Small town. BIG PARADE!

Last year's 4th of July holiday took us to Omaha for a family reunion. So this year, we opted to stay home and check out all the 4th festivities offered in nearby Monument. We'd heard they were something to see ... and boy, these folks in small-town-Colorado sure know how to throw a patriotic party!

The day started off with a 4-mile fun run for Jami from Palmer Lake to Monument along the Santa Fe Trail. About 600 people joined in the fun of this 7,000 ft. elevation race ... thankfully, it was all downhill! Then the Leahy family ventured to downtown Monument for the first of the parades ... the kiddie parade! Children of all ages paraded through the town of Monument on their red-white-and-blue decorated scooters, bikes, trikes, skateboards, wagons, etc. Even a certain little red pedal car rode the route! The streets were lined with crowds of people cheering on the kiddos. Once the kiddie parade wrapped up, the main parade began. Having come from Kansas, we are used to parades, but this was ONE BIG PARADE! It lasted nearly 2 hours with antique cars, floats, fire trucks, politicians, alpacas, horses, marching bands, a unicyclist, and more. One could not watch this parade without feeling American pride at its very best as the community all gathered together to celebrate on this Independence Day.

We love a parade! In the kiddie parade,

Reid rode his old-school trike, and

Luke pedaled his red sportscar. Vrooom!

Cruising along the parade route

with purple mountains majesty in the background.

A patriotic float from the main parade.

The fam on the Fourth!

HenHouseWarming.

We've all been to a housewarming party ... but have you ever been to a henhousewarming? Neither had we!

Jami has a Junior League friend Alyssa who has started raising her own chickens. (She loves to bake, so that was the motivator behind getting the chickens so she could use fresh eggs in her culinary creations!) But one cannot have chickens without the proper accommodations, so her husband Tad set to work building a chicken coop ... and it is a deluxe model with electricity so they can have heat in the CO winters! Their 4 chickens -- Fiona, Millicent, Abigail & Amelia -- are living the life of luxury in their backyard thanks to Tad's handiwork and Alyssa's dream. We had a ball attending their henhousewarming and meeting "the girls."

All Things American.

Mom School took the boys on an American adventure this week in celebration of Independence Day. One highlight of the week was taking in the great American pasttime -- baseball -- with a trek to see our Skysox minor league team with our friends the Massey family. The boys enjoyed the game, the food, and watching the mascot Sox the Fox!

Take me out to the ballgame...

Hudson, Hunter, Luke & Scott

at the Skysox game!

Swing, batter!

Take me out to the ballgame ...

One of our favorite pasttimes this summer is playing wiffleball in the backyard. Our game has been taken up a notch now that we've got some bases (Luke bargained a sweet deal for 4 bases at a recent garage sale!) He has also moved on from hitting off the tee to hitting off a pitch. Check out the video below of our all-star slugger. Go, Luke!

Undy 5000.

For a while, we have been in search of a race to benefit colon cancer, a disease that both Jami's grandmother and mother have battled. There are races supporting so many worthwhile causes, but we could never find one to benefit this cause that's near and dear to our family. Until now...

And so begins the story of the Undy 5000. (Clever name, eh?) The Undy 5000 is a 5000 meter (5K) walk/run to raise awareness about colorectal cancer. Participants are encouraged to draw attention to their bottoms—and colorectal cancer—by participating in their underwear. Most people interpret this as wearing boxer shorts over their running shorts, and every participant receives a pair of boxers (instead of the usual race t-shirt.) This race is one of a series of 5 brand new races across the US being sponsored by the Colon Cancer Alliance.

This morning we loaded up the family and headed to Denver's City Park. This 1st time event had a fantastic start with nearly 1,000 participants ... such a GREAT turn-out for an inaugural event! The best part was the incredible spirit of people coming together to walk/jog/run in honor of loved ones and in the quest to raise awareness about colon cancer. As Jami ran (and Scott and the boys cheered her on), there were several emotional moments considering how this disease has impacted our family ... but also a feeling of hope that perhaps by raising awareness we can better face this disease with more preventive measures like early screening.

Jami & the boys before the race by the lake at City Park.

What a beautiful morning for a 5K!

Jami sported this "tattoo" as a tribute to running

the race for Mom & Grandma Ruby!

The Super Colon was a great educational tool

for explaining colon cancer to the boys. You could

walk through this exhibit (a large inflatable colon)

and learn about the various stages of disease.

Our Denver friends Joe, Mary Fran & Cullen ventured out

to the race, too. Such great fans to cheer on Jami! Thank you!!

Reid and Baby Cullen ... blue-eyed boys!

One more note: Since Jami's mom was diagnosed with colon cancer more than 10 years ago, we have seen her face cancer with such amazing courage. There are many lessons to be learned from loving a family member with cancer. Perhaps the greatest lesson we have taken from this journey is to enjoy each and every day of life ... the small moments and the big milestones. Cancer has shown us a path in life with some detours we didn't anticipate, but together we have found a perspective that graces our lives with even more meaning.

Splashfest.

