Summer Fun!!

We have enjoyed our second summer here in Colorado with lots of bright sunshine and warm, but not too hot days with an abundance of afternoon thunderstorms that come and go very quickly. We've tried to do a lot of outdoor activities knowing that once fall arrives the weather will cool down and we'll be spending more days indoors baking and sipping hot coco.
Here's a few pictures from our summer happenings:


Bella enjoying a ride at our small town fair

Cutest cowgirl ever enjoying the Rodeo
Celebrating 5 years of marriage in Vail

Our little beauty in Vail

Boating on Evergreen Lake

Beach time at Bear Creek Lake

Another Colorado sunset over the Rockies

It's Been a Long Time

So, we've been pretty busy over here and I haven't given my blog much attention, but we're still around and Bella is as fun as ever!

Happy Easter!!

Our first Easter here in Colorado turned out to be a rainy day, but we still enjoyed our time together with our little family. Rejoice for He is risen!

More of the Things She Says III

I've done a couple posts in the past about Bella's talking, but now I can't even keep up with the things she says and ideas she comes up with. Here's a brief list of some of my favorites:

"Did you buy it at Target or WalMart?" - I'm asked this whenever I show Bella one of my new purchases. Yes, I'm a frequent WalMart shopper, isn't everyone in CO?

"It's a Roxy shirt" - Said when she got dressed and saw the Roxy logo on her shirt and when she saw the logo on a shirt at the store. She's DEFINITELY my daughter!

"He's sick like grandpa. He'll go to the hospital, then he'll go to heaven" - Said when she saw a man in a wheelchair who appeared very ill.


"What are we doing today?" and "Where are we going today?" and "Will we see our friends today?" - Bella LOVES action and plans and getting out of the house (on most days).

"Can we go to a store today? Kohl's maybe?" - Again, she's my girl! She loves to shop!

"I can put it on my Birthday (or Christmas) list." - Said when we're at a store and she sees something she likes. She rarely ever asks me to buy something at that very moment, just asks for it to be a possible future gift.

"Is it on sale today?" - Said as she is looking at an item she really likes. She looks for a price tag. For some reason she thinks if there's a price tag on it, then it's on sale. Yes, I know, she's learned to be a bargain shopper like me:)

"Good Morning, It's a bright sunny day!!!" - Said in her most cheerful voice EVERY morning when she wakes up and comes to greet us in our room. Of course it helps me wake up with a smile on my face even when it's the crack of dawn:)

"It's OK baby, mommy's here. Oh baby, it's alright." - Said to her baby doll when she's playing dolls. There's so many cute little things she says and does with her baby, she's like a mini-mommy!

"2 ones?" - Our little negotiator, Bella, will sometimes ask for 2 when I've said, " you can have one _________." (insert: treat, snack, book, show, toy for the car, etc.)

"______ is my favorite in the whole world." Insert type of cereal, snack, fruit, book, movie, game, person, etc. - This one cracks me up because she'll say this with such meaning and cheerfulness even if it is about something that seems so simple to us.

"What's this word?" - Isabella not only loves to read books, she really wants to know the words and what they mean if it's a word she's not familiar with. I can tell her the title of a book one time, usually a library book, and she will not forget the title. The same thing goes for characters in the book. It's amazing!

"Read this part" or "You skipped some words, Mom" or "Read the part about the tooth" - If it's getting late I try to get through the bedtime reading a little quicker by skipping a sentence here and there, especially now that most of Bella's books have a lot more words and pages, but Bella notices. Even if it's a book that she's heard all the way through only one time before, like her library books....Crazy! I'm telling you, this girl notices EVERYTHING!

Italian Cookin'

When David and I met I hardly could do more than pasta and marinara (from a jar) in the kitchen. After receiving some great wedding gifts, I was excited to use the new kitchen gear and try to become a real domestic wife, after all I married an Italian man. So, I started trying recipes from our cookbooks, Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything" is our favorite. I learned how to make marinara from scratch with my homegrown tomatos, crepe manicotti, polenta lasagna, calzones and more. While I mostly cook low-fat, low-sodium, less red-meat meals, quick/easy recipes, I have become more adventurous since we now have a larger kitchen, thus more work space than we had in our little cottage in CA. I really get a sense of satisfaction when I can think up what to cook, execute the plan in a fair amount of time, then get positive feedback from David. Here's tonight's dinner that was a hit in our house:

Stromboli with sauted garlic, onion, spinach, and sundried tomato chicken sausage!



The Recipe (I mostly made it up based on the ingredients I had on hand).

