Good Girls Get Pie

Trading Slippers For Heels

Mommy got some new shoes today...I think Grace approves!

Little Stinker

Grace: "Moooom, you have scratches on your forehead."

Me: "No Grace. those are wrinkles."

Engine House 14

As apprehensive as we were to put our kids in daycare so young, we totally love the daycare center our kids attend - a lot.  They are constantly doing cools arts and craft stuff that even Pinterest couldn't comprehend.  Not along the arts and crafts line, but even cooler in my opinion, they were visited recently by the local fire department, Engine House 14.  

I'm not sure if it was the bewildering reflectivity of the firefighter's jackets, or the divine skills of the daycare staff, but any group of adults that can get twenty 2 year olds to sit still for more than a millisecond are heroes worthy of endless praise in my book.  I only have two kids and I think I've only gotten them to sit still together.. eh, maybe twice - and that may have been by luck.  Hats off to the firepeople and the daycare staff.

Although Grace isn't the center of any of these photos, she's easy to spot in her red jacket.  What I would give as a father for her to look at me with a face full of awe and wonder...

Santa's Helper

Look who's "helping" me wrap presents today. Way more interested in ribbon and bows than taking his morning nap.

Dental Exposure

Grace's first visit to the dentist. No work today, just watching Mom getting a cleaning from Stella.

iPhones Take Video Too

Yeah, you probably knew that, and so did I, but like the photos, now that I have an iPhone, I actually capture a bit of video to share from time to time.  Much of the time the lighting is less than ideal and the cameraman's technique in shooting just plane stinks, but it's a video camera in your pocket people!  Here are three videos Sarah and I have snapped with the phone recently:

WHY?  Because!

I think our Canadian neighbors are starting to rub off on Grace.  Now, MAPLE TREE!!

Grace & Sam just having a whale of a good time in the tub.

Model Trains!

Last night we visited family friends who collect model trains.  Larry doesn't discriminate between brands which makes his collection quite comprehensive.  A large portion of the basement is dedicated to storing, displaying, and "playing" with the trains.  Larry also enjoys showing his collection with friends.  It didn't take long from when we walked through the door for Grace and Jack to point in any direction and say, "TRAIN!"  The outing was a success to say the least.  

During the holidays, a couple of the train sets even make their way into the living areas of the rest of the house.  All the buildings are "snow" covered and the figurines are crafted to match.  The table these trains travel upon is also perfectly sized for younger enthusiasts like Grace.  

Sam had recently started pointing!  

It's great, as our level of communication just leveled up 10 notches

Jack won't smile for the camera - there's 15 trains over THERE!

This tunnel is 5 lanes wide - no kidding! 

While everyone else is watching all the motion, 

the ladies "ooh" and "ahhh" over baby Eli.

Larry the "Conductor" stands watch from his control consul in the middle of it all.

               Sam is tired from all the excitement.     Grace gets excited every time Santa appears

So many trains!

(I wish I had gotten a wide shot of the entire board to better demonstrate the awesomeness of the display... next time.)

Dynamic Duo

Grace and Samuel are learning to play the piano together. Samuel pretty much wants to check out anything that Grace is doing. And now that he is pulling himself up on just about everything, he's able to participate more.
I was attempting to teach them some motivational music for daddy. I took this picture and sent it to Scott during his 21 mile training run yesterday.

Denver Museum of Science & Nature

Grace, like most kids, loves dinosaurs.  We took some time on Friday to take Grace, cousin Jack, and Sam to attend the Denver Museum of Science & Nature where they have a truckload of dinosaur bones.  Considering none of the three can read, not much was gained from the informative placards, but they loved the displays.  Many thanks to Grandma and Papa who helped with the corralling of children.  The amblers, Grace and Jack, only got lost once each.  

Ever Since I got an iPhone...

I've taken a lot more photos.  If you didn't know, Sarah got a new iPhone 5 recently, and I took over her 3 year old iPhone 3Gs.  I had a Blackberry in 2006, but since it went the way of the Dodo, I'v been using a regular (dumb) phone for the past 5 years.  Since getting the iPhone I've been geekin' out like it's 2006!

Here's a sampling of the smattering of shutter cycles I have clocked with my 3 year old iPhone:

Home Improvement.  When you decide to rip out a wall in the bathroom, you must document the event, especially so you can look at what type of valve you need once you get to the hardware store and forgot to bring the old one with you...

Old Faucet                                                 New Faucet 

At work, when you want to document the weird stuff you see & do while getting paid.

Thanksgiving, when you decide at 8am to go run the local Turkey Trot which starts at 9am - and you are running to get to the event.  

                           Last entrant!!!              Someone had fun with the statue near the start line.

The day after Thanksgiving when you take the kids to the Children's Museum hoping everyone else is either shopping or sleeping - and your wife is working so you brag about how much fun you are having by emailing her all the photos.  

Calm...                the opposite

Captain of the ship, calling Papa from the second story lookout.

Fun with Dinosaurs                                      Fun with Water

Saturday after Thanksgiving when you wrestle with the kids all day - again emailing the photos to your wife to encourage her to arrive home early and join in the fun...

Sunday after Thanksgiving when you take the kids to the Zoo - once again emailing copies to your wife.

Grace looks in at the tiger cubs playing with the zookeepers.

Sam was somewhat less enthusiastic, but still enjoyed the cubs.

Grace decided to act like a tiger and growl while running circles

 round and through the mouth of this giant billboard