Camping {Almost}

Saturday afternoon we got an awesome surprise when friends (who are really like family) came up for a spontaneous camping trip in our backyard.  We really thought they were joking because in the past camping hasn't been their thing. Then we realized that they were serious and we got busy planning for a camping trip....in the backyard.  Actually we didn't really have to do anything except pull the tent off the shelf for them.  They did all the work.  We did have smores around the campfire along with a not so quiet game of charades and then finished with a very silly story before their kids settled into the tent and our kids settled into their beds :)  The good news is that I think they will camp again.  Because we do own a camping store and we love to camp, we helped them pick out some necessary items (like sleep pads) that would make their trips to the mountains that much more enjoyable.
On Sunday morning we all headed out for a bike ride.  It was a gorgeous morning for a ride.   Aside from Paige going out of control and riding off the side of the trail down into the trees and Sam and Alice colliding (which resulted in Sam cutting up his hand) we had a very nice morning :)  We had a yummy pizza lunch and then finished the day up with frozen yogurt, beer for the mommas and live music.  It could not have been a nicer day.

Thanks Youngs for such a great visit!!!

Jennifer and fam

Gorgeous

Sunny

Sometimes painful

Hilarious

Fun


Day.

Today, the kids and I enjoyed this beautiful day with a round of golf.  Yep.  9 holes.  I took 4 kids golfing.  All by myself.

Really?


Really.

Okay.  Not THAT kind of golfing. Actually, a way more fun (is way more fun proper English?) kind of golfing.  Disc golfing.
There is an awesome course on the Frisco Peninsula that goes right along Lake Dillon.  I have to admit that I didn't expect much. After all, I have played frisbee with these kids and their aim and distance is still progressing but hey all did great. Sam totally outplayed me.  The other three managed to stay along with us and had a blast. 
There were a few moments of distress when one or the other would throw their disc and hit a sibling.  Sam thought he might have broken a rib when Paige beaned him point blank with her frisbee disc.  Alice received a really nice goose egg on her arm when Mason threw from behind and didn't call a fore and Paige's ankle may have bled a bit when Sam accidentally sent his disc flying backwards.
Anyhoo, no major injuries.  It was a good time and we can't wait to go back with Daddy.

This sort of golfing has a spectacular view and the shoes are way better.
Have a great weekend,
Jennifer

A Boy and His Scooter

In the Wescott family, every kid knows that when you turn five you get your own scooter.  Mason has been waiting sooo long to finally be able to ride his own scooter with his brother and sisters.  Now he rides around and around the cul-de-sac.

He is one happy boy.  

Happy Scootering.

Jennifer

Middle of the Week Recipe {Vegan Lasagna}

Instead of typing up the whole recipe, I am gonna just give you the link.  I love this recipe and more importantly, my kids love this recipe.  They ask me to make this on a daily basis.  Seriously.


Tofu is not a crowd favorite around here. I will admit that it kinda gives me the heebee jeebees.  I have tried to cook it various ways but to no avail.  The only way that we really like tofu is in this lasagna.  Try it, you will probably like it. 


The only thing that I change (because I am totally lazy) is the sauce.  I don't make it.  Nope.  I buy a jar of marinara sauce and doctor it up with some spices.  Works for me. 


So, here you go.  I hope your kids like it as much as ours.  Happy cooking.
Vegan Lasagna

Out For A Walk In The Woods

Let me start out by saying that my husband has been on a work trip (read: ride bikes, learn about bikes, repeat) since Sunday and I am starting to go a little bit cuckoo for cocoa puffs.  If you know what I mean (or watched Saturday morning television in the 80's).

Yesterday morning we got the call for a house showing (our house is currently for sale and we are renting).  I choked down the giant sigh and agreed.  Quickly I packed up four kids, one dog, lunches, blanket, sunscreen, water and the kitchen sink.  Well, after all that stuff my pack did feel like the sink was hiding in there somewhere. 

We headed out to the Rainbow Lake trail head.  We hiked up to the lake and ate our lunch.  After lunch we hiked back around the lake and to the car.  Not a super long hike in miles but when you add up all the stops to look at logs and twigs, it took us a while.  The wild flowers are still really pretty so that was a plus.  All in all, the day ended up being a great one, showing or no showing.  

my hiking pals. They are a cute bunch.  

