekend Sept. 22-25

2011-10-27T20:11:00.000-06:00

Paul and I were able to take a weekend trip to see Travis Teets, a high school friend of Paul's, get married in San Diego. It was a great weekend spent with friends while the kids were home with Grandma Theresia.

We toured the U.S.S. Midway in the Bay while we were there.

We spent some time at La Jolla Beach on the Pacific Ocean.

The guys threw the frisbee around a while.

And finally we enjoyed the beautiful wedding of Travis and Christina.

Swimming Lessons

2011-09-27T12:25:00.000-06:00

Torin is taking his first swim class this Fall on Monday nights that he'll have to pass to move on to the next class. This is also first class where Paul and I don't go in the pool with him. The first week was rough, but now he is loving it.

Go Vikings

2011-09-27T12:12:00.000-06:00

We know you are 0-3 Vikings, but we will still cheer you on. Let's Go, Vikings!

15 month well-check - Sept. 6th

2011-09-27T12:10:00.000-06:00

Ella had her 15 month well-check and is growing great! Here are her stats:

Height: 31 inches - 70th percentile

Weight: 24lbs - 75th percentile

Head Circ: 18 inches - 55th percentile

Logan had his 15 month well-check and was told he needs to sleep through the night now because he is big enough and doesn't need to wake up and eat anymore. He is also perfectly healthy! Here are his stats:

Height: 31 1/2 inches - 75th percentile

Weight: 24lbs - 50th percentile

Head Circ: 19 inches - 85th percentile

Labor Day - Sept. 5th

2011-09-27T12:00:00.000-06:00

We spent Labor Day at our friends' home with a community pool right out their backyard.

The kids had a great time swimming. Here Torin is trying to get the twins to put their heads underwater like he does.

Our boys.

Our twins.

Daddy's 31st Birthday - Aug. 27th

2011-09-27T11:52:00.000-06:00

All Daddy asked for on his birthday was an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.

He asks for this every year since it is his favorite kind of cake. We stripped down to our diapers and underwear to help him eat it.

We attempted to help him blow out the candles which resulted in Daddy's quick reflexes catching the falling cake.

It was a little messy but still tasted great!

Happy 31st birthday, Daddy!

New Wheels

2011-09-27T11:44:00.000-06:00

Paul and I, along with Papa and Gramma Herding, gave Torin this new ride for his birthday.

He is in love with his 4-wheeler. He still needs work on making turns and backing up without running into people and objects though.

He even gives Ella and Logan rides. I wish it had three seats though, because the twins already don't like having to take turns.

Our Beauty

2011-08-25T18:36:00.000-06:00

She is our sweetheart and definitely has Daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Torin's 1st Day of Preschool

2011-08-25T18:31:00.000-06:00

Torin had his first day of preschool this past Tuesday, Aug. 23rd. He goes two days a week; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:45 - 11. It went really well both days this week, but leaves him quite tired afterward.

He loves his Cars movie backpack. He made me get a picture of it before school on Tuesday!

Date Night - Aug. 20th

2011-08-25T18:20:00.000-06:00

Paul and I were able to have a date night with Josh and Anne this past Saturday. Josh was given free tickets to the Broncos/Bills preseason game that were in the 6th row. The seats were awesome and we had a great time!

Torin's 3 Year Well Check

2011-08-25T18:15:00.000-06:00

Torin had his three year well check on Tuesday and he is perfectly healthy according to the doctor. His stats are the following:

Height - 36 1/4 inches - 40%ile

Weight - 34 pounds - 70%ile

Head Circ. - They don't do it anymore, but his head is HUGE and he needs a young adult helmet to fit it!

Torin's 3rd Birthday - Aug. 7th

2011-08-25T16:36:00.000-06:00

Torin decided he didn't want a birthday party for his 3rd birthday but instead to go to his first movie in the theater. Paul and Josh decided to brave the movie Cars 2 with Torin, Noah and Ethan on Sunday, the 7th, for Torin's birthday. It didn't go as well as hoped and Paul said maybe we'll try again for his 4th birthday!

