I wish this picture showed how high up we made it! It was so much fun!
This bad boy almost made me pee my pants! He walked right past the open back door while B and I were sitting at the table, and then he walked around to the window and looked in! It is crazy how big elk are when you are this close to them!
Papaw Marty decided that all three girls needed to ride ponies. They loved it! This is Stella with Mamaw and Papaw. Her pony's name was Blizzard. She still talks about it!
Emerson didn't want help! She is definitely going to need a pony!
Thanks Papaw Marty for the pony rides!
Emerson gave Duke a hug before she told him bye! She is still talking about "Dukey Boy!"
We drove to the top of Trail Ridge Road, and then hiked to the highest point! 13,000 feet! Beautiful!
This was the black bear that hung out in our neighborhood. He was looking in the neighbor's house!
We rode bikes around Lake Estes. Riding a bike uphill at that elevation was a challenge! Thanks Mamaw Ruth and Papaw Marty for an amazing vacation!
I can't believe it has been over a month since my last post! Time really does fly! We spent so much time traveling this summer, that it was really difficult for me to keep up with our blog. We went to Estes Park, CO for a family vacation the second week of August. It was amazing! The weather was perfect, and we had so much fun relaxing and exploring. We saw a bear within 50 yards of our house, and we had elk and mule deer in our yard almost every day! The girls rode ponies, and played their first game of putt-putt!
Since we have been back from vacation, school started back up for James and I, and we are both taking graduate classes. The girls are going to preschool three days a week this year too! Mamaw Ruth watched them one day a week for us last year, and we were so thankful for her help. We don't want Mamaw to have to be the disciplinarian, so we decided that spending that extra day at preschool might be the best option. Especially, since we love the girls' school.
The girls came back from CO with sinus infections, but their ears and lungs were fine. We were really hopeful that this was going to be a turning point for them, and we wouldn't have to worry as much about ear infections and breathing problems every time they get sick. Then we went to the ENT and audiologist last week, and our dreamworld was crushed! Emerson failed her hearing screening, and has fluid in her middle ear. The fluid isn't caused from an ear infection, which means it can't be fixed with antibiotics. I am so thankful that our ENT was conservative and gave us another 2 months before we will have to do tubes. Emerson will be re-tested in October. We are going to try a nasal spray until then, and hopefully that will work. We really don't want to go through another surgery.
Speaking of tubes... We have known that Stella's tubes have been out of place since last winter. Which stinks because her tubes lasted less than 8 months. The audiologist was unable to test Stell's hearing because her tubes were laying in her ear canals, and the ENT attempted to remove them while we were in the office. Mamaw Ruth, a nurse, and myself were all trying to hold her down, but we weren't very successful! The ENT was able to remove one tube, and she thinks the other one will fall out by itself. Stella's hearing will also be tested in October. We are hoping for big things!
Birthday month started while we were in CO. Aunt B made Elmo cupcakes for the girls! It was a great way to kick off their birthday celebration! We have less than three weeks until our babies turn 3! I can't believe it! Turning 3 is a huge milestone for us! I have been looking forward to their 3rd birthday since my Uncle Al left me a voicemail on the morning of Stella's heart surgery (when she was 10 days old). He told me to start planning their 3rd birthday. He probably doesn't remember leaving that voicemail for me, but I will always remember it. It taught me that sometimes all we have is faith and hope, but that is enough. Needless to say, this birthday is going to be a huge celebration!
