Life Begins At 90

We celebrated my sweet sweet Grandpa today and the fact that this young buck is turning 90!  I still can't believe that he is as active and energetic as he is and hitting this huge birthday milestone!  It was such a special day with all the family getting together and everyone sporting matching shirts to honor one half of the team that created this crazy Fitzsimmons Family we all love being a part of.  Here are some special shots from the day!

Happy Birthday Wesley

Somehow this baby I gave birth to yesterday just turned FOUR!!!!!  Like one finger away from a whole hand of five years old!  I think I've been in denial that he's getting that big, but there's just no denying it when I look at him and listen to him, and see his world growing bigger everyday.  Wesley Simon DeTar, my first born baby, the one to make us Mommy and Daddy and a family of three, I can't believe another year has flown by.  You bring me more joy than I ever could have imagined and keep me more on my toes than I ever knew was possible!  This last year you learned how to ride a bike without training wheels, swim without floaties, ventured to preschool all by yourself, started sleeping on the top bunk, tackled the snow sledding hill by yourself, and continued to be an awesome big brother, teaching Wyatt the ins and outs of the sandbox, the park and everything in between.  I spent the last minutes of your birthday watching you sleep and I was completely in awe of the privilege I have had to be your mommy these last four years and the blessing it is to know I get to watch you grow tomorrow and the next day.  Words can't capture how truly loved you are, but know this, we love you more than you can ever imagine and then some.  Happy fourth birthday to the most amazing big big brother we know!

Yosemite

Sometime last October, I decided we HAD to camp in Yosemite next summer and I booked a three day trip for mid August....fast forward to August and here I am 8.5 months pregnant and wondering if I'll survive three days "roughing it", but looking forward to Gabe seeing Yosemite and my parents coming with us for some quality time with the boys and a little extra help for me.  Well, Yosemite did not disappoint, although Gabe never saw any bears ( I say that's a win but he was sad) and there was concern for the plague being transmitted by the thousands!! of rodents and squirrels you saw everywhere.  We braved a hike to Mirror Lake which was beautiful and included a stunning view of Half Dome and took a dip in the FREEZING cold river.  Dinners were prepared by Daddy and super delicious and everyone enjoyed games of "soccer", nature walks, and getting extra dirty.  I think we'd all love to go back, but I am waiting until the plague to under control....and I am not 30 days away from giving birth.

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National Night Out

We hosted our second annual National Night Out BBQ and it was another great success. Randy was out at the Lake County Fire so Gabe and I hosted it alone and I think we did a wonderful job.  Everyone enjoyed the food and the city did not disappoint with the SWAT truck, sewer trucks, police cars, police K9 units, therapy animals, Chik-fil-A, and a personal fire truck visit after everyone had gone home.  I think Gabe is secretly cursing my name while we prep and host this large event, but in the end, we're always happy we did it and are encouraged to meet new neighbors every year!

Sweet Baby DeTar #3

Some days I manage to totally forget I am pregnant...I am not sure how that is possible with the belly, the heat, the mild contractions, and the complete lack of energy, but sometimes it happens and then I catch myself sad that this pregnancy is flying by while I chase two crazy boys around without a ton of time to reflect on the little life growing in my belly.  Well, today I got to spend a few uninterrupted hours just celebrating this sweet baby about to join our family!  Thanks to my spectacular friends Heather and Cari, along with my closest girlfriends and family, we spent the morning enjoying a delicious brunch, wonderful girl chat, and just a chance to connect and gear up for the what's coming next...three kids under the age of 4!  I can't thank my friends enough for taking time out of a very busy weekend to help me celebrate the gift of motherhood.  I feel so blessed to be able to watch my family grow and I couldn't imagine doing it without the support and love of all the special women in my life.  Baby number 3, you are so loved already, I can't wait for everyone to meet you.