After the movie the Atherton clan joined us for sprinkler time in the backyard, a bbq, and cake and ice cream.

I think he had a great 3rd birthday...

...though most of it was spent in underwear!

Larimer County Fair - Aug. 5th - 9th

2011-08-25T15:43:00.000-06:00

We love the county fair. You could spend hours there walking around looking at everything. We went a couple of different nights this year to see everything.

Torin's highlights were the caterpillars and tractors. He walked through all the rows of tractors comparing them to his Papa Pat's. We spent most of our time with the farm equipment.

Debbie, Ava and Lucy joined us for the fair one of the nights.

The kids had a great time together.

We can't wait for the fair to come again next year!

Brothers Working Together

2011-08-25T15:14:00.000-06:00

The other day I hear the crash of dishes in the kitchen which abruptly has me asking Torin what is going on. I get the usual response of, "nothing!" which leaves me running for the kitchen because we know as parents 'nothing' means 'something I shouldn't be doing'.

But the boys were "just fixin', mom" as Torin told me.

"Just fixin'."

They can come fix your house any time!

July 30th - 31st Carl and Megan's Wedding Weekend

2011-08-19T15:01:00.000-06:00

Papa Pat, Gramma Kelly, Uncle Greg, Uncle Jason, Aunt Sarah and Cousin Kayla came out from South Dakota (along with many others in the extended family) for Olivia's baptism and Carl and Megan's Wedding. Carl and Megan were married in Lyons, CO, and it was a beautiful day outside. Torin and I went to the wedding since Daddy had to work and the twins were able to stay with a babysitter. It was a great Mommy and Son date day together!

July 15th - 17th Sylvan Lake - Knox Family Reunion

2011-08-19T14:34:00.000-06:00

We spent a weekend in the Black Hills for the Sam and Pat Knox Family Reunion. Torin had a great time hanging out with his cousin, Brody.

We ate dinner as a big group at the resort one evening.

Ella and Logan ate watermelon straight from the rind for the first time without it being cut up first. They enjoyed it so much Logan even tried eating the rind!

We went for beautiful hikes around the lake.

Torin and Papa Pat climbed big rocks together.

We all loved the area. It was a gorgeous location and a fun weekend was had by all!

The Farm July 10th - 14th

2011-07-30T20:54:00.000-06:00

We spent the next part of our trip out at Papa Pat and Gramma Kelly's farm, aka Torin's favorite place on the planet.

The best part of this trip was that Logan learned to walk! He took off quickly once he started!

Ella loves Hunter! She couldn't get enough of the dog.

Logan and Ella received their first 4-Wheeler rides. Logan loved it but Ella wasn't so into it yet.

The kids found every water and mud hole on the yard which prompted many middle of the day baths.

Logan's face is what Mommy was thinking too...YUCK!

Torin received his first motorcycle ride on the grandkids' motorcycle that Pat and Kelly bought them for Christmas.

The rules are that you have to be 9 to ride it and wear a helmet at all times.

Unless of course you are Torin who gets to ride it at 2 without a helmet, I guess. He loved it just as much as Papa Pat I think!

Mill Lake July 2nd - 9th

2011-07-30T20:27:00.000-06:00

I was able to take the kids to Mill Lake, near Alexandria, MN, over the 4th of July with my parents, brother, and aunts and uncles. The kids had a great time and I found out how hard it is going on vacation as a single parent to a lake with three kids under 3. This was the place I went every summer as a kid, so it was great for me to have the opportunity to take the kids to our family vacation spot.

Torin fished for the first time and caught lots of fish on the trip. This was his first catch in the boat off the dock with his cousin, Skyler.

He was so proud of his first fish!

Mike and I decided to take the boys out fishing on the boat and the fish got bigger!

And Bigger!

On shore, the kids spent lots of time running up and down this hill and playing toys.

I tried for a cute photo in their beach chairs, but alas I still don't have that 'perfect' shot of all three.

June 2011 - Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Cousins in the Tub!

