Our New Beginning in Colorado: 2016 in Pictures

I have read and seen so many negative comments about this past year. It breaks my heart. I truly believe that you have to see the good in the world and when we marinate ourselves in the negativity, it changes our perception on everything. I am refusing to allow the negativity into my house and into my mind. Life is full of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, it is what makes us human and this time on Earth meaningful. This year was amazing for me and my family and I would love to share how and why!

In January.... I met my cousin Sheldon because we so happen to live in the same state now! This was actually a picture taken on New Years of 2016! My kids still try to call him "Uncle Sheldon" all the time and it makes me giggle but this was an amazing milestone for our family! I honestly could not think of a better way to ring in the New Year and I am looking forward to continuing this again this year!

I also became a Nanny to help with my families finances and my kids registered for school here in Colorado for the first time! This is also about the time I started contemplating on bringing back and revamping my blog... at least the first time I mentioned it to my family out-loud.  

In February... everything was CRAZY! We experienced our first Snow Storm and the boys had their first taste of a snow day! There was actually snow non-stop for 3 days! The picture above was from the first day... maybe I should have shared the last day where our car was buried?! LOL

Spring Football for Little Man and Spring Soccer for Goalie also began, although it did not look or feel like spring at all! This was their first experience with sports in Colorado.

We also enjoyed a fun Super Bowl party (again with my amazing cousin, Sheldon) and he was pied in the face MULTIPLE TIMES because of his Super Bowl bets.

I also made the big decision to bring back my blog and renamed it, Pinot Noir and Prayers!

In March... We enjoyed our first Easter in Colorado! Unfortunately, we missed Mass because I was new to the whole "defrosting your vehicle before you can drive it when it's freezing outside" thing. I learned some valuable lessons in cold weather living.

This is also the month we surprised the boys and redid their entire room with Star Wars bedding and decor! They were the happiest little boys in the world!

Our first Easter in Colorado Springs was absolutely amazing and a wonderful way to end March.

In April...  we were able to enjoy the outdoors more and I spent more one on one time with my baby boys. We did a lot of Kids in the Kitchen and Clean Eating too.

This was my final month as a stay-at-home mom. I did Nanny a few times during the week but it was only for a few hours. I volunteered at the school as much as possible and finally got Goalie back on track for his therapies.

In May... we attended our first ever baseball game! It was an awesome experience! Check out Colorado Rockies: Our First Baseball Game for more pictures and fun. 

This was the end of the school year for the boys and the beginning of our first summer vacation in Colorado. I began my new job this month too!

We also enjoyed a Kentucky Derby Party. 

In June... we always celebrate A LOT! We have Little Man and my husband's birthday plus our 2nd Wedding Anniversary and Father's Day all within two weeks! It was Harry's 31st and Little Man's 9th birthday this year and we celebrated them together with a Finding Dory theme and went to watch the movie as a family.

We bought a membership to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and went on several breath taking hikes, including the Seven Falls. 

 In July... Little Man was able to train as an Altar Server at our new parish. In Florida, he had already been serving for a year so he was excited he was able to start in our new church too!

This month was full of Reading, swimming and working out!

In August... we had a 4th grader and a kindergartner! This was the start of the boys first full year at school in Colorado. 

My husband and I made a promise to plan dates to have special time together too.

This was the month I was invited into The Zelie Group and it has been an amazing experience so far!

In September... our family grew! We adopted two more cats, Shadow and Cloudy because we felt that they would be special additions to the family even though they were 10 and 6 at the time of their adoption. We were right! You would never guess they were older because they are just as active as our spunky 2 year old cat, Lemon!

We had our first experience at the Labor Day Lift Off!

We also became a scouting family and joined the Cub Scouts! We have a Lion Scout, which is a pilot program, so we are one of the first! And a Webelow! I'm still new at this so I would love some suggestions on how to help the boys with their badges etc.

We attended my cousin's wedding in Kansas and Little Man was an Altar Server! I also volunteered to be a catechist at the church.

In October... we finished our second seasons of football and soccer! Both boys had an amazing season! They learned so much and made some amazing friends. 

I received my first Little Catholic Box this month as a gift from my dad! 

The boys received their Cub Scout uniforms and attended their first big event as a Scout, the Boy Scout Centennial Campout! They shot BB guns for the first time and made their very own emergency cable bracelets. 

This was Goalie's birthday month and he turned 6! To celebrate we visited Diana's Pumpkin Patch and the boys even earned a Cub Scout Patch for completing the corn maze!

