Hartman Halloween

The kids had a carnival tonight with their school. Silas is my not-so-scary scarecrow. Priya is a flower fairy. Levi, of course, is my little surfer dude. Elliot made a showing in his dino PJs, but not for the camera. Silas and Priya won second and third place for their age group. Frankly, Levi was robbed!!! Looked how cute he is; dude definitely deserved a ribbon! There was some stiff competition (one of the cutest girls in town dressed up as Yoda!!). After way too much sugar...Silas went off with Papa to watch the world series (try tracking down a TV in this town). And, Priya and Levi spun out of control until they crashed. Whew, we haven't even trick-or-treated yet.

Best Ever

This photo of Levi is one of my favorites, because...

1. The Sign.

2. The lip.

3. The cat is wearing pink panties.

Translation: "I would have brought my dog, but being a rule-keeper, I had to bring this dumb cat, which is, I know, wearing a dress, and yes, undies."

Super Pops is 95!!!

The children's great-grandfather came out with his wife from South Carolina to Colorado to celebrate his 95th birthday. The grandchildren were all really excited to have them here and, of course, they were excited about the balloons and the cake! The photos are not great, but I was able to capture Super Pops with Levi, Silas smiling at the cake, Super Pops with an old friend from Oklahoma who came to the celebration, and all 9 grandchildren on the couch.

Miss Priya

My big girl is such a helper. She loves babies, real, pretend, boy, girl....doesn't matter, she loves them. She just mastered riding her bike with no training wheels and can keep up with Silas on a 2 miles ride!!! Here are some recent photos of my sweet and sassy girl.

Another day in paradise

We've had several rather spectacular rainbows this summer. So, here's a few shots of rainbows and a few of my little pot of gold. Elliot is so sweet and predictable! Eat, play, sleep would pretty much sum up every day for him. He rides so well in the stroller and the bike trailer. We stay on the go trying to keep up with the other kids. I'll have to blog more on a day when Levi will actually nap....we're on the third day in a row with no napping 2 year old. Yikes!

A day in the life

Just for you readers who crave details...here is what a day for the Hartman family looks like, today was a little special, because it was the first day of school, but it was rather typical otherwise. 

5:30 I wake up, wake up Elliot. yes, he is sleeping all night (8:30-6:30), I have to wake him up to feed him if I am going to exercise. 

6:00 I go for a run with a buddy, end up on a trail above a canyon, through the aspens, and around town. Back right at 7am.

7-8:00 I shower. Christian showers. I braid hair, wipe faces, make breakfast, snap bike helmets and head towards school.

8:00 We ride to school. Christian rides the townie. Silas and Priya ride their own bikes. I ride the mountain bike with a bike seat for Levi and Elliot in the bike trailer. 

8-8:20 We get the kids settled in school, take photos, talk to other parents, kiss cheeks, etc.

8:30 I feed Elliot again and eat breakfast myself. 

Morning...rock Elliot to sleep, play jungle animals with Levi, change Elliot's pants, laundry, dishes, water plants, feed Elliot at 10:30 go get coffee, go to the bank, walk back to the school to get Priya by 11:50.

12:00 Make lunch for kids, Christian and his business partner, and myself.

1:30 Walk down to the Soda Fountain and get ice cream for the kids. Feed Elliot again.

2:00 Put Levi down to nap (he doesn't). Have "girl time" with Priya, which consists of painting fingernails (hers, not mine), reading a story, and making cowboy cookies. Fold, put away laundry. Weave a rug for a customer. Get dinner started....BBQ chicken, homemade french fries, broccoli, homemade bread, and....cookies.

4:00 Silas comes home, plays with the hose in the yard and tells me about school. 

5:23 BLOG

I expect we'll eat soon, read, wash, read, clean, listen to a parenting seminar, and go to bed....all starts again at 5:30 tomorrow. Hopefully, I will read this years from now and remember all the sweet moments...and not the wild, crazy times!!

8 weeks!!!

Elliot is now 8 weeks old. I just learned a possible reason he was born so late....God likes overlapping pregnancies in our family. Amy found out she's expecting number 3 the day Elliot was born. I remember finding out that I was pregnant with Priya the day Titus (Amy's oldest) was born. So, going back to the beginning....we had three boys in 10 months, then Priya nine months later, then a break, then three boys in 8 months, then another break, then two boys this spring and one mystery baby due in Feb. We're all cheering for another girl in the family, but we sure love all these little boys!!! 

Elliot is getting fat; his eyes look pretty blue at this point; he loves his siblings and is very patient with little momma Priya.