Our summer days are heating up, so what better way to enjoy them than to get out and about and SPLASH! Today we were watching some neighbor kids, so we decided to have a splashfest. First, we hooked up the hose to the showerhead that runs over our play structure slide. (Yes, the previous owner had some brilliant plumbing ideas!) We moved the play pool to the bottom of the slide, so the kids had a ball "watersliding" and then making a splash landing in the pool at the bottom. Next up ... the slip-n-slide ... hilarious entertainment! Then we moved over to the neighbor's yard for time in their inflatable play pool and on their swingset. We wrapped up with popsicles and lots of laughs!

S is for Slip. Slide. Sprinkle. Soak.

Cooling off with a favorite summertime treat ... popsicles!

Full House.

Wellings & Leahys on a hiking expedition

to Palmer Lake Reservoir!

We love hosting friends and family who visit our beautiful state! Perhaps it's being able to share a glimpse of what's meaningful in our lives today with visiting loved ones who have added meaning to our lives along the way. It's the best of both worlds ... the past and present coming together.

This is certainly true with our most recent visitors. We met the Welling family when we moved to Arizona almost 10 years ago. Scott and Kenn started at the same time at Motorola as hardware engineers. Our decade-long friendship has been filled with so many fond memories of holidays and family dinners and game nights and laughs. It is such a joy to know their family and to share such good times with them.

And the good times continue with our favorite family of 9 (yes, this family earns the honor of being the biggest family we know ... with the most well-behaved, respectful, helpful children ever!) Kenn, Megan, Christian, Truman, Sydney, Abigail, Rebekah, Nate & Hazel are embarking on a journey across the country in their 15-passenger van, and Colorado Springs was the first destination in this adventure. We enjoyed 1 fun-filled day + 2 nights with them. Luke and Reid were thrilled to have so many kids around ... the fun was endless as they played light sabers, constructed Lego creations, played outdoor games, and more. We've never had such a full house ... 9 Wellings + 4 Leahys sets a record. As they say, "the more the merrier." Our most recent visitors definitely proved that to be true -- what a blast we had! Check out our adventures below...

The Welling kids camped out in our basement.

Luke & Reid loved having their buddy Nate around!

Scott with Reid on his back, Kenn, Hazel & Megan

climb the steep trail to the reservoir.

Sydney, Abby, Christian, Hazel, Truman,

Rebekah, Luke, Nate & Reid take a rest.

Parental picture.

Keeping cool with some backyard fun!

In the afternoon, the kids enjoyed a splashfest

with the slip-n-slide and playpool.

Luke goes for the knee-slide!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

An evening stop for a sweet treat!

We wrapped up the evening with a trip to the park.

These monkeys had fun hanging around!

Dad's Day.

What better way to celebrate Father's Day (and Summer Solstice!) than for a morning bike ride with our dearest dad in the beautiful summer Colorado weather! We loaded up and pedaled down the hill on our bikes to our neighborhood diner Second Cup for a delicious Father's Day breakfast. Good thing we fueled up for the ride back up the hill ... it can be a doozy! Luke has moved on from riding in the bike trailer to riding his own bike on our family treks, and he is a champ about riding around the neighborhood and braving the hills. What a fun Father's Day outing! We are so blessed by all that Scott brings to our family. He balances work, family, and fun with ease ... and always looks for learning opportunities to teach little lessons to the boys. What a dad!

Ready to ride ... the boys are suited up to go for a spin!

Luke & Scott riding down the Gleneagle hill.

(This view is one of our favorites in the neighborhood.

You can see snow covered Pikes Peak to the left

and the white structures in the distance right above Scott

in the photo are the buildings of the Air Force Academy.)

Dad and his boys!

Rockin' Birthday

Our birthday buddy Rockwell!

We've been to many birthday parties that are a good time, but tonight's party was a ROCKIN' good time! Our little friend Rockwell turned one with quite the fun festivities, complete with a rock-n-roll theme, backyard BBQ, punk rock hair station, and partygoers dressing the part. What a fun evening celebrating such a sweet little boy!

Dad with 2 pint-sized punk rockers.

Luke was sporting a mohawk. Reid preferred the neon style.

Not only was the party rockin' ... the sweet treats were, too!

New Zoo.

Reid, Anna, Jacob & Luke in a viewing cave at the Denver Zoo.

The zoo is a favorite outing for the Leahy family, but today we decided to try a NEW zoo ... the Denver Zoo that is. We joined our neighbor friends Kat, Anna, and Jacob for a spin around this fantastic feathered and furry hotspot in the mile-high city. Our favorite exhibits included the polar bears and sea lions. What a gorgeous day to be out and about ... everyone else thought so, too, as it was really BUSY!

Monkeys looking at monkeys.

Pool rules.

The Colorado weather has been a bit chilly lately, but this week it has finally warmed up. Mother Nature must have known we found this great new play pool at the neighborhood garage sales and we were ready to try it out!

Why is it that once the pool is filled, the boys' favorite activity

is dumping the water OUT of the pool?!

Another day this week, we decided to try a new set-up for the pool. Turns out the boys really enjoyed having the water slide feature! If you are wondering what all those "extra" items are in the pool they are ... Croc shoes, a batting tee, and a Batman toy zipping down the slide. The young men enjoy testing the buoyancy of random objects.

