Joy School Party {Doctor Lucy}

Pet doctor, that is. 

Ballerina

Just a few minutes before leaving for her preschool Halloween party, Lucy informed me that she couldn't be a vetrenarian because people would get confused and think she was a doctor.  I offered to bobby pin little stuffed dogs all over her but she passionately declined.  So we started pulling stuff out of her dress-up box and ended up deciding on a ballerina. She was pretty pleased with the outcome.  When we pulled up and all the girls were wearing fancy princess dressed, I felt so sad that Lucy would be disappointed with her pulled together clothes, but she didn't notice.  One of the things I love about Lucy is she doesn't get too concerned about what others are doing around her. Like on hat day, when I totally forgot to bring her funny hat, and I wrapped streamers I found in the car around her head, she love it. 

Snow Season

And the cold has begun.  The fall was perfectly lovely but seemed all too short.  Now it is jackets and gloves cold.  Lucy seems to barely notice a temperature shift and Mike even had to have a very serious conversation with me about putting socks on our cute girl even if she doesn't complain about the cold. I dread washing and matching all those tiny socks more than I dread pushing through the snow during the winter. But socks it is.

Denver Botanic Gardens

We had the most lovely day at the Botanic Gardens downtown.  It was probably my favorite city adventure with kids so far.  The paths were wide enough for two strollers, equalling moms that can talk, with lots of smaller dirt paths, equalling kids that can explore and feel independent. I think Lucy is in her element when she gets to feel like she decides where to go and how long to linger on something. And Reid was perfectly content watching everything from a stroller until we got to the children's garden where he soak up his own opportunity to feel independent. 

September Highlights {via iPhone}

* Lucy started preschool at a community church a couple days a week as well as with some friends a different couple of days. She loves school!

* We are getting in to the habit of visiting great grandma Curtis every other week or so.  Lucy gets to swing on the same swing I used as a kid! 

* It rained.  A lot.  We got the fun part of the rain but a lot of our community suffered. 

August Highlights {via iPhone}

I'm not sure I can remember all the fun of August but some highlights are 

* We went to Red River, New Mexico with Mike's parents and Nate and Kelly and Clara. It was such a lovely setting and a perfect getaway.  We all enjoyed the week and found a perfect balance of activity and relaxation. Lucy's favorite was visiting the sand dunes and she asks to go back about once a week. 

* Lucy has been asking to go in a cave for a long time so we took her down to Colorado Springs to visit the Wind Caves.  It was maybe a little ambitious of us to take to small kids in an enclosed space in which they are supposed to listen to a guide. But fun none the less. 

* I went to education week at BYU with my mom for the most rejuvenating and inspiring weeks I have had in a very long time.  We loved almost every single class we went to and had lots of time to chat and eat good food. It was lovely.  Not to mention the fact that Janet came to help with the kids and painted my kitchen while I was gone!!! 

* We enjoyed our neighborhood pool for the last time this year.  We hate to see it close for the winter!