The Quarry

I love this photo of Ben and Rivs playing together. Ben is such a good dad. I know these two have so many fun times ahead.

I think these stairs leading to the Quarry are awesome. It always reminds me of climbing the disintegrating stairs of the old temple ruins around Angkor Wat (Siem Reap Cambodia). BTW they feel way steeper then this photo portrays.

Tasty.

Rivers loves his dog. And Canberra loves her boy. There's no doubt about these two are destined to be best friends. 

The loves of my life.

The Quarry. It's pretty amazing how they cut out the rock. 

Ahhh . . . . Over exposure (but I kinda' like how it turned out )! Ben scrambling up the Quarry. 

Leader of the Pack

Testing Rivs Rock Climbing Skills

Ready for a long afternoon nap.

We do a lot of hiking in this family. Springs is filled with trails, and we're determined to know each trail like the back of our hand. :) You see, hiking is the perfect activity. Everyone is welcome (including "The Pooh" aka Canberra), plenty of talking, exercise (which makes everyone happy - scientifically proven - thank you endorphins :), lots of exploring (=adventure), fresh air, sunshine (boosting our Vitamin D intake), but most of all lots of together time (which = extreme happiness). On beautiful days, like this particular day, we take it easy, and let little man out of his backpack for some serious investigation. He loves climbing over the rocks and checking out all the nature has provided for us.
Post Script: Rivers is becoming an insanely good climber. Today he climbed up my rocking chair, while I was across the room putting toys away! And tonight he gave me his first wave. Oh my goodness was that adorable! The kid kills me (and the only problem is, I think he knows it)!

sick

This week has been a rough week for our little friend. Monday, he came down with a bad bug: high temperatures, vomiting, diarrhea, you know, "the works." Eating went completely off, and sleeping, well he slept a lot but all off schedule, putting me into a confused panic (I hate playing the guessing game. Schedules are great because you know why when). Anyways, trying to pamper my little friend, I decided, since he needed his rest, I would turn on a movie for him - like I enjoy doing when I'm sick. Just stare at the TV in the middle of the day, and usually fall asleep. Well, Rivers, a whole different story. Rest, my foot. Goodness, that boy thought "Veggie Tales" was something out of this world. He's jumping up and down laughing, crawling over to the TV to try and grab the talking vegetables. 

Maybe it's the fact that he's never really seen TV before. Or maybe it's just the age. Probably the veggies. I don't know. I also don't know how I feel about letting a 8.5 month old watch TV. Not that it will become a habit by any means. I just hope I didn't kill some brain cells that day. I don't know. I'm sure to all the veteran moms reading this blog, it's so blantly obvious this is my first child. But I really do stress about EVERYTHING. I try to be chill with everything, but inside I'm bursting with nervousness. I just  really don't want to mess up. Anyways, today Rivs appears to be doing a little better, although his eating has gone to pot. We've worked so hard to boost up his weight (we've got a very skinny guy on our hands) and now, a week and a half before his doctor's appointment, I think he's dropped a few pounds (okay hopefully not that much, but he does feel significantly lighter). 

Little Rivs sleeping off the bad bug (I've recently allowed his bunny "Baxter" to snooze with him - he loves Baxter. And yes, I know, I am getting brave :)

The Days before Rivers got Sick:

Two of a kind: entranced by our neighbors - The Squirrels

Our little climber

We hung up this mirror on Rivs level. He loves it. Mostly because he can crawl over, climb up and slobber all over his reflection whenever he wants to. He also can't help but burst into laughter whenever I hold his hands and he can see himself walking towards it. I love it because for some reason the slobbery mirror is simply adorable to me. I don't know if I can say it enough, but I love being a mama. 

