Dylan is 2!!!

I can't believe it. He is so big and so happy! We had a wonderful day full of giggles, swimming, cakes, "backpack"- Dora, playing outside, catching bugs, jumping on the trampoline......pictures later. My camera broke and I don't have a way to download right now.
Colter, Dylan and I are in Austin, Texas for a hot summer vacation. We all went down to Denver for Tim and Meagan O'byrne's wedding (super crazy and fun weekend) and then the boys and I went for a 20 hour car ride to Texas. The boys were champs and we have been having summer fun. Lots of pool time, a day at Sea World, wedding planning for my cousin Christi and food, food, food. Colter is swimming around everywhere by himself with his mask, snorkel and fins. Dylan loves the water and can swim by himself with his life jacket and his floaty fish. Dylan has more words all the time, but "no", "Mommy" and "eat" are still favorites, these days he says "pool" alot as well. He is so happy and busy. It took a couple of days, but now he has words for Bonnie (Bommy), Michael (Mymo) and Lester (Yester) and of course Mimi---sorry Carrie, Christi and Kathy and the boys- better luck next time. Very cute, still very much his own language with lots of translation. It has been great to go to a different place with people who are helpful, kind and love my kids so we can do activities that we normally don't get to do, like swim outside at 7 pm! The boys loved Sea World, even though it was 100 degrees, and we saw all the shows and animals. Michael and Colter went on a whitewater ride, cute but not dangerous. Not sure if I could live in this type of heat again, but love visiting and we are soaking it up while we are here.
Ok, here is my Mommy bragging---he is totally potty trained! He has been using the potty for a while now and I am so thrilled, so is he. He is so proud of himself and can even get on and off the potty now. So that is that, no more diapers.
Everytime we have talked about Dylan's birthday he says "orange", referring to the bike he wants when we get home or "backpack" referring to the Dora party Colter has been planning for weeks. We baked a cake, from now on to be rememberred as the "ball cake experiment", had balloons, streamers and decorations and opened presents. Dylan was very excited and enjoyed the spotlight for a day.
Colter is asking lots of questions, as usual, and loving having new people around to play and explore with. I love four years old, I think I will like five as well! He is so grown up these days and very thoughtful and resourceful. His favorite line on this trip is "Mom, I can do that, I'm a big boy!"
More later when I can post pics,

ZapMama and other July fun,

Colter and Eli swimming in the Colorado River near Moab

My surf boys all loaded up and ready to go.

Atleast we know what to get him for his birthday, he won't get off of Everett's little strider bike!

Playing in the sand. showing Mom their "cheese" smiles

ZapMama, Penelope's 100% electric car. We were in the 4th of July parade with other electric cars that were pulling a Hummer with a For Sale sign in the window. Pretty funny. The best float of the parade was named "Party like it's 2006" It was a huge group of people dressed up in all kinds of costumes, dancing and throwing $100 bills at the crowd. They had signs that said "In Madolf we trust" and "This economy will never stop!" and so many more---

We have been enjoying a bit of sun and summer, finally! It came just in time for the rainy season to start in mid July, oh well. We went to Moab with Rob and Sheila and the boys and did a super fun Moab daily river trip. It was so much fun to swim in the river, play in the sand, ride bikes around town and sit outside on the front porch until midnight in our shorts! We don't do that in Telluride, ever. Dylan has been zooming around on Everett's bike for the past week or so and actually started saying "orange" so that we would know what bike he was talking about. We are ordering him one for his birthday, orange I would imagine. He is still adding words daily and mimicks Colter constantly. The other day it was "nana booboo", nice eh? Colter has expanded on our "live in an RV" idea and now has a pink, purple, red and black with flames design in mind. It will be powered by solar panels, vegetable oil, peanut butter and orange slices, maybe apples too- not sure yet. We will have a gold jeep in the back for driving around and maybe a kitten or a small dog. He is very detailed with this stuff. That should serve him well later in life. Colter has been in a Dinosaur Art Camp every morning this week and he is having a great time. They made paintings on canvas, a found object dinosaur sculpture, clay stuff and drawings. It has been nice to do these different activities this summer and not have regular preschool. Dylan misses him all morning and tells everyone that "Dolder cool" (Colter school). Very cute. He has started to help dress himself and has opinions about which clothes he wants for the day. We have been spending tons of time outside, mostly riding bikes or playing with the new kitties at Modee and Pappy's house (while mommy and daddy fix the hydroplant) More on life later, Dylan just woke up and needs a hug and maybe some peanut butter!