family pictures

We had family pictures taken a week or two ago. We haven't done this for a year, so it makes me happy to have updated photos of my sweet family.

And now my family, along with the rest of the Maravilla family, are heading up into the mountains to vacation together for the week. I'm secretly glad my snow pants don't fit this year so I can pamper myself with magazines, hot cocoa and lounging!

Merry Christmas from the Maravillas

Patrick is back home!  And we're ready to do a little celebrating with out own family this week and with the whole Maravilla clan up in the Rocky Mountains next week.  Merry Christmas!

Wow it has been busy at the Maravilla house.  

I haven't spent a night not sewing, making or baking something in weeks.  I've had fun making gifts this year though and using up my stashes of fabric.  I'm feeling pretty pregnant these days, with 12 weeks to go I guess I am!  

Patrick has been put in charge of a few things at work...or more in charge than normal.  He had a couple easy days last week, and now he is in NYC for a few days working on commercials that will hopefully air this time around!

Afton is thrilled to be on vacation from school.  I don't know if I should feel sad that she is already anticipating breaks from school or happy that she loves to be at home.  At least when she is at home she is either reading a book, making an art creation or playing with Abel.

Abel is getting to be a good helper.  He is always saying "Don't Worry Mom, I'll take care of that."  He is very excited for Santa to come, for Daddy to come home and stay home and to go on vacation with Grandpa and Grandma.

I'd post a photo or two, but we sold our iMac right before Patrick left to go out of town and I don't have all my programs up and running on the laptop.  

Chocolate Chip Waffles

Patrick makes the best chocolate chip waffles. I think it is Abel's favorite breakfast.

The Nutcracker

Afton and I went to the Nutcracker on Saturday night. She had so much fun getting dressed up for the show.

She loved the dancing (once she got that it was going to keep on going), the silly Drosselmeyer and the the Sugar Plum Fairy. I spoiled her with a sparkly tiara from the gift shop, a Nutcracker ornament for our tree and cookies from the bake sale.

I was pretty impressed with the Boulder Ballet. Beautiful dancing, costumes and effects. Much cooler than the local production I grew up attending/dancing in!

Buzz and a turkey

Afton had to disguise a turkey for school.  She came up with the hula dancer idea on her own.  I loved this project and think we'll make it a November tradition.  It was funny to check out the other turkey's in the classroom and see turkeys dressed like ninjas, Wall-E, darth vader, etc.

Abel LOVES and LIVES for Buzz Lightyear.  His sweet cousin, Kaleb, gave him one of the small Buzz guys over the summer and we accidentally brought home his twin last week!    His favorite activity is to have me turn on the Buzz Lightyear Song and act it out with the small flying Buzz.  Buzz stands on the couch while Abel puts on a very sad expression and when the part comes when the movie Buzz jumps down the stairs to fly, Abel throws Buzz across the room the falls on the floor himself.  After the song ends, he explains to me that Buzz is so sad because he cannot fly.  

Abel is asking Santa Claus for a Buzz Lightyear costume for Christmas.  Hopefully he will stop randomly pooing in his undies so Santa can  bring it to him!

more snow!

Afton's favorite snow activity is to shovel the sidewalk.  Today she didn't even bother to put her backpack done before she started shoveling!

Abel likes the snow this year!!  He loves getting his gear on, especially his boots, and stomping around in the deep snow.  

Belly

I meant to post a belly photo at 6 months. I'm somewhere in the middle of 6 months now and here it is. I really like my rounding belly. It still fits into lots of regular shirts and hasn't affected my backside too much this time around. I'm even comfortable posting a picture of myself in my "comfy pants!"

This baby is getting big. I can feel it's movements getting more forceful, less polite. He/She must be up to 2 lbs by now!

Yesterday, Abel and I were talking about my belly. He first said he wanted a sister then quickly changed his mind to various Dora characters, settling and Dora and Boots. Afton is firm on the sister wagon. Very, very firm.

Thanksgiving Snowe

Afton and Abel were excited to arrive home to much more snow than in the yards of their cousins, who live just 90 miles south of us.  Patrick grabbed all the snow gear from the garage (it's not attached to out home so I always appreciate his garage errands) and after lunch today the kids hit the snow. 

The kiddos were not very thankful for Thanksgiving food.  Abel tried the turkey and dissected his roll; while Afton filled up on pomegranate seeds, ice cream and lemonade.

We're all happy to be back at home, surrounded by our own food and our new snow.

It's getting real

So far with this pregnancy, I've been able to politely ignore the reality that another baby will join the family eventually.  I love the swimming baby inside, it's in the very kind movement stage where it all feels cute and fun.  I feel great, comfortable and cute still.  And really March is far, far away.

Then I peeked in at the blog and saw the counter tell me I was going to have a baby in 16 weeks and 2 days (which, of course, means 17-18 weeks).  Wow.  That's soonish.

The New/Old Green Chair

Afton had a birthday party on Saturday, and somehow, Abel and I managed to hit 3 thrift stores during her party time. I was looking for a Woody doll for Able for xmas. No luck there. But I hit the thrift jackpot at out last stop.

