Pikes Peak

Just saw this commercial and it made me miss America's mountain in our old backyard!! We remember climbing those rocks well!! :)

I will be watching for the Progressive Auto Insurance commercial they filmed in downtown Colorado Springs too.

Kindergarten Cafe

Mrs. Lohr just emailed me this picture. :)
This is Cullen and Sara. Cullen told me
he asked Sara if she was done eating before
he got up from the table. He waited for her.
What a sweet photo!

My handsome, growing, big boy.

All the kinders passed their good manners test! So today at snack time they dressed up and went to the Kindergarten Cafe. :) There they dined on pb&j sandwiches, pretzel goldfish, fruit loops, and m&ms.

They had to master lots of manners- please, thank you, may I be excused?, napkin on lap, not leaving the table until all are finished, and holding one finger up when someone asks a questions while you are chewing. There are probably more, but those are the ones Cullen told me about.

On the day of the good manners test, I asked Cullen if he had passed it yet. Sadly, he hadn't. He was talking and not sitting still during circle time and that's not nice manners. :) Ha! That night I asked if he passed and he said yes, that he decided to sit away from everyone during circle time, so he wouldn't have anyone to talk to. I believe this will be a constant struggle for my social and impulsive Cullen... but I'm proud that he made that decision on his own! No one asked to told him to do that. :)

Yay for good manners! And who thought that my "perfect b/c I always use my manners" Cullen wouldn't pass!! LOL

no training wheels!

We have been working with Cullen on riding his bike with no training wheels ever since the weather has warmed up. He's doing really well now! :) Normally he will jump up and shout "Yes!!" out of pure excitement, after he crashes. This time he laid there laughing. :)

It is my goal to have him ride around Lake St. Mary with us this summer.

Dirty hands, clean soul.

A link to a news article.

Another news article link.

Raymond Francis Braun from Courtney Marchbank on Vimeo.

I swear my grandpa walked on water. He could not have been a better man, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, neighbor, or role model. He touched SO MANY lives!! So many reached out to our family after his passing, many we never knew of. He inspires me to be a better person. I am so blessed to have had him in life for so long! He will be sorely missed, but his memories live on in me. Thankfully I have many, many wonderful memories to draw from. I can almost hear his sweet laugh all the way from heaven....

So, Papa... Until I'm "off like a dirty shirt", I promise to "put (my) shoes on Lucy, don't you know you're in the city." So no one needs to "put the bee on (me)." I love you!! XOXO, your little Chirp