2011-07-21T15:48:00.000-06:00

The Athertons came up for dinner at the end of June and the boys decided to have a bath together since they had been playing outside all evening and were dirty.

It started out so calm...

then as the water began to rise so did the splashing,

and a third decided to join in the fun.

A good time was had by all three,

but the water wasn't so clean by the end, nor was the floor dry. It was the perfect bath for our crazy boys.

June 2011 - My Hope-Hope

2011-07-21T15:37:00.000-06:00

This is our next door neighbor, Hope. Torin and Hope have been friends since birth and it has been awesome to see such a wonderful friendship blossom.

Now that it is summer we play outside almost every evening before dinner.

The two have so much in common living next door to one another on the same street, in the same style of house and sharing the same age of 2 currently (Torin is 9 months older).

They also both happen to be the eldest children in the family and we just found out one other thing they'll share in common...

they both will be big siblings to twins! Congrats Kinner family on your upcoming additions!

June 2011 - Summer Fun!

2011-07-21T15:25:00.000-06:00

We love summer here in Colorado. The kids want to be outside all day long. It is wonderful!

June 2011 - Mowing

2011-07-21T15:14:00.001-06:00

Everyone loves to be outside to watch and 'help' Daddy mow the lawn. Torin is practicing for his future years of mowing our lawn as a teenager.

There are those who follow Daddy everywhere as he mows.

And those who are a bit more tentative of loud noises.

And those who aren't afraid of anything, let alone big noises.

In any case, we have three future lawn mowers on our hands and Daddy can't wait to pass this job along.

Play-Doh with Dad

2011-05-30T20:48:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, Torin and Paul sat down and built lots and lots of snakes with play-doh.

Torin was so proud of his art. He even made a snowman.

Hangin' Out

2011-05-30T20:43:00.000-06:00

Last Thursday, Noah and Ethan came up for the day to hang out. The boys had so much fun together playing in the sand and water table and going to the park.

The twins had lots of fun too, but can't keep up with the big boys just yet.

Fun at the Zoo

2011-05-30T20:37:00.000-06:00

Last Monday we headed to the zoo for a family day. It was so much fun since all three kids really enjoy the animals now.

We ended our morning at the zoo and stopped off at McDonald's for some lunch and play-land time.

Needless to say we barely got out of McDonalds' parking lot and all three kids were sleeping. It was a great family day together.

4-Wheelin'

2011-05-30T20:27:00.000-06:00

Our neighbor stored his 4-wheelers at our house last weekend while he hosted his son's graduation from high school party. Torin got a couple rides and then offered to give Logan and Ella their first ride since he's a pro now at riding and driving so he thinks. We didn't let him drive but it was a good practice run for the future (and by future I mean YEARS!)

Ella and Logan's First Birthday 5/19/11

2011-05-30T20:22:00.000-06:00

I can't believe these two are 1 already. There is something bittersweet about knowing your youngest babies are not going to be babies much longer. I know I'll never get that first birthday cupcake mess ever again. I'm glad I was able to get two doses of it this time around so I could clean up twice the mess and enjoy it twice as much. Happy Birthday, Ella and Logan. We love you!

Making Birthday Cupcakes

2011-05-23T19:14:00.001-06:00

We decided white and chocolate cupcakes with pink and blue frosting were the perfect dessert for the twins' first birthday party. It was a lot of work and I needed to find the perfect assistant. But where could I find someone on such short notice? He/She would have to inspect the ingredients, you see, to make sure everything tasted okay for the guests at the party.

And lucky for me, Torin volunteered graciously to help me out with this daunting task.

He checked the batter. "Good, Mom." (I took a minute break to give a dose of Benadryl here as Torin and egg are not the best of friends.)

He stirred the frosting and made sure it wasn't expired. Yep, that tasted okay as well.

I went to work and frosted all of the pink cupcakes first.

I moved on to the blue frosting and was about to begin when all of a sudden my assistant cried out, "Wait, Mom! I better check the blue frosting too just to be sure it is safe." What a life saver that assistant of mine was for cupcake making. I think the guests really enjoyed the cupcakes and the twins loved their present from their big brother. They each ate two cupcakes on their birthday. Thanks my dear assistant. I couldn't have done it without you!

