The Shearer Family

Tree Cutting Festivities

2009-12-08T16:09:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, our friends invited us to join them in heading up to the mountains to cut down a Christmas tree. This was the first time I actually remember ever cutting down a Christmas tree in the forest! Much different and much more fun than simply going to your local Christmas tree farm in the middle of the city! Paul found a great tree. It didn't look quite that big before he chopped it down! Funny how the size of a tree in its natural environment can be so deceiving! Good thing Andrew was there to help him haul it back up the hill! After much looking, we also found a cute little tree for Chloe and Macie.

Thanks, Miller fam, for inviting us to go with you on your Christmas tree hunting excursion! We are in favor of making this a yearly tradition!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T21:28:00.000-08:00

This year we opted for a "staycation" and only traveled less than 30 minutes to my Aunt Mary's house for the Thanksgiving festivities. She made a fantabulous dinner, which I'm beginning to feel the soon to be comatose effects of. It was a laughter-filled evening hanging out with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandpa. Although it's always sad to not be with our immediate families during the holidays, we are so thankful for my aunt and how she always goes out of her way to make us feel welcomed and loved! We are tremendously blessed beyond measure with our two precious girls, our loving family, and our Heavenly Father who daily pours out His grace upon us!

Here are a few shots from the activities of the day...

Traditional picture of baby on the turkey platter on her first Thanksgiving

Chloe wanted to get her picture taken on the platter, too!

Thanksgiving Dinner at my Aunt Mary's house

Tons of food and this wasn't even all of it!

Having fun hanging out with Great Grandpa!

Thanksgiving Weekend Christmas Decorating:

Pre-tree decorating mug of hot cocoa

The finished product

Snowy Football

2009-11-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, we bundled up in our warmest gear and headed out in the snowy weather to watch the Air Force football team completely destroy UNLV. We went with our friends, the Millers and the Renzelmans. I wasn't sure how long we would last with the temperature being in the 20's. However, we were very prepared for the cold and made it all the way to the beginning of the 4th quarter.

Funny Chloe

2009-11-18T13:40:00.001-08:00

A few days ago, I went to get Chloe up from her nap and this is what I found:

Is this a sign that it's time for us to take a trip to the beach??? Of course, Chloe wanted Macie to wear her swim suit, too!

Cute bath faces

Showing off her first 2 teeth!

Sante Fe Trail

2009-11-09T20:18:00.001-08:00

Last weekend, we went for a 5+ mile hike on the Sante Fe Trail. This trail runs right through the Air Force Academy property. At the time when we were on the trail, the Air Force vs. Army football game had just started. The Thunderbirds were in town for the big game so we were able to experience them flying right over our heads. We also saw several cadets parachuting down onto the football field. Seeing all that was an added bonus to a fun afternoon outing!

One of the Thunderbirds

Parachuters

Look closely. You can see the flag

Zoo

2009-11-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

Last week, my good friend Melissa and I took our little monkeys to the zoo. Although Macie has been to the zoo several times before, this trip marked the first time that she actually was interested in seeing the animals. It was really cute watching her reaction and listening to her squeals of delight when she spotted the different animals.

In keeping with tradition

Best buds

Observing the wallaby

Denver Children's Museum

2009-11-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

My mom and dad were taking care of Kaitin and Gavin while Koen was in surgery, so we decided it would be fun to take the all kids to the Children's Museum to keep them entertained. They were all totally engaged in creative play for hours and were completely exhausted by the end of the day!

Birthday/G&G's Visit/Halloween

2009-11-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

My parents flew in on my birthday to be here for the weekend that Koen was having his surgery to remove the tumor from his liver. It was such a treat to be able to celebrate my birthday with them since it has been years since we've been together on my birthday! We were in the midst of a major blizzard when they arrived at the airport so it was a little treacherous trying to get to our house. But, they made it and we enjoyed spending time together throughout the weekend!

Bappy Hirthday...thanks, Andrew!

Chloe was almost waist deep in snow!

Showing my parents our lot for our future home.
We are officially under contract and will hopefully begin building toward the end of this month!

Macie Mouse

Baby's First Halloween

"What are my parents making me do?"

Playing her chopstick violin

Chloe wanted Grandpa and Grandma to join in the fun, too!

Waterton Canyon

2009-11-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, we had a gorgeous 75+ degree weekend. We were so glad we decided to spend the day outdoors because we were dumped on with snow only days later! My Aunt Mary is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to all things fun! She always has the inside scoop on all the hot spots around town. She told me about Waterton Canyon almost a year ago and we finally were able to venture out there. Although the trail is a 12 mile trek one way into the foothills, we leisurely "Bobbed" it for a few miles, stopping frequently for Chloe to throw rocks into the pristine stream winding through the canyon and to observe the herd big horn sheep wandering around on the trail.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun pictures from our play group outing to the pumpkin patch:

Our Little Musician

2009-10-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

This is quite possibly my favorite video of Chloe thus far...

Mueller State Park

2009-10-05T14:39:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we escaped on Sunday afternoon for a drive up into the mountains to enjoy the changing fall colors. We are so glad we went when we did since we've had record breaking lows this weekend! Mueller State Park was a beautiful park full of hiking trails and gorgeous Aspens. There was even a special trail just for kids! As you can see below, I had a lot of fun taking pictures!

This is what the back side of Pike's Peak looks like

Leaf tasting

"Go ahead, Macie. Try it!"

Sweet Faces and Sister Lovin'

2009-10-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

I love that they have so much fun together now!

Macie's favorite spot in the house!

The carrot stained face makes this picture even better!

Grandpa's Visit

2009-10-03T07:57:00.000-07:00

My dad was in the Springs last weekend presenting at a medical meeting at the Broadmoor hotel. He flew in a day early so that he could spend some time with the grandkids. We spent the day at the aquarium on Friday. Chloe has been really into sharks lately so she had a blast watching them swim around in the tank.

Yes, that is a tiger you see at the aquarium. Random, I know!

Here's a video of Grandpa having fun with his grandkids.

No wonder he was so tired that night!

Even though it was a quick weekend, we were thankful for the time we got to hang out with my dad. It's really hard living so far from both sets of grandparents, so every second we have with them is always a treat!

Macie's First Word

2009-09-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a little clip that I finally captured of Macie chanting "ma-ma". She started saying this around 7 1/2 months old, but she now prefers to say "da-da". Oh well, at least she said "ma-ma" first!

Church Picnic

2009-09-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we had our 3rd Annual Red Rock Church picnic. It was our 2nd time attending. We absolutely love our church and are so thankful that God orchestrated events in our lives to allow us to end up there.

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the pics below, we took advantage of the 3 day weekend and enjoyed it to the max by spending a lot of quality time together as a family.

Fox Run Park

33rd Annual Colorado Balloon Classic

Promotions

Chloe's in a big girl bed now...kids can sleep in the most awkward positions!

Speaking of awkward positions...
(This is the last pic I have of my baby in the crib. sniff, sniff)

Macie thinks her new bed is pretty stellar

Time for Treats

Macie desperately tried (without success) to get herself a bite of that creamy goodness

Diggin' the blueberry pancakes

A beautiful afternoon at Palmer Lake

Turquoise Lake

2009-08-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we camped at Turquoise Lake with 4 other families that we know from our church. It was a totally a last minute/spur of the moment kind of trip for us, but it was incredible nonetheless. With all that has happened in our lives this summer, we were thankful for the opportunity to get away, reflect, relax, and enjoy being together as a family.

