Colorado Gartners

All about Barrett

2012-01-28T15:35:00.003-07:00

I'm aware that it probably appears that Greta is my favorite to photograph. She is, after all, adorable. Not to mention, she LOVES getting her photograph taken, and the camera LOVES her. Barrett has been very camera shy lately (and by lately I mean the last year +). So, you can imagine my delight, when last night, Barrett looked at me and said, "Hey Mom, I'm going to let you take my picture tomorrow." WOO HOOOOO~~~

This morning I said, "Remember what you said last night?" to which he replied, "Well, if I can do silly photos. I meant only silly photos." We reached a compromise, he could get some silly ones, If I could get some nice ones.

While we're on the subject of Barrett, here is the latest. He is still the sweetest kid you've ever met. Respectful, loves trying to make people laugh, loves his sister (most of the time), loves playing with his friends, and snuggling with his parents. (Enjoying THAT while it lasts!) He's still best friends with Vic and Oliver, and is thriving in his 5 day afternoon Pre-K class. He's starting to recognize words, and his understanding of numbers is impressive, especially to his math-challenged mother. We just enrolled him in our neighborhood elementary school, where he will start Kindergarten in the fall! (Unbelievable!)

The newest development in Barrett's world, is that he has a special friend in his class. Her name is Hayden, (known around here as "Girl Hayden", since there is a "Boy Hayden" in his class as well.) They really enjoy each other. And she's as tall as he is! They are among the 3 tallest kids in class.

Hayden's Mom told me that at X-mas Hayden told her Grandma that she had a boyfriend named Barrett. Her Dad asked her what she likes about Barrett. She said, "He's nice, he's tall, and he likes pink!" (glad to see that's paying off for him!) In turn, Barrett had his first sleepover with his friend Kai, and I overheard him telling his buddy, "You should see her Kai, she has the most beautiful long brown hair..." as he crossed his arms behind his head, leaned back and stared a the ceiling with that unmistakeable love-struck look on his face.

I explained to Barrett that it's a bit soon for girlfriend/boyfriend relationships, and that at this age we're just good friends. He said, "When DO kids get girlfriends?" I said, "I don't know, high school, I guess." His hopeful response was, "Will Girl Hayden and I go to the same high school?"

His favorite part of the day is holding her hand in the parking lot when we pick them up from school. (I need to get a photo of THAT!)

Hope you are all well, and having a very happy 2012!!!

Enjoy the photos!

B and Tori. She really has become the kids' dog.

Silly!

Handsome Boy!

Barrett and "Girl Hayden"

(before his recent haircut)

Party Pics!

2011-12-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to the photos from Grandpa Tony's party, enjoy!!! (Save this link, it will not appear on my smug mug site) Click Here to see the photos.

To download a photo on that site, run your mouse over the selected image, and a pop up menu will appear. Click the image of the folder with the green arrow and the photo will automatically download to your computer. To order a photo, click "buy this photo" and select whatever you want. You can enter this coupon code at check-out for half off prints. (BUD50)

Summer Pics coming!!!!

2011-12-15T09:49:00.001-07:00

I am finally at the end of the Holiday photo season! I'm finishing my last X-mas gallery, and have started working on my own photos from our travels this summer, including Grandpa Tony's 90th birthday celebration. After deleting blurry, weird eyed, icky shots from the bunch, I have over 800 photos to sift through from our summer adventures! Here is one of Greta that jumped out at me as I was sifting.

Thanks to everyone for being so patient. (Thankfully), I have had a steady stream of clients this season, and (thankfully) Steve has been so busy at Greyrock that I have had a limited number of weekend/evening hours to work. And of course in the balancing act, Barrett and Greta get first priority! Check out some of my work on my photography blog sometime, if you want a glimpse at some of the work I've managed to complete these past few months!

The 4 of us

2011-10-25T08:45:00.003-06:00

Here we are! I have a new empathy for my clients wrangling their children during shoots. This is the only shot we got with all 4 sets of eyes looking at the camera. I love my beautiful family!!!

Quickie...

2011-10-20T22:23:00.003-06:00

I just had to post these shots of Greta's dance class. They had parent observation day and I thought these were too cute not to share.

Greta loves her dance class!!! Her birthday present from Grammi is proving a smashing success!

Miss Polly Starting the choo-choo train!

Greta has trouble listening sometimes... but she's still adorable!

Long time no post!

2011-10-09T21:50:00.004-06:00

Hello All, it occurred to me that it has been a long time since I've done a post. We have been busy little beavers over here! I'm in the thick of my photo season, and have been filling every minute that would have normally been 'free' with photo editing for clients. I have a huge backlog of personal family photos, including from our visit in LaCrosse, that are in queue. Once I get caught up (if that ever happens-ha!) I will do a big post with links to galleries.

Until then, here are a few shots from over last weekend, in case anyone forgot what we look like. We were in the mountains for a couple of friends' events, then to Fraser to stay with more friends, a visit with Dad (Mom was in Hawaii), and a drive through the park to look at the changing color and bugling elk. It was a whirlwind, but a great weekend nonetheless.

Enjoy!

Neat shot I took at the horse stables at Geneva Glen Camp. My friend Christa is having a baby and we were there for her baby shower, the kids love it there, and if you ever think about sending your kids to summer camp, you should check them out!

Barrett and one of his good buddies, Kai, on a hike near Fraser, CO.

Barrett looking over the beaver dam, enjoying the beautiful fall day.

More Geneva Glen...

Mother-Daughter moment on our hike. (Thanks to my friend, Jill, for taking my photo!)

Greta has been dressing herself, and her fashion sense is much like her personality: Individual!

At Mom and Dad's for a quick visit on our way back from the hills. It was a gorgeous fall day!

The four of us, and 3 of us are even looking at the camera!!! (Pretty good!!)

Summer!

2011-08-07T22:52:00.002-06:00

It's been a busy few weeks of swimming and summer fun! The kids have grown so much this summer, I have to pinch myself sometimes. Barrett wakes up with aching legs, he's growing so fast! He's the same size (or taller) than most of the boys going into Kindergarten this year. I can't imagine how much bigger he'll be next year when he becomes a Kindergartner!

We've been busy with our respective businesses, I'm happy to report Inger G Photography is going strong, and the boys at Greyrock are booked through October. Mostly the kids keep me busy, I'm just trying to enjoy every moment with them before I wake up and they are fully-fledged big kids. (Ack!)

I have to admit, it's a fun time of year to do laundry.....

Some swimming highlights, both kids graduated 3 levels of swimming this summer, and they have the ribbons to prove it!

Barrett making a splash...
Little Greta waiting her turn...

...and hamming it up for the camera!