****All cupcake testing was done without touching the ACTUAL batter and frosting used on the guests' cupcakes! :) ****

Ella's First Bike Ride

2011-05-23T18:58:00.000-06:00

We put Ella in the bike carrier with Torin for the first time last week. She loved it! Logan was napping at the time, so we'll have to get him in it soon and see if he has a good time as well.

All The Ways We Love You

2011-05-19T22:31:00.000-06:00

Papa Pat and Gramma Kelly gave the kids a recordable story book for Valentine's Day and Torin has it memorized.

He has LOTS of books memorized now and reads to the babies daily.

He also sings many nursery rhymes and asks the babies if they can say certain words.

He has his moments when he is the sweetest big brother ever. I wish those moments were all the time but alas we can't always get what we wish for.

Garage Sale Weekend

2011-05-19T22:23:00.000-06:00

The Friday and Saturday of Mother's Day weekend we had a street-wide garage sale in our subdivision. I sold tons of items and made $400. I donated the rest to Goodwill and now can walk through my basement again without tripping over boxes.

He, however, wasn't for sale.

Nope, not her either.

He has his days, but we kept him also.

A Biking We Will Go

2011-05-19T22:15:00.000-06:00

Torin can now fully reach the pedals on his bike and goes everywhere on it. He even biked all the way to the park and back the other day. I can't believe how big he is getting.

Ethan's Birthday Party

2011-05-19T22:10:00.000-06:00

We headed up to Fort Collins for Ethan's birthday party the first weekend of May. This is one of Torin's favorite spots to go since it is almost like being in South Dakota at Papa Pat's farm.

This time at the farm the goats ate all of Torin's oats...including the brown paper bag that the oats were in. :)

Then he gave me a lesson on how to drive a tractor and turn the wheel. "But Mommy, we don't push buttons or we can't ride in Papa Pat's tractor anymore okay?!"

He even shared the tractor seat with the birthday boy.

Ella and Logan hung out watching the older kids feed the animals and eat birthday cake.

Then the big event...Ethan got a motorized 'motorcycle' as Torin calls it for his birthday. That is all he now wants for his birthday...or a motorized car or jeep like his neighbor girl, Abby, has. Ethan drove Torin around on the bike sharing his new toy so nicely!

The Month of April

2011-05-16T15:24:00.000-06:00

Yes, I am behind. WAY BEHIND. This post will cover an entire month in the hopes I will once again get caught up and update more frequently.

The month of April started out badly for our kiddos. RSV and ear infections attacked our home and we spent lots of time doing this...

and this...

and finally this, as the bath seemed to be one of the only places we could keep the kids happy.

Paul and I were lucky enough to fly to Cozumel, Mexico from the 12-20th for a 'just the two of us' vacation.

We also attended the wedding of a couple of our closest friends, Sean and Tracey.

Paul golfed a bit.

I'm told it was a hard course as he and Sean's dad couldn't play the 18th hole due to not having anymore golf balls left.

There were lots of reptiles to see.

And beautiful sunsets.

The beaches were amazing.

We rented a scooter and drove around the entire island.

We wore really cool helmets.

And admired the beauty surrounding us.

It was beautiful, relaxing, perfect really.

We spent the last two nights at this awesome bed and breakfast in town run by a Canadian couple. We loved it and them!

The kids meanwhile were taken care of by none other than their four fantastic grandparents. I'm not even sure they missed us while we were away.

We ended the month walking on our own, talking up a storm,

and just plain happy to be back together as a family of five again.

What We've Been Doing

2011-03-18T21:43:00.000-06:00

I haven't had much time to post the past couple of weeks. We've been busy walking (taking 4-5 steps on our own),

laughing,

getting our first big bump (thanks to our older brother for pushing us out the back door),

soaking up the sun outdoors,

screaming,

talking,

posing,

loving,

eating (everything table food these days),

making messes,

eating some more,

swinging,

squealing,

flirting,

holding on tight,

sliding,

playing,

and just plain enjoying our family.

