A Group Of Stahrs

Our Family Life…All Together

Archive for the category “Family”

07 Sep 2011
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Balloon Glo

Saturday night after the AF football game (which AF won by the way) we headed downtown to Memorial Park for the Balloon Classic’s Balloon Glo.  We got there just before the sun went down behind Pike’s Peak…

And since it was still light out, we walked around the field where the balloon teams were setting up their baskets and getting things ready to inflate their balloons.  The kids were so excited when the lady of this basket asked if they wanted to get in and see what it was like.

To say they were elated is a total understatement.  We could have left after they got out of the basket as far as they were concerned.  But we didn’t and so we continued to walk and collect little cards on the balloons.  The kids liked that they were able to put names with the balloons.  The balloonists were busy working on their baskets and getting the burners ready…

A funny story about the burners…Jacob was running a little ahead of us when one of the burners went full flame.  He did a quick turn to toward us with a funny scared face.  He wasn’t really that close to the basket but it made him listen to stay near after that!

After the pathfinder balloon inflated,

the rest were allowed to follow…

This one is called Goodazne.  The kids liked that one…

This balloon is called Baskit of Nuts…

The girls liked this one.  It is called Hearts A Fire…

And that’s all I have on the Balloon Glo.  I took over 250 pictures at the actual launch.  They will come soon!

Posted in Adventures, Family and tagged ,
03 Jun 2011
1 Comment

Memorial Day, S’mores, and a visit

After Jeremiah’s change of command ceremony, it kind of became a little crazy around here.  Jacob’s last day of his gym class at The Little Gym was the following day.  Jacob loves Show Day because he gets to show off all his new gymnastics he’s been working on.   Miss Alexis introduced each of the kids so they could each make a grand entrance!

Then it was onto the activities.  First the group huddle…

then the bar routine.  Jacob started out the semester not wanting to be on the uneven bars at all.  Now he willingly goes to the bars and goes all the way up.  As you can see, he’s quite pleased with himself…

Then it was onto the high beam.This forward roll on the beam was not a favorite of Jacob’s either.  Then he did it only a few times and he wasn’t so scared!

Jacob went onto the tumbling routine.  He went through everything Miss Alexis told him to do.  Backward rolls, star jumps, back hand springs…

This was the most important part.  The medals.  The kids all enjoy receiving their medals.  Jacob especially…

Then the kids all sat together for a quick group picture…

The theme for this show day was red, white, and blue.  So the instructors were playing patriotic songs throughout the class.  When the kids were getting together for the group picture “Hail to the Chief” was playing.  Jacob marched around and acted like The President himself!  It was pretty funny.

Next we move onto what a lovely weekend we had for Memorial Day.  It was sunny and warm and perfect.  We decided to take Stahr Mam, who was visiting, to a Sky Sox game. 

Really, the kids only like to watch Sox the Fox but Mazie was getting excited when the team finally started racking up points in the 5th inning when they scored 13 runs (4 of them being because of a grand slam)!

The kids had a fun time with Stahr Mam.  They took her to some of our parks and played games…

We even roasted our first s’mores of the season!  We started the fire pit, toasted some marshmallows, and put the s’mores together.  This was a first for the kids…

Yes, Jamie’s is without marshmallow.

 I love this guy…

Jacob liked the s’mores but really liked toasting the marshmallows!  It was a lovely weekend.

Posted in Adventures, Family, Holidays, Kids
26 Apr 2011
2 Comments

Ten on Tuesday

1.  Jamie ran her first meet last night.  She ran 400 meters in 2 minutes and 21 seconds (her official time).  She was so excited and proud.  I am so proud of her for doing something that was totally and completely out of her box.  She even got a ribbon after she crossed the finish line.  She did such an awesome job! 

2.  Jamie originally ordered up a 7 balloon cake for her big celebration this weekend.  Then we realized that only 9 kids were going to be at her party.  She changed it to a hot air balloon instead. 

3.  I should probably get working on that design.

4.  My Decorating Basics course at Hobby Lobby ended last night.  I am going to post pictures of the students’ final project cakes on the business blog later this week.  They all did a great job…even the two 11-year olds!

5.  Speaking of my classes, if you are in the area and interested in taking a class, May classes start next week!  Go to Hobby Lobby to sign up.

6.  I am making the first of our Easter leftover meals tonight.  Ham Pot Pie is on the menu.  The kids (and, even more so, Jeremiah) are super excited!

