Taste of Colorado-YUMMY!!

So on-oh I can't remember when it was- I think it must have been labor day (wow-sorry! Mom brain!)...we went with our friends the Wesslers to the Taste of Colorado here in Downtown Denver. It is kind of like the fair- but TONS of mostly Colorado restaurants come and set up booths with all of their different types of foods in it and you can purchase anything you want! This is actually what Cole and I were able to do the first weekend that we moved out here 2 years ago! So it was fun to reminisce and go with some fun friends! The boys didn't have the greatest of times, because it was WAY hot, but they were troopers. We got to go in the bouncy slide thingy (that's the technical name for it) and we even got a SMOOTHIE!! (Lincoln's choice) It was really fun to see all the different restaurants that Denver has to offer, and realized that we really don't get out much! Someday!! Anyways, we had a great time! Thanks Wesslers for the invite! We had so much fun.


Steph and I- She is the bomb!


The fam just before we left...notice Payton DOWNING his smoothie! He was SO thirsty, and we were totally out of the 3 huge waterbottles that we brought! Like I said...hot day!


Oh sad! You can't really see this, but Lincoln's pants were totally falling down on the way back to the train! It was so cute. :) He was so tired, and actually fell asleep not a few minutes later on Cole's head.

Last Campout of the Year!

Lincoln asked me the other day why we don't ever go camping anymore! He was contemplating in the car, and here is the conversation that we had:

Lincoln: Mom, if you could have anything that you wanted in the back yard, what would it be?
Mom: What do you mean buddy?
Link: If you could have whatever you wanted, what would you want!?
Mom: I would probable have a table back there so we could eat dinner and stuff out there!
Link: Well, if I could have anything I wanted, I would make the backyard REALLY big, and put a camp trailer back there!

I told Cole this conversation, and he decided to get off of work early, and we headed for the hills for one last hurrah! We had SUCH a great time. It was a bit cold the next morning, and the boys were pretty miserable, but we were able to have a hot breakfast, clean everything up, and break all of camp and we were out of there by 8:30! I think it was some sort of record!


REALLY great picture of me (yikes!) but this was the next morning when the boys were SO cold, so we were snuggling and trying to stay warm!


Setting up the tent! Lincoln was a great big helper!


For dinner we had tin foil dinners and the boys scored some chicken nuggets (Lincoln) and some hot dogs! (Payton) They were actually REALLY good!



Maybe it's time for a bigger hat for the brother...what do you think?

The boys helping Cole get the fire started. We needed to collect LOTS of sticks for wood!

First day of Preschool!

OH, my baby boy started his first day of preschool! I THINK that I was as excited as he was! What a cute little stud. He is going to the rec center just down the road a bit and Mr. Daniel is his teacher! He LOVES to bring his Batman Backpack to school with him even though there is nothing in it and it is bigger than he is! What a stud! Here are some pics of the first day!

When I went to pick him up after a blissful 2 1/2 hours, he didn't have much to say. I asked him what they learned, and he said that they didn't learn ANYTHING!! He always says that! what a silly boy. It's like pulling teeth to get info out of this kid! Hopefully we will work on that as the school year progresses!


Standing in front of his NEW SCHOOL!


Lincoln and Calvin getting ready to go inside!


Cole says this one's the TJ (tear jerker) I think I might have to agree!

Garden Update

Sorry that I haven't been good about keeping up with the garden updates, but WOW have we been going GANGBUSTERS!!! Our garden is SO crazy! We have had lots and lots of yummy stuff to eat, and can, and do everything else with! Here's the count so far:

CUCUMBERS: 58
YELLOW SQASH: 22 +about 6 on the vine right now (too lazy to pick them...too much squash!
BEANS: about 12 lbs.
TOMATOES: 166
PEPPERS: 33
CHERRY TOMATOES: 439 + a boat load more that I am sick of picking :)
CORN: 0 sadly :( Maybe next year
PUMPKINS: 2 HUGE ones! We can't wait for Halloween!
RUSSET POTATOES: Still growing
YUKON GOLD POTATOES: 17
YELLOW ONIONS: 1 (The rest are still growing)
CARROTS: 52

SO there you have it! We are lovin it! Cole is quite the canner and while we were in Utah, canned about 12 bottles of DELICIOUS pickles! I have canned 12 bottles of tomatoes, and also like 15 bottles of peaches. Yeah for food storage! Here's to the rest of the harvest!

Back to School Breakfast

Lincoln and I decided that it would be really fun this year to invite all of his friends that are going to back to school over for a "Back to School Breakfast"! We had SO much fun! We served Ebelskevers- a Nelson family tradition and one of my FAVORITES!!! (what could be better than fried batter?!) - and had fruit and juice and all sorts of stuff! It was a HIT! As always, I was a day late and a dollar short with the picture taking, so I only have pictures of the adults. The kids weren't eating for too long anyways...the sandbox was calling their names! All except for Lincoln who stayed the entire 3 shifts that everyone was eating! He loves them like his mama does! But just know that they LOVED them! We did get some pics of a few of the adults though to document the day!


Lincoln was such a big helper. He even wore his apron the entire time! I love this little dude!


Big Boy Dylan hanging from the monkey bars.

The LOVELY (wow, just got out of bed- decided not to even brush my hair!) hostess holding the ebelskevers- or at least some of them! Those little guys go FAST!


Heather Schafer, and Steph and Camille Dix

Payton and Kate playin in the sand! LOTS of sand was dumped on heads this day. SORRY MOMS!

Thanks for coming guys! We can't wait for next year!

Welcome home Elder Miles!!!

WHAT!!!!!! My brother came home from his MISSION! I can't believe that it has been 2 years since he left! That is crazy. That means that we have now lived here in Denver for 2 years! Man how time flies! Anyways, that's why we were in Utah for so long...we were waiting anxiously for Bry to come home! We have missed him so much, and are so proud of him for serving in the Canada Toronto East (Spanish speaking) mission faithfully for 2 years! Now we are anxious to get him de-nerded! We'll see how long that takes...he is still quite fond of the old part! Welcome home Bwysie!

The WHOLE FAM (except for Cole and Rocky) for the first time in 2 years!


Ruby and Payton waiting ever so "patiently" for Bry to come out of the plane for heavens sake! We had to finally strap them in their strollers they were so crazy!


Lincoln has missed Bry lots! He said that when he got off, he was going to run up and TACKLE him to the ground! He didn't....too shy! :)


The boys in the fam. Bry is NOW TALLER than Ty! Holy Smokes this kid grew!

It's a..........???

GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL!!!!!!!!

YEAH!!! Cole and I were able to go to the doctor yesterday and have our 20 week ultrasound, and we found that all is well with our little PINK bundle! She wasn't shy at all! (Seems to be the trend in the Cole Smith family ultrasounds!) But we couldn't be more thrilled. We are so excited for her to continue to grow and to develop! So far, she has been a bit nicer to her mother than her brothers were in the womb! I don't get kicked quite as frequently, or near as hard! This could very well change within the coming months, but for now, I am content to not get beat up quite so badly!


Here are her tiny little feet! She kept putting them up just like this during the ultrasound. SO CUTE!!!

We are having a DAY picking out a name. She of course won't have a name until she is born, but we are up for ANY ideas that you all might have! Lincolns suggestions are MARRILER, and/or ZUBLE. :)

I have a PLETHORA (of pinatas) of other things to blog about, like our month long trip to Utah, but for now, you are just going to have to be content to know that our little Minderina is on her way, safe and sound!