What an amazing weekend. The weather couldn't have been better, the scenery any more picturesque, and the company any more fun! I think you'll agree when you check out the pictures below!

Camping is not complete without glow sticks

Macie with Aunt Mimi

QT around the fire

Throwing rocks with her buddy, Benjamin

There are ways to stay clean even while roughing it!

This innocent card game caused some true colors to come out!

How is sleeping like this possible?

Evening walk along the lake

Amazing

Since our girls were the first ones up (shocker), we were able to enjoy some
time down at the water so we didn't wake up the rest of the camp ground!

Can she get any cuter?

Enjoying my two most favorite girls on the planet

Finally a decent picture of the two of them!

Chico and Dille made a killer pancake breakfast

I think Mark was trying to kill himself by putting every topping available on his pancake!

The up-close shot

Silly girls

One of the many games of Mafia

Nonchalantly allowing Chloe to steal a few licks

Campfire on Mt. Herman

2009-08-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

This summer, our small group decided to take a break from our regular Bible study. Instead, each couple planned an event for the group to do together. Needless to say, it's been a summer of fun spending quality time with some of our favorite people! The event that we planned was a hot dog and marshmallow roast at a nearby but secretive camp spot. We had a great time catching up, eating, and hanging out around the fire.

Chloe's 2nd Birthday

2009-08-25T08:28:00.001-07:00

Chloe hit another milestone by turning 2 on August 12th. When I think back on the last 2 years, I wonder where the time has gone! It has been such a joy for us to have Chloe in our lives. We are so incredibly thankful that God has given us the opportunity to raise this beautiful girl.

We were able to celebrate with Jr. and GG, and also with my family as well since they were here to spend time at the hospital with Koen. My Aunt Mary was so sweet and let us have the party at her house.

Birthday Girl

All the Grandma's were enjoying the party

So was Macie

Chloe loved her Curious George cake

"I'm 2"

Lots of birthday loot

Macie seems to have a special talent for scoring treats

Enough partying for one day

Jr. and GG

2009-08-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Andrew's Mom and Grammy came to visit us for a week. The girls thoroughly enjoyed being doted on constantly all week long! This trip marked the first meeting between GG and Miss Macie. I think they hit it off pretty well! It was a wonderful time just hanging out and enjoying each other's company. The week went by way too fast!

Celebrating Junior's 60th

Garden of the Gods outing

Chloe with her Great Grammy

Feeding the ducks

Seven Falls-224 steps to the top!

4 Generations

Thanks Junior and GG for coming to see us! We hope you come back soon! We're sending our love to Washington and California.

Catching Up

2009-08-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

My whole family was here in Colorado at one time or another throughout the past few weeks to spend time at the hospital with Koen and to help take care of Kaitin and Gavin.

Pretty sure he has the "Favorite Uncle" award

Kaitin and Luke at the zoo

Gavin going on a pony ride

"I luff you, Grandpa"

Fitting-the Bug on the bug

Some of the gang

There's nothing like a good shoulder ride

This one's slightly awkward

Scoring some bites from Auntie J

Cousins having fun at the park

It's a wonder they didn't break it!

Happy Birthday, Chloe

2009-08-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Our sweet, little girl turned two today. We are so thankful the Lord gave her to us. What a joy it has been to watch her grow and change. She brings many smiles and much laughter into our family!

Happy birthday, Chloe Bug! We love you!

Koen's Blog

2009-08-03T07:07:00.001-07:00

You can receive news and updates about Koen through the blog that has been set up in his honor.

http://www.koenslovek.blogspot.com/

Pray for Koen

2009-08-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

My brother's family was on their way to Colorado from California to relocate for Grant's new job in Denver. Little Koen got really sick on the car ride, so they stopped in Nevada and took him to the hospital. After the CT scan revealed several masses in his liver, the doctors decided to have him airlifted to Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. The CT scan was repeated there and it revealed a very enlarged liver with many tumors. Koen is currently flying to Denver on an air ambulance and will then be taken to Children's there. We are awaiting the results of his liver biopsy to hear what treatment options are available. He is a very sick little guy. We would greatly appreciate your prayer for God to heal Koen's body. Please also pray for Grant, Lindsay, Kaitin, and Gavin. I can't imagine what it is like to watch your son/brother go through this totally unexpected illness.

This has been a very difficult summer for my entire family. We desperately need God's grace and strength to carry us through yet another trial.

California

2009-07-31T13:23:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the fun moments we enjoyed during our 2 week stay at my parents' house in California.

Chloe's first In-N-Out experience

Macie is our little fish

Checking out Great Grandpa's roses

Husking sweet corn with Grandpa

6th month old Macie is on solids now!

One word: Ham

Andrew flew out and surprised us. I was shocked when he walked into the living room!
It was such a blessing to have him with us during that difficult time.

She loves her corn on the cob just like her mommy

Sweet Drew taking care of Chloe

Matchy, matchy with silly Uncle Mike

Hangin' out with Uncle Neil

In a few weeks, Julie will have her own sweet bundle to hold!

Farewell, Grandma

2009-07-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, on July 22nd, we said goodbye to my Grandma. She lived a very full life of 82 years. What an amazing lady she was! I have wonderful memories of the times we spent together. From our fishing trips to hunting asparagus in our backyard to staying at her house for days at a time during soccer season, I always knew I had a special place in her heart. Although it brings me to tears whenever I think about never seeing her in this life again, I have hope that she is rejoicing in heaven with Christ, our Savior. I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to sit by her side during her last days on this earth.

I love you, Grandma!

Fourth of July Weekend

2009-07-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our 4th of July weekend:

Macie's first time in the swing at the park.
You can tell what she thought of it by the look on her face!

Yay! Daddy had Friday off so he was able to join us at the park!

Double rainbow after a typical late afternoon thunderstorm

Beating the heat

Taking it all in from her vantage point

Warming up after getting drenched with the hose

Look who's up on all 4's!

Waiting for the 4th of July parade

It wasn't exciting enough for Macie

Mesmerized by the firetrucks

Watching the fireworks

Very cautiously trying out a sparkler

Please Pray for Neil

2009-06-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

My younger brother, Neil attempted to take his life by ingesting poison yesterday. We don't really know what pushed him to this point, but we are thankful that God allowed my brother, Mike to get there in time to help him. He is now at a hospital and is receiving treatment. Please pray not only for his physical health, but also for his spiritual condition. I believe that there is a spiritual battle going on for his soul right now and he needs intense prayer. I'm doing all I can to ask as many people as possible to partner with me in prayer for my brother. As much as this situation has caused great turmoil in our family, we know that our hope in God is the only thing we can cling to. God is more powerful than anything the evil one can do. I have confidence that our God is mighty to save!

Splash Park

2009-06-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

Today we met some friends at a nearby neighborhood splash park. It's finally warm enough to get wet and not be freezing! Even though it was a warm afternoon, Chloe was still very hesitant about the cold water spraying her in the face. Oh well, maybe next time she'll be more adventurous.

Chloe and Lyla (only 6 months apart)

Chloe loves her "big brother"

Just not diggin' it

Opting for the slide instead

Sweet Macie. She's a sitting champ!

It's our 100th Post!

2009-06-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

Father's Day Weekend

We celebrated Andrew this past weekend by eating a lot of yummy food, giving gifts, enjoying a campfire with friends, and of course, playing the Wii. My girls are truly blessed to have a daddy who loves them so, so much. I hope and pray that through Andrew's example, Chloe and Macie will both come to an understanding of how much their Heavenly Father truly loves them.