Miss Erin, teaching Greta her front floats.
Ring around the Rosy!

Sunday Stroll

2011-07-17T20:35:00.006-06:00

Steve and the kids were helping me scope out some new photo locations, got some fun shots of the family. (Minus me, the photographer.) Oh yeah, and Tori.

What I do all day.

2011-07-15T12:31:00.003-06:00

I came across this article on facebook and had to share it. For anyone wondering exactly what a day in the life looks like for little old me. (Click on picture to view it larger. Or click this link to read it online.)

Prints!

2011-07-06T10:23:00.005-06:00

I just had to post this one, Barrett and his best bud, Oliver. Now, onto some business...

Just an update, for Grammi and Grampi (and anyone else who is interested) I have added a link to the right where you can order the photos that appear on my blog.

IMPORTANT!!! As you add items to the cart, it will be priced at my professional portfolio pricing. At check-out enter the following family & friends coupon code: FFDISC

This will discount your order to the family-and-friends of the CO Gartners bargain rates!

I haven't added all of the photos I've ever put on, I just did some of the more recent photos. If there is an older photo that you love, let me know and I'll add it. The gallery starts with the most recent photos and goes back.

Thanks!

Raptors!

2011-06-28T21:28:00.006-06:00

I took the kids to the Environmental learning center to see some birds of prey. Get ready to learn people!!!

First, the kids....

Greta making her best beak. She got a little bored and needed a lip gloss break.

I bribed him with staying longer if I could take ONE picture. Here it is. "Oh fine, Mom." -Click-

This one is from a few days ago, but I had to throw it in. Here is Greta plotting my eventual nervous breakdown to occur during her teenage years.

Back to the Birds...

Great Horned Owl. This guy has a broken wing that fused at the 'elbow' so he lives in the raptor preserve.

B &G returning from a potty break. The birds got to see the kids pee in the grass, so it was a learning experience for everyone. Luckily we were the only visitors today.

Barrett had a little toy flute, he tried to play the birds songs, to get them to sing back to him. The Bald Eagle did screech, maybe Barrett is an Eagle whisperer.

Greta was able to see on tip-toes!

Turkey Vulture. I'm sure she has a winning personality.

Golden Eagle Female. She was gigantic and beautiful. It made me wonder what else we have in common... (bad joke).

I got this female Bald Eagles' good side. She's missing an eye, after a nasty bout with West Nile Virus a couple years ago. Poor thing.

I love this shot! It's my new desktop background on my computer. I love the squares and lines, and of course the kiddos!

Morning Cuddles/Wrestling

2011-06-21T10:16:00.003-06:00

Every so often, the kids will come into our bed in the morning for some morning cuddles, and stay there playing long after Mom and Dad have risen to start the day. I heard some noise coming from the room, and here's what I found...

Greta wins.

Summer is underway!

2011-06-10T20:11:00.004-06:00

Life at the Gartners' certainly isn't slowing down, that's for sure. Steve has been working on some big projects (namely, Otter Box) my photography biz is trucking right along, and the kids are excited each day to explore what Summer has to offer.

I almost cried tears of joy on our first visit to the swimming pool, comparing it to last summer, when I had one kid to little to let go of, and another kid too terrified of the water to let go of me. It was work. This year they splash around so happily, with the assistance of some buoyancy devices.

I've been taking lots of photos this Spring and Summer, Here are a few, Enjoy!

We'll start with some spring flowers....

And some princesses...

Greta with her friend Pele. I'm not a huge fan of the Disney Princess thing, but I have to admit, this is cute.

A trip to the beach...

Horsetooth Resevoir swim beach. The kids had a blast!

More Flowers,

This one was after a Springtime afternoon shower had just passed. Cool!

The kids have taken to picking me flowers. It wouldn't be so bad if I could just explain to leave some stem!

Beach Baby! (Although she's not a baby anymore. She is growing up so quickly!!!)

Happy Summer Everyone!!!

Pre School Program

2011-05-18T17:51:00.005-06:00

Barrett's first full year of Pre-School has come to an end. His class gave a little performance yesterday, and it was CUTE! There was surfing to the song "Wipeout!", Limbo, and the class did percussion for the Little Mermaid song "Under the Sea." They also sang, "You are my Sunshine." Adorable. Barrett and Vic were inseparable as usual. (There were lots of chuckles from the audience when they started having a contest on who was paddling faster during the surfing number.)

Barrett's Pre-School is part of a gymnastics school, so gymnastics class is included. Here are some highlights from his last gym class of the year. (He sleeps so well on Tuesdays, and now I know why!) A note: Third girl from the left (Quincy) wants to marry Barrett. If he doesn't want to get married, she's willing to marry Vic.

If you click on the composite pictures they will be larger. It would have been a long, long post otherwise.

Practice

2011-05-18T12:49:00.002-06:00

Wanted to check out a new-to-me popular photo setting in town, using my favorite models, of course!

Selfie!

2011-05-03T19:51:00.003-06:00

Here I am, letting my inner Narcissist out for some play time. Greta fell asleep on me, and my camera was within reach, so I figured I'd practice my self-portraits. : ) Glad to have this one for the memory books.

Easter!

2011-04-26T09:41:00.003-06:00

Here are some shots from our annual neighborhood Easter Egg hunt. Greta wanted to use her backpack for egg hunting, Barrett had a nice canvas bag, but he forgot it, so he got to use a plastic bag that we found in the bike trailer. Nice eh?

Meet Vic. Barrett's best bud from pre-school. These boys are tight. You WI folk will be happy to hear, when Barrett dresses himself, he chooses his Green Bay shirt every time. Here's a gift idea. A Packers shirt that fits him. He's a 6T. (if you can believe THAT!)

The kids have a new found love of peanut butter cups.

Greta got bored with the egg hunt, and took a break to dance and spin and sing around the tree.

From left: Nola and Ollie Roloff, Barrett and Greta. We met Ollie's parents in birthing class, and it's so fun watching the kiddos grow up together.

Easter Part 2 - Uncle Adam's Ranch

2011-04-26T09:31:00.003-06:00

We did a quick trip out to Nebraska to see Uncle Adam, Nana, and Papa for Easter lunch. We took some walks around the property, where Barrett and Greta got to explore fun things like clay pigeon launching! We also were visited by the Easter bunny, these kids don't need any sweets for quite awhile. (It was a long noisy ride back to Colorado.)

Pull!!!!

Adam had just done the grading below the house, and the result was one GIANT sandbox for the kids. It really was like a beach! Here Barrett is doing a sand-angel.

The boys...

Tori watches, very impressed by Trigger's ability to dive into the pond. She went swimming too, but there was no leaping in the water for her. She very tentatively dips her paws before allowing the water to cover her body.

