Labor Day Weekend

Although we didn't go out of town for Labor Day weekend, we managed to pack it full with activities and get togethers. Tara and I started off the weekend by taking Riley and Koben to the pool on Friday afternoon. This was the last weekend that the pool was going to be open and we had been talking about going to the pool together all summer. Better late than never I guess. Riley and Koben had fun splashing around. Riley loves the water but he hates his hat. Although the coverage is great, as soon as it get's wet it flops in his face and he can't see. Nate also thinks it looks a little girly. Half way through we had to switch to his other hat because it got too wet and floppy.
Saturday evening was Ari and Jared's engagment party. The party was hosted by Ari's parents and was held at her sister Emily and Roger's house. The party was a great time. Great food, good company. It was a perfect night. (Side note: Earlier in the summer I had done a landscape plan for Emily and Roger's yard. They worked all summer to implement the plan and get the yard ready for the party. The night of the party was the first time I had seen their yard since they had begun work. I was very excited and proud of how it all came together. I need to go back during the day and take pictures.)
Sunday morning we meet Nick, Kathy, Chris and Tara for breakfast before Nick and Kathy flew back to Seattle. It was great to spend more time with them. Sunday afternoon we headed to Ari and Jared's for a "Mini Baby Shower" for Kylene and Tony and to watch the CU/CSU game. Ari, Sam and I all missed Kylene's official baby shower so we decided to have a little one of our own. We thought the game would be a perfect excuse to get together. Of course we couldn't get together for the game without making sure that the twins where ready to show their CU spirit.
Monday we finished up the holiday weekend by doing chores around the house and I caught up on some landscape design work that I had been putting off. It's hard to believe that it is already September. Where did this summer go? I'm glad to report that our summer experiment, our garden, is doing well. Just about everything grew and most things did better than imagined. Our tomatoes are thriving and we have jalapenos coming out of our ears. And after more than a month of our zucchini plant blooming like crazy but producing no zucchini, we now have 2 little zucchini growing. Now I need a compost bin and lots of worms. Hope everyone enjoyed their summer and their Labor Day weekend.

You can't help but to smile!

Riley is so much fun! He is always doing something to make me laugh. He has started crawling the traditional way on his hands and knees although he still army crawls on his belly sometimes. He loves the water. He loves to crawl around in the shallow end of our pool and put his face in the water.
When I come into Riley's room when he has woken up from a nap, he is always sitting up in the corner of the crib closest to the door with his bear in between his legs. I call it "Baby Jail" since he is usually holding on to the vertical slats of the crib.
Riley has learned how to pull himself to his feet and he loves to stand. Although he's not much of a walker, I know it's just a matter of time. My baby barricade is still in use, although he breaks through it at least once or twice a day. He either crawls over Pooh or he empties all his toys out of the small green bid and moves it aside.
I think that it's time to invest in a real safety "fence". Luckily he is still entertained by most of his toys. He loves to pull the bins over and pull all his toys out of the bins. I can tell when he is getting sleepy because he has started to snuggle his face on all his soft stuffed animals. It's pretty darn cute. He says "Mamma" all the time and I'm pretty sure he is saying it on purpose.
Riley loves to eat and he'll keep opening his mouth as long as you have food. We are starting to get more adventurous with the finger foods. He'll eat just about anything. It's been fun to feed him different things that we are eating and see how he likes it. We discovered at Mark and Amy's BBQ that Riley likes corn on the cob.