Brunch on Saturday

It has become a tradition (2 years in a row!) to make a Father's Day card for Andrew.
Nothing says "I love you" better than a homemade card!

Delving into his Baked Alaska

Chloe wants it to be Father's Day everyday!

Campfire on Mount Hermon

22 Months/5 Months

2009-06-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Chloe and Macie just hit their monthly milestones. I can't believe I almost have a 2 year old! Chloe's imagination is really starting to kick in. As you can see from the pictures below, she is quite the little mommy to her teddy bear.

She likes to pretend to be her daddy, too!

Macie can now sit up for short periods of time. She observes everything thing her big sister is doing and has the look on her face that she can't wait 'til she can keep up. It probably won't be long until she is on the move, too!

The Mariners were in town playing the Rockies last weekend. They rarely ever play here, so it was a must do since Andrew is a serious Mariner fan. It was a pretty interesting day. From our seats, we watched 2 funnel clouds form and fortunately dissipate . The game was delayed for about 45 minutes and everyone had to take cover while the storm blew through. Apparently we also made it on national TV. Our friend sent Andrew a text saying he saw us seconds after the camera guy was shooting Chloe. Kinda crazy.

Accidents Happen

2009-06-02T13:23:00.001-07:00

It all started on Sunday morning...

I was on my way to church with Chloe and Macie. Andrew was headed to his office to finish moving/setting up all the computer gear in their new office. Since I had left a few minutes before him, I ended up hitting the traffic that was backed up and barely moving on the interstate before he did. I had wanted to call him right away to warn him to take a different way. However, my cell phone was in the diaper bag, which was in the backseat. I thought to myself, "Oh well, guess he'll just have to deal with the traffic. Hopefully he doesn't think it was me in the accident."

I was able to get off at the next exit and take an alternate route to church. When I was literally right around the corner from the school where our church meets, I heard my phone ring in the backseat. I knew right away that it was Andrew calling, most likely because he had encountered the parking lot on the interstate and wanted to make sure we were okay. Since I was at a red light waiting to turn left, I reached back, grabbed the diaper bag, and retrieved my phone. I had missed the call (and I was right, it was Andrew), so I was in the process of calling him back to tell him we were fine when I got a green arrow to turn left. I made my left turn onto the cross street of the weirdly divided highway, thought I saw a green light, and continued on my way while saying to Andrew, "Hi, Honey. Are you on the interstate? Did you see the accid..."
WHAM! SMASH! POP! CRACK! Airbags exploding...weird gun powder smelling smoke filling my car...Chloe screaming in terror in the backseat...

I immediately unbuckled my seat belt, jumped out of the car, threw open Chloe's door. Grabbed her out. Ran to set her down on the island so I could get Macie. Realized that I couldn't leave Chloe there. Ran over to the other driver and asked if he could take Chloe. Ran back to my car. Grabbed Macie and got us out of the intersection. I hear the passenger in the car I collided with telling me, "Next time, don't go through a red light." Red light, what red light? I swear I saw green somewhere.

I literally do not remember EVER seeing a red light. Fortunately, the man I hit/hit me saw me coming and slowed down as much as he could. The only explanation that I can come up with is that in my half distracted state of mind, (talking on my phone, which by the way, is NOT illegal in CO...yet.) I may have completely looked past the light I was at and instead saw the next light which may or may not have been green.

After I made sure my girls were in a safe place, I went back to my car to get my phone. I had no idea if Andrew had heard the crash or not (How scary would that be for him to hear!!). Meanwhile, I'm shaking and trying not to completely melt down. I discovered that my phone was in like 3 pieces and I couldn't find the battery. I ran over to a bystander to ask if I could borrow her phone. Called Andrew. He hadn't heard a thing, thank God. And yes, he was still sitting in the completely stopped traffic on the interstate. I later found out that he was indeed calling to make sure it wasn't us in that accident on the interstate.

Weird that the accident he called to make sure we weren't involved in ended up being the cause of my accident. Found out later that that intersection is one of the most dangerous intersections in the Springs. Nice.

Someone called 911. The police and the firemen came and made sure we were all okay (The fireman who talked to me was really nice. Gotta love those firemen!). My friend, Myrian, was on her way to church and came upon the accident just a few minutes after it happened. I was so glad to see her face! She was a godsend for sure! Andrew finally arrived on the scene and helped me deal with everything. What a guy...I love him! The officer gave me a citation for running a red light...gee thanks.

Here are some pictures of the aftermath. It seemed a lot worse than it actually looks.

This is what an exploded steering wheel looks like

Here's what happened to me from my airbag:

Rug-like burns

A few bruises

Me and my airbag

A lesson learned...do not talk on the phone while driving, even if it is legal. I was pretty shaken by the experience. However, I am praising God for His protection, amazing grace, and the opportunity to remember that my life is completely in His hands. I am guilty of so often taking my life and the lives of my family members for granted. This accident has put a lot of things into perspective for me. I'm thankful it took only a minor accident to help me realize what things matter most in life.

The girls are totally fine. Thank you, Britax, for making amazingly safe car seats. I will always be grateful to you.

My sweet, little Camry has been declared "totaled". Chloe keeps saying, "Mommy's car owie". Rest in peace, my dear car. You have taken good care of me for the past 6 years. You will be missed.

Stay tuned for pictures of my new ride. I'm open to suggestions so feel free to leave me a comment. My only requirements are 4 wheel drive and an excellent crash test rating!

Roly Poly

2009-05-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

All week while Emilie was here, we tried unsuccessfully to get Macie to roll over from her back to tummy. Just about an hour after Emilie's flight left the ground, she decided to start flipping. Her muscle memory must have kicked in because she is literally "on a roll". As soon as I lay her down on her back now, she immediately flips right over to her tummy (and proceeds to spit up all over the floor!). She's a mover and a shaker just like her big sister.

Here's a video of one of her first rolls:

Auntie's Visit

2009-05-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew's sister, Emilie, came to visit us and meet her newest niece. The girls absolutely loved getting a constant stream of attention from their Auntie Em. Sadly, it rained every day except the day Emilie flew in and the day she left. So, we spent our time doing indoor activities instead of our traditional outings to the zoo/park. Here are the highlights:

So happy to finally meet her Auntie

I heart fingers

Showing off her pretty dress from Auntie Em

Gettin' crafty making hair bows for Chloe

Memorial Day at the Rockies vs. Dodgers game

Go Dodgers!

Check out her spastic dance moves

Getting some energy out at Whit's End

Whoooaa!

"I want to be just like my Auntie when I grow up"

Having a picnic while waiting for the USAF Thunderbirds air show to start

Completely amazing

Thank you, Auntie Em, for coming to see us. It's quiet in our house without you here. We miss how you so easily make us giggle. Come back soon! We love you so much! ~Chloe and Macie

Florida

2009-05-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

Andrew was speaking at a seminar in Jacksonville this past week, so we decided to make it a little family vacation as well. We had a great time even though vacationing with two munchkins isn't really all that relaxing! The girls were troopers and had lots of fun enjoying the pool and the beach.
Our friends from college, Ryan and Lindsay, live in Jacksonville so we were able to spend some time with them and meet their two sweet kids. They are an awesome family...wish we lived closer.

Here are some photos of the highlights of our trip:

Big Sis/Baby Sis

2009-05-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Sweet sisters

Pink

This is what happens when I turn my back for one second!

My happy girl

Guess what I was telling Chloe right as I snapped this shot...