Family Day at the Zoo

2011-03-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

We went to the zoo yesterday and enjoyed the beautiful weather we've had. It was an awesome family day together.

Sticker Art?

2011-03-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

I found Torin all too quiet the other day in the bathroom and he decided to put stickers on the wall and decorate. He said it was his art project. :)

9 Months

2011-03-02T13:34:00.000-07:00

The twins turned 9 months old on February 19. We took them in for their 9 month well-check appointments last week and here are the stats:

Ella - Height: 27 inches - 30%ile

Weight: 18lbs 10.5oz - 50%ile

Head Circ: 17 inches - 45%ile

Logan - Height: 29 inches - 80%ile

Weight: 21lbs 11oz - 70%ile

Head Circ: 18 inches - 75%ile

They are perfectly healthy in every way. We are so blessed that these preemies show no signs of preemie at all.

My Daddy

2011-02-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

We love it when Daddy comes home from work each day.

Gaming with Dad

2011-02-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Logan has figured out if he stays up later than the other two kids he can watch Daddy play the Wii.

He will sit and watch for a very long time. Daddy has a new gaming buddy.

Toys Kids!

2011-02-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

Torin thought the babies needed some toys to play with while waiting for dinner.

Daddy said sure get them a couple toys.

Where are you, Ella? I guess we need to work on what 'a couple' means.

Dessert

2011-02-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

Our good friends, Brian and Kristen, came over a couple weeks ago and brought dessert with them. You can see Torin loved it.

In fact, he asks for dessert almost every night now after dinner.

Does anyone want to come over and wash this face up? :)

So Different

2011-02-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

Our baby of the family has blond hair, blue eyes, chunky rolls, baby talks constantly (mama, dada, and baba so far), the sweetest smile and is truly the "baby" of our family loving to be held, rocked and cuddled constantly (which unfortunately still includes the middle of the night...bummer).

Our middle child is very petite and fine-featured with brown hair, brown eyes, a stare that could stop robbers in their tracks, a go-getter personality already crawling, pulling herself up on furniture and walking beside it, and the best sleeper two parents could ever ask for. She possesses every quality the "middle" child of the family is usually given, which makes her daddy really excited for her teenage years! She is a mommy's girl and loves following her big brother around wherever he is going.

Our eldest child is quickly approaching two and a half and his biggest accomplishment this past week is that he is now wearing BIG BOY UNDERWEAR! That's right, last Thursday night he told us he didn't want to wear diapers anymore and he's been in underwear ever since, with only a couple of accidents over the past week. He still wears diapers for nap and bedtime, but otherwise you'll find Lightning McQueen and Mater on those cute butt cheeks the rest of the day. He is so smart and independent these days, reading books to us instead of us to him. His memory amazes us, his humor cracks us up and his naughtiness well, lands him in time-out often (which I've been told is common for 2 1/2). His blond hair and brown eyes complete the mixture of our family.

Yes, all three of these little ones are so different; yet they possess this one similar quality...

THEY ARE OURS.

Rocks

2011-02-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

When Torin was first crawling, he was always afraid to crawl off the blanket and in the grass.

I thought the same would be true for our middle child.

However being that she is the middle child, she was off the blanket within 30 seconds and over to the rocks within a minute.

She had to see how good the grass and rocks tasted of course.

I mean we all must have licked a rock or two in our day, right?

Or is that a middle child thing too?

First Wagon Ride

2011-01-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

We have enjoyed this beautiful January weather outdoors recently and decided to give the twins their first wagon ride.

Torin decided to give them their first wagon ride that is.

He did get tired for a brief time and wanted to ride along.

But that lasted a short time and soon he was pulling them all the way back home.

Double Trouble

2011-01-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

They have their own language. It is just baby talk of course, but I am convinced they converse with one another all the time now. When does this happen the most?