Matt and Amy's Wedding

Riley and Deanna

This past weekend we headed up to Estes Park for Matt and Amy's wedding. It was super convenient for us since Nate's mom and step dad live in Estes. We left our house mid afternoon and headed up the mountain. We dropped the dogs off at the house and headed into town to the welcome BBQ. About 12 of Nate's fraternity brothers were there and it was great to see old friends that we haven't seen in a while. We were able to pass Riley off to Grandma and Grandpa and stay out late with everyone. The next day was a nice, mellow day. The wedding was at 4pm and was a very enjoyable ceremony and a beautiful day. The chuppa was hand made by Lee Hoffman (No surprise to all of you who know Lee) and we were treated to Peach Mojitos and bacon wrapped scallops (yum, more please!).
The following morning was a farewell breakfast and another opportunity for all of us to hang out and catch up. It was another beautiful Colorado day and we enjoyed being outside. Thanks Amy and Matt for giving us a great excuse to get together and catch up. Hope you had a great time in Alaska. See all the photos here.

Bunny the baby horse

So I have some catching up to do... A couple weekends ago we went up to Grand Lake with Pauline and Dave (Nate's mom and step dad). We went to see a Winding River Guest Ranch owned by one of Pauline's friends. The ranch is in a beautiful spot and the Colorado River runs right through the property. The ranch offers horse rides and while we were there we were greeted by the new addition, Bunny. Born on Easter, Bunny was a very friendly, curious foal. Riley got so excited and kept squirming and giggling. Momma and baby were free to roam around the ranch and Bunny checked Riley out several times while we were there.

The Colorado River

Riley's 10 months old

Wow, 10 months. How is that possible? Riley is so much fun. He still isn't officially crawling but that doesn't stop him from moving everywhere. It's a combination between rolling, army crawling on his belly and pushing up onto his hands and knees and then flopping forward. I've had to create a barricade in the office with luggage and toy bins to stop him from getting into mischief (see picture below). He goes straight under the desk and tries to grab the cords. I've tried moving him and distracting him with something else but he is not fooled. So the barricade became necessary. I'm sure it is only a matter of a day or 2 before he figures out how to break through. But I'm so lucky because he loves to play and entertain himself on the floor with his toys.
Other Riley milestones are that he can pull himself up on to his knees from a seated position and he can also stand by himself (for quite a while) while holding on to something. He has also been sleeping through the night for over a month now which has been great. Although I still wake up in the middle of the night and have to go to the bathroom, at least I get to crawl back in bed. Riley loves to eat and he is a great chewer which makes me feel better since choking is always in the back of my mind. He also manages to find the tiniest rock or whatever on the floor and picks it up. Luckily nothing has made it's way into his mouth but again, it's only a matter of time. I'm also realizing that I need to start cleaning more.He is always babbling and "singing". He also seems to understand a lot of what we say to him which is so cool. I can't wait for him to start talking and tell me what is going on in his little head. He loves to wave and he gets so excited when the dogs come to check him out. He usually starts giggling and squealing. Bella also has him trained at meal time to extend his hand in her direction so she can eat the food out of his hand. We're so excited for the milestones still to come!

Shaklee Independent Distributors Rocks!!!

Me, Bo Reynolds (yes the DJ), MK (my roommate) and Teresa Anderson

So I've just finished my first full day at the Shaklee Global Conference as an Independent Distributor here in New Orleans. It's 2 am and instead of getting in bed and relaxing from the day, I want to get to work. I'm so proud and excited to be a part of this amazing company. I totally believe that everything happens for a reason and that things happened at the right time. I knew I wanted to be able to stay home with Riley and still earn an income and I knew that Network Marketing companies like this provided the opportunity to do just that, but what I didn't realize is that I would be a part of the biggest scientific break through in cellular aging. We age because our cells get damaged and die off. Well, for the first time, scientific have found a way to protect your cells and slow done the aging process. The new product (I can't actually use the name on my blog) is an all natural plant extract that is so revolutionary, everything about it is patent pending. There has been a lot of press in the past few years about an ingredient in wine called resveratrol that has been proven to have anti-aging benefits. This super grape is 10 more powerful and a single dose equals the benefit power of 100 glasses of red wine. Not only has our company gone to great lengths to protect this product with multiple patents but they have bought the worlds supply of this "super grape" to ensure that no one else can duplicate this amazing product and technology. No other company will be able to come out with a similar product for 7 to 10 years. So if you want to feel 25 years younger and live 25 years longer, you have to get it from me. This product is truly going to revolutionize the anti-aging market. Check out my Shaklee Independent Distributor website to learn all about this amazing scientific break through.

