Eli

Eli was Joseph in the ward primary nativity play.

Eli relaxing in Albuquerque.  We joked that this time last year we were relaxing in a hammock in Mexico and this year we are in New Mexico!

Eli serving tea at the library tea party

Eli's 3rd grade music program.  Can you spot him in his white shirt and tie?

Diego

Diego took drumming class at the rec center for several weeks and really enjoyed it.  Here he is playing drums at a cool park in Albuquerque when we were there for Christmas.

He loved sledding.

He was awarded a certificate for good behavior at school.

Diego singing during his first grade music performance.

Ruby

Here are a few tidbits and pictures about Ruby:

She enjoyed sledding and even went down by herself and couple of times.  We didn't stay very long because it was 0 degrees outside!

Ruby liked her tumbling rec center class.  She was the only kid that wore leotards, but she loved it!  

Swimming at the rec center.  

She is a sweetheart!  

Ruby's 4th Birthday

Ruby is 4!  I can't believe my youngest is not a baby anymore.  She is getting so big and so smart.  Just today she was telling Eli and Diego about patterns!  They were so impressed and said they didn't learn about patterns until Kindergarten!

On her actual birthday, Feb. 1st, I took her and her friend Jacob to the Butterfly Pavilion.  We went last year on her 3rd birthday also- I wonder if we will get to go next year too?

We also sung to her at family dinner on Sunday.  I made apple cake.

And, we had a party on Saturday.  She invited 4 friends and we all had a good time. We decorated paper latterns, played My Little Pony bingo and pin the tail on the pony. and of course ate cake and ice cream. 

Halloween 2016

Halloween this year was pretty fun.  Eli was a werewolf, Diego dressed up as a ninja, and Ruby was a princess (a Cinderella/ Elsa mix).

Eli at the Swigert parade.  It was a warm day out there in the sun.  Everyone was commentating about how hot it was for Oct. 31st.

Diego with his pumpkin mask during his class party.  I signed up to help with the party- I was in charge on the snacks.  

Mummy Game.  Tallie was wrapping up Diego.

Pre Trick-or-Treating picture.  They all had a great time.  The boys found some neighbor boys to walk around with and Cesar and I stayed right by Ruby as she went from house to house.  She loved it and was always sure to say thank you!  

A few days before Halloween we went to Nick's Gardens just like every year.  It gets bigger and better (and more expensive) every year.  

The boys went on the Tunnel of Terror ride and said it was fun and pretty scary.

 After Nick's Ruby went to preschool and the boys and I went by our old townhouse in Aurora (right across from Nick's).  It was nice to see it and we even knocked on a few neighbors doors, but no one was home.  Eli remembers living there.  

We continued the fun by going to Nickel-a-Play, an arcade in Aurora.  It was our first time there and we all had a good time.  It's not very expensive and they have some games that I like too- Pac-Man, Tetris, air hockey, and skeeball.  The boys loved it!  Diego got 3 stuffed animals from the claw game and Eli liked playing Dance Revolution.  

We also went to our ward's Trunk-or-Treat.  This year it was in the afternoon instead of at night.  We ate chili and soup in the courtyard and then came out to the parking lot to trunk-or-treat.  It was another warm day and it felt a little strange to be eating chili under the hot hot sun!

A Good Day

Today was a good day.

Ruby learned a valuable lesson about being brave and being a good friend.  A couple of weeks ago, Ruby told me there is a little girl at Kid Watch (the childcare place at the rec center) that is mean to her.  I asked her what she did and Ruby said she just laughs a lot.  I didn't think much about it and then today when I took her to Kid Watch she whispered to me that the mean girl was there.  Ruby almost wanted to not walk in, but I told her to be brave and that it would be okay.  It was hard to leave her and I worried the whole time I was exercising.  Well when I picked her up she was happy and she told me that the girl wasn't mean anymore and that they were friends now!  Ruby told me that she was nice to her and the girl was nice back!  I'm was so proud of Ruby and hopefully she will remember this.

My mom gave me two family names to take to the temple to do initiatories and endowments for.  Since Ruby started school, I know have 2 1/2 hours of free time in the afternoons without kids.  I knew that wouldn't quite be long enough to go do an endowment session, but I decided I would have enough time for initiatories.  It was nice to be at the temple and I loved it.

During lunch, Ruby asked me, "when will I live with Jesus again?"  I told her when she dies that she will.  Then we had a conversation about how families can be together forever and live in heaven with Jesus if we are good and do the right things.  She asked what if we aren't good?  I told her about repentance.  I also talked a little about baptism and the temple.  It was a great conversation between me and my 3 year old!  I'm lucky to have such a thoughtful girl and I'm also so grateful that I knew how to answer her question.  I'm glad I know about and believe the plan of salvation.  

Ft. Collins Temple

The Ft. Collins Temple was dedicated yesterday, 10-16-2016 by Pres. Uchtdorf.  Cesar, Eli, and I got to watch the broadcast at the stake center.  We all attended the open house in September.  The kids were excited to actually be able to go inside a temple.  It is beautiful and it's nice to now have 2 Colorado temples.
I wish I would have taken a picture of Eli and Cesar yesterday at the dedication.  They both looked so handsome in their suits and really looked like father and son.

We ran into our old friend Barry at the temple.  (I wish I would have gotten a picture of him too).  We got to catch up some and meet his wife.  

After the open house we went to a restaurant in ft. Collins.  I've decided I really like round dining tables; I want to have one in our next house.