Why, at nap time of course! I had to go in their room three times today and try to get them to sleep. They lay in their room jabbering and giggling away for up to 20 minutes at a time. Then they'll fall asleep within a minute of each other. It is just like a conversation too; jabber, jabber, giggle, jabber, jabber, giggle some more.

We need a bigger house with more bedrooms. (hint, hint honey!)

Monkey-See...

2011-01-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

Monkey-Do.

She is EVERYWHERE. She crawls very quickly throughout our house now and is pulling herself up on EVERYTHING. She is so tiny and short though that she keeps bumping that adorable head of hers on things around the house. I can't wait until I have three mobile kids (note sarcasm with the last sentence). It is busy around here again, but in a good way. A VERY GOOD WAY.

New 'Cars' Movie Tent

2011-01-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

We bought Torin a brand new 'Cars' movie tent at Target this week and it is a hit to say the least. Anything to do with the movie 'Cars' is the coolest thing in Torin's world lately. He's addicted to 'Cars' movie characters, items, etc.

He asked me to take some photos of his new tent today, so here you go!

Of course he does share the tent with his brother and sister. And to our knowledge, only Ella has been drug out of the tent by her leg thus far to Torin telling her she couldn't be in his tent at that particular time. :)

Art

2011-01-27T12:57:00.000-07:00

Torin has been very interested in doing art projects lately. He loves to color, paint, draw, and practice writing letters. He can even spell his name orally now; although most of the time we still get 'T-O-R-N'. That 'I' is a tough one to remember.

2011-01-27T12:48:00.001-07:00

Playing in the snow

2011-01-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

It is a lot of work getting the kids dressed to play in the snow.

It is especially hard when the babies don't want to out be in the cold (okay, and the Mommy), but the two-year-old does.

So I decided why not bring the snow to them. I scooped up two buckets of snow, laid down towels and let the kids have tub toys and scoops for the snow.

They all played really well together. Mommy only had one rule: Keep the snow in the buckets or on the towels so the floor doesn't get too wet.

"But Mommy!" the two-year-old exclaims. "You can use the tractor loaders and caterpillars to move the snow too just like Papa Pat!"

"That's true." says Mommy to the creative two-year-old.

It is true that the best creative ideas come from no rules at all.

Fort Collins Petting Zoo/Farm

2011-01-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

We went up to Martinez Farm/Petting Zoo over the weekend with Anne, Noah and Ethan.

The boys had a blast feeding animals and riding the tractor.

Torin wasn't afraid to feed the sheep and goats their oats.

He said they tickled his hand.

It was supposed to be in the mid-50s that day. I think it made it to the high 40s by the time we left, so it was quite a chilly morning.

It didn't faze the boys though. Their hands were red and cold, but they kept going.

Torin of course had to follow Noah wherever he went. He has even picked up a saying that Noah often says. He has been saying to Paul and I all week..."Hey, I need to tell you something." So Noah you not only have a shadow, but a copycat on your hands as well!

Siblings

2011-01-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

New Year's Eve

2011-01-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

We had the Weiland family up for New Year's Eve. Ava does such a good job holding the babies. Logan is pretty heavy for her to hold though!

Ruby

2011-01-03T16:22:00.005-07:00

Without a doubt the best part of having Christmas at Aunt Karen's house for Torin was the fact that Ruby lives there. He LOVES Ruby and spent most of the day chasing her around.
We tried very hard to get a good picture of Ruby and Torin together, but getting a dog and a 2-year-old to sit still at the same time is impossible.

And we get mad when we have to take pictures with Mommy instead of Ruby. Yes, I rate lower than Ruby already. I thought that the 'mom isn't cool' thing didn't happen until age 12 or something. Sigh.We headed to the farm shortly after this for the Bartmann family Christmas, but alas we forgot our camera at Karen's so therefore no photos to show of Christmas there. Needless to say, the car was packed completely full with new toys, etc. It was a wonderful Christmas holiday with all our family.

Zimmer Christmas

2011-01-03T15:38:00.006-07:00

We spent the first half of Christmas day at my Aunt Karen's house for the Zimmer family Christmas.
Daddy and Ella

Mommy and Logan

Grandma Herding helping Torin open his new CATERPILLARS!

