Happy 10 Year Anniversary!!!

Ben, Grace and I travelled to Colorado to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. Ben's mother Jane met us there to visit her Aunt JoAnn. We landed in Denver and visited with our friends, the Picolets. They fed us too good and we jumped on the trampoline with the kids to help burn some calories! Then we headed to Boulder where we stayed the rest of the week. After visiting with Aunt Joann, we took Grace on a hike in beautiful Chitaqua park. Grace would walk about 10 steps and then stop and look at the rocks. We didn't go very fast, but we weren't in any hurry! I actually ended up carrying her most of the way. Then Ben and I went tubing down the Vrain river in Lyons. It was a nice float with some exciting white-water rapids! The water was ice cold and refreshing! The next day we travelled to Estes Park to visit the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a cold, wet and rainy day at the top of the mountains, where it got to 48 degrees! As soon as we got down below 10,000 feet, it was sunshiny again! The weather was just about as perfect as it can get for summer. I would love to have a vacation home in CO for the summer. I don't think I could handle the winters, though. Jane and I took a tour of the Celestial Seasonings headquarters where they make all the yummy herbal teas. We got to sample all the teas and get a tour of the production line. I didn't provide a picture because they made us wear hairnets! On our way back to Denver we stopped at the zoo. Grace was able to name most of the animals that she has seen in her books. My favorite was the polar bear. He was playing with his ball and throwing it in the water and jumping in after it. I've never seen a polar bear that was so playful! It was a greatway to celebrate! It's been a great 10 years...I love you honey!

Ben playing with the Picolet kids!

Grandma Jane, Grace & Aunt JoAnn

Ben & Grace at Chataqua Park
Grace & Sharon hiking at Chataqua Park

Grace & Sharon at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder.

Ben jumping off the cliff into the icy cold water!

The new Michelin, um, man.

Sharon going down a rapid!

Ben & Grace at Estes Park

Sharon & Grace at Estes Park


Grace picking wild flower and pulling off the petals.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Grace & Sharon pose in front of the rainbow

Grandma & Grace at the zoo - watch out I see a giraffe eyeing you!

Crazy family of seals!

Family & Friends

This summer has been a lot of fun getting to see old friends and family. My long-time friend Stefanie came with her family to visit us this summer. I had so much fun catching up with her and getting to know her sweet little girls, Hannah (5) and Sarah (1). Grace had a great time having some girls to play with. We went to the beach and water park and enjoyed being able to hang out together! Then our family exchange student Christian and his new bride Silke came to visit the family on their honeymoon. It was so good to see him again and meet his wife. It was a big family get together when Matthew and Natalie came to visit Christian & Silke. My brother Matthew is safely home from Iraq and will be getting out of the military next month. I am so happy for him and that he is home with his wife again.

Here is a pictures of us with our girls.

Stefanie's husband Charlie reads to the girls.

Christian and Silke on their honeymoon in the USA!

Auntie Natalie & Grace

Uncle Matt & Grace - she was so bashful around him at first, I think she had a crush on him. I've never seen her act like that around someone.

Now she talks about him everyday and says "Uncle Matt is silly"! Here they are giggling with each other.