1 package of pizza dough (I used a tube of crescent roll b/c that's what I had and wanted to use it up) You could also use homemade pizza dough and if you're lucky to live near a Trader Joes, I highly recommend their pizza dough balls.
1cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely (or more depending on your taste buds...we love garlic!)
1 1/2 cup spinach (I use frozen spinach that I defrost in a colander under warm water, then press the water out with a paper towel)
2 chicken sausage links, sliced thinly (we love the sundried tomato flavored chicken sausage that I've only found at our SuperTarget)
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup cheese grated (I use a combo of mozzarella, cheddar, and fresh parmesan and go light on the cheese, you could always use more if you prefer)
1/4 cup milk
4 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Saute the onions in olive oil for a few minutes, then add spinach and saute until onion is transclucent or carmelized (whichever you prefer). Add garlic last and saute for just a minute (it's very easy to over cook garlic and you lose the rich flavor). Saute the sausage in with the onions and spinach or in a separate pan. Roll out the dough and place on a sheet of parchment paper on cookie sheet pan. Spread just a thin layer of marinara (you don't want to use too much sauce in the stromboli so that it doesn't get soggy) over the dough, then layer the spinach and onion mixture, the sausage, then the cheese. Fold the dough over to form a pouch over the ingredients. Brush a thin layer of milk over the outside of the dough pouch and sprinkle grated parmesan cheese.

Bake for approx. 15 minutes at 400 Degrees. Serve with a side of marinara sauce for dipping and Enjoy! It's great because the stromboli itself covers all the food groups, that's why I served it with apple slices rather than a salad or more veggies:)

CA Trip

We were able to visit my mom in CA with David 2 weeks ago. It was the first time I'd been back since my dad's funeral so I expected it to be somewhat of an emotional trip for me. Bella was really looking forward to the trip, especially Disneyland. We talked about Grandpa being in Heaven again before we left for CA because I knew Bella would ask about him once we got there and she saw his chair and other stuff. She's an amazing little girl and understands so much that sometimes I underestimate her. On about the 4th day there, my mom was walking with her walker while Bella and I were eating breakfast and Bella noticed my mom getting teary eyed when she walked by my dad's recliner chair. Bella first asked "why is Grandma sad?" I told her that Grandma misses Grandpa. Then Bella said, "Grandpa was sick, he went to the hospital, now he's in heaven."

Overall it was a tiring trip for me filled with emotional times, worrying about my mom, sinus problems for me, Bella caught a cold, but of course we still enjoyed our time with family and friends.

Bella LOVING "It's A Small World" ride at D-Land!

Striking a pose!

My Favorite pic.!

Bella, Connor, and Phoebe together after riding the Winnie the Pooh ride.


And now. . . . . Home Sweet Home:)

Bella Ballerina

Bella is still enjoying ballet class and practices her moves anytime she's in front of a mirror. Her dance teacher just had a baby so we have a couple weeks without class, but I'm sure she'll pick it right back up again when we go back.

Here's a few pics of our little ballerina:

Bella practicing her bow

Learning the bow

Bella following right along with her teacher

Bella's holding a bean bag. Sometimes they put it on their heads and

walk on tippy toes across the room...very cute!

Bella and her classmates

Auntie Annie's Visit to CO

A couple of weeks ago, David's sister, Anne came to visit us for a few days. We loved having her here, Isabella especially loved special the attention Auntie Annie gave her. Not that I don't give her attention, believe me she gets a lot of it. Auntie Annie also babysat one night so David and I could go out to a movie and it was so much fun for us to go on a much needed date. We were able to show her around town and a few touristy attractions. Bella is still talking about Auntie Annie's visit. We'll be making our way to Boston this spring or summer to visit Anne and the rest of the family for sure!

Here's a few pics from our adventures:

Bella rock climbing at Garden of the gods, one of our favorite places to take people who visit us here. If you come to visit there's a pretty good chance we'll take you there too.

David and I in one of the rock formations

I love this pic and it's one that I actually took, usually David takes the good pics.

Auntie Annie, Bella and I

Go Bella!

Our Little Valentine Girl

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Hope your day is filled with sweet love!

Life is Precious

I recently came across a family's blog whose story has really touched me. You can visit their blog to read the full story: The Whitt Family

The short story is that their 2 year old daughter, named Tuesday, just passed away yesterday, after a short battle with cancer. Tuesday is survived by her twin sister, brothers, and parents. This is just so very touching and really reminds me how precious life is and how tragedy can strike anybody at anytime. While I am still grieving the recent loss of my father, I just could not even begin to imagine the pain of mourning the loss of a young child, let alone my own. It has really made me think about really reaching out and doing anything I can to help this family while they grieve. It also has made me realize that I need to cherish every moment I possibly can with Isabella. We need to cherish life and do our best to honor our families and not take things for granted.

It turns out this family lives very close to us and they have sent out an open invitation to Tuesday's Celebration of Life service next Saturday. I am planning on going, and if you live in the area, I encourage you to go as well. For now, we are praying for God's comfort and for Him to give the Whitt family strength to get through each day.

Only in Colorado

Last week while I was walking in the parking lot of WalMart towards the store a truck drove past me and I jumped about 2 feet away and my heart was pounding because this is what I saw in the back of the truck:It looked alive, the taxidermist did such a good job. The mountain lion was amidst some other random items including a couple of chairs, a t.v. stand, and a plant all part of a move across town, I assume. At first glance, I seriously thought that thing was alive!! Only in Colorado!