Torin

Christmas Eve

2010-12-29T18:34:00.006-07:00

"Hey, Torin. Look over here."
"No, Logan. Look this way."

"Ella, look at the camera."

"No, Ella. This way. Look at Mommy."

Good enough. Here are my parents with all of the grandkids on Christmas Eve. We spent the day opening presents and attended mass at the Cathedral (which is in the middle of restoration) that evening. It was a beautiful day.

Wheeler Fun

2010-12-29T18:22:00.007-07:00

One of Torin's favorite things to do while in South Dakota is ride the 'wheeler' as he calls it.
He and Papa Pat were out riding as soon as the sun came up when we arrived Wednesday morning.

They even had to give Daddy a ride on the sled.

Which must have scared Torin since he refused to go on the sled at all the entire time we were home.

But he got some good rides in while Papa pulled all the girls on the sled.

He even got to ride Uncle Greg's new snowmobile. He thought that was awesome! And so did his Daddy since he got to drive it too.

Rubba-Dub-Dub...

2010-12-29T18:01:00.002-07:00

now we can fit all three little ones in the tub.

random shots from the past week

2010-12-15T15:22:00.009-07:00

Laundry

2010-12-06T21:13:00.004-07:00

The laundry for a family of five is never-ending.
I do atleast one load every day.

But I always have a cute someone along for the ride to help me out!

So Proud

2010-12-06T21:09:00.002-07:00

We have a small Christmas tree that we put up each year since we travel to South Dakota for the holidays. This year, Torin put all of the ornaments on himself. He admires his work MANY times a day. It is adorable.

Wrapping Paper

2010-12-06T20:53:00.010-07:00

Torin and I were putting up Christmas decorations a few days ago and I had to take a break to change Logan's diaper. I take Logan to his room, hear ripping sounds from the living room and Torin giggling, and come out to my living room covered in wrapping paper.
Admittedly as a Mom, I normally would scold Torin for wasting paper, but he was already showing Ella how to tear the paper.

So I sat Logan down, washed my hands, and grabbed the camera.

They loved playing with the wrapping paper.

Torin even wrapped himself up and said he was a present for Daddy!

I never said they didn't try to eat it once or twice or MANY times.

It was the highlight of the afternoon.

And the best part as far as this Mommy is concerned...they all played together nicely for 30 minutes without a single cry, whine, complaint, etc. It was AMAZING! I love wrapping paper.

Passport to South Dakota

2010-12-06T20:44:00.003-07:00

Paul and I just applied for our first passports this past week since we are headed to Mexico for Sean and Tracey's wedding this coming April. Torin asked what we were doing, and we said we needed pictures for our passports when we go on our trip.
Naturally he then needed his photo taken because he needs a passport for his trip to South Dakota. (He gets on our exercise bike and says he is riding to South Dakota about 10 times a day.) So, here are Torin's passport pictures for South Dakota.

6 Month Stats

2010-12-01T19:29:00.003-07:00

We had the twins in today for their 6 month well-checks. We weren't able to give them shots as Ella has the flu and Logan is just finishing up antibiotics for an ear infection (yes, our house is a big ball of fun right now). Other than the recent illnesses attacking our house, they both are extremely healthy.

Ella - Weight - 15lbs 6.5oz - 45%ile
Height - 26" - 50%ile
Head Circ. - 16 1/2" - 50%ile

Logan - Weight - 19lbs 6oz - 77%ile
Height - 27 1/2" - 90%ile
Head Circ. - 17 1/2" - 75%ile

I decided to post the family's stats at 6 months since I was looking through all of our baby books today.

Torin - Weight - 18lbs 11oz
Height - 26 1/2"
Head Circ. - 18"

Paul - Weight - 18lbs 8oz
Height - 27 1/4"

Carrie - Weight - 18lbs 14oz
Height - 26"

The Butterfly House

2010-11-19T19:37:00.008-07:00

I took the kids to The Butterfly House in Sioux Falls on Tuesday. There are thousands of butterflies in this space. They also have fish, lizards, spiders, etc. in other rooms of the building that Torin loved looking at.
This butterfly decided riding along with Logan would be fun.