Sleeping beauty

Capaw and Junior's Visit

2009-05-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Andrew's parents flew in to visit us this past week. They were finally able to meet our sweet little Macie. During their stay, Chloe decided what names she was going to give her Washington grandparents. "Capaw" was Chloe's cute way of saying "Grandpa", and "Grammy Jr." quickly turned into just "Junior". It was hilarious hearing Chloe calling through the house "Junior, Junior"!

We had a wonderful week spending time together as a family. We are so blessed that our girls have such wonderful grandparents who love and adore them. Andrew and I are thankful for their constant encouragement and willingness share their godly wisdom with us.

We have a plethora of pictures from this week since every moment is a picture moment in the Shearer family! :) There are too many great shots to post but here are a few of my favorites:

Handy dandy Grandpa did lots of projects for me this week!

Imitating her daddy

This wins my "Favorite Picture of the Week" award

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for making the trip out here. Chloe and Macie are most definitely going through grandparent withdrawal! Please move here soon! We love you and miss you so much already!

Loads of Snow in April

2009-04-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

We came home from Copper Mountain on Saturday to tons of snow, probably one of the biggest snowfalls of the season. Andrew took Chloe outside to build a snowman...well Andrew built it and Chloe sat on the steps and gave orders. Unfortunately for Chloe, the snow didn't last very long. The next day, she looked out the window and chanted many times, "Snowman fall over". Sure enough, our poor snowman had lost his head!

All bundled up

She's got him wrapped around her little finger

Chloe's scary face

The finished product

Copper Mountain

2009-04-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

The day after Easter, we drove up to Copper Mountain. Mike, Julie, and Jenna flew out from California for the week to hang out and snowboard with us. My aunt and cousin also joined us for a few days. Julie was very sweet and babysat the girls so that I could enjoy the snow. We had a great week complete with an awesome last day of knee deep powder and endless fresh snow!

Girl picture!

Riding up the mountain with my super cool aunt

Gettin' ready to tear it up!

In the "Enchanted Forest"

Aww... aren't they cute?

The bodiless horsey provided lots of entertainment for Chloe

"JJ"

Macie with Great Aunt Mary

Learning all kinds of tricks from Uncle Mike

Yep, that's my crazy brother...I'm not sure how I feel about his obsession with Indian angels!

Easter

2009-04-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures of our girls in their Easter dresses. Trying to get a cute picture of both of them together was difficult! This was the best we could do.

California

2009-04-06T14:58:00.001-07:00

The girls and I have been in California at my parents' house for the last 3 weeks. We flew out because my Grandma had a heart attack and was in the hospital. Thankfully, her stay in the ICU was short, so we have been able to enjoy spending time with her at home. The girls have been thoroughly spoiled by everyone! I've really appreciated the extra help. We're saying our goodbyes and flying home on Thursday. Chloe and Macie aren't going to know what to do without all their entertainment!

My little sister has taken some cute pictures while we've been here...

I'm not sure what to think about this last picture but it makes me laugh every time I see it!

Zoo

2009-03-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

Our spring weather has been absolutely amazing lately. We decided to take advantage of it and spend last Saturday afternoon at the zoo.

The obligatory "Chloe feeding the giraffe" picture

Sportin' our new set of wheels

Andrew's favorite part of the day

How Macie spent the day. Doesn't she look thrilled?

Lovin' my girls

Snowboarding

2009-03-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

I finally got to go snowboarding for the first time of the season last Friday. My aunt was sweet and offered to hang out with Macie in the lodge so I could enjoy the day. I didn't want my aunt to have to try and entertain both of my girls in a ski lodge all day long, so I had a friend keep Chloe. I spent most of the day trying to teach my cousin how to board. It was her first attempt and she did great even though she took some seriously hard falls!

Cousin Jessi

When I got home that night, Chloe wanted to try snowboarding, too! Here's a video of our future boarder (She's gonna make her Grandpa Slovek proud!).

19 Months/2 Months

2009-03-16T14:55:00.001-07:00

Here are some recent photos of my sweet girls...

19 months going on 19 years!

2 months old today

Time to switch to the tub

Matt's Pics

2009-02-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

Our good friend from college, Matt Floreen and his wife, Rachel, made a stop in the big town of Monument to visit us on their road trip around the US. They are in the final stages of preparations before they head off to Africa to serve the Lord in the country of Malawi. It was so great to catch up with Matt and get to know Rachel a little bit more, too. We are excited to see what God will do through them as they transition to living in a completely different culture. Here is their website if you are interested in following their adventures: http://www.africastories.com

Of course, we couldn't let Matt leave without taking advantage of his photography expertise. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the evening:

Here we are, all of us in one picture!

My sweet girls

Miss Macie

Such a ham!

Definitely the favorite face of the night

Half-naked baby!

Ok, photo shoot is over

Thanks so much, Matt and Rachel, for taking the time to visit us! We will be praying for you!

One Month Old

2009-02-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked Macie's one month of life milestone. A month goes by pretty quickly when you're constantly busy feeding, changing diapers, losing sleep, and doing mountains of laundry! Macie loves her milk and is chunking up quite nicely. She is starting to give us those first real smiles (usually after milk time!). She is such a sweet baby and is a huge blessing to our family. Chloe is adjusting well to being a big sister. She loves giving "May-iss" lots of kisses. We are still working on helping Chloe understand the meaning of gentleness. She hasn't quite grasped the concept yet. Macie is learning to be a tough little sister as she takes daily blows to the head and round house kicks to the face all in stride.

Here are some pictures that were taken throughout the last month:

Macie's first bath

Macie + Gracie = BFF

My mom is amazing. When I called her to tell her I was in labor, she changed her ticket and hopped on a plane to Colorado. She arrived at the hospital about 5 hours after Macie was born. She stayed with us for 2 weeks and took great care of us! She was especially helpful in keeping Chloe happy and entertained. Thanks, Mom! We love you and miss you so much!

We got to spend Valentine's Day hanging out with my grandparents from Nebraska. They loved meeting their newest great granddaughter. Even though they've been out of the baby stage for quite a while now, they both still have the magic touch!

Trying to capture a nice picture of the girls since they were all dressed up
for church. Macie didn't cooperate.

I love the "daddy with his girls" pictures!

Macie, 1 month old

Andrew's Birthday

2009-01-25T20:51:00.000-08:00

Andrew turned 29 on January 24th, so we celebrated by spending the day at the Denver aquarium.

Macie missed out on seeing all the cool fish. She was too cozy in her car seat!

Chloe was totally enamored with all the sea life.

There's quite a lot of candles on that birthday cake!

Macie's First Week

2009-01-25T19:24:00.000-08:00

Our first week home has been fun, busy, and exhausting! Macie is 9 days old and such a precious little bundle. We are so blessed to have her in our family!

Taking advantage of the nice weather we had for a few days!

Chloe enjoyed her wood chip snack!

And the remains of Grandma's frappuccino, too!

Sister lovin'

Chloe Becomes a Big Sister

2009-01-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

I can't remember when my last blog post was - and let's face it, Abby does a great job without me - but this is a big enough event for me to come out of retirement and share some news with the world.

Macie Paige Shearer was born today at exactly 2:00 PM. She was 6lbs. and 19 inches long. That makes her a little smaller than Chloe by about 12 oz and 1 inch. So far the consensus seems to be that she looks a little like Chloe but more like a Slovek than a Shearer. But a picture is worth a thousand words so here she is:

There will be plenty more pictures of Macie in the coming days, but here are a couple of the Shearer ladies all together.

Chloe hasn't been around her enough to know what's really going on, but she's happy to have a new shirt.