Slow Down!

2011-04-15T17:42:00.005-06:00

All you have to do is look at Tori, the puppy that we all believed would never turn into a dog. Her grey snout, more mellow disposition, all indicators of how fast time is flying by....

Hello young lady! She is growing up SO fast. She is starting a summer pre-school next month. Hopefully I'll be able to get her to keep clothes on longer than 10 minutes by the time she goes to school, as Greta prefers to be nude. One of my favorite pics of her to date. (To be clear, she is not nude in this photo, she's wearing a tutu. And a necklace.)

Barrett's last haircut revealed a full blown kid. Toddler-no-more. Every morning, when Barrett wakes up, we have a little routine of me saying, "Oh my goodness, it happened again! You grew last night. Barrett, you have to stop that growing, before you grow right through the ceiling!" The other day he responded, "It's the bed's fault, Mom. It just makes me grow and grow!"

We got peppermint ice cream from Walrus, and Greta must have thought it tasted like toothpaste, as she proceeded to eat/brush her teeth with her ice cream. (Video coming of this one, once we find the cord we need to upload.)

Milestones...

2011-03-30T16:22:00.005-06:00

Snort!

Greta is potty trained! I had just presented her with a package of new panties, when (wearing all of them) she ran into the kitchen saying, "Look how many panties I have on my butt!" Way to go, Greta! P.S. She had found her 'crown' at our neighbor's house, a wrapper from some bath toys. She doesn't take it off willingly.

Greta watches as her brother spelled his name out in sidewalk chalk, all by himself. Proud moment for both him and me.

Shhhhhh......

2011-03-26T14:32:00.002-06:00

Barrett decided to join Greta in her bed sometime over night. Here's how I found them in the morning...

"Look Mommy! It's for eyebrows!"

2011-03-13T12:29:00.002-06:00

She was delighted to figure this out. I didn't have the heart to tell her that it's actually for eye lashes, because then she's bound to attempt THAT feat. Yes, Little G has developed quite the interest in make-up. She recently "painted" our bedroom furniture with a blush brush and face cream. I have designated a new storage area for my supplies, and it's way up high.

Dog Park

2011-03-10T15:02:00.003-07:00

We loaded up and biked over to the dog park today, enjoying some warm sun at last! Everything is still dead and brown around here, but it won't be long until things green up. (Until then, I'm using lots of black and white to lessen the effect of dead brown earth.)

I don't know who was more excited to run around, Barrett or Tori!

Managed to get yet another adorable shot of Greta for my portfolio. ; )

Have I mentioned lately how well this Brother and Sister team get along? I'm so lucky and will remember these years so fondly.

Head Shots

2011-02-22T20:21:00.001-07:00

Here's Barrett and Greta's latest...

Winter Fun

2011-02-09T14:45:00.004-07:00

Barrett and Greta hit the slopes a couple of weeks ago, won't be long until we can put both kids in ski school and hit the slopes again ourselves! We did manage to have a day on the slopes with some friends that weekend as well. I look forward to skiing with the kids one day!

Barrett showing us his form. Steve is a very patient teacher.

Our little snow bunny!

I finally, FINALLY got a cute shot of both kids. They are squirmy little suckers! But totally adorable.

Tiny Dancer

2011-01-07T15:50:00.003-07:00

We picked up a leotard and some ballet slippers for Greta at the second hand store. Her first lesson is on Tuesday, I think she's going to be a natural. What do you think?

Barrett's new look...

2011-01-07T15:46:00.002-07:00

Our dear friend, Corrie, came up from Denver and gave Barrett and I haircuts, in exchange for me taking her out on the town. Great deal! Here is the unveiling of Barrett's rockin' new look...

Our little actress...

2010-12-29T11:07:00.004-07:00

Greta's personality is cycling between three modes lately. She cycles in and out of them on the turn of a dime... Here they are with descriptions. I should mention these photos were all taken in the same 5 minute timeframe.

#1. It's the end of the world: Lip is at a 90 degree angle, tears stream, wailing ensues. Usually this is brought on by being served the wrong food, being denied sweets, or not having her paci.

#2. I'm the most delightful creature on the face of the earth: We see most of this in the evening when she is avoiding bed time. When we finally insist on her staying in bed... Well, see #1.

#3. I am not impressed: Enough said.

She really is quite the performer! I've heard her cry from the other room, and when I come rushing in, expecting to find her bruised or damaged in some way, she is laughing wildly because it's all part of the game. She dances, she sings, she plays princess, she is a willing victim when Barrett plays 'monster'.

I would have more photos of Barrett, except he has decided to become camera shy. I suppose this is the price I'm paying for using him as practice the last 4 years. I will let you all know, he is as big a character as ever, cracking us up on a daily, if not hourly, basis. He remains very sweet to his little drama princess of a sister as well.

X-mas and such...

2010-12-29T09:43:00.003-07:00

Greta filling her tummy, notice her superb fork handling...

Opening presents X-mas eve at Auntie Mandy's house.

Greta turned us all into animals with her fairy wand. Here she is turning Barrett into a frog.

Princess Greta.

Barrett's birthday and other stuff...

2010-12-19T10:21:00.003-07:00

Barrett and his little buddies waiting for the shark cake to be lit. It was a great party!

Barrett got a skateboard from Dad, and a bunk bed from Mom. Thankfully it's winter and he can practice on carpet for a few months.

These kids really are so sweet to each other. Here is a glimpse of the 'saying goodbye' routine when Barrett goes to pre-school. Get your tissues. Sniff, sniff....
"I'll be back soon, Sweetie. It's okay." "Okay. Bye, Barrett!"

It's official... Greta is a south-paw! Do we have any other lefties in the extended family? We're trying to figure out where she gets it from. The other thing Greta is REALLY into: Ballerinas. She loves to dance and sing. Such a girlie girl, this one.!!!

These were Barrett's wounds from a Thanksgiving wrestling match gone bad with Uncle Adam. He is now fully recovered. Tough little dude. He wants to learn karate, that's the latest.

Tori is a good little pooch. Greta LOVES her, a LOT! Tori sleeps on Greta's new big-girl bed sometimes, so I think the feeling is becoming mutual. : )

Last but not least, Steve and I have been busy getting our businesses underway. Inger G Photography had a very busy fall season, which is really exciting for me. And Greyrock Concrete Design just moved into a new bigger shop, about 3 times the size of their starter shop. We are looking forward to 2011 and the opportunities it will bring to both of our growing businesses!

Gobble Gobble...

2010-11-29T20:52:00.001-07:00

Our Turkey Day, in a nutshell....

Angry birds on Steve's Droid kept everyone entertained, or at least Adam and Elissa...

