Sandoval est. 1998

Back Home & 1 Year Down!

When we came home on January 1, 2014 it marked a monumental moment for us. Officially we have been in Grand Junction, CO for a year. It has been a long challenging year of change, but then again, how has it been a year already? Isn't life funny that way? We have adjusted, and we were happy to be home. We enjoyed our few days that remained of break before returning back to work and school.

Isaac got home in time to go to Ragged Mountain cabin camping with the young men for the weekend. He came home with a pretty good bruise and raspberry on his left side from sledding into a barbed wire fence. And he was one tired teenager.

Esaias counted all the "home" days, and was openly expressing what we were all thinking, but didn't dare to say it. "I don't want to go back to school days!" I was worried that he would cry when I took him to daycare, but he actually transitioned better than I thought. It was Oslin that cried the first few days when I dropped him off. He didn't have a chance to know that it was over, until it was over. I really enjoyed having the time with them again.

Oslin is also working on walking. He can do it, but kind of picks and chooses when he wants to. He is a fast crawler, and can actually move on one knee with a ball or car in his hand (on the wood floor) quite quickly. He is eating more food, and loves bread! Anything bread he loves. Oh the carbs are gonna do him in one day!

Marina who likes school more than everyone else, was the only one really ready to return to school and friends. She kind of just took it all in stride. She is destined to be a teacher. Isaac and Marina had an extra day off, because Monday was a planning day. So, they went to work with Dad and helped him with a filing project. They worked with a couple of Danny's students that were working also. In fact, Ellie is there one of their Aztec dance instructors. They had a great time and Marina loved doing the "teacher/secretary" type work. She actually said, she might want to be a secretary. Crazy girl!

Danny and I went back to work, grateful for the time off as a family, and very grateful to know that this finally felt like home. We miss our friends and family. We were happy to see them. But really glad to be comfortable in our own skin! We look forward with anticipation, that this next year of life will bring even more "normalcy." But since we have one kid going into high school, and the other into middle school for the first time....we won't hold our breathe for too long. Here's to a great 2014!

Family Time at the Colorado History Museum

While we were in Denver, we spent a family day checking out the new Colorado History Museum.

G'ma Layne went with us too!

The boys tried out the front porch swing of an old homestead.

The mock car ride through the country was a big hit! Especially with Esaias driving!

The barn was lots of fun. Esaias loved climbing to the loft and sliding down.

Marina, Dad and Oslin practiced milking the cow.

Oslin and Dad checking out the scenes.

Marina and Esaias gathering eggs and taking them to the General Store.

Don't forget a stop to the outhouse! with real farting noises...

One of Dad's favorites! Testing out the barrel like the barrel man. Go Broncos!

This was a fun exhibit: Denver from A-Z

Marina looks like she's holding up "The Blue Bear."

Does anybody remember Celebrity Sports Center? That was part of the Denver A-Z.

"Daddy hold me! I don't like that stroller very much! I want to be like everyone else," Oslin says with a "uh uh uh (up)."

This was the best! Z for Zombie. I don't even remember how this relates to Denver, but it did. And Esaias did not like it! This is how Esaias walked passed the Zombie to get to the other fun exhibits! We had to walk by her a couple of times, and he said, "I don't like that Zombie! She's freakin' me out!"

But he did love that he was big enough to try out the ski jump on his own! Mom tried to help him, but we wiped out! Isaac and Marina did well!

Dad such great form, still biffed it!

Yes, this is a picture of the kids in a buffalo's behind! There was a large life like buffalo, that had secret compartments showing how the Native American's once used the bison for many different supplies we still used today. The seperate anatomy lesson that came with it, was a bonus!

We had some good laughs about the buffalo. Esaias thought the buffalo was pretty cool! We kept finding him over here opening all the secret doors, and saying that's a buffalo butt! Oh, boy!

The 3 kids, Isaac, Marina, and Esaias volunteered to help out this actor to present information about the water in the San Luis Valley, and San Juan Mountains. They read about a "Sandoval Family" little did the actor know we were the Sandoval Family...too funny!

Isaac is such a ham, when the actor prompted Isaac to sing his part...sure enough, he broke into song! Esaias was a much more unsure, but was confident that he could do this if both his older siblings could!

Esaias doing his part! Brave little 3 year old!

Here s Isaac singing!

We had a good time, and were very impressed with the museum.

We are proud to be Colorado Natives!

Bowling with Uncle Eric & Auntie Lindsay

Eric and Lindsay invited us and treated us to bowling and lunch before Christmas! We had a blast!

These 2 loved pretending to drive the video game! They were in heaven when they discovered that they could get free candy out of the "grabby machine!"