We'll get more up tomorrow but hopefully this works for a start.

Christmas Photo Shoot

2009-01-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

While Andrew's family was here, we had a photographer take some family pictures at a local park. We thought she captured some amazing shots, especially of Chloe. I'm definitely hiring her again to take newborn pictures of our baby when that time comes. There are so many great pictures from that day it's hard to choose which ones to post. Here are a few of my favorites:

Life-long Friends

2009-01-12T15:17:00.001-08:00

Jamie and I have known each other since...well, we don't really remember not knowing each other. We spent our childhood years hanging out as much as our parents would allow us to. I have so many great memories of playing in the pool together, riding bikes, carpooling, talking about boys, and of course, throwing up many times at her house (looking back, I can't believe she stayed my friend after I puked up spaghetti all over her living room floor!). My family moved away when I was almost 11 years old, but even though miles separated us, we still kept in touch throughout our high school and college years. Jamie has always been an encouragement to me as I have seen her consistently pursue Christ in her life. Her love for the Lord has always overflowed into her friendships with others. I'm so thankful that God placed her in my life as a child. What a blessing life-long friends are!

After 5 years of not seeing each other, we finally were able to meet up in Denver for an afternoon. It was like we had never been apart! I hope it's not another 5 before we can hang out again!

Sam was here

2009-01-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

Our friend, Sam, from CA stayed with us for a few days while she was in the area helping out with her friend's dad's funeral. It was totally fun getting to catch up late at night over overly sweet brownies, good conversation, and lame movies with a few redeeming quotes that are probably only funny at 1 am ("Are you thinking what I'm thinking?")! Chloe loved her and still says "Nam" when she sees Sam's picture.

Christmas with the Shearers

2008-12-31T19:48:00.000-08:00

And for the long-overdue Christmas post:

We were so blessed to have Andrew's mom, dad, sister, and bro-in-law join us in Colorado for Christmas. Since I was only about 4 weeks from my due date right around Christmas time, we definitely weren't going to be traveling anywhere for the holidays. Although we didn't get the white Christmas we were hoping for, we enjoyed every minute hanging out with the fam! The time went by way too fast and we miss everyone so much already!

Here are some pictures that Andrew's dad took. You can tell that he enjoyed taking pictures of Chloe!

We got a kick out of Chloe's way of pronouncing several Christmas words. If you can't tell from the video, "doyah" was her way of saying Christmas tree. We aren't sure where in the world that came from, but we thought it was too cute not to capture on video. I think that at every Christmas in the future now, the tree will be always be referred to as the "doyah".

More Christmas photos to come...

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T21:28:00.000-08:00

As we reflect on this season amidst the holiday flurry, we are so thankful to our Heavenly Father for the most amazing gift that He gave to us...His son sent to earth to make the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. It is only by His grace that we can truly be free. The only thanks we can offer Him is our lives dedicated in service to advancing His kingdom.

Chloe's Current Obsession

2008-12-15T17:02:00.001-08:00

Chloe has been quite taken with all the holiday catalogs that have been coming in the mail lately. She spends a large portion of her time during the day flipping through the pages of the same catalogs over and over again looking intently at all the snowmen and Christmas trees. Her favorite catalog right now seems to be Crate and Barrel. We are in trouble. She already has expensive taste!

"I think I want this..."

"Shopping is so exhausting!"

Here are a few extras just for fun...

Wearing Daddy's hat

Going for a ride

Thanksgiving in California

2008-12-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

We were so thankful we had the opportunity to fly to California to spend Thanksgiving with my family. All of my siblings were able to be there, which hasn't happened for several years. It was great being able to see everyone again!

Story time with Grandpa

Going for a walk

Snuggle time with Auntie J

Ash and Kate were great help with Chloe so I got lots of time to relax!

Feeding Grandma some popcorn

I think Drew is Chloe's favorite. She calls him "Doo"

Yummy grapes! Not sure who let her do this-totally a choking hazard! :)

Andrew-post Thanksgiving meal

Rockin' out with Uncle Mike

Feeding the geese at the park

The First Real Snow

2008-11-14T14:55:00.001-08:00

I finally purchase all of Chloe's snow gear just in time for the first big dump today. I got a kick out of watching her try to move around in her puffy snowsuit! I think she would have more fun if she had a sled to be pulled around in. Hmm...maybe I'll add that to her Christmas list!

"Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Snow snack

Melissa's Baby Shower

2008-11-14T14:30:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I threw a baby shower for my friend/neighbor. We're only 10 weeks apart in our pregnancies and we're both having girls! It has been so much fun to share this stage of our lives together!

Here are a few shots from the shower:

Decorating onesies for Baby Gracie

Baby bumps

Our Bug is Growing Up!

2008-11-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

First haircut at 14 1/2 months old. Our neighbor cut it in her kitchen!

All decked out for church

She loves her boots!

Trying to wear/walk in mommy's shoes

One of Chloe's favorite things to do is dance her little heart out.

Here are some videos to give you a glimpse of our dancing queen...

Catching Up On October

2008-11-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

The Monument Pumpkin Patch

Air Force vs. New Mexico Football Game

Our friend, Jared, played for the Lobo's back in the day

Can you tell it was a very cold night?

Jack, the Lobo

Chloe sporting her new boots

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from our visit to the pumpkin patch last weekend. I loved the fact that it was a REAL patch so we could actually tramp through the field and pick our pumpkins straight off the vine.

Looking at the birds

Trying to keep the Chloe and Chase out of the mud!

We took this "just in case" these 2 might end up together someday!

The Clauss family plus Chloe

The Cranes

Peace out

Helen Hunt Falls

2008-10-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, Andrew and I made a scouting trip to Colorado to see if we would be interested in living there. During that trip, we visited Helen Hunt Falls and were in shock and awe of the spectacular fall colors that we saw. I thought it would be a great idea to drive down there the same weekend as we had been there 2 years before. I wanted to enjoy the fall colors and take some pictures of Chloe with the colorful leaves. Much to my disappointment, the trees had just barely started changing. I should have been tipped off by the fact that the leaves where we live weren't changing much yet either! We did enjoy our little hike despite the lack of fall colors.

Our little tree hugger

My 23 week baby belly

Finally a fall tree!

Precious!

For Memory's Sake

2008-10-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be a good idea to record the following story on our blog to remind us in years to come of what life was like with a busy little toddler. This event occurred yesterday morning...

I was sitting at the table enjoying breakfast and checking my email while Chloe was playing in the living room. The enjoyment of a uninterrupted meal did not last long as I eventually heard Chloe's sweet little voice whining "ehhh, ehhh". Although we're working on saying "please", this is still her primary cue to tell me that she wants something, and she wants it now! I look up to see her reaching one hand into the toy bag and looking at me repeating "ehhh, ehhh". I quickly realized that she wanted a toy she couldn't reach. Before I could get out of my chair and walk across the room to help her, she looked me in the eye and said "obey"! In other words, "Get over here Mom and help me!" I was shocked that she had just commanded me to obey her! We have been working on obedience with Chloe a lot lately so the fact that she turned this around on me was quite funny!

This situation shed light for me on 2 things. First of all, Chloe clearly seems to understand what "obey" means so I know now that when I tell her she needs to obey, she really does understand what I'm saying! Secondly, I realized that we have a long road ahead of us of training her little heart to be obedient to Andrew and I as well as the Lord! Please pray for us! :)

September Stuff

2008-09-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

Sleepy teething bug

These pancakes were healthy until Andrew drowned them in powdered sugar!

We thought this was cute...

