Family Update 9-10-13

Hello there, a lot sure has been going on since the last one of these updates. Obviously from my last post we've added a new kiddo and a new vehicle to the family. It seems like only yesterday things were getting easier and the kids and I were settling into routine. I guess Philly and I are never content to have things be easy or calm. We like to have things going on. We like to be busy and I suppose we thrive on stress. I'm not sure why. I guess it is a way to ensure we never get lazy or complacent. So here we are with a big boy of 4 and a half, a fireball of a daughter of 2 and 4 months and a bundle of cuddle who is almost 2 months old. I never thought I would be the proud and tired father of 3 amazing kids, but here I am. Logan has really grown up the past 7 months and has become quite the Lego master. It's been really nice to have afternoon building sessions with him on the odd occasion that Nyah will still take a nap. He has also done really well on his bike this year. We went to the Frisco bike park in the mountains and he did great for the first time with no training wheels. He is now so big, we had to get him a 16" wheel bike with a hand brake. It is so great to see someone else fall in love with biking. The boy absolutely loves mud and digging in the dirt. I know all boys do, but Logan seems to take it to the next level, smearing it all over himself and running around the back yard. He's like a wild animal some days and it is awesome. We've talked to him about school on occasion and he's given us the same great answer "I'm not quite big enough, maybe when I'm 5 and a half, I'll be ready". I certainly won't rush the boy, I know he'll do great when he does go, but I know I'll miss him like crazy when he is ready. He and I certainly have our moments of disagreement, but I think it's just because we are so similar. Even when we have a hard day, I still love him like crazy and I know I'll cry when he officially starts school next year.

Nyah has really grown over the last few months as well. She has continued to be such a fireball and her personality has only gotten stronger. She is so confident and strong willed, its both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand she can do so many things on her own and seems to learn things very quickly. On the other hand she makes one heck of a mess and gets more bumps and bruises than if she would just let Philly or I help. "NO, I do it my own", seems to be her favorite phrase. I feel like I'm raising a little Philly. That's not a bad thing, it actually helps me understand both Nyah and Philly just a little bit more. Don't get me wrong, I'll never get either one of them figured out. No matter how hard I try, I'll still never understand the mind of a woman. I just get little clues here and there about why they might do certain things that I don't understand. Nyah has also been doing amazing on her balance bike. The girl has no fear or concept of limitations. It's good and bad, but she has some amazing skills. She now has her own pedal bike with training wheels and figured out how to pedal and use the brake on the first day. I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before she and Logan try to have races on the way to our neighborhood park. They already have on balance bikes, but with pedals I'll be sprinting to keep up. The sibling rivalry has been brutal at times and they battle pretty hard. I will say this girl is super strong and gives Logan a run for his money. I know it will likely never end, but we do our best to keep things civil. I think when Logan starts school next year she will enjoy the freedom of having toys and space to herself. I know she'll miss her big brother at that point, but at least she will have her new little sister to play with. I'm so happy for her that she will have a sister so close in age. It already seems like they were born in the right order, Nyah is already a great big sister and cares so much. She gives the best hugs and kisses and loves her little sister very much. I'm sure when they are teenagers, that might change a little.

Zoe is our new little bundle of awesome. She gave us a little scare in the beginning by not wanting to nurse and sometimes she won't take a bottle. But when she's hungry the girl will eat. I think it has just been very interesting to see how very different all 3 kids are. Logan was our attachment baby, I carried him for the first 2 years of his life. Nyah was little miss independent from the beginning and couldn't be contained, actually she still can't be contained. Zoe is a mix of the two, she loves to be held at times, yet she has her moments of just being content to lay there and look at us all. I'm sure she is wondering what she got herself into, "who are these crazy people?" I know it is partially because we've already had two other kids, but Zoe has been the easiest baby in some ways. She is the first of our kids that actually calms down when you put her in the car seat. She also doesn't even want a pacifier or "binki" as we call them. That is fine with us since Nyah has been very reluctant to give hers up yet. Her smile can brighten any day.

