Papa

Papa came to visit!

We headed up the canyon into the mountains above Boulder to the little town of Nederland and Barker Reservoir. The lake was beautiful, partially frozen over, remnants of snow left on the bank from the last storm. We had fun throwing rocks onto the ice trying to get them to break through the ice and having contests who could throw a rock the farthest out across the ice. Classic wintertime fun:) As Papa said, there's always something fun to do when there's water around!

Josie finding a rock:

Anna throwing one:

A short video of the men in action, throwing their rocks:

Ruthie, on the hike back to the car:

Through the aspen grove:

Later that night we went on another short hike up to the star on Flagstaff Mountain. Every year during the Christmas season there is a huge star lit up on Flagstaff above Boulder. You can see it beckoning you home from over 20 miles away. If you drive up Flagstaff a little ways and park your car, you can hike up to the star and stand in it and look out at Boulder and beyond.

The crew hiking up to the star (l-r: Mitch, Anna, Papa, Josie):

I hiked fast and got ahead of them. Here they are again with Boulder in the background:

Almost to the top of the star:

The overlook, beautiful view on a beautiful night:

You won't see any pictures of Ruthie by the star because she fell asleep on the drive up. I put her in the Ergo on my back and she stayed asleep the whole time, transferred back into the car afterwards and I tucked her into bed when we got home. She was so confused the next morning when her sisters were telling her about the hike up to the star. She couldn't figure out where she might have been if all of us were there but she couldn't remember any of what they were saying:)

Thanks for coming for a visit, Papa! We had a great time with you.

Mitch's Poem

The leaves were hurrying and scurrying,

chasing one another around.

Until some of them got tired and stopped to rest in the corners.

-mitch

That's where 3 little girls found them.

Hope you're enjoying your leaves, too!

Riding Bikes with Daddy'O

Mitch got a new commuter bike today. Weren't you all saying that the Clements needed another bike around our house? We did, actually, Mitch's old commuter bike had no brakes left, and was not much of a winter bike since it had no traction on the tires. No more crashes on the ice this winter, Mitch! Thank you, Thomas, for the bike. The girls were excited about this bike because it came with a rack on the back.

Josie:

Anna:

Ruthie:
Wahoo! Lots of laughing in the courtyard today!

Lantern Walk

Thursday evening we had a lantern walk at Anna's school. It was a beautiful time of celebrating the changing of the season. The lanterns are symbolic of each child carrying their inner light out into the world and bringing love and compassion to those around them. We all gathered in the evening at her school, after dark with a full moon shining. After gathering in the cafeteria, hearing a story and practicing the lantern songs, we all headed silently out into the dark with lit lanterns for a walk around the property.Josie and Ruthie had made lanterns with me at home so they could participate as well.
Their lanterns, glowing in the dark:

I wish you could have had the perspective we had of hundreds of lanterns glowing in the dark moving silently along, stars and a full moon overhead... It was incredible. At the end of the walk we all gathered in the field and sang some songs that the kids had learned (and had attempted to teach their parents).

Beautiful evening, beautiful lanterns, beautiful children.

Tea Party

Nona gave Anna a new tea set for her birthday this year. Anna has loved having real tea parties these days.
Ruthie, oh so carefully, pouring in the cream:

Would anybody like a sip of tea?

What tea party is complete without "CHEERS!"? None that I've been to in this house!

The tea set came with silverware for every place setting. We had cookies with our tea, but they weren't soft enough to cut with the knives. Hmmm. We have to do something with our knives. Sword Fight!

Rock Park

We had a beautiful day here, although chilly, so we headed to the 'Rock Park' this afternoon for some fun. This neighborhood park, hidden in Boulder, has an amazing work of masonry, a many leveled cave structure of tunnels for kids to explore inside and out. We love it.

Ruthie climbing:

Heading into the unknown! Where she comes out, nobody knows!

Anna in her hiding spot:Josie, about to disappear into a dark tunnel:

Three girls peaking down at Mommy inside the tunnel. This structure was definitely made for kids, not adults. I barely fit through some of the openings and had to wiggle snake like along some of the tunnels. The girls could just crawl along.