Greta gave herself a makeover, and Nana too...

Proud Papa.

I'd post some of the group shots, but my post-turkey belly can't be shown on the internet. Sorry.

First Snow

2010-11-12T12:24:00.003-07:00

Finally! Last year we had an early frost, and snow in October that stayed all winter long. This year we've enjoyed a wonderful Indian Summer, so the first snowfall yesterday was a welcome event. Greta and I played in the snow while Barrett was at school. Isn't her little snow suit so cute!

Halloween!

2010-11-02T17:31:00.004-06:00

Enjoy these pics of our Halloween!

Barrett, the Pirate, and a Scooby-Doo at his Pre-School Halloween party.

Trick or Treat! Greta saying "Happy Halloween!" was just about the cutest thing ever!

Our Trick-or-Treat Troupe!

Anyone else have a horseman trot through their neighborhood whilst trick-or-treating? Even though he did have a head, it was still very cool.

Max

2010-10-18T14:44:00.003-06:00

Our family is growing! Not so fast... Rest assured, Greta will be the final human addition to the Colorado Gartners, but we did get a fish! Meet Max, our new Beta fish. Isn't he a beauty?

Hi, I'm Max. My hobbies include swimming, eating, and fighting with myself in the mirror. For excitement, I wrestle with giant fingers in a tiny cup, every time my water gets changed.

Barrett checking out his buddy. When this fish phase is over I'll have to turn his bowl back into my wine glass.

Greta: "I hug Max."

The kids feeding Max. Barrett asked, "What does Max eat?" I checked the label on his fish food and answered, "Dehydrated Blood Worms." Barrett thought that was just about the coolest thing ever. You may notice Tori sleeping on the chair in the background. She is not impressed by Max whatsoever.

Tour de Fall

2010-10-01T09:58:00.003-06:00

Hey all! It's been awhile since we've caught up on the happenings in Colorado Gartner-land. Here's some highlights of our Indian Summer! (It has been just BEAUTIFUL around here lately!)

Barrett, Paige Roberts, and Greta donning their Tour de Fat costumes. If you're not familiar with the TDF, it's our one "can't miss" event in Fort Collins. The whole town comes out, dressed like crazy fools, and thousands of people ride in the streets. Much fun, and a great time to visit! (hint hint)

Greta at Harvestival in the hay maze. She is growing up so fast!!!

Barrett and Paige in a combine wheel at Harvestival, our local farm's fall celebration. Adrienne and I had working hubbies that day so we went together, the kids had a blast!

Barrett's first day of pre-school. Next year, Pre-K, then Kindergarten. Can you believe it! He's being a little catalog model in this shot. I know I'm biased, but he's a handsome young man, No?

Greta and I at our birthday brunch. She was turning lots of heads with her pig tails. It's safe to say... I don't have a baby anymore!

Greta's personality is showing itself more and more each day. And let me tell you, this one is ALL girl. She insists on wearing dresses, loves to dance, loves her babies, etc... Anything you could imagine that is stereotypically girlish, she loves. There is one other thing she really really loves: her brother. She has a hard time saying goodbye to him when he goes to school. They are such great little playmates to each other. I'm cherishing this time with them, and enjoying every second!

Two Years in a Life

2010-09-12T15:57:00.005-06:00

This post is all about....

Some of you may remember, when Barrett turned One, I sent an email with photos from his first year of life. The pressures of two kids got in the way of doing the same for Greta, and I never quite forgave myself. So here is my gesture at evening the score for our little girl, who turns two in less than a week from now. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE and unbearable cuteness will ensue...

Some recents...

2010-08-23T09:33:00.002-06:00

Smooshy Hug for Greta.

This is what time-out looks like when Barrett and Greta don't cooperate at nap time. Don't they just look miserable. I think I need to come up with a different form of discipline. The power is shifting out of my favor, Help!

Big Mountain Ranch

2010-08-08T15:53:00.007-06:00

It was impossible narrowing down photos from our trip up to visit Adam on the ranch, so I made a slideshow. Click Here. (It's better resolution on You Tube, and it doesn't take up as much of my precious blogging megabytes.) Enjoy!

P.S. I'll link a gallery to it as well, I'm working on making all of my blog photos available to you followers, thanks so much for taking the time to check in on us Colorado Gartners!!

All about Tori.

2010-07-17T11:08:00.006-06:00

I looked back at some blog posts, and realized if it weren't for the little sidebar thumbnail, one would think we didn't even have a dog! The truth is, Tori is slowly regaining her status as beloved pet. For awhile there she took the backseat to babies and breastfeeding, etc... But something amazing has happened. Tori is no longer Steve and Inger's dog. She's Barrett and Greta's.

Tori isn't the hyper little sprite that she was in her younger years. We see bursts of this former self, but mostly she sleeps. She is quite lazy, but in a lovable way. For those of us who will forever remember her as a puppy, brace yourselves: Tori is 9 years old now.

I'm so thankful to have a dog that is as patient and gentle to these kids as Tori is. Even if she sneaks out of the house from time to time, causing much exasperation to ME. Love our Pooch.

The Great Cherry Harvest of 2010

2010-07-08T10:48:00.006-06:00

Our Cherry tree produced A LOT of cherries this year. It was hard work and lots of fun harvesting them. We had buckets of cherries to share with our neighbors, which eased the pain of having half eaten cherries dropped on their houses by birds all week.

Life's a bowl of cherries!

Proud cherry farmer.

Summer Trip

2010-06-28T13:14:00.007-06:00

There were so many great pics from our trip, I had trouble narrowing it down, so I made a slideshow of photos that you can view if you want to see more! (Click here for slideshow.)

Greta taking a quick rest from playing at the park in La Crosse.

Barrett became quite the Bubble Master at Grammi and Grampi's house!

Barrett LOVES his Aunt Lori!

Much fun with the Wiffler's! The kids played their little hearts out. (Grown ups too.)

Greta with both of her Great Grandfathers. It was a very happy Father's Day!

P.S. If you would like to download any pics from the slideshow here are instructions:

Select a photo in the gallery. Drag your mouse over the large image. A menu will appear on the upper right corner of the selected photo, including an icon that is a folder with a green arrow. Click on this to download the photo. Enjoy!

Rainy Days...

2010-06-14T09:25:00.002-06:00

It was wet and rainy this past weekend. Perfect for....

Reading a book with Dad,

...and coloring. Yourself. (She thinks everything in a tube is make-up, including markers.)
I think she highlighted her cheekbone quite well! (Washable markers help me keep my sense of humor.)

Adios, Training Wheels!

2010-06-03T11:01:00.001-06:00

It's official, Barrett is a big boy.

Peek a Boo!