I'm doing my best to enjoy the time we have together right now and not worry about what daily life will be like once Philly goes back to work full time. I guess I'm just scared and a little worried how I'll do with 3 kids. I know I'll be fine, I just have mini panic sessions here and there. I know there are many women out there who do this all the time, my mother being one of them. I think all stay at home parents go through moments of doubt and fear, some express it, some suppress it and others just sit down and cry. At the moment I'm not going to admit to crying, but talk to me in 3 weeks and we'll see how I'm holding up.
Cheers for now,
Aaron

Frist Impressions: 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L

As promised there is my intro to the new Honda Odyssey. We picked the van up on Friday night at about 6:00 and promptly took it home to start prepping for a road trip.  The roof box and Bike rack were added within the first few minutes and the endless search for the proper car seat locations began. What better way to get an impression of a new vehicle than to start out fully loaded on a family vacation. We decided to load up our 3 kids, my mother in law Ellie, 3 adult bikes and 4 kid bikes. Not to mention all the usual stuff that is needed to care for the occupants of the vehicle. Needless to say the van was maxed out saturday morning when it was time to roll out.

Okay lets be honest here it was saturday afternoon by the time we were actually packed and leaving our driveway. I don't want anyone to get the impression that we are some super family that can actually be loaded up and headed out on schedule. We left almost 3 and a half hours later than our goal. The destination was just a short jaunt up I-70 over the mountains to Grand Junction. This location offers some of the best biking in the state in my opinion. Only problem is when we rolled into town about 5:30 it was still 99 degrees out, not really ideal for lots of riding. The good news is the inside of the van was perfectly comfortable thanks to the air conditioning.

So here I sit on Monday looking out at the cold rainy morning thinking how lucky my wife and I are to have ridden some trails last night. The weather is a big part of the fun of living in Colorado. 99 deg one day and in the 60's and raining within 48 hours.

The new Odyssey now has just over 300 miles on the clock as of this morning. I have to say, it has been an eye opening first trip. I was amazed at how well, with 3 car seats installed it was able to swallow up all our bags and "stuff". Granted the poor suspension was sagged a bit and had me a little worried, but it made the trip just fine. For those of you who have either visited Colorado or live here you know about Eisenhower tunnel and the "race track" that is I-70. The Odyssey was impressive to say the least in its ability to go over the mountains fully loaded, with the AC on. We were able to maintain a good speed without the engine revving high or the transmission searching for gears. Apparently the V-6 and 6 speed auto are well matched, good job Honda.

Despite the heat we have been having, we never needed to really crank the AC, just a low setting seemed to be perfect. I run really hot personally so this was a nice revelation to say the least. Everyone seemed to have plenty of space and we realized how nice it was to have such a large windshield. We've driven in the mountains a lot over the years and we have had a number of vehicles. The Odyssey is the first one to actually impress with the amount of mountains and sky you can actually view while driving. It's not distracting at all, just very nice to be able to see when you have a chance. The gas mileage was a nice discovery as we would normally have needed to stop and fill up our old SUV upon getting here. Not this trip, in fact we did a few day trips on Sunday and still could have held off filling up until tomorrow. My wife and I have decided this van has been really well thought out and refined in terms of how a family uses a vehicle. Everything seems to be in just the right place, from buttons to storage, things just work. I'm certainly not saying its perfect, but it does come close.

The seating flexibility and configurations are a very nice feature as well. When we come to Grand Junction we are lucky enough to stay with family. So Sunday we loaded them up in the van as well and headed to the farmers market in Palisade along with a few other stops. The ability to carry 3 kids in car seats and 5 adults comfortably is wonderful. The power doors and rear lift gate have been a luxury. To be honest almost everything on this van seems like a luxury. Coming from a 13 year old car everything feels fresh and amazing, from the steering wheels controls to the backup camera.

