Fun times in Colorado

Our first stop on home leave was to Colorado to visit Christy's sister Katie, her husband Jeff, and their dog Frisco. Christy's parents also flew in from California so it was a mini-family reunion. Denver is a great city for kids--Nicholas loved the Aquarium and the Children's Museum, which even had an exhibit for Claire! We are excited to learn that DC will be getting a Children's Museum in 2013. Christy also got to go skiing for the first time in 3 years (2 babies and a 30th birthday later!).

We are spending the rest of our home leave with David's parents in Ohio, and are happy to be reunited with the Moe cat. We signed a lease on a townhouse in Alexandria, VA (near Franconia-Springfield) and are now busy trying to figure out pre-school for Nicholas for next fall. It's like college--$50 per application, and they are due in January/February for the following September. Crazy!

Other projects are job-searching for David and finding a nanny, so we are still pretty busy and have a lot to accomplish before Christy starts French at the end of the month. Oh, and we will be celebrating our 5th Anniversary! It's been a pretty amazing 5 years.

Here are the pics from Colorado:

The ski resort, Copper Mountain, had a Critterland. Nicholas had a great time in the snow, and his Uncle Jeff taught him how to make snowballs!

snowbunny Claire

pretty soon Nicholas will be on skis!

but in the meantime, tubing is pretty awesome

riding the shuttle (aka "big bus!") from the parking lot to the lodge, with Aunt Katie

lunch break at the lodge, where David, Claire, and Nicholas stayed toasty warm while the rest of us skiied

snow pants and hunter's plaid. too cute! (in mommy's opinion, anyway :-) )

Christy couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day on the slopes. It was sunny, not too cold, and the snow was great!

It's been 8 years since the four of us got to ski together; last time was Christy's senior year spring break, also in Colorado

at the Children's Museum--Nicholas playing in the train exhibit

Claire got to float on her pod at The Pond, an exhibit designed especially for infants

GG and Claire

Mommy and Claire

Daddy and Nicholas fishing in "The Grove"

the best part--the fire engine exhibit! Nicholas got to dress up like a firefighter. Sooo cool!

Nicholas with Aunt Katie and Uncle Jeff at the Aquarium

Nicholas loved to see the scuba divers go "kick, kick, kick" .... I think it's time for swim lessons!

this pretty much sums up Claire's trip to the Aquarium

Nicholas-heaven: an exhibit full of buttons and switches! We almost didn't get past this to the rest of the Aquarium

Shark attack! We got to watch them feeding, which was pretty cool.

We are pretty tired from all the moving and travelling, and are enjoying some relaxation in Ohio and looking forward to getting settled in our new home!