Cruising in style.

At an early age, the boys' personalities are starting to shine through in their choice of "wheels."

• Take Luke for example. Thrill-seeker likes fast cars. Bright red please. Fast and furious. Loves to go off-roading when possible!
• And for Reid ... Mr. Cautious likes antique cars when taking a Sunday afternoon drive. Please obey the speed limit at all times and keep your eyes on the road.

Check out the video below!

Side note: Papa is the boys' auto broker. The latest purchase (little red pedal car) was found this past weekend at our neighborhood garage sale. Sticker price: $3. Bargain deal negotiated: $2. Memories: Priceless!

"Grand" Visitors

This weekend brought us some very special visitors ... Grandma and Grandpa Keary! We enjoyed giving them the tour of Colorado Springs. Since Grandpa Ted attended the Air Force Academy, that was our first destination with stops at the Cadet Chapel and Visitor's Center. Then we continued with lunch at Salsa Brava and a driving tour of Garden of the Gods and Downtown Colorado Springs. We returned home for a little rest & relaxation ... and then a family dinner with a Hawaiian luau flair (Char siu glazed pork and pineapple in Hawaiian sweet rolls, pineapple drop martinis, avocado & papaya salad, carmelized Maui onion dip with chips, coconut lime shrimp skewers, and vanilla ice cream with hazelnut chocolate sauce and toasted coconut for dessert). Happy hula tummies! To make the evening even better, we were able to join both sets of grandparents together for this family dinner with Jami's parents attending, too!

Today, we awoke to sunny skies (yesterday was a bit overcast), so we enjoyed the fresh mountain air this morning with a combination of walking, running, biking, strolling ... depending on your personal fitness mode. We then ventured to one of our favorites -- Fox Run Regional Park -- to grill and chill at the park surrounded by all the beautiful pines. As the evening rolled around, we were sad to say goodbye to Mimi Margie and Papa Ted, but we were so thankful for the wonderful memories shared during their visit!

The boys loved having Mimi Margie read them books at bedtime!

Visiting the Air Force Academy.

The crew in front of the Cadet Chapel.

Grandparents x 2.

A fun photo with both sides of the family tree!

All in the family!

1, 2, 3 ... whee!

Papa Ted, Reid & Luke take

a whirl on the tire swing!

Pint-sized picnic.

The fam at Fox Run Park.

Thanks, Grandma & Grandpa Keary, for coming to visit!

Ahoy, matey!

There be pirates ahead ... little Leahy buccaneers that is! Argggh!

Our Mom School adventures have the boys learning about pirates, ships, and treasure. (We'll leave walking the plank to another time!) Between handwriting lessons, reading books, coloring projects, and even listening to pirate music (leave it to the library to have such a CD!), this has been a fun theme to explore.

The highlight of the week included today's Treasure Hunt at Fox Run Park. This morning, we found a map (Pirate Scott has some fine cartography skills) to some buried treasure at this big regional park space behind our house. Jami, Luke & Reid followed their detailed pirate's map along the trail twisting through the pine forest for about 1/2 mile. Much to the boys' surprise, the treasure waiting there for us was Dad ... with pizza ... and presents (some new baseball gear for the boys.) Despite some chilly temps, we enjoyed our lunch and chuckled about our treasure hunt.

Look what the pirates left us! A treasure map!

We followed the map along the forest trail ...

wondering, searching, looking for the treasure!

The treasure was quite the surprise for the boys...

Dad with lunch and some special goodies!

Pirate pizza-lovers!

Like 2 Hike.

Now that summer is in full swing, we are enjoying some of our summertime favorites ... like hiking. Our trail of choice lately seems to be Queens Falls Hike at Glen Eyrie. With all our recent rain, the stream was flowing fast and furious again today, but it was no match for our 3 moms + 3 kids in backpack carriers + 3 more kiddos leading the way. Our merry group made the trek in great time and enjoyed a long break at the falls (complete with snacks and splash time for the kids!)

1. Levi & Luke take a rest.
2. Half-time entertainment. Look closely and you'll see that Reid ditched his shoes to wade around in his socks!! Funny kid.
3. Luke, Mama & the Hollywood Hiker (wearing Mom's sunglasses.

There's more than one way to fly.

Superman pajamas ... check.

Red cape ... check.

Flying power ... check (thanks to a little help from the swing.)

Suddenly sleepy.

One of the boys' favorite summer activities is jumping on the ol' trampoline. The entertainment is endless, as are the "games" they invent. Today they decided to act like they were suddenly sleepy... good thing the trampoline is there to cushion the fall!

Extreme Home (Furniture) Makeover.

Several weeks ago, Jami came across this furniture find at Luke's school rummage sale. With a red top and ivory base, this dresser was a good solid piece but just needed a little TLC. Restoring furniture is not necessarily an area of expertise for the Leahy crew, but with a little artistic vision, this piece has become the new highlight of our hallway. Check out the before and after photos...

Before.

After ... a lovely addition to our hallway!