The 19 Month Bee

So it is t-minus 18 hours until we make the long journey out to Disney World to run the Dopey Challenge, and I had this realization that I won't have access to a computer and will be running my little legs off on January 11th!  So, everyone is going to get to see this adorable little face a few days early this month.

Holy Moses has this little girl become....well, a little girl!  Long gone is the baby and we are in full fledged toddlerhood.  I LOVE it!  Evie is such a love and this little lady is so much fun.  This kid can make me laugh out loud these days. It is wonderful!

One of these laugh out loud moments happened today.  We have been battling keeping Evie's shoes on in the car.  She loves to take them off and throw them every which way.  It is a nightmare especially recently because it has been wintery and freezing.  Every time she takes them off, we come to her side of the car, point to her bare tootsies, tell her "No, No Bee," and give her a little swat.  She cries and then we do it all over again.  Well just today, I came around the car to discipline her and right when I opened the door, she grabbed her bare foot, pointed to it and said, "No, No," then smiled at me.  I admit, I just burst into giggles.  What a goober.  I just love her little self.

She is like a Lily clone right now and just simply cannot get enough of that sister of hers.  They love to play and giggle and then LOVE LOVE LOVE to yell and scream at each other.  I look at both of them and see so much of Bob and I in them.  Evie is more like me, and Lily like Bob.  Its great.

She is so adventurous these days and just wants to do anything and everything she thinks she can do.  She has become a regular house ape and wants to scale even the tallest of furniture.  I am truly surprised she hasn't braved exiting her crib.  She loves to walk and dislikes to be told where to go.

Her Memaw is seriously her favorite.  Absolute.  They are like two peas in a pod, and when Memaw is around, you can bet I am chopped liver.  Every morning when Evie wakes up she asks about "Memaw?" In the mountains Evie. "Papa?" He is in the mountains with Memaw. Bah Bah? (the horse Bon Bon)  She is in the barn.  Yes....with Memaw.  She looks at me for absolute confirmation and then says "O kayyyyy."

This baby girl LOVES her Memaw.

Evie has been very into cooking and baking "cu cakes!"  Oh how she loves to bring us little plastic colorful cupcakes from her oven.  She even puts her hat and oven mit on. Oh my heart, how it loves her.

The Bee loves "Ba" time and literally trips over herself with glee when we mention taking a bath.  The girls love to play together in the tub and it is so delighting to Evie.  They last until Lily's waterfall game gets to be too much for Evie.  It seems that she is always at the bottom of that game.

She loves fruit snacks still and is a decent eater most of the time.  Vegetables are still a fair miss and only occasionally will she consume them.  She is above all a carnivore and also loves her "ogurt." We have recently introduced "Bay doh" into our play time and she loves to eat that too.

This little girl is growing up so fast.  She is simply so fun and becoming such a cute little person.  She is bright and smart, funny and sensitive.  She still loves to give hugs and has morphed her kisses into full fledged tongue kisses.  Her giggles are infectious and her curiosity wide open.  I love her....all of her.  Every little bit.

A Jar Full of Blessings

This year we decided as a family to tangibly count our blessings.  I found this really neat Mason Jar and we started in January filling it up.  I remember putting in the first few blessings and wondering what our life would look like when we took them back out.  I must say.....its a wee bit different.  I am so glad that we did this.  I think its going to be a tradition.  

January- Bob entered his final month with PLINK and we excitedly looked forward to the next chapter with IBOTTA.  The 3 girls got to go to the National Western Stockshow with Memaw and Papa.  We had a blast.  Lily started pre school at Shepherd of the Hills.  Bethany started her Photography business, Bethany Jayne Photography, and prayed it would find its success.

February- Bob started with IBOTTA.  He had to work Downtown which was quite a commute on his bike!  Thank heavens for the RTD.  Great Grandma Joyce and Aunt Sue came for a short 3 day visit. Our whole family got to be in Wyoming for Elly's birthday bash.  We had a great time celebrating.  Bethany ran the Santa Stampede 10k with Sarah.