We were forced to buy a new car this month as well because our older one decided to crack an engine block while my husband was driving home from work one night.

This was our first Halloween dressing up together and we decided on a Star Wars theme: Little Man was a Flame Trooper, Goalie was Captain Rex, my husband was Darth Vader and I was a Storm Trooper. It was so much fun, I can't wait to plan another family costume.

In November... was filled with amazing food! We were blessed to attend a Friendsgiving and still do a traditional Thanksgiving at home and invited new friends to share the experience with us! 

We also participated in our first Turkey Trot (yes, we did dress like turkeys!)

Let's not forget...Goalie lost his first baby tooth!

This month was the end of our OFFICIAL first year in Colorado. We have learned so much and are ready to fill this next year with more neat experiences!

In December...there is so much to share, I barely know where to begin!

I was asked to join the committee at church to help with our Parish Faith Nights and this month was my very first one! It was Advent themed and we made Craft Advent Wreaths and sang songs.

I won a Mass Box during a Giveaway and hosted my first ever Giveaway during December!

We attended the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Electric Zoo Safari as a family! So many beautiful lights and even got a chance to see Mr. and Mrs. Claus while we were there.

Goalie was in a Winter Musical Production called the Big Chill at school and both boys won awards for Outstanding Student and their participation in the 100 Mile Club!

I also have found myself pulled into the Bullet Journal craze and am currently working on my first ever Bujo and adding some Liturgical Pages and trackers along with so much more!

To end this month, I was able to watch my children sing in the Christmas Eve Christmas Choir and it just made my heart so full, I could have burst! There were so not so fun things that we endured this year but as you can see, the good far out weighed the bad! And it will continue to be that way as long as we realize all the amazing blessings around us and never forget what is important! How was 2016 for you and your family? I hope it was filled with many blessings and that the upcoming year is even more amazing. You still have a couple more days before the end of 2016... let's go out in a bang! I am linking this with Revolution of Love.

God Bless!

Boys Scouts: Centennial Family Campout

This year my family made the jump into Scouting. Little Man is a Cub Scout, a Webelow to be exact, and Goalie is a Lion Scout, which is a new program that is being piloted this year for Kindergarten aged boys. This new adventure has already made my kids so happy and I am so glad we decided to give the Boy Scouts a try. The first BIG event we participated in was the Centennial Family Campout.

When we first arrived to the Campout location, all the troops present participated in an absolutely beautiful Flag Presentation complete with horse calvary. Both of the boys stood and watched the Presentation with such reverence and stood with a Scout Salute during the Pledge of Allegiance. I can tell you that seeing that I am raising my children with a love of God and Country has become one of those things that can bring this mommy to tears.

I love that the Scouts offer uniforms for the children that participate in their programs. I was raised in a military family and learning to have respect for the meaning behind a uniform is something that has ben instilled in me and I hope that I pass that along to my children. I am absolutely IN LOVE with the morals that the Scouts teach to the children.

The Boy Scout Oath is as follows:

On my honor, I will do my best 

To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; 

To help other people at all times; 

To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

To start off the day we made our very own paracord bracelets! The boys actually have several of these because they like the look and they are aware that in emergencies that the cords can be used to help you survive.

In addition to learning important things when you are out in the wilderness, the Boy Scouts brought the wilderness with them to show the kids and teach them about animals and their habitats!

Two big events that happen when you are a Scouting family is the Soap Box Derby and the Pine Wood Derby. Both events involve creating a vehicle to compete with in a race. Well, at the Centennial Campout we were able to make potato cars! We made cars from potatoes and raced them down a ramp. I think the boys learned that peeling potatoes takes a lot of work!

Have you ever attended a Lowe's event called Build & Grow? I think all kids' should have the chance to build something with their hands and this program is a great way to do it! There was a Build & Grow station inside one of the vendor buildings and the boys had such a great time building their very own boats! What made it so much more fun was that they had to rely on the instructions because there were so many people attempting to complete these boats that the attendants were very busy! The boys had so much pride in their hard work and it really was heart warming to see them work together to complete their boats.

As an adult, I have NEVER seen rope be made. I was able to experience that for the first time and watch my boys make it! Their favorite part was playing tug-of-war after all the hard work of creating the rope was completed.

In addition to the crafts, vendors and displays, there were several survival areas that allowed the children to learn survival skills. One such skill was how to light a fire. Unfortunately, the boys only created sparks and never actually got a fire going but they are so ready to give it another try. They have been begging to go out and start a fire so we can roast marshmallows for s'mores and cook some hotdogs. 