When Philly and I were able to sneak away for a quick mountain bike ride we were able to test the audio capabilities a bit more in depth and I have to say we were impressed. I'm sure the sight of two old kids rocking out in a minivan was probably hilarious for the locals. The van really does handle like a car when its not loaded down with half our house inside. The steering is precise and the engine has more than enough power to get you in trouble. 

So it may sound like everything is perfect and as it should be, but there are a few little things that could be better.

Really my biggest issue is that of the suspension not handling a large load very well. It handles okay, but you could feel the weight and a little extra sway. Granted I know we had the van almost to capacity on the way here. I think we may need to add some airbags to the rear springs, otherwise the tires will take a lot of extra wear on the inside corners. I know the bike rack is probably the culprit of the sagging suspension, but we are a biking family. So the van is not a truck, but it has done amazingly well and I have to say it gets praise form all members of the family so far.

I plan on doing a more in depth review and writing updates as things come up or opinions change in the future. After all we have only put about 300 miles on the van and I fully expect to have at least 20k miles on the clock by this time next year.

So for now "Ody" and I will say goodbye for this morning, I'm sure we'll be writing more about our adventures soon.

Cheers for now!

Aaron

3 Kids and a Minivan

Goodness how time does fly. It has been far too long since my last post and so much has changed since then. We now have our third child, a wonderful bundle of joy and calm named Zoe Mae Winterowd. My job is about to get really interesting once Philly goes back to work. I know there are a lot of people out there with 3 or more kids, and I applaud you and your ability to maintain your sanity. I'm sure I will be just fine, but I'm allowed to panic, right?!?
This brings me to an interesting place, the switch from 2 kids to 3 kids is a game changer. As many of my football loving friends have joked, "Oh wow, you're switching from man to man coverage to zone defense, good luck with that". Well, it definitely is different having more kids than hands. I know it will be more challenging in the coming months when I'm out on the town with 3 kids by myself. This is about the time we realized another change in the dynamic of having a 3rd child. The car seat dynamic. Now a few years back I wrote about 6 kids and a minivan. I also wrote about my "Daddy Wagon", a large Lexus SUV with a 3rd row seat. To refresh your memory, I expressed my disdain for the minivan. I am happy to say I no longer can cling to that narrow minded view. I realized even with the massive vehicle I've been driving, I cannot fit 3 convertible car seats in the second row, it was time to look for another option.
I don't consider myself a particularly prideful person, who is unwilling to admit my mistakes. An SUV or a crossover is a great option when you have two young children. When you have 3 kids under 5 years old and need to fit their car seats comfortably, they just don't cut it. If you have kids that are more spread in age, I think it would be possible to maintain driving an SUV, but I'm not so sure. Another thing that has prompted this change is the dynamic Logan and Nyah have developed, kicking and hitting while being restrained next to each other. I can remember how my parents dealt with the situation all those years ago. We had a full size van. Each kid was separated into their own row of seats and I had a platform in the back with a mattress on it. These days that would have resulted in my parents being pulled over and given a ticket since I didn't have a seat belt back there. In fact if we had ever been in an accident I would have likely gone straight though the windshield. Alas, times were different back then and vehicle safety wasn't really discussed.
Fast forward to modern day again and realize that today's minivan is not what it once was. They are now a rolling computer with all the modern conveniences and goodies a tech junkie like myself could want. Not to mention the safety features that are packed into even the most basic models in the lineup are impressive. It's amazing how much things can change in just 2 years, let alone the 25 years since my parents had that old van.
So, I'm ready to say I have changed my mind on the minivan thing. In fact, we are picking up our new van later today. We are picking up a new 2014 Honda Odyssey EX-L in smokey topaz with truffle leather. We are then loading it to the gills and heading for a biking trip to Grand Junction with the 3 kids, 7 bikes and Grandma Ellie in the 3rd row. I'll be posting a quick impression soon and then follow it up with a full review shortly after that. I promise to write the follow ups, really.
Now for what I never thought I'd say just two short years ago.