Queen of the mountain!

Despite the chilly temperatures (my hands were numb from the cold by the time we went home), Anna wanted to be barefoot most of the time we were here.

Snack time! These girls only stop for food. Anna perched on her lookout eating a granola bar:

The larger perspective:

This playground also has a good old fashioned merry go round, of the kind that you don't find at newer playgrounds because I'm sure they've been deemed unsafe. The girls couldn't stop laughing the whole time they were playing on it:)

Check out some of our videos from the park!

Snow Fun

A snow fort was called for today, since we actually have heavy wet snow that packs well (dry Colorado usually has fluffy powder snow that crumbles apart, not good for making anything.)

Anna, packing in the foundation while Mama made more blocks:

Josie, hard at work making food for the fort. This is a cake she's packing into the sled:
Tah-dah! Finished for today at least, it was dinner time. Anna is insistent that the walls go higher tomorrow. We'll see.

Stepping through the hula-hoop:

Hula hoop fun for A and J. Don't you always pull out your hula hoop when it's snowy out?

"Moon Cheese!"

Hula hooping queen:

Snow angel time for Anna:

We even had to bring in some benches for the snow fort, some log rounds we had in their playhouse on the south side.

Anna wanted you to see her hula hooping:

And Josie wanted her turn as well. It's a little tricky in the snow, as you can see.

Barefoot Snow Girls

Anna and Josie, crazy girls, dancing barefoot in the snow. Not for very long, mind you!

A Full Halloween

A photo gallery of our action packed, fun filled day.

Anna's Kindergarten class went to Munson Farm Pumpkin Patch today and Josie, Ruthie and I got to tag along.

Stairstep sisters standing in the circle:

Two sisters, fast friends, running free:
Ruthie in the corn patch (she didn't like it much, she got lost in there for a bit when she couldn't see me, poor girl. Easy for the adults to see over the short stalks, but not a two year old):

Anna and Josie in the corn patch, mud about 2 inches thick on their shoes:

Ruthie found some corn!

"We have worms on our corn, Mrs. Kiley! Isn't that so cool! Mine has three worms!"

Class picture + Josie and a beautiful view of the mountains in the background. Can you beat the scenery around here? It doesn't get any better than a crisp Fall day (yes, it is Fall around here again), all the orange colors in the foreground, and the snow covered mountains rising up so close. Anna and Josie are in the middle row on the left, both in purple:

"I want this one, Mom!"

"That one's a little heavy for you, Ruthie, let me carry it"

Carving the pumpkin, cleaning out the goop inside:

Josie wanted to save and roast all the seeds for eating (anyone have a good recipe?):

The finished product, casting a ghoulish glow over our steps tonight:

Leaf pile fun this afternoon, Josie jumping in:

Anna's turn!

Bury me!

Where's Ruthie?

Anna, in her 'Nature Detective' costume complete with hiking stick, sun hat, good hiking clothes and shoes, magnifying glass, bag for treasures, creature identification booklet, bandanna turned cape that is covered in animal footprints for identification. (This Summer and Fall the girls have been earning their nature detective certificates by completing different activities at some of the Boulder Parks and Open Space areas around here. Their prizes arrived today in the mail, along with their certificate of completion saying they are officially Nature Detectives. Thus the Halloween costume featuring all the new prizes.)

Ruthie said she was a butterfly. Can you see the wings? What butterfly doesn't need a pink leotard and fuzzy purple hat?

Trick-or-treating around the courtyard! Josie was a ballerina (that was about her 5th costume of the day. The others were a Nature Detective, princess, pumpkin, and butterfly. Oh the fun of dressing up!)

Anna and Ruthie playing piano with our little friend Violet, aka Tigger the Tiger, who came over to play for a bit while the rest of her family went through a haunted house:

Stickers! What better place to put them than all over Daddy's face!

Lotsa love all around at the end of a full day.

I hope yours was packed with as much fun and lots of hugs as well!