Skater Boy

So Nicolas has totally been into skateboarding lately. He asks me everyday to "practice" skateboarding. He wants to do a kickflip so badly it's hilarious. First of all he pushes mongo, which basically means he pushes with his front foot-which Jamie says is bad and keeps trying to get him to switch. I think it's very cute and just laugh. He's been having so much fun on Jamie's old school skateboard, I had to take some photos the other day.

We Have Moved

Jamie and I have finally moved to Castle Rock, Colorado. We live just minutes to the freeway and 25 minutes to his work in Littleton, Colorado. We love living in small towns and Castle Rock is just that. The south side of Denver is only 10 minutes on the freeway and we are also only 35 minutes to Jamie's parents in Colorado Springs. We feel so blessed and greatful to be done with the moving prep. Now we just get to unpack for the next two years! I can't believe how much stuff we own. I think I want to downsize, but then I never want to move again so why bother? When I find cables and can download pics of the house I will put them up. We love our house. It's this cute 3 bedroom 3 bath home in Metzler Ranch. We are up on a hill so we have amazing views of the city and mountains. Our backyard is great-nice, large and FLAT. Jamie also did a nice job of putting tile in the master bathroom. We have to thank Jamie's Dad and brother Ben for all the help in getting us hooked up and fixing things around the house. Jamie's Dad fixed our sprinklers, closet doors and taught Jamie how to lay tile. Ben was doing 20 things at a time including painting, tiling, fixing the toilet and taking me to the store to buy the right materials for painting-he's the man. They also came the day we moved and moved us out of our old house and unloaded the truck. Jeremy also came to help out on the day of his daughter's birthday-he's such a great guy. What I'm trying to say is that it's so nice to live by family. I love that we moved to Colorado. We have so much family around, it's great. I miss my family in Utah, but Colorado rocks! Also, I have season passes to Elitch Gardens in Denver, so if anybody ever wants to meet up-I'm there! Or, if anybody wants to come visit or wants to go with us, I have discount coupons for family and friends. We've already been twice and we love it!

Also, I have to mention how hard it was to move from Fort Collins. I will miss my friends terribly. I know we're not that far away, but it's not the same anymore. Not to mention Laurel is moving to Arizona-lucky girl-and I don't know what I'm going to do without her close by. She was like my younger sister Elisa-so much fun and full of energy. You better call me all the time Laurel! We also had a great ward. We had so many great friends there and everyone was so close. It was such a great ward to be in. I don't think the ward I moved into will ever live up. I have a hard time with change, but I'm optimistic about our new adventures in Castle Rock. Besides, it's still Colorado!

Happy Late Birthday Elisa!

May 8th, my LITTLE sister turned 28. Where does the time go? I still remember breaking her knee cap in the sleeping bag (we were trying to jump around the house in it together). I remember doing her bangs into a super claw and combing her hair in the morning for school. I remember how she always did everything before I did-she was so grown up! Anyway, in memory of Elisa, I'm doing 28 things I love about my sister:
1. She is bossy. No one can boss you around like her. She is determined and when she wants something done, she gets it done.
2. She is the luckiest person I know. She should buy powerball tickets-she'd be rich because she would win everytime. When we were little she was always finding money on the ground. She gets her kids into impossible schools to get into and she always seems to find what she is looking for.
3. She is fun to be around. Unless she just talked with Dad who needs something right away and therefore, she is in a bad mood. But for the most part, she's funny, loves to laugh and having a good time.
4. She has great kids that I LOVE! They are very cute and super talented.
5. She has a boat-Some day she'll visit me in Colorado and we'll go boating. We'll see...hint.
6. She has a super cute house! She is a great decorator and has great fashion sense.
7. She's not affraid to tell me that my clothes don't match, or that the new earings I bought are hiddeous. Love her.
8. She's very determined. If she wants something, she doesn't think twice about it, she goes and gets it.
9. She gets grossed out by the same things that I do. Wet hair and sea weed in the Ocean-yuk!
10. She has a fantastic hubby that puts up with her crazyness and encourages her at the same time. Great guy.
11. She's very spur of the moment. If she sees something she wants to buy, she buys on impulse and doesn't think twice.
12. She's a great shopper. I LOVE shopping with her because I don't have to spend any money. She does all the spending and I feel like I've accomplished a great deal just by watching her shop away!
13. She's fun to shop with because I hesitate and she pushed me to buy stuff. I totally need the extra push. I never spend money. I can go to the store, put tons of stuff in my cart and walk out empty handed. She'll convince me I NEED something in my cart. She's great that way.
14. She's a born leader. Once when we were little (she was like 6 ) she started a preschool with all the neighborhood kids. Parents kept calling my mom to see if it was for real (since she put on the flyer that it was free) and that is how my mom found out. She kept it up all summer. Bossing kids around-right up her ally!
15. She's a take charge kinda girl. If we're sitting around, it only takes her a few seconds to organize the troops to do something and get going.
16. She's my best friend. When ever I'm sad or need to chat, she's always available and has plenty to say and advise me on.
17. She has the best laugh! She'll also laugh at anything you say.
18. She looks like Calli Torres on Gray's Anatomy. She has a beautiful smile and gorgeous eyes. When I was little I was jealous because she had blue eyes and I had green. Of course, I wanted blue.
19. She has GREAT hair. From the time we were little she always had a headfull of hair. So thick and lustrous! She should be a hair model. I also love the color-she wears it so well...very sophisticated.
20. She loves to run! Yeah!!! Too bad I can't run anymore, but as soon as I have this baby we are definately training for a race together!
21. She is a great cook! She knows how to make my mom's recipes very well (even better!).
22. She loves food-just like me!!! It's so fun to have snack or endulge on treats with her because she loves to eat them as much as I do.
23. I have never met anybody that loves popcorn more than she does. I love that she has that craving. When we go to the movies, pocorn is a MUST.
24. She's shy on the phone. One time when we had ordered Pizza and she changed her mind about the toppings, she made me call to change the order because she was emberrased. I think she's gotten better since, but I had a good laugh about it for years!
25. She'll do anything for anybody in need. She has a great heart and is willing to serve or do what ever anytime.
26. She can't say "NO". This is good and bad. She over schedules herself, goes crazy, but gets it all done. How she does it? No idea!
27. We love to get together and have unbirthdays. I love this tradition. Everytime we get together we try to find something to celebrate and we figure birthdays are great because you get cake. We find a good bakery, or a very delicious looking cake and we make it a party! She's so fun like that.
28. I can't image my life without her, she's amazing in so many ways. One of my favorite things about her is that she is a great mom and does so much for her kids. She is spunky, fun and knows how to get those kids to practice the violin. She inspires me all the time. Happy birthday sis!

