Molly Piper

[Instragram photo: Katie]

I told you I’d post more pictures, didn’t I?

Orison kept teasing me about how the water was warm and I should try it out. He loves playing tricks like that, and his face lights up when the person discovers the truth.

While I drove to the top of the world, I vacillated between excitement:

and pure panic.

Here’s my little mountain climber showing his muscles.

Katie somehow caught this one of me and Abraham at the top of the world.

And this one is for my girls (you know who you are).

[All photos via Katie]

For our Fourth of July celebration, we decided to drive down to Colorado Springs to do a little mountain exploration!

Funny story: on our drive here, as soon as we crossed the Colorado border, the boys were yelling, “Look! A mountain!” from the backseat. What they really saw were some slightly rolling hills, about 20 feet high. I suppose after driving across Nebraska, anything looks like a hill.

Anyway…after consulting with some Colorado dwellers, we decided to not go to Mt. Evans on the 4th of July (our original plan), because they thought the traffic might be horrible coming back. We took their advice and did Pike’s Peak and Garden of the Gods. It was an awesome day–really hot (but it truly is a dry heat, which I didn’t used to believe in, but now I do), beautiful blue skies, and amazing rock formations! The kids all traveled really well, too, so that always helps!

I won’t even try to do justice to Garden of the Gods with the pictures I took, but will put some up later of the ones Katie (our nanny) took. (P.S.: Katie took over 500 pictures yesterday. Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!)

But here’s a funny little video of Morrow playing on the rocks. He told me last night while I was getting him ready for bed: “I’m good at climbing mountains!”

Then after our time at Garden of the Gods we had a little picnic in Manitou Springs (crazy little cute town that it is!).

Happy Fourth of July from Cay-Cay & Widget!

After our lunch we decided to do the drive up Pike’s Peak, which is over 14,000 feet! I drove the entire way up, and am happy to report that I only had to do lamaze breathing a couple times! It was pretty freaky at times, especially knowing that I had six other people (who are everything to me) in the car with me.

It was so cool to drive above the timberline. That was at about 12,000 feet. The trees just start dropping off and the ones that are trying to grow are all puny-looking, just because they don’t get the moisture and oxygen they need to grow up there. So amazing.

I was also a little obsessed with watching the temperature drop. Our rear-view mirror has the temperature gauge on it, and it was fascinating to watch the temperature go from 90+ at the bottom to about 55 at the top. Loved it!

When we got to the top, I definitely noticed a difference in the air. I even felt a little nauseated. We brought plenty of water and snacks so we were good to go after a couple minutes.

I kept proclaiming loudly, “We’re at the top of the world!”

And here’s a good one of my man with half of his brood.

So any of you experienced in Colorado, tell me: is the Pike’s Peak drive comparable to the drive up Mt. Evans? Is the Mt. Evans drive scarier? I’m just curious and trying to weigh our options for things we should or shouldn’t do during our time here, especially with kids.

We’ve been in Colorado for a full 24 hours now. I’m happy to report that all has been without incident (aside from one vomit in the van from the 2-year-old and a little altitude-induced headache).

This is where we’re going on Monday:

[via Rob Reiter]

We’re going to drive up Mt. Evans, which is apparently the highest paved road in North America! The drive up there sounds really freaky (lots of crazy turns, no guardrails, etc.), but I figure… I’m in COLORADO! Bring it on!

I’ll try to post some pictures from our time there. Stay tuned!

Is it just me, or is summer flying by?

[Photo: Katie Roche]

We’ve been having a really good summer so far, but man, is it going FAST!

Here’s the line-up for the coming weeks

• Insane as this sounds, I’m doing a yard sale this Saturday. I’ve never done one before! I’m doing the yard sale to pay for gas for our upcoming adventures!
• Insane as this sounds, we’re going to be spending a couple weeks in Denver in July. That means a 14-hour drive with four small children. Thankfully Miss Katie will come with us, and she & I will explore Colorado while Abraham works (the new company he works for is based out of Denver and he’d have to be there anyway, so we figured we’d all go)! God has totally hooked us up with a free house to stay in, so we’re really excited. I’ve never been to Colorado before!
• And then, if we weren’t insane enough from the Denver trip, we’re going to do a quick turnaround in Minneapolis, then drive 14 hours the other way to Pennsylvania to see my family and friends there. I’m just thrilled about this, because we haven’t been there since Christmas 2009 when I found out I was pregnant. A few months later we found out it was twins, and we haven’t gone anywhere since. Oh man, it’s gonna be so crazy and so fun! I love going to Erie, Pennsylvania.

Adventures abound as we fly through summer!

What are your adventurous summer plans?

Sssshhhhh! Sssshhhhhh! Do you hear that?

No? No?

That my friends, is the sound of SILENCE!

I survived week #1 of summer by getting copious amounts of library books for the boys! When we got back from the library earlier this week, I think they sat silently on the couch like that for at least 30 minutes. And in mom time, that’s like 3 hours. I’m not too sure about the conversion, but that seems about right.

So my second strategy for surviving summer is:

BOOKS! GLOOOORIOUS BOOKS!

• There’s really no need for a list here. I just like making them.
• Lots of books (I think we checked out 23 last time)!
• Go to the library often! Kids looooove new books!
• I’ll stop making lists now.

In the past I’ve sworn off of the library (for short amounts of time) because I would spend hours trying to locate that one last book that somehow got shoved into another book and then reshelved. Or stuck between the bedframe and the mattress. Gaaarrrr!