They landed on everything, including us.

We were in awe looking at all of them.

We had to tell Logan and Ella about everything we were seeing. The butterflies were eating orange and watermelon slices.

It was a beautiful afternoon.

Bath Time at Grandma's

2010-11-19T19:30:00.003-07:00

I decided to leave for South Dakota early this past weekend with the kids so they could spend extra time with our families. The twins are officially too big to share a tub time together until they can be sitting up.
My babies are 6 months old today. Time is going WAY too fast.

Mini-Vacation to Colorado Springs

2010-11-10T20:59:00.014-07:00

Last week Tuesday and Wednesday Paul had to work down in Colorado Springs, so we decided to take a mini-vacation and stay overnight in a hotel for a couple of nights. The first night didn't go well. Torin unfortunately was sick with a high fever and the pool's (that had an awesome slide) temperature was just above freezing. The hotel in general was not very nice so we actually stayed somewhere else the second night.
I think this is what they term a 'family bed'. It ain't happening in this family that's for sure. I know it works for some families but Paul and I both enjoy sleeping without getting kicked, rolled on, and punched throughout the night.

Paul had to work during the day, so we hung out some of the time eating snacks, playing toys, and watching Mickey Mouse on tv!

We stayed at the Radisson the second night which was right next to the airport. We also were right next to this restaurant called 'The Airplane Restaurant' where you actually can eat inside of this airplane. Torin LOVED it!

We checked out how everything worked on the outside first before we went in to eat.

And after we ate, Torin was able to 'fly' the airplane in the cockpit for a while. He said he was just like Kurt!

This was probably the highlight of the trip for Torin. He didn't want to leave the restaurant and ironically enough, it was the best he had been in a restaurant in a LONG time. If only all restaurants were made out of airplanes.

This was the next best thing for Torin, swimming! The hotel the second night had a wonderful pool that was nice, warm and perfect for swimming.

Trick-or-Treat

2010-11-07T20:46:00.006-07:00

Halloween night was spent trick-or-treating on our street. Torin did such a good job saying trick-or-treat at every door and thank you after they put candy in his bucket. We have it on video but for some reason I can't get videos to upload on here anymore???? I'll keep working on it.

Halloween Weekend

2010-11-02T21:36:00.009-06:00

We had a fun-filled Halloween weekend here in Colorado. We spent Friday night with the Athertons at Anne's school and their home. Anne's school put on a Trick-or-Treat Street where kids could play games, get candy, decorate cookies, etc. Torin had a blast going around to different stations with Noah.
Ethan and Logan above posing for a photo.

Ella is checking Josh out here. She doesn't know about him...or anyone other than her Mom and Dad for that matter. She is very nervous around other people.

Torin and his best buddy, Noah. Torin thinks Noah is the greatest thing on the planet. Everything Noah does, Torin has to do. Noah is so wonderful and patient with his little shadow, Torin.

Daddy and Noah above helping Torin bowl for candy.

On Saturday night, Paul and Torin went with our neighbors, Scott, Janna and Hope, to another trick-or-treating event in Johnstown. Torin was showing off his puppy costume again and Hope was an adorable Nurse in Training just like her Daddy.

And after all that fun (and candy), we still aren't even to Halloween yet. More photos and videos of Halloween night to come!

Sweet Potato Time

2010-10-25T20:01:00.007-06:00

Tonight the babies tried sweet potatoes for the first time.
Here is Logan doing his demonstration of how to open your mouth big and wide to fit the spoon in.

And we have our big helper, Torin, encouraging the babies as they eat. Every night you can hear, "Mmmm, Logan. Mmmm, Ella." at the table as they eat.

Logan loved the sweet potatoes. He was ready for more when his bowl was empty.

Ella, however, had to do a few body shakes to get the potatoes down. Hopefully tomorrow will go better.