Archery was a tough task to master but both boys were super excited to give it a try for the first time. Neither got a bullseye but they have been asking when they can have another chance to practice.

To end our time at the Centennial Celebration we had to end on a high note. What's better than BB guns to children? Nothing! My boys were crawling out of their skin while waiting in line to tryout the BB guns. They had a briefing on "Range Safety". I loved that they even had the boys request permission to enter and leave the range. 

I do not think we could have had a better experience out at the Boys Scout Centennial Family Campout and i can guarantee you that we will be participating in the Boys Scouts upcoming events. I have never had any contact with the Boy Scouts prior to my children wanting to be involved but I think that these group of men and boys will really be a great influence on my boys and teach them lifelong skills. If you have been thinking about finding something to have fun with the entire family, Scouting is the way to go!

Autumn Hometown Hunt: Diana's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze

Our family has thoroughly enjoyed the variety of family fun activities that are available to us in this amazing place we call home. It just wouldn't be Autumn without a trip to a Pumpkin Patch! Living in a state that has many farms, there were a lot of locations to chose from. Originally, when I created the Colorado Autumn Bucket List we thought Anderson's Farms would be a great location but I did not look to see how far of a drive it was at first. We picked a farm that was not necessarily closer but allowed us to avoid tons of traffic. Diana's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze did not disappoint!

Once we arrived, we had to take your typical family picture together. I sometimes forget how hard it is to get a good picture of us all together, smiling and looking at the camera at the same time! I really like how cute this picture turned out. 

I don't know if you can really see that we are all wearing matching shirts but we are! I am "that mom" and I love dressing my family alike and having my boys were similar and/or matching outfits during special events. I honestly don't know why seeing us dressed accordingly brings me so much joy but it truly does and thank goodness my boys have accepted it and don't put up to much of a fight when I set out the outfits.

I LOVED that Diana's Pumpkin patch offered this adorable photo opportunity with their "How Tall this Fall" sign. It is crazy to me that these two boys were once so little they were inside my belly! Look at them! Both over 4 feet tall! I think the backdrop of the corn stalks made this even better because you can see how tall those amazing things get too.

We are Florida natives and we are accustomed to playing in the white sand beaches often. This wondrous corn bin was more exciting than any sand pit my boys have ever played in before. Little Man and Goalie both took turns burying each other and making corn angels as Goalie called it.  

My husband is a big kid at heart and thought that the corn bin looked like too much fun for him to not join in! He took his boots off and jumped into the corn bin and the boys instantly started to bury him. I am so glad that everyone enjoyed themselves. Plus the nice shade from the covering was a welcomed break from the sun. 

When we decided to purchase a few drinks to calm every one's thirst I noticed a sign for Boy Scout patches. We just recently joined the Boy Scouts as a family this past year and we have had a blast so far! I couldn't pass up the chance to but these for my boys. It took us about an hour to complete the corn maze This small patch will be something that will remind my boys of the awesome time we had together as a family and make them just a little bit more proud to be a Scout!

Here's a few more pictures of our experience on the farm at Diana's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze:

Rubber Duckie Race

My Little Pumpkin Patch! 

One of the best things about Diana's Pumpkin Patch is that the price of admission includes all the great activities AND a pumpkin! We walked through the Corn Maze, took a Hay Ride, played in the corn bin and tried out the other play areas throughout the farm. 

Here are our perfect pumpkins! My boys watched The Great Pumpkin for the first time and that is all the boy's spoke about while we were searching through the patch for our pumpkins. You have to have the perfect pumpkin to carve a great Jack O' Lantern. 

This last picture is what I live for! My sweet boys had such a blast at the pumpkin patch and devoured their caramel apples so fast that they just passed out in the Jeep! Remember your children won't stay small forever so give them an extra hug and kiss while you can. I know mine are getting tons! I hope that you and your family are enjoying Autumn and making memories. If you are in Colorado, I highly suggest taking the drive to Diana's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze!

God Bless!