...but Chloe took her dainty sugar sampling a little too far!
Oh, what have we gotten ourselves into???

Stay tuned for baby belly pics...

Just for Fun

2008-09-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

I just came across this video of Chloe from when Andrew's parents were here. I think it's pretty cute. My child is very entertaining!

Road Trip to Nebraska

2008-09-03T09:42:00.000-07:00

We took advantage of the long Labor Day weekend and made the 4+ hour drive to visit my grandparents in Nebraska. I love my grandparents and it was so great to see them, but this trip definitely reminded me why we don't live in Nebraska! I was pleasantly surprised, however, that North Platte (the town where I spent most of my childhood) now has a Starbucks!

Playing with Great Grandma

Blowing bubbles

Such a sweet couple!

Feeding the ducks

Did you know elk like popcorn?

Chloe's 1st merry-go-round ride. She loved it!

Waiting eagerly for her bite!

Cleaning sweet corn with Great Grandpa

It's not a visit to NE unless you spend time working in Grandpa's garden!

This pic is a framer

Chloe @ 12+ Months

2008-08-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here are some random shots of Chloe to give you an idea of the things she enjoys doing right now:

Chloe loves climbing into any type of container.

She thought being in here was cool for like 5 seconds!

Watching "Praise Baby" with Clifford

Enjoying some milk

Silly face

Taking advantage of the summer weather we have left!

Floatin' around with her buddy Aiden

Night Out!

2008-08-28T09:52:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, Andrew and I had our first real date since before Chloe was born. Sad, I know! We had SO much fun that we are determined to get several more dates in before #2 comes. Our friends, the Renzelmans, watched Chloe so that we could grab dinner and go to the Sky Sox baseball game (The Sky Sox are a minor league team here in the Springs.). The game wasn't all that, but the entertainment at the park was great! My wild side came out and I actually danced with the fox mascot! I think Andrew was a little jealous!

Chloe's 1st Birthday/Grandparents Visit

2008-08-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

Wow! Our little bug turned one on August 12! Her surfer girl birthday party was great fun even though it wasn't warm enough for the kids to play in the pool. We were thankful the rain held off until the party was almost over!

Here are a few party shots:

Grandma and "Pa-Pa" Shearer came all the way from Washington to be with
Chloe for her first birthday! We were so blessed to have them share in
this special milestone with us!

My friend, Melissa, made Chloe's surfboard cake. It was awesome!

A cake all of her own

Apparently she liked it!

Some of Chloe's little friends

Lovin' all the attention!

All partied out!

We played tourist again and hauled Grandpa and Grandma all over Colorado Springs to show them our favorite spots. We enjoyed every second of their week here! We wish we all lived closer! Whenever the Shearer family gets together, our camera gets a break for the week. All the pictures in this post are compliments of Grandpa and Grandma...

We celebrated Chloe's actual birthday by going to the zoo.

Checking out something interesting

Family photo

Having a snack with daddy

Not so sure about that wet tongue licking her hand!

Trying out her b-day present from Mommy and Daddy

The neighbor kids wanted to try it out, too!

We braved the windy road up to the top of Pike's Peak. The drive is so beautiful! It actually snowed a little bit while we were at the summit.

Thanks for coming to see us, Mom and Dad/Grandpa and Grandma!
We love you so much!

Our Little Walkeroo

2008-08-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

Chloe started taking her first steps right about when she hit 11 months. Andrew called her our little zombie because she would keep her hands straight out in front of her for balance. Now walking is Chloe's preferred method of transportation. She's adorable toddling all around!

Here's a video from a few weeks ago:

2008-07-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

My car said farewell to it's CA plates today and gladly welcomed in the new stellar white and green CO plates! I think they're actually pretty cool. I like how mine say "SKS"...like skis. Since I like to ski (and board), it works!

I've been putting off going to the DMV ever since we moved in November. But, since my registration in CA finally expired, I was forced to brave the lines. It actually wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Chloe had fun entertaining the people sitting around us. She kept saying "hi" over and over and over. Fortunately, they all played along and said "hi" right back. Oh, and yes, I still have my sweet falling apart maroon Camry!

My Busy Bug

2008-07-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

US Olympic Men's Gymnastics Team

2008-07-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, we were able to watch the US Olympic men's gymnastic team perform their routines for the general public. I had heard about this event when Joelle and I went to the US Olympic Training Center and I really wanted to go! Andrew somewhat unwillingly came along (since he isn't all that interested in gymnastics), but I think he agreed at the end that it was definitely worth going to. I had a blast! I had never been to anything like it before. It's so much better seeing the athletes in action rather than on a TV screen. We weren't allowed to take any pictures until afterwards, but I did get a few of the guys showing off at the end so everyone could get their camera fix.

So high!

The Team

Check out those muscles!

One of the Hamms

"My daddy's cool!"

Joelle's Visit

2008-07-17T15:31:00.001-07:00

Joelle and I were college friends. We were teacher ed buddies and also lived on the same wing my senior year. We hit it off so well that Joelle actually lived with us for 2 years before we moved to Colorado. The week went by way too fast, but we had lots of fun and made some good memories! It was so great hanging out with her again!

I am turning into quite the tour guide of Colorado Springs. Maybe I should look for a job...

Playing in the toddler room at Focus on the Family

We drove up to the top of PP. By far the best touristy thing to do here!

We thought it would be cold at the top, but it surprisingly was perfect.

Enjoying a little snack at 14,000 feet.

4th attempt at a group picture

Beautiful scenery along the drive

"The Lake"

Reading with Auntie Jo

I think she's ready for Beijing, don't you?

Looking excited for 8.8.08

Bobsled Team

Joelle hit it big playing Skeeball in Manitou Springs!

She really wants a bike like this, but she needs longer arms!

Joelle, thanks so much for spending a part of your summer with us! You were a huge blessing and encouragement to me while you were here. Please move to Colorado! :)

11 Months Old

2008-07-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

Chloe is 11 months old today! It's unbelievable how the time has flown! My baby will be 1 year old next month!

Here are some of Chloe's favorite things right now:
- Playing outside with her friend, Aiden
- Eating snacks with mommy
- Dancing to any type of music
- Taking naps (she literally dives into bed at nap time!)
-Reading books
-Her yellow snuggy
-Unloading drawers and unfolding the laundry mommy has just folded
-Daddy coming home from work
-Dogs
-Having all the attention

Some milestones that have happened recently:
-Taking her first steps
-Learning to say "please", "more", "drink", and "all done" in sign language
(It's awesome that she can communicate these things instead of whining until I figure it out!)
-Saying in Chloe words: "dog"(daw, daw) , "ba-by", "water" (wa-wa), "hi", "bye-bye", "ball" (ba), "banana" (nana), "nigh-night", "what is it" (mostly sounds like "is it"), and a few more that I can't think of right now!
-Pointing to things she wants/likes

What a fun stage of life this is! Chloe has become very interactive and she has quite the little personality. We are having so much fun!

4th of July

2008-07-07T08:22:00.000-07:00

Our friends, the Millers (they moved here from CA, too), invited us to go camping with them over the 4th of July weekend. We spent 2 nights at Lake Pueblo State Park, which was about 1 1/2 hours away. The campground and lake were nice, but it was a very hot weekend with little shade to be found. Not exactly a winning combination for a prego lady and an almost 11 month old baby! Let's just say that it may be a while before we attempt another camping excursion!

A pile of Millers

Just hangin' out

Being outside all day long was a dream come true for Chloe!