2010-05-31T12:56:00.000-06:00

Greta's favorite game as of lately...

Fairchild's Visit... COUSINS!!!

2010-05-27T11:16:00.003-06:00

My cousin, Jim and his family came out for a graduation celebration, which was a great opportunity for the cousins (1st and 2nd) to bond. Here are some highlights!

Barrett was on London like white on rice from the get-go!

Greta made quite a splash too! (pun intended)

Did I mention Barrett really loves London??

All the kids together, hopefully we can have more of these shots as the years go by.

Not to beat a dead horse... but Barrett REALLY loves his cousin!

Storytime, Mady and London helped put Greta to bed. Mady was a FANTASTIC babysitter to Greta while she was out here!

Saved the best for last... love this pic of Mady and Greta!!!

All this time with cousins got me thinking... Whenever you're ready Jeff and Lori!!!!!

Happy Birthday Grampi!

2010-05-19T19:45:00.001-06:00

(Our apologies to Grammi for the nose-picking, this was the best take we got! Enjoy!!)

A little catching up...

2010-05-15T10:53:00.004-06:00

The Zoo

Kari, Adrienne and I took the brood down to the Denver Zoo for a morning, it was challenging keeping up with all those kiddos, but they had a great time. Barrett and Greta slept very well on the car ride back home!

(If you look closely, there is a peacock resting in the shade under the bush behind the kids!)

The Farm

Barrett's preschool class took a field trip to the farm. While he and his class went on a hayride, Greta and I explored the farm. A large black sheep "Baaa'd" at Greta, and she about jumped out of her skin, it was so cute.

Mother's Day

Steve and the kids took dear old Mom to the Rio for her favorite Margaritas for Mother's Day. I also got a wonderful basket for my bike, which will be so handy this summer when we're out and about on our bikes. I'm one lucky Mom!

Happy May Day!

2010-05-02T16:23:00.000-06:00

(Belated.) Here is our Cherry tree, in full bloom!

Various items of interest...

2010-04-25T23:55:00.003-06:00

Item 1: Dragons. Or Sharks, T-Rexes, monsters... anything that roars. There is a lot of that going on these days!

Item 2: Greta got her first haircut! I thought they were only cutting her hair, but it turns out they also removed her infancy, as she emerged from the chair a toddler.

Item 3: Barrett's tattoos. These "temporary" glow-in-the-dark tats were applied 3 weeks ago. They are STILL on there, barely faded at all. But I think they have stopped glowing, so that's a start! (You think this is bad, his little buddy Ollie had twice as many, including a skull with flames coming out of it on his tummy, a spider on one forearm, and a snake on the other one.) Greta got off easy, with one little tribal band around her wrist that I painstakingly removed over several baths.

Item 4: Our couples trip to Monterey, CA. Steve and I had a much needed vacation that included biking around the beautiful town for a day, then going for a beach picnic at Big Sur, followed by a wonderful dinner, then wine tasting in Carmel Valley the next day, with our dear friends James and Mandy Bell. A big, BIG thanks to Grammi and Grampi Gartner for coming out to stay with the kids in our absence. It was our first trip away from them, and it allowed me to actually sleep at night knowing they were so well taken care of.

Item 5: The other event of our trip was Steve's big race in the Category 5 Men's road race at the Sea Otter Classic. The race was well over 40 miles and very hilly. I was so proud when I watched him cross the finish line! Here he is starting the race. (White jersey, in between the yellow and red ones).

Yogurt Girl!

2010-04-07T16:18:00.002-06:00

A couple snapshots from Greta's adventure in feeding herself yogurt today. She really is so proud of herself!

All cleaned up with a full tummy of yogurt, time to start the day~!

Easter Egg Hunt!

2010-04-05T16:59:00.003-06:00

All the kids waiting for the GO!
Greta, you missed one!

Nice Work!

A couple of April Fools

2010-04-01T10:22:00.003-06:00

Our refrigerator stopped working sometime overnight, fate's little April Fool's joke on us. I decided to take a break from the frustration to capture my cuties loving on each other. A bunch of thawed meat doesn't seem so bad when you turn around and see this! (And thankfully we have a second fridge!)

Let's see, I've got my brother's boots and helmet, so I should be ready to go.... now where's my purse!

Last Snow?? (Please!)

2010-03-21T17:26:00.003-06:00

Only in Colorado can you have a sunny day playing in the park literally 20 minutes after building a snowman. Spring Snow in CO is always so sticky, PERFECT for snowman making! Barrett named the snowman..... "Barrett! Just like my name!" Hopefully he won't be too disappointed when Barrett melts.

Cutest little Piggies!

2010-03-06T11:34:00.002-07:00

I put Greta in the first Spring outfit of the year. I thought some 'springy' pigtails would complete the look!

"Hi, I'm Greta. My hobbies include putting every pair of shoes I have on and off, and chewing on everything!"

Faces

2010-03-06T08:06:00.003-07:00

Barrett, make your.....

...Love Face.

...Scared Face.!

...Silly Face!

Some recents...

2010-03-03T14:30:00.002-07:00

Barrett and Oliver, best buds.

Our girl is a smiley one!

Bright beautiful boy~ Barrett.

Snowy Winter!

2010-02-22T21:45:00.002-07:00

'Twas a very snowy weekend....

Greta all bundled up.

Barrett hard at work!

Greta was napping while Barrett enjoyed his reward!

Florida Trip!

2010-02-19T16:45:00.003-07:00

Here are a few highlights from our recent trip to Florida to visit Gary and Marsha (aka Grammi and Grampi). Sea World was a big hit!

The Barrett Fish

Happy Stingray!

At the MOSI Museum, on our rainy day.

Cuddles at Sea World

Pucker up!

Steve just may go off and join the circus. The high wire bike at MOSI.

Tampa's newest evening news team...

More Sea World cuddles!

Sorry these are so out of order! Thanks for everything Gary and Marsha!

Family Hike

2010-02-08T18:20:00.005-07:00

We took a family hike while I was checking out some new photo shoot locations. Barrett and Greta loved the hike, enjoy the pics!

Dad got the kiddos safely down the trail.

Let's do this thing!!!

Monkey see....

Monkey do!

Things are looking up for the Gartners~

3 years old, oh boy!

2010-01-10T14:11:00.004-07:00

Just wanted to say I'm working on uploading X-mas photos... Stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy these recents. Barrett showing off his 3rd birthday cup-cake (from his Dinosaur birthday party), and little lady G.

For the record, I didn't doctor the color of her eyes in Photoshop, they really are that blue. We are going to have to add a locked tower to our future home blue prints. Rapunzel style, for peace of mind during her teenage years. Greta will be happy up there, we'll get her a Wii or something.