7 months

Yesterday marked Rivers' 7 month birthday. To finish the month off, Rivers surprised his mom and dad with 3 new teeth last week - making 5 in all! We didn't even see it coming. Just one day, pop there were his two top, and then on the airplane to Arizona, last Thursday, pop again, a third one on the bottom! You never would have known he was teething, let alone three teeth!This kid never complains. He really is always a sweetheart, and a delight to be around.
Little man is becoming incredibly efficient in the art of army crawling, and making every effort to get up on his knees, but more so, just to get up and walk on two feet. "Patience my dear friend." I often tell him. I have no desire to rush my sweet baby. Time goes way way too quick as is. I prefer keeping my baby a baby for as long as he will let me.
Rivers is so much fun. He loves when I play peek-a-boo with him, and he loves swinging in the air. He loves being tickled, and he loves jumping (up and down, up and down, up and down. Always. Especially during church. I guess his way to get attention :). Rivers is always singing. And now slurping . . . yea, he slurps constantly, it's hilarious. He loves reading books, and he loves bouncing in his jumper. He loves going on walks.  And he loves crawling after and eating dangerous things like cords. I didn't think of that being an issue. But he sees a cord across the room, and he will focus on getting to that cord, until he gets it. And then of course he loves loves loves Canberra. Although, she is still unsure about him. Someday she will be in love with him, but until then, she keeps her distance.
The days of easy diaper changes are over (besides the stinky poop :). The minute little man is placed on his changing table he flips over and off he goes to find something to taste. He likes to taste pretty much anything and everything. He use to not mind his disgusting vitamins (yea, Ben and I tried them, and hated them). But now with all the flavors from his carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, avocados etc. he's beginning to know good from bad. Yesterday we started him on green beans. And unlike his peas, Rivers seems to highly dislike green beans. Which actually surprises me a lot. There's very few things he has shown a dislike to . . . I think his vitamins are really the only other thing. But he was over the green beans after his second bite. Guess we'll try again today.
Rivers is fascinated by people. Every time he sees people he just stops and stares. Right when he gets some attention his feet begin kicking and the smile spreads widely across his face. And if you stick around for more than one second, you're sure to get out one of his cute little laughs. As we walk through the store, people constantly comment on what a happy baby he is. And it's true. Rivers is such a happy baby. Life is wonderful. Life is fascinating. And he is so happy to be a part of it.
Last week Rivers got to spend a significant amount of time with his cousins. He found the miniature people so cool. Mason always made him smile. And the little baby Emma was something else. He liked to hold her hand (well, mostly in an attempt to eat it, but holding hands all the same). I cannot wait to get him with his cousin Lewis, who is only a few weeks older than Rivers. They are at such a fun age right now, it will be fun to see them play.
Rivers makes life easy, fun, and so so enjoyable. I love every single second with this kid. I don't think I ever imagined I could ever adore someone or something so much. Ben and I love having this little boy in our life.

showing off two of his new teeth!

so curious. noticed the camera, and now going in for the chomp - doesn't that slobber look appealing? 

thanksgiving recap

Ben, Rivers, Canberra, and I spent Thanksgiving alone this year. Well not really alone, because we spent it together. And having an entire day with Ben felt like a piece of Heaven (minus the fact that we cooked so much and then ate for about 20 min. . . We really should have stuck to our original plan and just gone out to eat at the Indian Restaurant next to our home. But I started to feel unpatriotic, so the day before we changed all of our plans, and decided to create a feast.) Despite Ben's advice I couldn't bring myself to pay the extra $2 for a fresh turkey and bought a frozen instead. . . yea, still frozen when morning came (not as frozen as it sounds, just a little frosty). So turkey didn't taste fantastic, and neither did the gravy and the potatoes were extremely mediocre. Also, we planned to eat around noon, didn't eat until 3:30pm. and for some reason those 3.5 extra hours put me into a state of grumpy, and that always stinks. . . yes, Indian Restaurant was the best option - patriotic or not (I mean, who determined that turkey was patriotic anyways? Okay, leave the Pilgrims out of this one. Hamburgers would be truly patriotic. And so much easier. But I guess it's a good thing it's turkey, because truthfully there are very very very few hamburgers I like. If I like you're hamburger you can feel very proud of yourself. But turkey, that's something I really like, thank you Pilgrims and Indians). I tried a new pumpkin pie recipe (made from an actual pumpkin - so easy and way more fun), a delicious stuffing recipe (made outside of the turkey) and an incredible cranberry recipe, all of which we will be doing again next year, because they were all very delicious. And Rivers got to enjoy a bowl of mashed up fresh pumpkin sprinkled with nutmeg to celebrate the holiday with us.