Chowing down a marshmallow

Chloe liked being in the water, but didn't think this floaty was very cool

Worn out!

Showing off our red, white, and blue

Ash and Kate's Visit

2008-07-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

My sisters have been staying with us for about a month now. They have been a huge help to me during this crazy first trimester. I'm sure it has not been easy for them to listen to me gag at or throw up the meals that I normally would enjoy but taste so gross to me right now! Bless their hearts! They have tried so hard! I really have appreciated their help!

Chloe loves her aunties so much and I'm sure she won't know what to do without all her entertainment when they leave on Thursday (I'm not sure what I'm going to do either! I'm going to actually have to open the fridge!!!)!

We actually did get out once in a while to have a little fun. Here are some pics:

Playing in the pool

Fun with my aunties

Brrr!

Mt. Herman hike

Chloe slept most of the way

Ice cream stop after the hike

Sliding at Focus on the Family

Ash thought it was fun

Chloe with her friend, Aiden

How cute is this?!!

"I can stand up all by myself!"

"Check out my thigh rolls!"

Cooling off with the hose

Crazy dancing bug!

Future mountain climber

The Latest

2008-06-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy and I haven't been getting along very well. We've spent a lot of time these last few weeks battling with each other. So far, P is winning. As I'm hunched over losing the food I had just worked so hard to consume, I'm trying to remember that this will all be worth it in just a few months! My mom (she is amazing) and sisters (they are amazing, too!) dropped everything and flew out to help us for the last 2 weeks. My mom just left yesterday, but I get to keep my sisters as long as I need them!

First Jamba!

Hot Shot

Chloe LOVES her Clifford

Eating Grandma's breakfast

My Grandma makes me laugh!

"I heart snacks!"

"Watch out, Auntie J! I'm gonna steal your title!"

"SO BIG"

Crashed

Although my mom and sisters didn't get to enjoy much of the Colorado outdoors (thanks to me and baby #2), we did manage to get out a few times to see a few of the sights.

Garden of the Gods (I told you we take all our visitors there!)

Cute Sisters

At the zoo

Chloe loves the giraffes

I love this pic!

At the top

Thanks so much, Mom, for taking care of Chloe, Andrew, and I these last few weeks! I honestly don't know what we would have done without you! We already miss you so much!

Ok, just one more video of Chloe singing with daddy:

A Visit from the Cousins

2008-05-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

Chloe's Auntie Lindsay and her 3 cousins came to visit for a few days. Fortunately, the weather was pretty decent (for CO in spring anyway!), so the kids had fun at the zoo and the park. Chloe loved being able to see her cousins again. She wishes they didn't live so far away!

Lindsay and the boys

Monkeys at the zoo!

Caught in the web

Koen having fun!

Right before it started to rain

The giraffes were the highlight!

Sweet Gavin!

Chloe and Charlotte

Daddy and his girl!

Too cute!

2 weeks apart!

Andrew loved the park more than the kids!

"I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Our Special Anniversary Gift

2008-05-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday marked our fifth wedding anniversary! It's hard to believe it's been that long already! What a blessing it has been to experience the joy of marriage these last five years! God has been so faithful to us!

Here's a video of the special gift we received on our anniversary:

More Wedding Stuff

2008-05-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Emilie's assistant at BJ, Caroline, took a ton of pictures throughout the weekend. She captured some great shots of Chloe! I had to post these!

My Sweet Girl

We called her our "Performing Monkey"

She's Glowing!

I got to be Emilie's Matron of Honor

Batter Up!

Sisters

Again

The Couples

Emilie's Wedding

2008-05-19T13:44:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed being a part of Andrew's sister, Emilie's wedding this last weekend! It was so special to see how Emilie and David's love for the Lord was evidently expressed through their wedding ceremony. Congratulations, Emilie and David! We love you!

Here are some pictures from our time in South Carolina:

Chloe loves her Auntie

She thinks her Grandpa's pretty cool, too!

Us at the rehearsal dinner

Beautiful Bride

Too bad Andrew closed his eyes!

The Happy Couple

Grammy, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins

Mom and Dad w/the Bride and Groom

No more $$$

Smiling for Grandpa!

"The Face" again

Special Times with Daddy

2008-05-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Chloe loves to listen to her daddy play the piano. It's become kind of a nightly ritual for the 2 of them. I think it's sweet!

Here they are:

Precious!

My Favorite

Helping turn the pages

First Mother's Day

2008-05-12T13:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked my first official Mother's Day. I'm forever thankful to the Lord for allowing me to experience the joy of being a mommy. Having a child has definitely changed my life! Now that I have begun to understand what motherhood is all about, I have a much greater appreciation for everything my mom has done for me over the years!

Me and my little Bug

Yay, Chloe!

2008-05-08T09:42:00.001-07:00

Chloe just discovered that she can clap her hands. It's so funny. She'll be crawling around then randomly pause, sit up, and clap her hands. It's like she all of a sudden realizes how proud of herself she is! I would like to know what's going through her mind in those moments! Anyway, whenever I say "Yay, Chloe" that's her cue to clap. It's pretty darn cute!

Here are a few snapshots of Chloe being her cute little self:

Chloe's pretty dress from Grandma

Perspective shot. She's getting so big!

Messy face when Daddy feeds Chloe

Been trying to capture this new expression on camera. I finally got it!

Tagged

2008-05-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by my friend Rachel. This is not the first time I've been tagged, but the first time I'm actually doing it! (Sorry Amy...please don't hate me!)
So, here are my favorite 5's (not necessarily in order of importance):

1. 5 things under $5 that I couldn't live without:
-Baby wipes
-socks (it's cold here in CO!)
-pony tail holders
-water
-lotion

2. 5 Favorite Movies
-Casablanca
-Return to Me
-Monsters Inc.
-Oceans 11
-Mission Impossible

3. 5 Baby names I love:
-Kellan
-Dylan
-Lily
-Karis
-Calvin

4. 5 Songs I could listen to over and over again:
-"Landed"-Ben Folds
-"Take My Life"-Third Day
-"Indescribable"-Chris Tomlin
-"I Can Only Imagine"-Mercy Me
- Whatever Andrew's playing on the piano

5. 5 People who have influenced me in a positive way:
-Andrew
-My parents/family
-The Kawaguchis
-Andy Stanley
-My church family (ok, I know that's more than 5!)

6. 5 Things that are always in my purse:
-Snacks for Chloe
-Cell phone
-Wallet
-Chapstick
-Coupon holder

7. Moments that changed my life forever:
-Accepting Christ as my Savior
-Missions trips to NZ
-Marrying my best friend
-Giving birth to Chloe
-Moving to Colorado

8. 5 Obsessions I currently have:
-Picking Chloe's boogers
-Facebook
-Taking pictures (of Chloe)
-American Idol
-Eating freshly ground honey roasted peanut butter

9. 5 Places I would like to go:
-New Zealand (again with Andrew this time)
-Europe
-CA (to see family/friends)
-Hawaii
-to sleep

10. 5 Appliances or kitchen tools I couldn't live without:
-Vitamix
-KitchenAid
-garlic press
-salad spinner
-whisk (keeps Chloe entertained while I'm making dinner)

11. 5 People who I would like to see their top 5's:
-Sarah I.
-Sarah M.
-Berit
-Katey
-Krystal

A Few New Things

2008-05-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Just some cute Chloe shots:

Chloe loves her baby!

"Thanks for the dolly, Grandma!"

Mommy's little helper

"Hmm...What can I get into now?"