This awesome green velvet chair, circa 1950 or so, came home with us for only $18!!! It matches my color scheme, provides another sitting option, and will be the nursing chair in a few months. Right now, Afton has claimed it as her reading chair and Able likes to see how many insane tricks he can get in before I remove him. Favorite feature: it reclines.

Patrick has already devised a new layout for out living room and dining area, which I'm in love with. Now I have space for all my crafting supplies (okay most of them) in the new storage console in the dining room (previously the TV storage stand, previous to that a dresser).

I'm on a bargain high! And I get $5 back at Target because Kung Fu Panda went on sale this week!!! I'm freaking out with savings joy!

Park Accomplishments

This week both Afton and Abel made big accomplishments at the park.

Abel learned how to climb up the Rocket Ladder and go down the super swirly slide (pictured below with Afton as the model)!!

And Afton finally made it across the monkey bars all by herself (mean Mom stopped helping her 2 weeks ago)!!

But the camera was at home, staying warm, during these exciting moments.  So retro park photos will have to do.  And there's nothing cuter than babies swings anyway.

Is that Barack Obama?

I took the kids to vote with me today. When I was in the booth filling out the ballot, Abel kept asking "Is that guy Barack Obama?" anytime a man would walk past. Dead silence except for my little politically active guy plugging our family candidate!!

Howdy Halloween

I'm so glad Halloween is over. 4 parties, almost 300 cupcakes to cater and lots of late nights.

I did have a blast making the kid's costumes and am happy they got to wear them a lot! Abel was Woody from Toy Story complete with a pull string (which I never took a picture of) and Afton was a sparkly version of Jessie from Toy Story.

A fall photo shoot

Afton grabbed the rake from the garage yesterday and started tackling the leaves...I though to help me clean up the yard, then I though she might be making a jumping pile, no...She told Abel "I'm going to make a pile, then you sit in the middle, then Mom will take pictures of you." So I let her do the photo honors!

Abel happily participated

Here's the great pile of leaves

Then she moved on to posing pumpkins.

Double portraits!

And even Abel got a turn.

Finally, I got the camera back and got a sweet picture of my eager helper.

Fall Fun Photos

Picking out pumpkins...the rule you have to carry it yourself.

A sweet, still moment on the climbing rocks.

Afton's newest photo smile.

Abel's eyes open smile!

Photos from the Week

Afton and Abel love to ride on the penny horse at the grocery store.  My Mom made them a penny jar so they can ride the horse as much as they want after grocery shopping.

This is how Abel likes to wear his shirts.

Afton had her second Primary Program last Sunday.  She had a nice big reading part since she is a reading girl.  I was bummed she was sitting on the opposite side of the chapel, but she was probably more focused not being able to see her family all the time.  And I love her dress!

Nana comes for a visit!

We've been spending the last week with my Mom! We took her to Pearl Street, a fun pedestrian-only area in Boulder with lots of musicians, climbing parks and a great candy store!

We went to the pumpkin patch.

Went up to Estes Park to see the golf course elk and spend some time in the mountains.

I haven't cleaned my kitchen or folded a load of clothes in 9 days. Patrick and I went on two dates! Afton and Abel have a jar of 200 pennies for riding the penny pony at the grocery store! We were all spoiled and had a super fun time with Nana in town!

Afton in K

Afton is really loving kindergarten. She loves recess, writer's workshop (where she writes about what she has been learning) and all her new buddies. She loves when her turn to do the calendar comes around...and loves singing the days of the week and months of the year songs all the time.

I was a classroom volunteer last week, and enjoyed seeing her in action. Afton's teacher keeps her challenged, giving her writing worksheets when other kids are learning how to write a letter, and harder math assignments (ABC or AABB patterns instead of just AB). And Afton get to go to 1st grade once a week for reading time. I'm very happy about this and Afton is excited to get a new experience. I'm so glad she has a teacher who helps keep her challenged and working hard!

This Never Happens!

The kids wanted to wait up for Patrick to get home from Germany, so I put a movie on to give them some quiet time. And 20 minutes later, this is how I found Abel. This has only happens two other times in his non-stop life! Bedtime will be a disaster, but these moments are always so sweet.

Now I have to go wake the sleeping monster.

Afton in soccer action

These are for the grandparents.  Notice how Afton isn't afraid of getting in there and getting the ball!

kids get the camera

Patrick and I don't usually show up on blog photos.  During conference, the kids took turns snapping photos.  Lovely photos of me with awesome hair and Patrick getting his arm chopped off by Abel.

We had such a fun family weekend.  Hanging out at home while watching conference.  We were all sad to see Patrick leave for the airport this afternoon.  He's in Germany for the week!

Fall Walk

It's finally cool enough to go for nature walks. Buzz Lightyear had to come with Abel this time.


And Afton made good use out of her weekend thrift store find. I'm so glad she thinks it's fun to hunt treasures with me!

We found lots of leaves to use for home school projects. And just to admire.

Abel needed to get up close to nature.