Family Pics!

2009-12-16T14:23:00.003-07:00

Can you believe it?? All four of us together! The lady with the long brown hair is me. The man in black, that's Steve. (We don't often grace the blog photos, so soak us in!)
I've been dying for a photo of Greta and I, a big thanks to Rhys Roberts for taking our pictures! (We traded, I did theirs too, check them out on my photography blog!)
I think this one is for the X-mas card... or New Year's card as it's shaping up to be!

Tis the season for sharing.... Ice Cream!

2009-12-13T15:56:00.002-07:00

Ben and Jerry's was the reward for Barrett being a good listener for our family photo shoot. (Stay tuned for those pics!) They had a lot of fun sharing an ice cream cone together. This again has fallen into the "too cute not to post" category. Enjoy!

2009-12-08T18:01:00.004-07:00

Just some more cute shots of the kiddos from lately. Highlights include: One carseat box (also known as the greatest toy ever to grace our playroom.)

Also, the CSU Marching band's rehearsal for the Denver Parade of Lights, which was a few days later. This was really cool. They marched around the neighborhood, just a couple blocks from our house. It was as if our neighborhood got its own little parade! Barrett said, "When I grow up, can I be a marching band player?" Have I mentioned lately how much we love living in Fort Collins?

Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-12-03T15:37:00.007-07:00

Gartner kid's Thanksgiving! All three of the Gartner brothers were together in Colorado this year for Turkey Day, and it was so nice having everyone. We had a housefull, but managed to keep smiling the whole time! Between friends and Family we had 16 people for dinner, two turkeys, and pot lucked on the fixings. The "Don't spill the beans" game that Lori brought for Barrett was a big hit... particularly with the big boys. Too Funny!

Other milestones of the weekend: Greta's first ice cream cone, and Barrett got his pedal bike! He's warming to the idea, but still prefers his Strider. By far the best part of having the Gartner Uncles here, is that Barrett genuinely knows them now!

Barrett is CRAZY about Lori! One morning, Barrett and I were in the kitchen, when Jeff emerged from their room. "Good Morning!" Jeff said. Without skipping a beat, Barrett says, "Good Morning, where's Lori?"

In the photo of Jeff, Lori and Greta, notice Barrett in time-out in the background. Ha!

I missed out on the family photo shoot, because I was at a photo shoot of my own, as the photographer! Inger G Photography is getting off the ground at the perfect pace for my schedule balancing the kids, the house, and my new career! It feels great getting all this experience, and I'm gaining confidence with each job. I'm lucky to have such great friends and neighbors willing to give me a shot, and I'm happy to report everyone seems genuinely pleased with their results! For some examples of my latest work, I welcome you to click the link to the Inger G Photography Blog! I've been busily posting after all my "gigs."

It's that time of year again!

2009-11-10T17:46:00.002-07:00

Enjoy this year's Gartner Elves dance! A fine looking bunch of elves if I don't say so myself!!!

2009-11-10T17:41:00.001-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Halloween

2009-11-09T07:43:00.002-07:00

"You're Fired!" Our little Donald Trump doing her version of the mogul's signature gesture.

In preparation for Halloween, we started Barrett on a strict workout regimen and, in combination with the all protein diet, he really filled out his Spiderman costume, don't you think?

At his Funtime School Halloween Party

With Puppy Paige.

The Don getting geared up for some candy collecting.

Greta Lately

2009-11-08T11:59:00.003-07:00

Well, the big news is, she's walking!!! A lot. Very quickly. She loves to follow her brother around, and she is pretty fearless. I have to keep my eye on her like a hawk!

Serious Greta. (Seriously Cute that is!)

Greta's new favorite thing is to find anything that remotely resembles a bag (ie ghost bucket, purse, that silverware thingy from the dishwasher, basically anything with a handle) and carry it around. In the ghost bucket (her favorite) she likes to put things she finds around the house. It really is just about the cutest thing in the world. Here she has collected a slipper, and a mini-board book. She also puts her paci in there when she's not using it.

Singing Greta. If you can imagine.... "Ahhhhhhh AAAAA Ahhhhhhh...." and so on.

Pig Tails! These stayed in for about 12 minutes before she pulled them out. It was cute while it lasted though!

Barrett Lately

2009-11-08T11:34:00.002-07:00

Okay, I know he's MY kid, but I just have to say... This child is such a delight to be around. He is so kind, especially to his sister. When he hears her fuss, he rushes to her and says, "It's okay, Greta. I'm here. You okay, Greta?" It works too, he really calms her down (when he's not getting her all riled up, that is!) Granted, he is almost 3, so there is the inevitable tantrum from time to time, particularly as he is starting to outgrow his daily nap (now maybe every 3rd day he'll actually sleep during naptime), but all in all- this boy is a gem. I'm so proud to be his Mama. (can you tell??)

Pretty scary, eh?? You can't really tell in the photo, but here Barrett is sitting on his brand spankin' new "big boy" bed. Barrett is in a pre-school for two mornings a week now, and he just got moved up to the potty-trained class. He really is turning into a big boy. My toddler is becoming a full fledged kid!

I know he remembers last winter, but this first snowfall of the season had him wide-eyed and amazed.

How am I supposed to resist this face??? Whatever you want kiddo, it's yours with that smile!

Fall Fun

2009-10-19T23:56:00.002-06:00

We buried each other in leaves the other day. Isn't that what they're there for??

Greta only got buried waist high, being a baby and all...

Pumpkin Patch at our CSA farm for the second annual Harvestival. Our family picture on the blog was the year before. Hard to believe just a year ago, Greta was in her sling in the pumpkin patch, now, she's walking around.

Greta's first hay-ride. She got a kick out of it.

Barrett exploring the corn stalks. I have a great series of photos just after this, where you can actually watch him wet his pants, but I figured I'd spare the blog. Potty training is going pretty well, though. I can't believe my toddler is turning into a "big kid" and my baby is turning into a toddler! Time is going by too quickly. (As everyone warns it will.)

Amanda is Married!

2009-10-18T20:23:00.002-06:00

Amanda and Jeff tied the knot on the beach at Tulum, Mexico on 10/10. It was a beautiful wedding, and an amazing trip!

Greta was flower girl (with a little assistance from Amanda's friend Alyssa).

Barrett ran around like a crazy maniac during the ceremony, so much for his ring-bearer duties. (Napping was a challenge in Mexico.)

Mexico!

2009-10-18T20:10:00.005-06:00

In case anyone was wondering, Frontier Airlines has a really nice pilot! Barrett got some special treatment before the flight to Cancun.

Greta is new to walking, and this sand was messing up her game. When we got home she really started moving. No more infants in our house, it's toddler city, USA!