Well, I better get to bed, but when I get home I will have lots more to write about. I can't wait to tell you all about this amazing experience.

Camping

Every year Betsy and Lee plan a group camping trip for anyone who wants to come. This years location was outside of Buena Vista, Co at the base of Mt. Huron, one of Colorado's 14ers. Nate decided to take Friday off of work so that we could make it to camp before it got dark. He had been working for the past several weeks on the Land Cruiser. He bought a roof rack and customized it to fit the rocket box. He was so excited to pack it up and take it for another ride.

It took us about 2.5 hours to get to camp. Once you turned off the highway, the dirt road lead to an old ghost mining town called Winfield. Then you continued up the road to our camp spot. The last 2.1 miles of the road was pretty rough but it was worth it. The camp site was a beautiful spot.


We set up our tent and got settled for the evening. At this point there were 8 of us (plus Koben and Riley) and 3 dogs. Ari, Jared, Sam and Trapper had planned on leaving Denver after work to head up. At about 11pm, we were all starting to get a little worried that they hadn't showed up yet. We stayed up as long as we could but headed to bed around 11:30pm. They finally made it to camp at about 2am after leaving Sam and Trapper's camper 2 miles back down the road. Luckily, after a good night's rest, Sam and Trapper were in better spirits and decided to stay the weekend. Saturday morning half of the group (now 12 people and 5 dogs) decided to climb Mt Huron while the other half stayed behind and enjoyed some fishing in the creek and relaxed around camp. Later that afternoon Betsy and Lee's friend Brandon arrived adding 4 more people and 3 more dogs. As the evening progressed more people showed up and the final count was 18 people, 2 babies and 10 dogs.
Riley did really well and other than not sleeping much, we had a great time.
The next morning we packet up camp and headed into Buena Vista with Betsy, Lee, Chris and Tara for some lunch. We got home at about 5pm and unpacked the car (Nate and my least favorite part). We put away the necessary things, started a load of laundry, showered and gave Riley a bath. It was so nice to sleep in our own bed and yes, all the camping gear is still sitting in our living room.Thanks Betsy and Lee for finding a beautiful spot and organizing a great trip.
See our pictures here.
Lee and Betsy's pictures.

4-Wheeling with Betsy and Lee

Last weekend we took our Land Cruiser and met Betsy and Lee outside of Keystone. We took Riley and the dogs and Betsy and Lee brought Siba. Nate was so excited to see how the Land Cruiser would handle with it's new lift and tires. It was a beautiful day and the views were amazing. We were gone all day and Riley did so well. He didn't start to get fussy until the end of the trip when he was getting hungry. Lee also wrote about it in their blog and since he did such a great job of telling the story, I'm going to send you to their blog instead of rewriting it all myself.
See our pictures here.
Lee's Pictures

Riley update

This morning was Riley's 9 month wellness visit. For some reason, I made his appointment for 8 am which was a little ambitious of me. I arrived about 5 minutes late but luckily all the staff was still trickling in so it wasn't a big deal. Riley is 20.5 lbs and 28.5 inches which is 50 percentage. I'm kind of amazed that I'm still carrying him around in his car seat although I try and keep it to a minimum. No shots are given at 9 months but they still had to prick Riley's toe to test his iron. He was such a trooper and didn't even cry. Now he just has a giant Charlie Brown bandaid on his toe.

Riley is 9 months old

Wow, I can't believe that in 3 short months, Riley will be a year old. October seems like it should be a lot further away than that. Yesterday, Riley got a little closer to going mobile by using his feet to push himself forward on his tummy towards a desired object. He wants it so bad. If you leave him on the floor he becomes a rolling machine by rolling and scooting on his back where ever he wants to go. Riley is also mastering chewing solids foods and waving his hand at us or the dogs.

