Posting #7 - Patience

For my avid followers, I know it has been a couple of days since my last post. We have done a lot through the summer and I am working on getting it sorted out so I may post the adventures of what we have done. Stay tuned....

Posting #6 - Yep...I Miss Them!!!

My son, tonight you are on your way to Florida for some fun in the sun. I’m sure your thoughts are purely focused on how much fun you and Colton are going to have while down there. You know what? That is perfectly normal! In fact, I would be quite worried about you if you weren’t. I know you are going to have a great time, and I am certain you will come back with plenty of stories! You know what else? I am going to hang to every word as you tell me about your many adventures.

My sweetheart, you are, I’m sure, playing with your toys and enjoying every moment of being home. If you’re not playing with your toys then I can almost be certain you are drawing Mommy a lovely picture that will undoubtedly end up on the refrigerator; as this is it where it should be. You know what? I am looking at one of your pictures that you drew for me and remembering the excitement you had in wanting to give it to me.

My youngest son, you are, no doubt, being every bit of a tenacious 3 year old you can be right now!!! You know what? That’s exactly how it should be. I can almost be certain that you are lining up your cars on the coffee table right about now and getting ready to show Mommy what you have just made. If not that, then you are burying yourself in as much toys as you can. Again, that’s exactly how it should be.

I am deeply missing all of you right now. The place we called “home” here in Colorado just doesn’t seem right without you guys right here with me. Devon, Teddy is doing just fine and she misses you too. She also wanted me to tell you to have fun while down in Florida. Shelby, your drawings and colorings are safely secured. I am going to bring them back home so we can fill up the refrigerator. Jackson, you left your shoes in the kitchen little man! Don’t you worry though. I will bring them for you so you don’t go the rest of the summer shoeless!

I love you babies and I miss you so much!

Posting #5 - Seven Falls, Colorado

So I asked Devon & Shelby to write what they loved about today while at Seven Falls. My hope was to scan in what they wrote and post it, but I’m still trying to learn this thing!!! So their efforts will not have been for nothing, I will transcribe it for this post.

Grammatical Disclaimer: So as not to take away from their efforts, I am going to type their experience exactly as they wrote it.

Devon wrote:

Seven Falls

“My favorite thing at seven falls was walking up the stair case. Or Seven Fall. It was very cool.”

Shelby wrote:

Seven Falls

“My favorite part was when me and daddy went up 224 stairs and I got tired on the stairs. Then we saw Indians and I saw chip and dale when we were eating.”

Yes, it was a great time today! Next weekend we will travel back up to the Black Hills of South Dakota to take part in the annual völksmarch at the Crazy Horse Memorial. Additionally, my baby boy will be turning 10 years old. We shall celebrate his birthday with a peach cobbler made over a campfire as well as some good times…nah, great times!!!

Posting #4 - Seven Falls, Colorado

Posting #3 - Dreams

What is a dream? A definition of a dream is a “sequence of thoughts, images, sounds or emotions which the mind experiences during sleep”. What about dreams of life? We often dream big as a child, but fail to achieve for a number of reasons. Often, we all end up doing what we have to do out of necessity rather than doing what we truly want to do; or what we dream doing. I hope that as my kids grow older they do what they dream doing!

For Devon, I frequently see him portraying his image of a spy. Watching him duck and hide as if he were James Bond is truly awe inspiring. I could watch him for hours. For Shelby, she often portrays a teacher. She pretends to have her “class” of a garden variety of stuffed animals and toys which she will teach to. Again, I could just sit and watch her for hours. For Jackson, I’m not quite sure. Mainly he pretends to be as big as his two older siblings! He soon will be though, much to the chagrin of Jennifer and me, and he will soon develop dreams of his own. I know that as they grow their dreams will change, but no matter the cost, I will support them in their dreams. Should Devon become a spy, then I wouldn’t have him just settle on that, but to be the type of spy that others write books about. If Shelby were to become a teacher, then I would have her be the very best teacher she can possibly be by being the type of teacher her students wake up for. For Jackson, well, you’ll just have to stay tuned as he gets older.

Dreams are important. Dreams can delineate who we want to be, who we will become, and ultimately, how our legacies will be made. For my children, it is vital they know that we (Jennifer & I) will support them no matter what. I love my children very much. They have truly changed my life and my dream, for them, is instead of growing out of their dreams they grow into them.

Posting #2 - Preparation For Camping

We are shedding off the house and all the amenities of the conventional home and going camping next weekend! My family has made it safely back to Colorado and we have been preparing all weekend for our first, as a family at least, real camping experience. We plan on doing everything from telling ghost stories by the campfire, fishing, a little bit of geocaching perhaps, and just teaching my kids to enjoy being in nature.

As I have mentioned before, my company has sent me to some absolutely beautiful areas of the world, but I can’t begin to describe what being here in Colorado does to you. There is something about this state that makes you want to get out and be active. I love it, my wife loves it, my kids love it, and the fact that we can all enjoy it together just makes it indescribable!

Well, stay tuned for the details of our first camping trip! I will provide the write, my wife will provide the photos.

Posting #1 - The Gateway Arch

At this time, my kids are at home enjoying…well, their time and just having fun! Without going into great detail, I travel, you may say, quite extensively for my company. This has allowed me to see some absolutely spectacular areas of the world. This past year, my wife and I decided to start home schooling our kids so they too can have the opportunity to experience my travels, but, in their own way.

On our recent return trip home we stopped in St. Louis to visit the Gateway Arch as well as other parts of the Jefferson Expansion Memorial. On our trips to and from Colorado my kids have always been amazed with the Gateway Arch and often asked, “Can we go there? We really want to go there!!! Mommy and Daddy, can we go there, please?!?!” Well, on Sunday, April 25, 2010, we obliged their request. The excitement on their faces could not be described in words.

As we walked in, cleared the security gates, our oldest son, Devon, was insistent that he “was not scared” and was chomping at the bit to go up into the arch! Shelby, our daughter and middle child, was a little apprehensive, but soon showed great enthusiasm as we walked around before taking the North Tram to the top. Jackson, our youngest son, was…well, he was just doing what every tenacious 3-year old does – being a 3-year old! We soon make our way to the North Tram and begin our ascent to the top of the arch. Once there, all fear of heights soon diminished as all three of them found the closest window and pressed their faces to the glass to wonder in the amazement! To this day, Shelby can tell you precisely how far up we were!!! The day was overcast and rainy, but the visibility was made for them. They could see for miles!!! Well, what goes up must come down, and down we went. As we get down to the bottom, we find the gift store where Devon & Jackson find a Lewis & Clark spyglass that they absolutely refused to put down. Jackson would not stop coming up me and my wife telling us to look through the spyglass!

Jackson: “Mommy, Daddy…wook!!! Wike this…wook!”

Daddy: “Alright, let me se…..”

Jackson: “No Daddy, wike this!!!” (holding the larger end of the spyglass to his eye)

Daddy: “Like this?”

Jackson: “Yep, Daddy, wike that! Okay Daddy, no more okay! I’m ago show Mommy…okay Daddy? I’m ago show Mommy.” (and off he goes)

I could go on and on about this adventure, but I think I am going to close for now. In closing, we are getting ready to go back to the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota for a hike up to the top of the memorial as well as some good, old-fashioned camping.

More to follow…..