7.  Jeremiah recently got his iPhone in the mail.  He is officially out of the cave!

8.  Mazie handed in her Science Fair project on Monday.  She was so excited about it.  Her hypothesis was to prove whether or not plants needed both light and water to survive.  She had 4 different plants.  One received water and light, one only light, one only water, and one nothing (she had the last two plants under a box to keep light out).  It was pretty interesting to see the results.  We get to see the projects displayed after school tomorrow and they get judged on Thursday!

9.  I asked Jamie where she wanted to go on her birthday date with dad.  Jacob interrupted and asked if he was going on a birthday date.  I explained that he and I will go out on a birthday day when we turns 5.  He piped up with, “We will go somewhere special.”  My heart filled with the thought of him wanting to go somewhere special.  Then he said, “I think Noodles & Co would be good.”  I guess to a 4-year old, that is a pretty special place!

10.  I’m pretty proud of my family.  Jeremiah is graduating from college soon.  Jacob is getting so big and smart.  Jamie is trying new things without hesitation.  Mazie is using her brain for productive things instead of misbehaving.  I have a pretty great family!  I love you all!

Posted in Family, Random
18 Apr 2011
2 Comments

Let’s Go Fly A Kite

One windy day, we took the kids to one of the local parks to fly our kites.  It was nice and windy and a little too blustery.  The wind would pick up just a little too much by the time we got the kite into the air.  But the kids (more like Jeremiah mostly) had fun anyway.

So up, up, and away it went…

Until it went into the tree…

But, no worries, it was retrieved with only a few of the tails still stuck in the tree! 😉

The kids enjoyed chasing the kite for a little while.  The kite just didn’t want to actually stay in the sky.  So they went right to the park and the rocks and forgot all about the wind and the kite…for a little while.

So, go fly a kite, if you have a nice breezy day!

Posted in Family, Kids and tagged ,
23 Mar 2011
4 Comments

Four Corners

 We are back and I have about a million and one pictures to edit.  However, I did edit the pictures from our drive to Williams, AZ.  We stopped for lunch at Four Corners.  This is the place where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona meet.  A nice lady offered to take a family photo…

The kids were thrilled.  Probably more thrilled about being out of the car than being able to run through all four states in a matter of a minute :-)!

And, yes, I said kids.  Jeremiah was a little too excited to be running in all four states as well!  More to come…

Posted in Adventures, Family and tagged , ,
06 Jan 2011
1 Comment

Outing #2

Our second outing was to the Buell Children’s Museum.  Mazie had been there on a field trip last year and was so excited about it so we decided to check it out as a family. 

When we walked in there was this little corner of dress up stuff and the girls went straight to it.  Can you believe she is turning 9?

While the girls were doing, well, girly things, Jacob decided to jump onto the computer center they had set up for kids to color cool pictures of Christmas-y themed pages…

One of the highlights was the Odyssey room.  They transformed it from a place where you could pretend you were in space and catching planets to a magical winter wonderland where you could see what you would be like as a snowman!  So the fam stood in front of this huge screen and a projector made snowmen based on your height…

Another big highlight was building a playhouse.  Jacob and Dad set out to do just that…

Then Mazie came along and talked Jacob into sitting inside the playhouse until Dad was finished…

But Jamie was all about it.  She was bossing, I mean, instructing dad to put that board there and this little one here and “don’t forget the window”…

Then when it was all done and Jamie was pleased with the work, they tore it down for other kids to build. 

This museum was fun but it took us only two hours to do everything.  I think it is set up for classes to visit instead of families.  However, it would be the type of thing to do often if you live near it (instead of our hour-long drive, one way).  But we did have fun and that’s what matters!

Posted in Adventures, Family and tagged , ,
04 Jan 2011
4 Comments

Ten On Tuesday

1.  All the kids have started back to school and it has been quiet!  The girls started back yesterday and Jacob started back today.  I love school!

2.  Now if only I could get school to start for my husband before January 18.  Just kidding. I love you, hunny! 😉

3.  Jeremiah did start his big project today.  Operation Get The Basement Organized!  It actually looks so much better and he’s not even half way done. 

4.  I know Christmas is over and we’ve had our tree and decorations down since the day after Christmas but we’re still singing the song.  Probably will be until June, in fact. 

5.  Did you know that Frosty The Snowman carried a roast beef to the billiage?  Yep, that’s right.  Jacob’s version of the beloved song is: Down to the Billiage, with a roast beef in his hand.  It’s simply too funny to correct.  He’ll get it right next year anyway.