While the turkey was cooking, we ran in the Annual Turkey Trot. Expecting to see a few die hards out there, and that's all, I was shocked to find out that Ben, Rivers, and I were only 3 of close to 2000 people! That's Colorado Springs for you. This place is crawling with exercise enthusiast. Even on Thanksgiving morning 5 year olds are out running races with their grandparents, and extreme athletes are running 14:30 5k's. And Ben and I had such a blast running it, that we have decided this will become a Matthews family tradition. I of course ran the worst time of my life (and no I can't use pushing the stroller as an excuse. Ben pushed it. He's so great). A reminder that yes, I do need to lose weight and I do need to get in shape. I will. I am on the verge. I just got to break through this lingering rut. It's only a matter of time. I can almost touch it. But all the holiday goodies, are really killing my motivation. Possibly a gym membership or weight watchers for Christmas Ben? :) And the sad thing is, I can't even blame it on "Baby Weight" at my 6 week appointment I was under my pre-pregnancy weight by 6 pounds. I was feeling great (minus my numb leg - still numb, but coming out of it). Then we moved, went out to eat so so much (while trying to go cheap, and you know how that goes). And then it just snowballed. . . . or I guess I snowballed :) into the slow, chubby girl, who needs a full out make over, that I am now ( I should call it "Moving Weight" 20 years from now, I will still be blaming it on my move from Ohio to Colorado. Okay, hopefully I get my act together sooner than that. But in the mean time I will refer to this as "moving weight"). Anyways. None of that matters on a Thanksgiving post. Just me rambling again. 

After the run (and since we still had all day - because of our frozen Turkey) we took Canberra to play Frisbee. We would have preferred to stay home and eat white chocolate dipped oreos, but poor Canberra was not allowed on the course and was depressed. I would be to if I were her. So we went to the park and took her hiking. That made her feel much better. But I think the thing she liked most was the nasty turkey neck they supply you with, you know, just in case, it might fit somewhere in your Thanksgiving plans.
All in all, Thanksgiving was a blast. I love hanging out with my family. I love the holiday. And I can't wait for the Turkey Trot next year.
Post Script: Rivers started army crawling the day before Thanksgiving! Every day he is getting more and more efficient! And he is loving he new since of freedom! (while I of course am dreading it :) but I can't help but be proud of my little man. I sure do love this kid!

halloween

we hillbillies found ourselves a skunk for halloween. after snatching up the lil' feller we took him over to there old church for the chili cook off and some trunk or treat. i stewed up my favorite chili recipe to enter into the contest. hoping i might win, i was sorely surprised when i walked in only to find out i was one of forty-two other crock pots waiting to be sampled (my chili's tasty but ain't no number one of forty-two tasty)! after plenty of chili and cornbread eating we headed outside to escape from the mobs of people swarming the gym and hallways. there our little skunk came alive as he pulled up grass and leaves while showing off his latest trick: sitting up all by himself. yep, i must say, we sure got ourselves a good one. . . he's a dang good one.

after styling my hair, ben walked in with his beautiful wig. we burst out laughing with the realization that we looked the same. after a little stress on his part, and a plenty of consolation on my part we headed to the church only to be greeted by the traffic director (yea, the ward party required a "traffic director" way too big. . . way, way too big) with the sweet sentence: "well hello ladies." that was the breaking point. ben took his off his beautiful wig and refused to replace it until we were alone in the field where i begged him to put it on for the pictures. so consider yourself lucky my friends. . . not many people got to enjoy the twin hillbillies, as you have now witnessed. :) 

daddy

ben works a lot of hours (a lot = approximately 76 hours last week). this means we don't get to see him much. with rivers early bed time, and late rising (he likes to sleep in with mom), it doesn't really go hand in hand with ben's hectic schedule. so, every afternoon ben makes sure to come home to spend an entire hour playing with rivers (and of course canberra). let's just say every second of that hour is cherished. we truly love when daddy comes home!

 

so much fun = all pooped out!

conference weekend

we took off early sunday morning to go for a fall drive into the mountains. even though ohio's falls put the rocky's falls to shame, the smell of the aspens brought back the sweetest nostalgic memories for me. while driving the dusty, bumpy, switchbacks up the steep mountain side i realized i haven't experienced a rocky fall for 6 years. and even though i can't help but extremely miss the brightly colored leaves of alum creek or blendon woods, it's nice to feel like i'm back home.
when we arrived home from our sunday drive we turned on conference and enjoyed baja salads (the chili complimented the cooling air nicely :), and chocolate dipped strawberries. something about conference weekend, always creates memories just like the holidays.

rivers enjoying his first conference sunday

it was a long week: up at 5am asleep by midnight . . . all week. can you blame him? (and like always, canberra thinks she had an equally challenging week.)