{JEI}: Autumn Adventures

Time to get have some fun with this week's JEI Linkup and I'd love to introduce you to the other hosts of the Just Enough Info Linkup:

Jessica (myself) – Pinot Noir and Prayers | Instagram | Facebook

Alicia – Sweeping Up Joy | Pinterest | Facebook

Kirby – Under Thy Roof | Instagram | Facebook

Kerry - Fishbowl Fortune | Instagram | Facebook

Kristina - Calidrab| Instagram 

1. Best fall flavor: apple or pumpkin?

I am a HUGE love of all things Autumn and Fall! Pumpkin everything is my most favorite flavor! I still enjoy apple flavored beverages but if given the choice I will always chose pumpkin. I was even lucky enough to come across some Pumpkin Spiced Eggnog during a grocery shopping trip! The boys and I enjoyed it during a Halloween movie night with whipped cream and pumpkin spice sprinkled on top. DELICIOUS!

I still want to try some pumpkin steamers at some point this Autumn. I have also started a collection of pumpkin spiced coffee and tea. I am also checking off all the different pumpkin beers I can too! Sorry, I just can't help myself. Have you seen the meme that says, "At this point my blood type is pumpkin spice"? That's me!

2. The leaves are changing colors, and the air is crisp. What are you looking forward to about fall?

This is my families first "real autumn" because we have lived in Florida for the boys' entire lives. We moved here during Thanksgiving break last year and we weren't sure about whether I would have to return to Florida so we didn't get to enjoy any time out and about in Colorado during the fall season last year.

This year will be a different story! We have created a Colorado Autumn Bucket List and we have already begun checking some things off our list... and added a few! Check out these posts to see what we are planning and what we have already accomplished so far:

Colorado Autumn Bucket List

Autumn Hometown Hunt: Apple Day

Autumn Hometown Hunt: Labor Day Lift Off

3. Do you decorate for the season (and which is it: fall or autumn?)

Yes! Yes! Yes! My family loves to immerse themselves into all holidays! We are preparing for All Hallow's Eve, All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day so this is our current mantel display. We will revamp it after the special feasts honoring the dead into a Thanksgiving display. 

Our patio and all windows are adorned with decorations as well! Pumpkin lights with a motion sensor on the patio. I can't wait to add some Jack O' Lanterns soon! If you haven't created your pumpkin masterpieces yet, I suggest you check out the story of the Jack O'Lantern to share with your children. I think it is a great story of purgatory and can lead to a discussion about life and death that is meaningful to you and them. It is a tradition for us to read the story of the Jack O'Lantern before we carve them and we pray while we carve them after we are done, we sprinkle some holy water on them. It's always a favorite activity during Autumn. Here's the Pumpkin Prayer we use:

Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you and the world you created. (Remove the top of the pumpkin.)

Remove the things in my life that don’t please you. Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others. (Pull out the seeds.)

Open my eyes to see the beauty you’ve made in the world around me. (Cut out the eyes.)

Open my ears when I hear your word, so I may learn how you want me to live.(Cut out the ears.)

I’m sorry for the times I’ve turned up my nose at people who are different from me, but who are your children, too. (Cut out the nose.)

Let everything I say please you. (Cut out the mouth.)

Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do. (Place a light or candle inside it.)

Amen.

For my family this season is "Autumn". I think its just more fun to say sometimes? I'm not really sure why we say that more than Fall. I do like to create puns with the words too. I think I have a Facebook Album and Pinterest Board with the name "Falling into Autumn"

Well that is my take on Just Enough Info this week. I would love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to use the beautiful picture below in your linkup post if you so desire!

Please Join us and Link Up with your answers to this week's questions all about Autumn/ Fall Family Fun! Here are the questions:

1. Best fall flavor: apple or pumpkin?
2. The leaves are changing colors, and the air is crisp. What are you looking forward to about fall?
3. Do you decorate for the season (and which is it: fall or autumn?)

Next week we will be discussing Pets!:
1. Did you have a favorite pet when you were younger? 

2. Do you have pets now? If so, what? 

3. Have your kids eaten dog or cat food (either at your house or someone else’s)?

Feel free to check out the last few weeks of JEI to learn about the link up rules and other fun topics we have already discussed:

{JEI}: Respect Life Month
{JEI}: The Angel Feasts

{JEI}: Mommy Self-Care

{JEI}: Do Small Things With Great Love

{JEI}: Prayer is the Spirit Speaking Truth to Truth

{JEI}: Back-to-School Edition

Introducing the Zelie Group and Just Enough Info

The Zelie Group has some fun questions coming up in the next few weeks so make sure to follow us on Facebook and we would love to hear what you are interested in! What are you looking to learn about? Do you have questions about the Faith? Questions about the Liturgical Year? We want to help and learn and grow with you and your families!