19 months

Nineteen months and thriving...and totally uninterested in even sitting down for the pictures this month.

It's a little terrifying to think his sweet feet will be this big one day!

This little boy continues to be an all-star traveler and we all are enjoying our Portland summer. It didn't take him long to learn the word "cookie" and now he will often wake up in the morning and request one first thing. I suppose that's what you get when you are living with a grandma who is a world-class cookie baker.

Did someone say cookie?

A wild 4th.

If us Denbrooks are known for just one thing, I'm pretty sure that it is being "wild." We are uncontrollable party animals. Which is why the fourth of July found us watching New York's 4th of July fireworks via la television on mute. And our child sleeping while covering his ears because his parents are just too darn rowdy.

And, yes, we were in the company of two dear friends and their cherub who somehow missed getting photographed. Thanks for the great visit, K and A (didn't want to include full names in case you are somehow embarrassed of what we have become...)

Hey, at least we are wearing festive colors.

Santa Barbara

To celebrate our six year anniversary and take advantage of some great babysitters, we headed to Santa Barbara to revisit our favorite honeymoon stop. We enjoyed four wonderful kid-free days while Mimi and Papa looked after a teething Henry who cut four molars while we were away! We might owe them a little more than the seven pieces of salt water taffy we brought back for them.

We rented a great little one bedroom cottage through VRBO. This would be me putting away the last of our beverage selections. Our eyes were definitely bigger than our livers, but somehow we managed to get the job done.

Up until this point most of our vacations involved copious amounts of hiking and walking and sweating and food that you only ate so that you could keep walking. Jake promised me a different vacation this time.

Wine tasting at Firestone. Apparently some guy on the Bachelor in the early 2000's used to own this place?

When you drive at Rav4 at home and get a free upgrade to a Dodge Challenger while on vacation, you feel pretty cool---even if it did take ten minutes to figure out how to start the stupid thing.

I really hate birds. Really hate them. They freak me out almost as much as those dang industrial wind mills. That being said, we spent 4 hours trapped on the island to the left with no less than 50,000 western gulls. FOUR HOURS WITH SEAGULLS! And that number is not an exaggeration. 

We were blessed to see thousands of dolphins on our ride out to the freaky bird island. 

And even a few humpback whales. 

Why of course we are matching...and looking more and more related each day. Eek!

A vacation full of  coffee drinking, beach relaxing (the whiteness of our skin in swim suit is just too severe to post) beer tasting, and food indulging was exactly what we wanted and needed, but we were both ready to come home to that cute little man of ours.

Observation Point

After Henry handled our first hike in Zion like a champ, we decided to push him a little further and attempt Observation Point. It was mere 8 mile round trip hike with 2500 feet of elevation gain and a few drop offs that made the one weary of heights (aka the man carrying our precious child) a bit nervous. In short, a perfectly "easy" hike to do with your 18 month old. It was also possibly 102 degrees that delightful day which is hot to just about anyone, but especially hot to those who were previously living in the never ending winter state of Wyoming.

Whew, we made it to the top! And yes, the bald child is the only one without a hat on...

I'd say if you're in Zion, skip the crowded Angels Landing Hike (unless you want to do the end scary part) and go on this hike instead. It's way less of a "Disneyland" attraction.

Jake really appreciated Henry's blanket being draped across his neck all day.

After a quick swim back in St. George, Henry was out for the night...at 5:17 pm. Perhaps we should take him hiking every day.

Angels Landing

Oh Zion, you tried to scare us away with your 100+ degree weather and slightly scary hikes with 1200 foot drop offs but we made it! And Henry James, thank you for being the coolest toddler there ever was and handling those hikes like it was a walk in the park.  We had an amazing time even though after awhile other hiker's comments got a bit old...

"Yes, we too would like to be carried up the mountain instead of walking, yes he does look quite comfy in the backpack, yes we are somewhat crazy for bringing him,  yes he is wearing sunscreen, and no we will not let him run off the cliff..."

Beginning our Angel's Landing Hike.

Oh Utah, aren't you gorgeous.

Henry will need to get used to this. Walk ten feet stop for a picture. Great for those who are insanely out of shape.

While it may appear that we are holding hands, we are doing nothing of the sort. 100 degree weather makes human contact disgusting.

For this portion of the hike, Henry and I stayed behind. Jake made it part way but turned around before reaching the end. Thank the good Lord. Makes me sweat thinking about it.

Don't judge the sleeping baby. It's hard work being totted around in this luxurious pack.

18 months

18 months old and as crazy as ever! Weighing in at 24 pounds this kid knows how to throw his weight around to get what he wants. He continues to be a chatterbox and has recently added "good morning" and "duck Dada" (in reference to Daddy needing to duck while going under trees so H man doesn't get hit in the face) to his vocab. He  has discovered the joy of Elmo and often times the first word out of his mouth in the morning is a whispered "Elmo?" We have tested his limits recently with long hikes and even longer car rides, but so far this sweet boy continues to go with the flow.

Photo shoots are sooo funny.

My girls

Almost 12 years ago, I was blessed with three of the most amazing girlfriends. Those beginning stories of how we met seem to change every year, but I know there was eye contact made from across a crowded room at the University of Idaho and that nothing would ever be the same.

Last weekend I released Henry into Jake's care- I like how formal that sounds- and headed to Salt Lake City for a weekend of non-stop fun with my girls. I won't make you jealous with all of the details, but our weekend consistend of eating and shopping non-stop.

12 years of friendship with many more to come. Thanks for such a fun weekend girls.

2013: Taking a break from eating to explore Temple Square. We were too full all weekend to  get a proper jumping photo.

2012: Someone had a newish baby and was moving to Wyoming so sadly no reunion. Lame!

2011: Showing off our mad jumping skills in Arizona. I've got a ten week little Henry in me belly.

2010: Living it up in Boise. We made the two pregnant girls jump at least 20 times before we got this photo. Shockingly no babies came early.

2009: What! You don't do this when you go on vacation? And no, we did not always all end up landing on the bed. And yes, my head if oh so very close to the ceiling. Seattle, you were so very good us.

2008: Celebrating, in CDA, the marriage of a favorite friend from college and plotting to get together every year for a girls weekend (obviously without the groom or sweet child).

2007: All together in Portland for the wedding of an exceptionally tall couple.

Girls, thankfully I am too lazy to scan in the pictures I have of us from college, some hair styles/make up techniques/glasses are best left in our fuzzy memories.

Can't wait to make San Diego happen!

And thanks to all the dads for keeping our kids safe and probably hopped up on sugar while we were away.