Camping (and Paragliding) in Glenwood Springs

This weekend (well, Sunday and Monday), we headed up to Glenwood Springs. Nate's step dad, Dave has always wanted to go paragliding, so for his birthday that is exactly what Nate's mom got him. The flight was scheduled for Monday morning so on Sunday we headed up the mountain to camp the night before. It was our first time camping with Riley and we considered it our test run before our big group camping trip coming up in a couple weeks. We camped outside of the Dotsero exit just before Glenwood Canyon. We were hoping since we where there on a Sunday that we would luck out and get a camping sites near the stream but they were all taken so we camped a little higher up the road. It ended up working out really well. Although we didn't have the shade of the trees, there was lots of space for the dogs to run and we had a great view of the I-70 valley.
This was actually the first time we had camped with Nate's parents. Pauline made chicken stir-fry for dinner and after we put Riley to bed, the rest of us played cribbage in the van. Riley was sleeping very well in the tent but shortly after we went to bed he woke up. The rest of the night was spent trying to get him to go back to sleep both in his pack-n-play and in the speeping bag with me. Needless to say, I don't think I actually feel asleep until after the sun was starting to come up.
See more camping photos here.
After a sleepless night, the next morning, we got up early and packed up so we could be in Glenwood Springs by 8:30 for Dave's flight. When we arrived at the meeting place (the landing site) we learned that there was an opening for one more so Nate decided to go too. The company is called Adventure Paragliding and the couple who owns it spends part of the year in Glenwood Springs and part in Mexico. It's about a 2,000 feet between the launch site and the landing site. Nate and Dave had a blast, I hope that I'll be able to try it someday. See all the pictures of Dave and Nate's flights here.

(Nate coming in to land)

Leanne's 30th Birthday: A week of celebrating

It's kind of strange to believe that I'm 30. Not because I've had a hard time accepting that I'm 30 but because it seems so grown up. Other than having more gray hairs and an almost 9 month old son, I don't feel any different than I did 5 years ago. I guess that is a good thing...

... Anyway, because it was such a monumental birthday my entire family came to Colorado to help me celebrate. My mom flew in on Sunday the 29th. On my actual birthday (30th), we went to dinner at a near by sushi restaurant.

Tuesday evening my brother, Brian and his girlfriends Ally along with my brother's dog Denali got to our house. They decided to drive and took advantage of some good climbing on the way out stopping in Utah and Rifle, Co.

On Wednesday, my mom, Brian, Ally, Riley and I went to the pool while we waited for my dad and grandparent's flight to arrive. Wednesday night we went to dinner at Frasca in Boulder. Frasca is a nationally acclaimed restaurant inspired by the cuisine of Friuli, Italy. It is an amazing dining experience and I highly recommend going but you must make a reservation 2 months out.

Thursday was our 3rd annual 3rd of July BBQ. Our neighborhood launches fireworks on the 3rd of July and we have a front row seat. This year we had over 60 friends and family at our house. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate.



Friday, the 4th, we all went to the theater to see Wall-E, including Riley. It was his first trip to the movie theater. Shortly after the movie began, Riley got really restless and was squealing and squirming all over my lap. I decided to leave the theater so I didn't disturb anyone. I ended up sitting down with him on the floor in the hallway between the door and the seating area. I was still able to see 2/3 of the screen and was able to watch most of the movie while Riley rolled around with his toys on the floor. That evening we all entertained ourselves by playing the Wii. It was fun to get the whole family involved. My grandparents got in on the action with Wii Sports Bowling and Tiger Woods Golf. We grilled up some more burgers and brats for dinner and enjoyed the weather by eating out on our patio.