Our new foot picture.

Barrett was naked just about the entire time we were at our beach house in Tulum. Don't worry, he was slathered from head to toe in sunblock. I had planned on him wearing some super cute beach wear, but realized we left the kids' suitcase at home when we landed in Mexico. Oops. (A lesson in how little we really need on vacation.) He was pretty impressed with the sandbox accommodations, and this kid LOVES the ocean. A fun trip to the Mexican markets in Tulum for some essentials, and we were covered. Literally and figuratively.

Thomas and Friends

2009-10-18T19:40:00.002-06:00

We went to the Colorado Railroad Museum to catch a glimpse of Thomas the Tank Engine, with our friends The Roberts. Barrett and Oliver had a blast exploring all of the engines, though funny enough, Barrett could have really cared less about the "big Thomas." He was more interested in the model train set up, or "little Thomas." Go figure!

2009-10-03T13:40:00.003-06:00

Quick Note....

I added a feature to the blog, for those of you who are shy about commenting on my posts. There are little boxes at the bottom of each post, if something strikes you please just click on one of them. (It's sometimes hard to have motivation to put posts up when no one comments! All of you are spies, looky-loo's, and I'm not having it anymore!)

Just kidding, but I really, REALLY appreciate comments/feedback/reactions on my posts. It makes it feel like more of a two way street for old Mom over here. Thanks everyone, and thanks for taking the time to check in our our little family!

Hold Still!

2009-10-03T13:34:00.002-06:00

There are two ways I can get Barrett to hold still for photos these days. You're lookin' at 'em!

Siblings

2009-10-03T13:27:00.002-06:00

It is truly a joy watching these two together. I am reminded of my own youth and how Adam and I must have been when I was a baby. And how I used to dote on Amanda when she was a little one. There truly is something special about siblings. It overwhelms me how lucky I am to have these two amazing little people in my life. (Barrett and Greta that is. Amanda and Adam aren't exactly little people anymore, but I'm lucky to have them too!)

Birthday Girls

2009-09-23T18:12:00.004-06:00

Greta gets another birthday song. It's a good thing the family in Wisconsin sang for me, because this crowd didn't sing twice... I suppose I should get used to that. Besides, who needs any more birthdays! I've had my share. Now September 18th is all Greta's!

The birthday girls.... 1 and... well, who's counting!

With a cake like this, who needs a second song! What you are looking at is the Olive Street Bakery's "Passionata" cake. Passionfruit Mousse, Raspberry filling, white cake, and butter cream frosting. Not to mention the delicious fruit, and milk chocolate tulips. I pity the fool who didn't get a piece. YUM!

Fun with Friends in WI

2009-09-14T15:27:00.003-06:00

Michael and Greta become aquainted...

...while Barrett and Natalie do the same.

Great to catch up with the Wiffler clan. Notice the parent to child ratio is 1:1. Let's not mess with that.

Our Most Patriotic pose with Max and Lynn.

Checking in on little sis.

Barrett trying to get on Natalie's good side.

Pretty Girl!

Fun with Family in Wisconsin

2009-09-14T14:00:00.005-06:00

We had hoped Barrett would be able to go fishing with Uncle Scott, alas our trip was too brief... However... here he is fishing for something else!

And like every proud fisherman, displaying his catch.

Barrett enjoys some birthday cake.

Greta's 1 year old birthday party was a smashing success. (A little early celebration, she will be one on 9/18)

Greta and Great Grandpa Gayle

Aunt Mary

Great Grandpa Tony

The latest....

2009-09-02T09:35:00.005-06:00

Barrett and Greta have officially become playmates. It is so fun to see them entertain each other! (Not to mention how much easier it makes my life.)

I fear this is a sign of things to come....

Happy Girl!

We think Barrett may be coming down with Swine Flu...

Guess who got a new camera!

2009-08-25T14:51:00.004-06:00

A Message for Grandma Berrett and the family down under...

2009-08-21T17:48:00.002-06:00

Pictures Pictures Pictures...

2009-08-03T14:26:00.004-06:00

Barrett likes to hide from me when I'm trying to take his photo, as though he's a celebrity and I'm the paparazzi. Right after I took this picture he said, "Aw, you got me that time!"

How's that cream-sicle tasting, Barrett?

A happier pose than the last photo session in the same light. (Do we remember the pouty lip post?)

Here is how a conversation with another Mom and myself would end...

Me, saying "That's great and all, but my kid walks on water." (At the koi pond after a heavy rain.)

A get together with my old college roommates, Ryan and Stacy Hartman was a lot of fun, and Barrett really hit it off with their kiddos, Piper and Corbett. (Especially Piper as you can see!)

Cuteness...

Cuteness...
and more cuteness!!

We had a visitor to our garden the other day. I don't know if butterflies are considered good luck, but I certainly feel lucky!

More fun at Adam's

2009-07-25T07:42:00.006-06:00

Barrett and Greta enjoy some living room fishing. Barrett is the fish.

Uncle Adam takes Barrett on a full fledged tractor ride. He let Barrett put the bucket up and down, and it was all very exciting!

Thanks Uncle Adam....

Fishin'

2009-07-25T07:27:00.002-06:00

Uncle Adam took Barrett fishing at the Ranch, and it was a big, BIG, hit. He was smiling the entire time.

Me trying to reel one in (after Adam was kind enough to hook it for me).

Barrett looking for his perfect spot to cast his line, little fishing rod in hand.

Barrett pulls one in with Uncle Adam's fly rod. It was quite an undertaking, but with a little teamwork...

...Barrett's first fish!

Barrett and Oliver

2009-07-17T14:27:00.005-06:00

Then...

...and now. It is amazing the difference two years can make!

More Summer FUN!

2009-07-17T14:12:00.003-06:00

Grammi and Grampi (aka Marsha and Gary) came for a visit last weekend, and Barrett hasn't stopped talking about it ever since. He's very anxious to go fishing, so we will have to get his uncles on the case! (Adam and Scott, that means you!)

Greta is becoming quite a handful... especially for Barrett! He said the other day, "Greta's getting bigger and bigger!" That's the truth!

A moment of quiet repose at the Old Town fountains...

...Okay! That's enough of that, back to play time!

Look who's sporting pig tails! (If you can call them that, really more like antennae at this point!)

Popsicles and Flying Baby...

2009-07-07T08:20:00.003-06:00

The biggest news in the Gartner household is that Greta is officially crawling. I now have two very mobile children. Gulp. Thankfully, all of this crawling must be wearing her out, because she has finally started sleeping through the night! Yeah!!!!

Barrett really enjoyed the fireworks over the 4th, and Greta wasn't too alarmed by the "booms". The house is starting to come back together, after all of our little upgrades. We just installed our new concrete hearth and mantle on our fireplace, once we finish grouting, I'll be sure to post pictures.