Chloe's Wild Ride

This video was captured by my sister while she was staying with us. If I would have been in the room at that moment, this most likely wouldn't have happened!

Jenna's Visit

2008-04-22T17:11:00.000-07:00

My sister, Jenna, was able to stay with us for a week and a half after our family trip to Copper Mountain. We had a blast! I took Jenna to all the hot spots in Colorado Springs. I discovered that there's actually a lot to do here! I loved being able to hang out, laugh, and just be silly with my sister again! We love you, J!

Jenna and I took a massive amount of pictures during her time here! Here are some of my favorites:

Garden of the Gods
(We take ALL our visitors here!)

Cave of the Winds
(Not worth the $18 bucks a person!)

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
(Chloe LOVED it, especially the giraffes!)

Focus on the Family
(It was a cold day so we opted for an indoor activity.)

Trip to Downtown Denver with Aunt Mary and John
(Chloe's first train ride.)

Royal Gorge
(Allie and Baby Aidan came, too!)

US Olympic Training Center
(We actually watched the athletes training!)

We were stereotypical tourists this week with our cameras out everywhere, but we had fun and have great pictures to show for it! Thanks for visiting us, Jenna! We miss you already!

Copper Mountain

2008-04-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

My family made the 14+ hour drive all the way from California to spend a week snowboarding with us at Copper Mountain. My Uncle Jack from CA, my grandparents from NE, and my Aunt Mary and cousin Luke from CO joined us as well. We had a sweet condo that actually fit all of us and was just a few minutes walk away from the lift. My mom watched Chloe so that I could have fun boarding. God totally blessed us with amazing weather as well as a few days of fresh knee deep powder. It was such as joy to spend time with our family. Thanks Mom and Dad for making our vacation with you so special!

Here are some photos to give you a glimpse of our fun week:

Future boarder

Havin' fun!

It was SO bright!

Hot Hubby

Bro and Sis

I love my little sis!

I love these sisters, too!

Silly Girls

Jenna enjoying the outhouse

"Want some, Grandpa?"

"Never mind, Grandpa"

Having fun with Auntie J

Dad cooking for the troops except for Abby

Mom sure fed us well!

Mommy and her snow bunny

Having a snow snack

Drew's favorite mug

Love it!

Chloe's Great Grandparents

Fun at Focus on the Family

2008-04-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

Focus on the Family is a popular Christian organization that is based here in Colorado Springs. It has an amazing Adventures in Odyssey themed play area for kids. There is even have a cool toddler room which is perfect for Chloe. We went there with our neighbor and her son. Chloe was in 7th heaven! She had a blast crawling through the log tunnels and playing in the red canoe! I'm pretty sure we'll be going back there many times!

Chloe is really starting to enjoy other little people, especially the boys! I think we have arrived at the "playdate" stage!

Amy's Visit

2008-04-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

Our friend, Amy Haddock, drove all the way up from The Springs to have dinner with us and to experience a healthy dose of competition playing Settlers of Catan with the mighty, mighty Shearers. The fierce battle that ensued consisted of alliances broken, tears shed (almost!), and harsh words expressed (but no cards or game pieces thrown, wink wink!). Somehow I managed to emerge as the victor. For those of you who have never heard of much less played this game, I highly recommend you getting yourself right on over to a game store and purchasing it ASAP. You won't regret it. You can even play online: http://catanonline.com

Here are some photos of happy faces before my crushing victory:

First Trip to the Park

2008-03-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

We took Chloe to the park for the first time this weekend. It was super windy so we didn't stay long, but she loved it nonetheless! The swing was her favorite.

We also took a fun stroll through Garden of the Gods. It's one of our favorite places to go in Colorado Springs. God's creation is amazing!

That's Pike's Peak in the background

Springtime?

2008-03-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it's apparently officially spring according to the calendar. However, I am discovering that springtime in Colorado is definitely unpredictable and different than a California spring. It can be warm enough for shorts and flip-flops one day, then the next day, it's back to winter coats and Uggs! Oh well, at least we're able to get out more often and actually enjoy the fresh air!

Anyway, here are some shots of Chloe on one of our recent warm spring days! As you can see from the background of the pictures, we're still waiting for everything to turn green!

Love it!

Happy Bug!

Blowing raspberries

"I'm SO over the hat, Mom!"

Cute Baby Chloe!

2008-03-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

"I'm keeping Mommy busy!"

Sweet face!

I went to get Chloe up from her nap and this is what I found!

Time to lower the crib!

Here's a sweet video of Chloe. I'm still not sure if she's relating her babbling "ma-ma" to me, but she does crawl around looking for me while chanting "ma-ma, ma-ma, ma-ma". Either way, it's cute! Andrew is a little bummed that she can't say "da-da" yet!

Happy Easter

2008-03-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

This is the first Easter in a few years that we haven't been able to celebrate this special day with family. So, we were very blessed to start our day off with an amazing service at church, and then spend the rest of the afternoon with the Miller family.

It was so much fun to begin little Easter traditions with Chloe like having her find her Easter basket (well, not so much this year...it was more like "Chloe, look! It's an Easter basket!") and getting her a new Easter outfit complete with white tea party shoes. We didn't attempt dyeing eggs...we're going to save that one for next year! Chloe did enjoy being a spectator for the Easter egg hunt. Next year, she's sure to find the most eggs (not that we're competitive or anything!)!

Check out the pictures of Chloe. Andrew captured a great video, too!

Father-Daughter Bonding

2008-03-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Our Weekend in California

2008-03-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

Our good friend, Matt Floreen, got married this past Sunday in California. We decided this would be a good excuse to take a trip out to visit family/friends as well as attend the wedding. It was a crazy-busy weekend, but reconnecting with people was worth the every minute of completely destroying Chloe's schedule!

During our stay in Santa Clarita, we reminisced about a FEW of the things that we missed about living in California including Robeks, wearing flip-flops in March, Church of the Canyons, well-lit streets, and obviously our family and friends (whom we would love to have move to CO!). However, the list of things we definitely do not miss (smog, traffic, unfriendly strangers, houses 2 inches away from each other...) definitely reminded us that we are doing just fine with our clean air, picturesque views, relaxed pace of life, space, and lower cost of living!

Here are some photos of our trip:

Enjoying some Thai food with the Ikegamis

Our former roomie, Joelle

My childhood friend, Noelle

My Girls!

Evan and John love Chloe! She loves them too! Can't you tell?

Rob, Andrew, and Chloe looking good at the wedding

My college roommate, Ilena. Seeing her brought back fond memories!

Mr. & Mrs. Matt Floreen

Chloe's Auntie and Uncle

The end of a long day

Beginning Solids

2008-03-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some snapshots from Chloe's first day of eating homemade organic brown rice cereal. I didn't think it tasted very good, but she sure did!

"Wow, I had no idea other things besides milk existed!"

Um!

"Thanks, Daddy!"

Inhaling a cracker

As you can probably see from the last few posts, Chloe has changed A LOT lately. It has been such a joy to experience each new phase of her development. We are so blessed to have such a precious daughter!

Chloe On the Move!

2008-03-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

Chloe is officially a crawler now. At our community group last night, Chloe was playing sweetly and quietly on the floor. All of a sudden, she caught a glimpse of Jeff's (aka Chicco's) monster feet. Her curiosity was piqued. To our surprise, she took off crawling at an amazing speed to check out/taste his big toe. Fortunately he had socks on!

Here are some videos I took this morning.

I love how she pants in excitement!

I really am as sweet as I look!

Look at me!

Hmmm? Is it time for baby-proofing?

Precious!