Happy Thursday!

Tomorrow we are headed to Winter Park for another swim meet.  Have a great day!

Jennifer

Summer Fun

As I was downloading some pics from my camera I came across a few that I didn't get a chance to post. So, here are some moments from our first summer in the high country. We have made a ton of great memories so far!  Looking forward to the next half of summer break.

hiking with friends

Frisco pig races

Alice bull riding :)

making soap snow

relaxing and listening to music at the Dillon Amphitheater 

after seeing a 3-D movie we made 3-D hand drawings

hiking to Lily Pad Lake

Fourth of July parade, argh!

Wescott family in Michigan

Swimming

Another day. Another swim meet.

We are really enjoying our swim season and new team.  Of course, the kids miss their old teammates and the spirit of the Valley team and we all miss seeing our friends bright and early every morning but our new team is very informal and laid back.  Exactly what we needed :)  Sam and Alice are swimming better than ever and really enjoying it.  Their coach is fantastic and really pushes them. She tapes them at each meet and some practices and then one by one she goes over their strokes and gives them advice on what they should be working on and then tailors their practices to their needs.

Anyway, here are some pics from the day.  Enjoy...

Happy Friday!
Jennifer

Birthday Party {times 2}

In all the craziness of the 4th of July week, wildfires, a trip to Colorado Springs and visitors, I completely forgot to post about Alice and Mason's birthday parties.  Well, to start off, both parties were on the same day, one hour apart. Way back in May, I decided that it would be an awesome idea to have their birthday parties separately but on the same day.  I really can't be to blame because I made this decision sometime around the last week of school and if you remember that post, well, you know that I was crossing the fine line on crazy.  Anyway, they both had super fun parties and we all survived.  Barely.

I will start with Alice. She wanted a color party so we went with a rainbow theme.  Totally fun and sooo easy to plan around.  Think colorful food, primary colored balloons and tablecloths and tie-dyed plates and cups.  We had it at a local park that is appropriately named Rainbow Park.  Scott set up the slack line and it was a huge hit.  Huge. We also had a squirt gun fight and gave away colorful kites as the party favor.

One hour after we arrived home from Alice's party, the guests arrived at Mason's birthday bash.  Along with cousins, grandparents, Aunt Stacie, Uncle Jeff, Colorado Springs friends, brother and sisters, he had two classmates at his construction themed party.  They donned construction hats while sifting through a pile of mulch looking for giant bugs.  The cake was truly a dirt pile with mini diggers and excavators on top.  Most of all, he had so much fun running around, playing with his friends.  It was the perfect 5 year old birthday.  

If you asked him, opening presents might have been the best part :)

Once everyone had gone home, we collapsed cleaned up a bit and then got the kids some healthy dinner (of course, I have no recollection of what that might have been).  I can say with certainty that we did all sleep well that night!

Jennifer

Field Trip #2 {Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum}

Today we headed over to Vail for our field trip.  I haven't been as good this summer about getting in our weekly field trips.  We haven't put a dent in our summer bucket list and we are on the other side of 4th of July.  {{{Starting to panic}}} You know what that means....the first day of school will be here before we know it!! Noooo!
Anyway, we had The Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum on our list for this summer and since we just live over the pass from Vail, we decided that would be a good trip to make this morning.  It was really informative and pretty awesome to see all the early skis and snowboards. There was also a display about the 10th Mountain Division that kept us all enthralled. We are looking forward to snowshoeing into one of the 10th Mountain Division huts this winter.  What a fun way to learn more about this part of our history.

The best part about the whole thing.....FREE.  And the parking.....FREE.  Hey, when you have 4 kids, free is so good.  Okay, so it probably wasn't nice to say that the free part was the best, but it did take a close second.

After the museum we plopped down by the river and had a picnic lunch.  We strolled around Vail village for a while and then we came upon this......

A pirate ship playground.  I am not sure how we ever missed it before. A huge pirate ship.  The kids (all of them) were in heaven.

After making my kids walk the plank, we headed back to the car.  We also saw something else super cool but Sam wants to blog about it.

Have a great Tuesday.  We are off to the pool.
Jennifer

Happy Independence Day

I hope your day was full of fun and laughter, family and friends!
Love, The Wescotts