Dinosaur Poop and More Fun Things

Isbella has blossomed, right before our very eyes, into a little girl. She is not a toddler anymore, she's a sweet little girl, but she really prefers to be called a big girl. She continues to amaze us everyday with the things she says, the stories she can tell, her love of reading, her creativity, her compassion and understanding, her love of a "bright, sunny morning" and her overall joyful love and exuberance for life. She's been teaching us how to live life!

Today, we had planned on going to the zoo since it was a free admission day, the weather forecast said 60 Degrees and sunny, and because I wanted to do something special with Bella since the last few weeks I've been a bit of a downer. That plan got vetoed after driving around looking for a parking spot for 20 minutes that was not a mile away from the zoo. I was trying to come up with an alternative plan to offer to Bella (she was so excited about seeing the animals at the zoo), then I found a parking spot right in the front row of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. When Bella saw the sign (without me even saying one word) she said excitedly, "Yeah, the museum. Please may I see the dinosaurs?" Problem solved. Although it wasn't a free day at the museum, it was so worth the $11 to avoid the over-crowded zoo. We had a great time and Isabella was very appreciative for our special outing and time together. It lifted my spirit today too, especially when Bella asked one of the museum volunteers, "Please may I touch the dinosaur poop?" That's my girl! I appreciate how well-rounded she is!

Isabella, my sweet little lady, cautiously holding the dinosaur poop. I was surprised how small it was considering that it came from a ginormous dinosaur, but then the museum guy explained about their low-fiber diet.

That is not the dinosaur that the poop came from, he was much bigger and suspended from the ceiling.

Bella loves the "Discovery Area" in the museum which is all hands-on stuff.

So much fun!!

Why I haven't blogged lately. . .

My dad had a bad fall down the stairs just before Thanksgiving. He then went through two surgeries, totaling almost 20 hours, to try to repair the broken vertebrae(s) in his neck. He was in the ICU for a several weeks. We went out to CA to see him a week before Christmas and although it was very difficult seeing him like that, I am very thankful that we had that time with him. He began to gain more alertness each day we went to see him, he even smiled when I showed him Bella's picture and laughed at one of David's jokes, which gave us hope for his recovery. On Christmas eve, his blood pressure was very low. He developed an infection in his blood and went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Dec. 27th.

David and Bella stayed home while I went to CA for my dad's funeral. It was a good decision, for it gave me time to grieve without worrying and also allowed me to be with my mom and sisters. While it was a very difficult thing to go through, it was also a time of grieving and healing. My first night there in CA when I was in my parents' bathroom brushing my teeth, I opened one of my dad's drawers to see his black comb with his gray hairs still in it, then everywhere I looked around the house there were big and little things that were his, from his issues of Popular Mechanics magazine to his "Pick Sticks", his bird feeders in the yard, his #1 Dad mug on the water cooler in the garage...I cried, then laughed about his makeshift paintbrush attached to a broomstick for hard to reach paint jobs, then cried some more. I'm glad I had the last few years to really experience a good father-daughter relationship with him and I will forever cherish my memories of him walking me down the aisle on our wedding day, him going with us to one of my ultrasounds while I was still pregnant, him holding Isabella and seeing his tears just after she was born, our hour long phone conversations about the birds in his yard, the weather, and his health, him waving goodbye and smiling to David, Bella and I from the driveway the last time we saw him before he fell down...

It was a beautiful funeral service. My nieces and nephews did a great job with the readings, carrying up various mementos of Dad, and sharing stories of him. He was a volunteer firefighter for 20 years, so there was a small fire truck outside the church during the whole service, which then followed behind the hearse with it's lights on all the way to the cemetery. As we drove behind the firetruck I told my mom and sister that my dad had driven firetrucks many times before up and down Redhill Avenue, the street we were on. He also used to tell us stories of when he drove a tractor up that street when it was all still farmland. After the burial service at the cemetery, the firetruck turned on it's sirens as it drove past my dad's grave site. We all said that my dad is up in Heaven smiling down saying, "Well Done!" All of the grandchildren and daughters also got to hold white doves and release them at the grave, as a symbol of my dad's love of birds and a way of "letting go". It was so amazing to see how many people were there for us that day, my dad would have been so happy. The police had to call an extra motorcycle cop for the escort, there were over 60 cars for the procession. My dad was well-loved and he would have done anything for anyone.

This has been a very difficult time in my life, something I hoped I wouldn't have to face for many more years. I am so blessed to have a wonderful, God-loving, supportive husband to help carry me through this. Even though it's been a few weeks now, I am still feeling emotionally drained and exhausted at the end of each day and fulfilling all of my household tasks has been much harder since my mind is in a million places at once. David has been so wonderful in helping me with Bella and being happy to eat fast food for dinner more often than normally. I guess that's why they call it a grieving process, it doesn't just happen one day and you're better the next. It's something you really go through and process, with the grace of God.

Thank you everyone, for your thoughts, prayers, cards, for coming to support us all at the funeral, and for everything else you've done for us during this time. Right now, we are comforted knowing that my dad is free of pain and dancing around in heaven.