Eastins are in Town

We were so happy to have a chance to visit with Gregg and Teresa Eastin (along with their children Maddy, Joshua and Jonah) who were visiting from Minnesota. 

Gregg and Teresa are responsible for introducing me to Brent ~ 12 years ago.  Brent and Gregg were college friends, Gregg and I worked together at Farmers Insurance and Gregg and Teresa lived in the same apartment building I lived in at 13th and Speer in downtown Denver.  They set us up on a blind date and even invited Lynn and Shari Torr (before they were both Torrs) to sit and stare at us. 

Here's a picture of Lynn, Shari and their daughter Ashley at the park.  You wouldn't even know that Shari is due to have their second daughter, Meghan, on March 29th.  Yes.  The next morning.  Yes.  She's such a trooper!

We even got to see Derek and Paula Seifried, their daughter Naomi, and his parents Wayne and Kay.

It was great to see everyone and to see how each family is growing and doing well.  Here's to the next generation!

Emery Belfield, Maddy Eastin, Ashley Torr

Gregg Eastin, Del Torr, Lynn Torr, Derek Seifried, Brent Belfield

Destination Imagination ~ Rising Stars

Brendan participated in his school's Rising Stars program this year for Destination ImagiNation and the district tournament was today. Quite simply, I've never been so proud of him! I knew that he would do a good job but I didn't know that he'd do such a great job.  

The challenge for Rising Stars this year focused on Architecture and Structure, News Reporting, Research, Mathmematics, Performing in front of an audience, and Team problem solving. The teams were required to create a structure using only newspaper and tape and to create a newscast and commercial to perform at the competition. Brendan's team created a coffee table and performed their newscast beautifully!

They also participated in the Instant Challenge which gives the students a scenario, 5 minutes to prepare and 1 minute to present. Brendan told us his had something to do with monkeys running the school and he thought it was very funny!

Emery even behaved herself!

This evening they had the award ceremony. Rising Stars (for Kindergarten through second grade) is non-competitive but the students participate in a parade in front of the older participants and the kids loved it!

Baby's Firsts ~ Rolling Over

After a couple of weeks of teasing us with her newfound skill ~ e.g. rolling over for Mama while Daddy and Bubba were in the same room but missed it, rolling over for Mama and Bubba when Daddy stepped out of the room ~ Emery finally mastered the art of rolling over this morning!! (Watch closely for a teaser of the "Happy Dance" at the tail end of the video)

And she decided to celebrate by not taking a nap until 4:45 this afternoon! I must say that at least it's more fun to play "How will Emery be lying in her crib?" now. I think she's pretty proud of herself!

St. Patrick's Day

More cereal for Emery ~ this time in the high chair.  I guess I wasn't worried about not making a mess this time.

Then we enjoyed a little walk to the bus stop ~ okay, so I enjoyed a little walk and Emery enjoyed a little thumb.

Then Brendan decided he wanted to make a Leprechaun Trap.  He told me all about his grand plan ~ think Rube Goldberg ~ on the way home from the bus stop.  

I explained to him that his plan sounded quite ambitious and suggested that he create a trap that was a bit simpler this year and that we could start a little earlier on a more elaborate trap next year.  Here's what he constructed in about 20 minutes, using Jenga pieces and twine (that wound through the living room and around the couch ~ so he could pull the string when the leprechaun entered the trap) and parade beads as bait.  I think he's so stinkin' creative and smart and funny and talented and handsome and wonderful and...

  

Can't wait to see what he creates next year with a little more time!

Baby's Firsts ~ Solid Food

Now that Emery is officially between 5 and 6 months old we're finally starting her on solid foods.  This poor baby has been eyeballing us during dinner for the last 2 months and has been drooling ~ literally ~ in anticipation.  She started today with the quintessential Rice Cereal mixed with milk.

Brendan's high chair was still in storage in the garage so I just plopped her in her exer-saucer and tested her interest in the cereal.

I think she's ready... you? 

I also like how she's wearing a bib that Brendan got 6 years ago.  Man, I kept e-ve-ry-thing!

Brendan's St. Patrick's Day Jig

St. Patrick's Day Parade

Thought we'd try to get a picture of the kidlets before the grime of the day permanently attached itself...

We headed downtown for the St. Patrick's Day parade again but opted for driving instead of Light Rail this year.  It was definitely a bonus since the other 200,000 attendees went for the Light Rail option.

The following photograph is more of a reminder for me of how much I love this man and the beautiful children that I have the pleasure of raising, thanks to him.  But you're more than welcome to giggle at how funny they kind of look.  Note the Mickey Leprechaun ears from Disney World (2006!) on Brendan. 

Now, feel free to sit back and enjoy the parade...

Denver & District Pipe Band

The guy who makes me giggle every year ~

not exactly sure why, I just think he's kind of funny

Denver's Mayor John Hickenlooper

Side note: The woman in front of me who yelled "Vote Republican" when Mayor Hickenlooper walked by did not get smacked by me...

not even once...

not even a little bit...

Irish Dancers

Cute little bitty in his kilt

Crazy cool, weird puppets

(It was especially entertaining to watch the boys' reactions)

And high-fives from the guy on stilts

Leprechaun on stilts

(is that an oxymoron, or is it just me?)

Firetruck

I think the boys thought they'd died and gone to heaven

when the Star Wars guys showed up

And really, it's not St. Patrick's Day until you see

Chewbacca toting C-3PO and sporting a green bowler, right?

Longhorns

Anyone else hungry for some Corned Beef and Cabbage?

I thought there was supposed to be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...

She looks so sweet...

and then you realize she just might be flipping you off...

This view of Union Station makes me want to

get away to the Oxford Hotel with my honey...

(By the way, if you are a nursing mother ~ or know of one ~ I highly recommend having a sit in the Oxford lobby with your babe on parade day!)

Brendan and his friend and classmate, Jaden

The Belfield Clan

This was after about 4 hours at the parade ~

I have the best kids in the world!!!

Playdate and Baby's 5 months old!

I opened our door this morning to see quite a surprise!
Fortunately her mom was following close behind. While Katherine is quite a cutie, one baby at a time is quite enough for this Mama!

Victoria and I enjoyed a lovely brunch of fruit salad (yummy yummy for all of you Wiggles fans) and sticky buns. The girls enjoyed some very age-appropriate parallel play and were sweet enough to pose for more pictures ~ this month as adorable shamrocks!

Today is also Emery's 5 month birthday. And I even remembered to get a picture of her alone. Okay, it wasn't in the outfit that I had planned and it was at 8pm but I remembered! Hey, sometimes we have to take our victories any way we can get 'em.

Upward Award Ceremony

Brendan running out of the tunnel during his team's introduction on Award night. That is all.