Right now, we are anxious for Gary and Marsha to return from their wild week in Vegas so that we can enjoy some Grammi and Grampi time, and we'll be sure to post photos of that as well!

It's a beautiful day for flying, and as you can see Greta loves to fly!

Navin Ranweiler hosted a popsicle party and all the kids had a great time.

Oliver, Barrett, and Paige

Okay buddy, that's cute now, but we've got our eye on you when you're teenagers!

A triumphant Paige shows us her stick.

GIANT BABY & More Pics...

2009-06-23T17:57:00.005-06:00

More photos for your viewing pleasure...

2 year old Paige Roberts was asking so sweetly if she could hold baby Greta. Paige is such a petite little thing, and, well, at 9 months old, Greta is on the bigger side for her age... So the result is Paige holding what would appear to be a giant baby Greta. Good thing she likes baby girls, because she will be a big sister to one this Fall! Congrats Roberts Family!

More bath time fun...

This was the squirt that ended the afternoon. There were some tears and then a much needed nap afterwards.

Too cute not to post. In her Hawaiian Dress from Molly.

The latest....

2009-06-23T15:39:00.003-06:00

The Colorado Gartner clan has been on our toes, fixing up the house, and enjoying the Spring. It has been rainy here, in fact, Steve said the other night, "In all the years I've lived here, I can't remember a time we've had so much rain this time of year!" Barrett replied, "I know, I can't remember either!" But we have been making the most of the sunshine when it does come out.

We spent a couple weeks living in our rental house where we hope to build one day, and that was an adventure to say the least. We got some work done at that house too, and our new tenants are settling in, as we settle back into our place. We had our floors sanded and refinished, dry wall texture done on the addition to make it a closer match to the original part of the house, and the interior painted. We also got rid of a bunch of furniture, and the result is a less cluttered house. It feels nice to have a little elbow room in here, and it looks great! So there is our update, now enjoy a few photos....

Barrett aides in bathing his little sister, Awwwwww.....

Steve got suited up to treat our concrete countertops with his top of the line, space age Ultra Violet sealer system. (Being in the concrete countertop business has its perks!)

Barrett frolicking in the fountains at Oak Street Plaza. A squirt to the face ended this adventure shortly after this photo was taken.

We were thrilled to have a visit from Molly, who after 2 years has returned to the mainland, and brought with her adorable Hawaiian outfits for the kids. Thanks Molly, good luck in the U.P.! (Molly is the newest Professor of Tree Physiology at Michigan Tech, in Houghton, MI.)

No, Greta has not taken up cigar smoking. That would be a pretzel stick, which she holds like a stogie.

Christa's Wedding

2009-05-27T12:21:00.003-06:00

Me doing a reading at Christa's wedding. I was so honored to be a part of her day. : )

The Old High School Crew... Cassie, Inger, Ellen, Christa, Kirsten, and Jenn. We haven't aged a day! (Still looking good in our old age.)

Speaking of good looking people... has anyone laid eyes on Steve lately!

Inger and Ellen... up to our old tricks.

Me and Christa at her Rehearsal Dinner. I'm SOOOOOOOOO happy for her and Darrel!!!

Quick Visit from Jim

2009-05-27T08:57:00.003-06:00

At cousin Matt's Graduation Party, Barrett found a puppy to play with.

Nancy got to give Greta a squeeze.

Dorks.

Matt is a full grown man, which is blowing my mind. It was great to get some face time with Jim. We miss that branch of the family tree bunches!

Steve's Triathalon

2009-05-25T22:12:00.004-06:00

Before Race Time, Barrett exploring the shores of Union Reservoir.

He also participated in the biking portion of the Swim, Bike, Run...
There's the man of the hour!!! Ready to go with his game face on. ; )

We grabbed brunch after the race, and Dad got some well deserved relaxation in!

Blondie Bluey

2009-05-14T11:37:00.002-06:00

As you can see, little Greta's Scandanavian decent is not only evident in her name.

Denver Friends

2009-05-14T08:15:00.002-06:00

Ellen, Christa, and Inger... all grown up. We sure felt young that night, high school all over again! (Not so much the next morning.)
Barrett and Hollyn (Ellen's daughter) going for an imaginary spin in the Drennen's Escalade (minus one battery.)
Greta and McKenna (my friend Kerrie's daughter) getting to know each other. They are only 2 1/2 months apart.

Cinco De Mayo...

2009-05-06T15:27:00.002-06:00

"Auntie Mandy" bought this cute little dress back from Mexico, and I thought Cinco de Mayo was the perfect occasion (if not only occasion) to break it out.
For those of you who may notice a marked improvement in my recent photos, thank Amanda who let me borrow her camera. It's taking my kiddo shots to a whole new level! (I'm thinking about going pro... for reals.)
Pucker Up, Greta! Here he comes again!
I told Barrett it was a peach tree in our backyard... He said it doesn't taste very much like peaches.

Mean Mommy

2009-05-01T15:27:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I have to say no. He certainly doesn't make that easy as you can see. I'm pretty sure we could stack bricks on that lower lip if we wanted to! And his side of the argument is the same no matter the subject. It goes a little something like this... "But I want it!" (Because clearly wanting something is justification enough for getting it in his world!)

Video Debut.... The Giggler

2009-04-26T19:05:00.004-06:00

This video was so cute that it prompted me to figure out how to import video onto my laptop and use my "movie maker" software (Thanks Denver Uncle Jeff!). I'll be sure to post more in the future.

Did I mention yet how much Greta adores her big brother??? Check it out.

Couldn't resist

2009-04-09T10:05:00.004-06:00

In case there was any question, those would be Moose Antlers on Barrett's head.

These kids totally love each other. It is so fun to watch. And Greta is turning into more of a girl every day. Not that I'm biased or anything, but I think she's really a pretty baby!

2009-04-05T11:33:00.005-06:00

Finally some snow!!! Steve is doing a great job training Barrett as a snow-shoveler. He looked up at me and said, "This is hard work!"

Barrett's friend Miles and his big sister Amelia came over to play as the grown ups ate dinner together. As we sat at the dinner table we heard Barrett and Amelia running from his room to the living room, and shouting, "Here's another present!" over and over again. They had taken every toy in the living room, as well as the bathroom (notice the toilet seat Amelia is holding), and bestowed it upon little Miles in Barrett's bed.

Barrett discovered awhile ago how to turn up the stereo... if only he could figure out how to turn it down again...

Greta is entering her "super-chub" phase. I couldn't resist a nudie photo shoot on the "Bare-skin rug" (ha ha ha).