March- My dearest friend Grace got to visit for a whole week with her kids Jancsi and Laughter. It was glorious.  Bethany got her first ever road bike, Lady Trek.  We ran the Spring Fever Half Marathon at the end of the month when Grandma Jill and Grandpa Steve visited.  It was a cold run, but we sure did have fun!

April-  Bob was working long and hard hours at IBOTTA so the 3 girls headed to Arizona for a week.  We had such a blast catching up with family, old friends and the Weatherlys.  Lily loved the swimming pool and we all enjoyed not having to wear 3 layers!

May-  Grandpa Bob came for a visit and Bob and Bethany ran the Greenland 50k and 25k trail races respectively.  They were beautiful.  We had the great opportunity to dedicate the girls on Mother's day.  Bethany ran the Colfax Marathon and set a PR.  It was a great run.  Bob lost his job with IBOTTA at the end of the month.  While it was hard, it was also a HUGE, HUGE blessing in disguise.

June- We enjoyed a month of being together as a family.  Evie Bee turned 1 and we celebrated in style complete with bumblebee cupcakes.  Bob and Bethany celebrated 10 lovely years of marriage.  Hard to believe that much time has passed.  My brother, his wife and their kids came for a couple of weeks.  We had so much fun with them.  The end of the month brought a visit from Traci and Tyler Wincup.  Although it was short, it was absolutely wonderful and such a blessing to catch up with them.

July- We celebrated 4th of July up in Breckenridge and Twin Lakes with Grandma Lynn and Grandpa Bob.  It was so much fun.  We even got the chance to go to Aspen and see Maroon Bells.  I grew up here and just now got to see it!  So blessed.  Bob was hired by PSPC out of Arizona.  He works from home and has so much more flexibility.  God is so good!  Evie became a walker this month too!

August- Bob and Bethany take part in the Wild West Relay from Fort Collins to Steamboat.  It was so tiring, but so much fun.  Bethany also did her first ever triathlon, the TRI for the Cure, with her buddy Carolyn.  Just gearing up for IRONMAN.  Bob and Bethany visited their Honeymoon cabin for a late anniversary weekend.  All of us got to go to the Renaissance Festival with Memaw and Papa.  Lily got her fairy wings.

September-  Bethany and Bob did their first triathlon together, the Littlefoot Triathlon, and it was COLD!  Bethany and Sarah ramped up their training for the Vegas Marathon even though Bethany was dealing with an IT band injury.  This month Bob and I made the big decision to move our little family to Arizona next Spring. Poor little Evie got Hand Foot and Mouth disease.  She was such a trooper.  

October-  We had our dear friends the Oury's and the Hickerson's visit for a short while.  It was truly a blessing on both fronts.  We also got to reconnect briefly with the Fosters.  Lily decided to be Elsa for Halloween and her birthday, who would have thought?  Sarah and I finished our final long runs for our Vegas training.  

November- Lily turned 4 in a fun FROZEN themed bash.  Gpa Bob and Gma Lynn came for a visit and showered Lily with presents and fun.  Gpa Steve and Gma Jill came a week later for more birthday celebrations and fun.  Bethany and Sarah went to Vegas and successfully ran the Vegas Marathon.   Thanksgiving was a wonderful time.  We had the Opatrny's out again and got to see our Malin family from Wyoming.  

December-  Bob and Bethany got to head out to Arizona for a weekend getaway and Bob's Christmas Party.  We had a great time and are excited to live there again.  We all started getting excited for our Disney World Vacation coming up and Bob and Bethany started getting ready for the Dopey Challenge.  Christmas was wonderful and spent up in the mountains with Memaw and Papa.  The girls were showered with gifts and we had such a great time.  We also really soaked in the reality that Mom and Dad will be selling their house too!

2014 was a good year, filled with a lot of ups and a lot of downs.  Everything is changing again, but I know it's gonna be good!  We have so much to look forward to.  Bring on 2015!