best holiday ever

Just because I'm a little late on this post don't think for one second we didn't celebrate the fourth (in style)! We celebrated independence day Turnbow style and it didn't disappoint.

The Awful Waffle went off without a hitch this year.  It was especially fun to watch Kash "help" in the set up and actually be able to interact and realize something really cool was going on.  I thought he would love the jump castle but he kept saying it was too hot and preferred to enjoy the castle from the outside.  And like always the sandbox was his favorite place!

In between the awful waffle and the fireworks we hung out around Blaine's parent's house, made some homemade peach ice cream, let the boys throw some pops/snappers and even caught a little Rocky marathon on TV.  Good times had by all!

Then it was time to head to the fireworks.  We had a cool spot this year right on a golf course.  Perfect for a 1.5 yr old to burn some energy.  Actually we were a little worried about how Kash would do with fireworks since it would be so late and loud.  Turns out he thought they were pretty cool, but nothing compared to the moon and his baby cousin!  Every 2 seconds Kash was pointing at the moon and saying, "a-moo".  And then would check on Kieden in his carseat and then check on the moon.  When we got home Kash was asleep and as Blaine was carrying him up to bed Kash semi-woke up said "a-moo" and then fell back to sleep.  Kid is obsessed I tell you!

road trip! just the two of us

Last week I was a brave soul and packed up Kash and ventured to Utah (without the husband!).  I was a little nervous but luckily Kash did great there and back, I was actually impressed...it was just the actual visit he was a little pill about!

Here's our road trip in picture form:

Leaving Colorado...pretty. 

Thanks to Blaine he hooked up the mirror and DVD player...both were life savers!  And Kash LOVED his petting farm DVD--and I'm pretty sure I have it memorized.   

Finally made it to UTAH!

But then we had to leave, this is the part I got emotional ha!  (Logan Canyon)

I love this part in the canyon on your way to Bear Lake where the trees canopy the road! (don't mind the bug filled windshield)

 And then back home to the CO.  I was actually pretty excited to see this sign! 

happy july

Yay today is July 1st which means my all-time fav holiday is just around the corner.  Apparently I express my love too frequently for the fourth of July because my co-worker surprised me with some red, white and blue flowers today.  It totally made my day (maybe my week)!  I can't wait to eat some watermelon, dress up in my fourth gear, dress Kash up in his fourth gear (I'm taking FULL advantage of this before the time comes when he puts up a fight) spending time with the fam, THE AWFUL WAFFLE!, fireworks and more.  Seriously it doesn't get better!

last night lived up to the hype!

I may or may not have cried when Lindsey Vonn won gold last night.

"happy" election day

No matter how things turn out at the end of today, I will be happy when this is all over. Between the negative campaign ads, the negative emails, the rude comments I get at work because people just assume I'm voting a certain way or the non-stop biased media coverage...I don't think I could stand another day of this election! I think it's sad that the most important day in America seems to have people more disunited than ever and I freaking hate it.

That being said I do feel honored that I have the right to vote. I'm grateful to live in this country where I have so many freedoms and privileges...so it's no secret that I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. And at the end of the day I will support who ever is elected as the president of the UNITED States of America!

(okay I'll get off my soap box now)

will you remember

I was a senior in high school. Sitting in my first hour class when another teacher came and urged our teacher to turn the TV on to see what just happened in New York. To our amazement one of the Twin Towers had been hit by an airplane. As naive little 17 year olds we had no idea what this meant, but then again I don’t think the world had any idea what this meant at the time. As we went from class to class news continued to unfold, the other tower was hit…the building has collapsed…the pentagon has been hit…

Next we heard that the Sears Tower had been evacuated. It was at that moment that I really did have the feeling of this is the end of the world. I remember thinking that each major city was going to be hit and millions more would die. Fellow students worried about their parents that worked downtown and we were all sure that Chicago was next. Luckily it wasn’t…but I will never forget the way I felt on September 11, 2001.

I will also never forget the way I felt on the days that followed 9/11. My friends and I were glued to the TV and couldn’t believe that America had actually been attacked. The small streets of Batavia, IL were lined with luminaries and flags-every town in America was affected by what happened that day in New York. And as over used as the saying “United We Stand” became I did feel united with every other person in my country.

Surprisingly the aftermath was something positive. As you would walk in the stores, down the hallways of school everyone was just a little bit nicer, had a little more empathy for one another. It’s sad that it took something so catastrophically tragic to make people care about each other. Now everyone is back to “normal”. Not worried about their neighbors, cussing at people that cut them off while driving, ignoring beatings on the streets so that they don’t have to be burdened. It’s sad that we are just back to our normal lives of not caring for one another.

Blaine and I were watching a documentary on National Geographic on 9/11 and I still get the chills and a teary eyed seven years later when I think about that day.

I’m so grateful to the men and women who serve our country and fight for my freedom…I could never in a million years do their job! My prayers are with them! Sometimes I think people forget what we are fighting for and how we all felt that day when our nation was under attack.

“A nation that doesn’t honor its heroes is a nation that will fall.”-Abraham Lincoln