Farmer Nico

I love Fort Collins because they offer these really great classes for the kids. Nicolas just got done doing a Pee Wee Farmers class where 3 and 4 year olds learned all about the farm and the animals. They got to pet goats, milk goats, gather eggs from the chicks, make ice cream and many other activities. Today was the last day and the kids got to go on pony rides led by their parents. Nico decided to ride "Brownie" because his favorite dessert is Brownies. Well, Brownie was hungry and every time we got near a patch of grass, Brownie took off in a trot to get his green grass. I couldn't keep Brownie from running and poor Nico got a bit jittery. He was done after the third "snack" break Brownie took. Anyway, here are some photos of the great adventures we had today.

After Nico's teacher noticed I couldn't guide the horse very well, she took over and had Brownie do one last lap around the track. Nico did have fun, even though he was done after riding the hungry runaway pony.

Jamie's Website

Jamie just redid his webiste and has new photos of the kids. Here is a link to his website http://www.jamietownsend.com/Pictures.htm You can also listen to old Doug Valley stuff from the old days when he played in a band with his best friends from High School. Of course they were in college when they played as Doug Valley, but the little child inside has to live on forever!!!!

Ten Year Anniversary

I'm a slacker, I know. We had our ten year anniversary on February 28th and the following weekend we had a night off up in Denver. It seems like Jamie and I don't get alot of alone time these days. It was so nice to hang out and just be together. I love being reminded of what a great man I married. He's amazing in so many ways, the first being that he married me-unbelievable! When we met I had a missionary and was convinced that I was going to wait for that missionary! Jamie didn't even think twice about it, he kept asking me out. I finally said yes, then he kept trying to kiss me and I was just too stubborn to realize what I was missing. Anyway, to make a long story short, we met in September of 1997, but December 1997 we knew we wanted to get married and were married February 28, 1998. How time flies when your having fun! Jamie is exaclty what I need in my life. Now, if only we could find more time together!

I've Been Tagged!

I ignore being tagged way too much, so this time I'm doing it-and because Sandee tagged me, I just couldn't say no :)!
The rules: Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names; then goes to their blog, leaves them a comment by letting them know that they've been tagged and invites them to read your blog.

1. My worst habbit is I like to stick ANYTHING that will fit under my fingernails. Mostly I do it with bedsheets because they fit nicely and are soft. Jamie thinks it's gross, I just get the biggest relief out of doing it. I notice that I do it alot when I'm stressed out, or in deep thought. Wierd, I know.

2. I have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Not slightly, but BIG TIME. It has gotten better since I got married, but for example, before I was married. I had to turn off the lights at least 5 times. Check the stove at least three times. Get in bed with my right leg two times (yes, up and down). Lay my clothes in drawers in order and folded specifically. If my shirts didn't lay perfectly flat, I would pick them up and start all over. Now, the worst is when Jamie is gone, I check the lights and turn off the fireplace more than once. I also still have to walk back the same way I came. If I went around a post to get to a building, I MUST go around the same way, or the string attached to my butt will wrap around the post and I will get stuck. Okay, that is way more wierd than the fingrenail thing.

3. I love sour stuff. Give me chocolate I'll be content, give me cake I'll smile, give me sour candy straws and my mouth will start salivating before I can open the wrapper-Okay, it's salivating just thinking about it.

4. I hate scary movies. I haven't watched one since high school and I don't feel like I'm missing anything. The scariest movie I ever saw was the Changeling and I don't think I'll ever watch it again. Oh, Lady in white (Disney?) also scared me to death. I like suspense, but not scary. HATE scary movies.

5. I hate spending money. My husband is the spender and I'm the money pincher. If I could put all my money away and live in a dump-I would totally do it. Jamie wouldn't be too happy, but I would LOVE it. I love shopping with Elisa because she buys EVERYTHING and I feel like I bought all that stuff as well without spending a penny! I am getting better though, I promised Jamie he can buy a big screen TV when we move into our new house in Castle Rock!

6. I love cooking! My favorite things to make lately are anything with beef. Tonight we're having grilled steaks and tomorrow I'm making beef Milanesas. I love that our new house will have a nice big kitchen and I can't wait!

Okay, I'm tagging Elisa, Angie, Korby, Laurel and Brittany (my new blogger friend)