(This is what happens when my brother gets a hold of the camera)

Saturday morning my grandparents caught their flight and Brian and Alley left to drive back to Reno. The Hume's invited us to a BBQ at the lake that their family bought last summer. The guys were able to do some fishing and my mom and dad went out on the paddle boat.


Sunday morning my parents headed to the airport to head home. It was so special having all the family here to celebrate and I only wish that it could happen more often.

June 21st, 2008

So I'm still behind but I plan on getting all caught up in the next couple days...

June 21st was a very busy day for us because we had 3 parties to attend.
11:00 am
The morning started with Riley and I going to Lakewood for Beck's 4th birthday. It was a lot of fun and great to see all my friends from Grad school. It was also the first time that any of them had met Riley.

2:00 pm
Party #2 was Emma's 1st Birthday Party. Emma turned 1 year old on June 24th and she shares her birthday with her mommy Abbey. We enjoyed a fun Elmo pool party at the Keeney's and stuffed our face with yummy food. It was a warm and sunny day and it confirmed that summer has indeed arrived. It also made me realize that Riley is the next one to turn a year. How is that possible?


8:00 pm
The final party of the evening was a get together for Ari and Jared's engagement. We got the leave Riley at home with Nate's mom and enjoy an evening out as adults. Sam, Betsy, Emily and I hosted a "We love Ari and Jared" party. It was a small gathering of close friends and family. We had drinks and appetizers on the patio at Bella Bistro. It was a lot of fun. Congratulations to Ari and Jared.

First Father's Day

So I'm a little behind...
Father's Day weekend was a busy weekend. Saturday, was the E Print company picnic at Elitch Park. It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun to be in the Park. Sunday we went up to Estes Park and had lunch with Nate's mom and step dad, Dave. It was another gorgeous day and it was nice to get away, even if only for a couple hours. We eat lunch in the gazebo and it was so relaxing. On the drive home, we decided to take the long way and came down the canyon into Loveland. We continued towards home on small, rural back roads. It was fun to explore something new.

Riley is 8 months old

Another month has come and gone. Riley weighs 19.25 lbs and now has 6 teeth (4 on bottom and 2 on top). He is rolling all over the floor. His baby babble is starting to sound more like actual words, although it is still gibberish.

Rubber Ducky...

Bath time has become a favorite activity for Riley. He loves to watch the water fill the tub, splash with his hands, grab for his floating friends and kick his feet while floating on his back (with my assistance of course). And now that meals time are getting messy, we are taking more baths.

First trip to the pool

This past Tuesday, I decided to take Riley to our community pool. The pool is really nice and has a very large kids area. It was a beautiful day in the mid 80's and the pool was packed. We went with our neighbor Amber and her kids, Jack (who was born the same day as Riley) and Ashlynn, who is 3. We sat at around the edge of the pool were the water is only a couple inches deep and Riley splashed around. Then we decided to put him in a baby raft that Amber had. He loved it. He was very content to just float around all day. I think he would have fallen asleep in it if I had let him. I'm sure we'll be spending a lot more time at the pool this summer.

My brother, the photographer

My brother is an amazing photographer. He is also a rock climber and has found a unique way to merge the two. He will be the featured artist this month at the Backseat Gallery in the Comma Coffee Shop in Carson City, Nevada. The show is called... you guessed it, Transitory Moments. Too bad most of us won't be able to check it out. It opens today and will be up until June 28th.
Read more about his show here. Visit his website nip9.com here.

How does he do that?

Vielehr Designs, LLC.

Thanks to Ari's help, I now have an official logo and business cards for Vielehr Designs, LLC.
As most of you know, I formed Vielehr Designs, LLC. and have been doing residential landscape designs for Kevin and his company, Collegiate Landscape, since the beginning of the year. It's been a lot of fun and so far Kevin and I have 4 yards installed with 5 or 6 on the way. I have also done 4 independent designs and I'm excited to see how my little business grows.

Before


After