Festive Fall!

We've been enjoying a wonderful fall up here in lovely Georgetown! Between school three days a week, multiple Halloween adventures, visits from friends and family, and playing outside almost daily, Cora has been a busy little thing! 

She loves her new school and has made some good friends up here. 

We also loved watching the gorgeous fall leaves change, and I'm still finding crunchy leaves in every pocket from our "collection." 

Enjoying one of the last warm days.

Cora and her favorite "doll" Amanda!

Ariel and her sea turtle prepare for Halloween!

Dads and their kiddos watching cartoons after a Howel's slumber party. 

Still practicing for Halloween.

Loving on her brother.

Best playground in the world.

Hanging at Nana and Papas.

Afternoon playtime chaos.

Cora and her best little friend Katie.

Ski pass photo invasion!!

She's so excited to ski again this year, despite her broken leg last year.

Something like this happens when I try to cook dinner... EVERY NIGHT!

Georgetown Trunk or Treat party.

Black light party at Porter's!

Quick visit from Auntie Cam Cam!! 

Cruising with Amanda, Kai and Cora.

Watching "Brains" during dinner. 

Beard babies!

I think this is finally Halloween day!

Slumber party with Erin and Kathryn and their kiddos!

Helping Kai learn how to walk!

Happy Fifth Birthday Cora!

Happy Fifth Birthday Cora Azalea! 

I am in denial that you are already five years old! What an exciting, action packed five years it has been! Your curiosity, endless energy and fire for life amazes and inspires me (and exhausts me!) daily. I love watching you grow and constantly absorb all the incredible details of how this wonderful and exciting world works. Here are a few fun things about you:

Best Friend: Kaite and Kai

Favorite Food: Bratwurst and Noodles

Favorite Toy: Hatchimal and Amanda

Favorite Activities: Swimming, riding bikes, skiing, playing with friends, school

Favorite TV show: Paw Patrol

Favorite Movie: Frozen

What I want to be when I grow up: "A Princess Bone Doctor Rescue Hero"

Where you want to travel: Back to Norway and Switzerland 

Cora had an incredibly fun birthday week. On her actually birthday daddy took off work and we had sushi for lunch and then went to the Nature and Science Museum (her favorite place!) where we saw a new dinosaur exhibit and dug for fossils. The next day Buddy, Pooh Bah and Annie arrived for the week and we had a wonderful time playing with them, celebrating and showing them around Georgetown. Aunt Marisa came in on Friday too for a quick, but wonderful visit, followed by Mom and Dad on Saturday for Cora's birthday party! It was a full, but fun house!

On Saturday, Cora had a swimming birthday party at the Idaho Springs Pool. It was a chaotic, sugar induced 5-year-old cluster of swimming fun!    

Happy fifth birthday Cora!!! Please always stay this sweet, curious and exciting!

Opening her Hatchimal (from Nana and Papa).

Astronaut birthday princess.

At the museum!

Celebrating at school with her little classmates.

Birthday party!

Cora and Katie!

Thanks for coming Aunt Marisa! We LOVE you!!

Five or fifteen???

Idaho, Colorado and New School Adventures!

Cora began her first hurrah at Georgetown preschool a couple weeks ago, and of course, she loves it! 

Her school is only a ten minute walk away, which is just what we were hoping for when we envisioned a nice place for Cora and Kai to live. Her school hours are long - 8:00 to 3:30 - but it is only Monday, Wednesday and Friday so it is completely manageable.  I try to treasure her days home with just Kai and I, because before I know it, she will be gone EVERYDAY! On the other hand though, she not only loves school, she very much needs it. She is a little sponge soaking up everything, and while also trying to keep Kai alive, I can't keep up entertaining her and teaching her everyday, all day long. School is awesome for all of us!

Currently, she is very excited about space, planets, bones (she has been obsessed since she broke her leg), how the human body works, painting, and how leaves change color. She's also constantly asking me the big questions like: "Who made the Earth?" "How are babies made?" "What is past space?" "Why can't dogs and cats have babies?" ...  I'm now open to any answers anyone who is reading this may have. 

While back to school has been great, we also had an amazing summer. We camped, hiked, rode bikes (almost daily), played in the rivers and lakes, went to Idaho for a couple weeks (where we did even more of all the above!!) and generally played outside as much as we could.

Here are some photos of the past couple months:

Playing in our local Georgetown lake.

Family bike ride around Crested Butte.

Cora's first bike race!! She was the only girl and did awesome!

Visiting our dear friends Adam and Kristina and their new babies Soren and Penny. Cora and Penny hit it off instantly! 

Dad rock!

So sweet.

Tricking Kai into pushing her around. 

Wonderful Idaho time!!

Zach and Cora! 

Obsessed with playing in mud, while wearing tutus. 

Sweet story time. 

Eclipse viewing. Unfortunately, she didn't think it was as cool as everyone was making it out to be.

Playground stop after school!

Zoo time!

Celebrating Kai's first birthday.

Teaching Kai how to drive mom crazy at the market.

Walking home.

Couch forts!