6.  He thinks that is what the Chipmunks are singing anyway.  We have the Chipmunks coming out our ears!

7.  We had a lovely New Years Day.  The Egberts came for a traditional pork and sauerkraut meal and we also celebrated Rachel’s birthday!  I made her a topsy-turvy cake.  You can read about it more over at the cake site.

8.  I’ve been told there’s a big birthday coming this weekend.  My dear husband is finally going to be the same age as me and can no longer taunt me about being older (at least until December 4)!

9.  There is another special birthday coming after that.  Mazie called Mickey Mouse on Sunday to let him know she was turning 9.  It was pretty cool how they had it set up.  Mickey even spoke to her.  This is all pretty funny since she couldn’t even hold the phone at Disneyland when she turned 3!  Her name may be scrolling on the birthday list on PlayHouse Disney, if you watch.

10.  I thought maybe I would have a little bit of a vacation when the kids started back to school.  But guess what?  Time doesn’t slow down when you want it to!  Who knew?

Happy Tuesday!

Posted in birthdays, Family, Friends, Kids, Random
24 Dec 2010
3 Comments

It’s A Wonderful Life!

We’ve been busy this week.  But I’m going to share with you some of the Christmas-y things we’ve been doing.  The kids helped make cookies one day this week.  Jacob was first…

He rolled out the sugar cookie dough…

Pressed the snoopy cookie cutter into the dough…

and out came a giant cookie…

He was so proud.   Then it was Jamie’s turn.  She was all about putting the ingredients into Ruby…

and watching the dough mix.  Then she was very determined to roll her cookies perfectly into the oats before placing them onto the cookie sheet…

While they were baking, she cleaned up her mess.  She does bake like her mama…

Her end result…Peanut butter oatmeal cookies with chocolate and peanut butter drizzle…

Then it was Mazie’s turn.  She decided to make peanut butter temptations.  She insisted on unwrapping (and enjoying a few) the candies.

She, too, was happy to clean up after herself…

No pictures of those but they are yummy!  More of the sugar cookies…

Also another tradition here in our house is to Santa watch.  The kids checked out where Santa was before they headed for bath time and bed.  They looked at a few of the videos from some of the places he’s already been to.  It’s quite fun to see their excitement…

So with lots of visions in their heads they are fast asleep while I am enjoying It’s A Wonderful Life with my dear husband.  It truly is A Wonderful Life on this special night.  Happy Christmas, everyone!

Posted in Family, Holidays and tagged , ,
05 Dec 2010
3 Comments

Birthday and Christmas

Saturday was my birthday.  So the kids (and Jeremiah and my dad) took me out to eat for an early supper but I had to open presents first!

When we got back we had an angel food cake made by my dear husband!  He did a great job even if it didn’t rise like it should have and I stayed out of kitchen.  I had a lovely day of relaxing and my family!

Since my dad left this morning, we decided to have Christmas with him last night so he could see the kids open their presents.

It was nice to be able to see him open our gifts too!

The kids are in a toy utopia right now.  I think the things they opened last night will hold them over until Christmas (I hope)! 😉

More on our visit from Pop Pop later.  Stay tuned!

Posted in birthdays, Family, Holidays and tagged , ,
29 Nov 2010
4 Comments

Thankful!

Our Thanksgiving was amazing.  First we had lunch in the living room while watching some football…

Snuggled a lot with people we love…

Had a delicious feast (yes I went overboard as usual)…

Then it was onto the fun.  Dad was apparently not too full to play on the floor and have kids jumping on him.  Seriously, at one point Jamie ran from one side of the room, hopped onto his stomach landing on her knees, and slid off laughing hysterically!

There was a little down time.  Typically whoever needed that little break snuggled with Pop Pop…

I had the camera so no one jumped on me 🙂 !  Dad was even musically inclined on Thanksiving night.  He played Wipe Out on the drums…

A trombone in the marching band…

Even a cello in the symphany…

You can see Jacob being a piano with Beethoven’s Fifth being played here. 

I am thankful for so many things.  My wonderful husband, my beautiful girls, my handsome son, (the fact that they are healthy, smart, and happy), and my family and friends (too many to list here).  I think it’s very clear that we are all happy that Pop Pop is here visiting…

I love my family and am very thankful to be so blessed.

Posted in Family, Holidays and tagged ,

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