However! I’m trying to be better about keeping the kids’ library books in the library bag. Now there’s a concept! I’ve also been trying to get the boys into the habit of returning the book to the bag when they’re done with it. If this plan succeeds I might get a few hours of my life back. Okay, probably not, but I might save on gray hairs. I’ll take what I can get.

I think I might be a Brit trapped in an American’s body.

At least that’s what their television and movies make me feel.

Last week I devoured all 7 seven episodes of Downton Abbey.

[photo via The Adventures of Tartanscot]

I can’t believe I didn’t know this mini-series existed until now.

The story begins in 1912, right as the aristocratic British family (the Granthams) is receiving news that the Titanic has gone down. It follows their life and times as they live through uncertain family futures, scandal, and political unrest (as WWI approaches).

I’m not sure I’d love to be at either end of the spectrum of society dramatized in this series (aristocrats and servants), but there’s something so romantic about it 100 years later (and 100 years removed from the reality). But one thing I can tell you about without spoiling the plot is that they eventually get a telephone installed in the house and it’s super funny and cute!

You know you’ve been watching too much British television when you start doing your own inner monologue with a British accent. It was baaaad, friends. But I seriously want to watch it all over again! The costumes, the acting, the scenery, the accents…swoon.

I might have to buy the DVDs so if they ever take it off of Netflix streaming, I’m insured.

I’ve also been googling like a mad dog to find out when season 2 is set to come across the pond. The last thing I read was January 2012. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

Oh you British people, you have no idea how good you have it, getting to watch it months before me!

What’s your favorite British TV show or movie?

So I have this one friend…no, I guess I should say we have this one friend. No, I guess I should say we have these three friends…okay, this is already confusing and you probably don’t care.

But do you have one of those friends who’s an incredible gift giver?

Our friend Roger and his daughters Eden and Sierra are insanely good gift-givers. And I hesitate to name names because I don’t want them to get all self-conscious and feel like they might not be able to maintain their level of awesomeness now that Molly’s blog readers know about it! But I do want to name names because they’re amazing. They deserve some kudos/props/w00ts/whatever-the-cool-word-is-now.

For my birthday I got this:

From top to bottom you spy with your little eye:

• Row 1: a Bedazzler. Yeah, that’s right. I now own a BEDAZZLER!!! How did that take 32 years? And yes, it’s a stud setting machine. You know you’ve always wanted one.
• Row 2: A book called “Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys,” which is a peek into the real-life stars of the 1970′s TV series. Shaun Cassidy, baby! Then there’s a box of fettuccine (I’ve heard it’s tradition to give people fettuccine for a 32nd birthday). And then the Shower Floss, a device that can be attached to your shower head for in-the-shower flossing. I mean, why didn’t this take off?
• Row 3: A mystery book about the Partridge Family. Seems to me like this was a Sweet Valley Twins predecessor or something similar. I’m looking forward to reading that one. Then there’s a little jar of Bedazzler studs for my first project. And of course, a Quaker Chewy granola bar.
• Row 4: A brand-spankin’-new Wendy’s polo shirt. I have no idea how they scored that one, but I’m forever grateful. And inside the polo shirt, they had wrapped up a book I really wanted.

True confession: I’m not a very thoughtful person. Well, maybe it’s more that I think of things I want to do, and then I’m bad at the execution. So I’m always in awe of people who are good gift-givers. I want to be like them!

Who are the good gift-givers in your life? What was a thoughtful gift you received?

And if you don’t want to answer that question, then tell me what kind of item you’d bedazzle if you had (insert Oprah announcer voice) a BEDAZZLER!!!!!!

Well, friends, today’s my birthday.

I was woken up by a sweet little two-year-old hand tapping me gently. When my eyes sluggishly opened, there was a burst of song from Abraham, Orison, and Morrow. They came bearing chocolate chip pancakes and orange juice (two of my favorite breakfast items). I was too tired to even eat them, so the boys were happy to do their part to consume them for me.

These are good memories. Sweet family, sweet gestures… but every year I think about a different birthday.

It was 2004. It was coming up on my first birthday as Mrs. Molly Piper. I was already carrying Mr. Piper’s firstborn. He asked me one day, “When’s your birthday? May 25th?”

He was totally serious.

I, of course, was just shocked that he didn’t know my birthday. What in the world could he be thinking???? So he (tried to) explain himself:

“Well, I know it’s one day different from Bob Dylan’s birthday. But I just can’t remember if it’s the day before or after.”

Ohhhhh…rrriiiiiggghhhht. Now it makes complete sense. You can remember Bob Dylan’s birthday….

I didn’t get seriously mad at him or anything. I’m sure we laughed about it then. We still laugh about it now. That’s a mistake you only make once.

So every year we celebrate my birthday and Bob Dylan’s. It just so happens that Mr. Dylan is having a milestone birthday this year. Last night we listened to a documentary about his life in Minnesota and enjoyed it so much.

Happy 70th birthday (tomorrow), Bob Dylan! I like “sharing” a birthday with you.

So I made these really yummy ribs in the Crock Pot today. I haven’t made this particular recipe in a couple years, just because I forgot about it! (Don’t you love when you kind of forget about a good recipe and then it crops back up?) Anyway… it’s super good, and the ribs are so tender that the meat literally falls off the bone.

I’m sitting here typing this, smelling the yummy goodness and already hungry for supper. Which leads me to ask:

If you’re cooking in your Crock Pot, do you eat more that day?

I feel like I’m smelling delicious food all day and salivating, and therefore I want to EAT!!! So far I’ve avoided a full-0n pig-out, but I don’t know if I can make it till 5:30. That’s HOURS from now!!!!

If I cooked in the Crock Pot regularly, I feel like I’d gain weight. Agree? Disagree?

Talk amongst yourselves.