I like Minivans.

There, I said it.

As for the old nightmare of having 6 kids, that has been permanently taken care of. However, that is a story and article for another time.

Cheers for now!






As a side note, It has been far to long since I've written. I pledge to anyone who actually reads this blog that I am coming back with more articles and content. Life can get a little crazy and I think it's now settling back down. I forgot how good of an outlet writing is for me, this is my therapy : )

Family Update 2/24/13

Wow, where does the time go? One minute it's the end of December and the next minute January is already gone and so is February. So here we are in 2013, with the first two months already gone and I still haven't written an update. It goes without saying it's been a bit of a busy time around here. Having some sniffles and stomach bugs run amok through the house doesn't help much either. After a little over two months of not feeling good I finally went to the doctor and discovered I had the Flu, strep throat and a sinus infection all at the same time. No wonder I didn't much feel like writing. Nyah seems to be getting all the rest of her teeth all in a continuous string while maintaining a bit of the sniffles. Potty training Logan has been a real adventure for sure. At least we have had many trips to the Colorado Railroad Museum, the Denver Zoo and the Children's Museum of Denver. Add to this some Story times at the Golden Public Library and we have not been at rest very much. I almost forgot to mention both kids are now in Gymnastics on Saturday morning so Philly gets to enjoy some very active time with the kiddos. We even had the chance to enjoy the warm January we've been having and take the kids for a hike a Chautauqua in Boulder with Grandma Ellie. As I'm working on this update it seems we are finally having a decent snow storm for once. Heavy thick flakes are falling and we could get a decent amount on the ground. Philly and Logan built a cool snowman yesterday as the previous snow melted to the perfect consistency for packing. Today is the perfect day to make yummy blueberry pancakes and banana bread from scratch. I just wanted to do a quick update today so people knew we are still here. I'll try to stay back in the swing of things with the updates.
Cheers for now,
Aaron

Family Update 12/29/12

Well, here's the last family update for the year.  It has been a fun filled very packed week with Philly being on vacation.  Christmas eve was amazing this year, especially since it actually snowed and we were able to have a very white Christmas for once.  It seems like for the past several years its been in the 50's with no snow on Christmas day.  This year was nice and cold with wonderful fluffy white snow.  We had a fun family outing at the Unity holiday music performance which was a great chance to get the kids all dressed up in some cute Christmas clothes.  I know I'm biased but we have some really cute kids.

A little laughter goes a long way.

Some great smiles.

Melting Daddy's heart!

Christmas day was a lot of fun this year, Logan is starting to really get into it and Nyah was able to open her own gifts.  Seeing the looks on their faces is just priceless.  Philly and I were feeling a little guilty that we don't have a proper fireplace to hang the stockings from.  We had to tell Logan that we left the door unlocked for Santa since we don't have a chimney.  He believed us, this time.

The new bike studio decorated for the Holidays.

Tux checking out the tree.

Nyah trying to ride her new horses. The girl is awesome!

Logan excited with new watercolors.

Anticipation........

A new truck!

Nyah loved her new car.

My beautiful ladies, I'm so lucky.

You might have noticed I'm putting a lot of pictures in the family updates.  Since I dropped Facebook, this is now the family source for photos at the moment.  I may find a different way of doing it but for now this is actually a lot of fun.
Well, after the fun holiday parties Philly and the kids got a chance to play in the snow together.  We are loving the cold weather and the fact the snow is sticking around for once instead of melting right away.  

Snow sliding instead of sledding.

Proof that Logan can be a little angel when he wants to be.

This has been a really fun vacation so far, we even braved the crowds and headed to the Children's Museum of Denver.  It's such a great place and has something for everyone.  I'm a little nervous about when I have 3 little ones to take there by myself.  I'm sure I'll figure it out one way or another.

Our budding little artists ; )

It's a mad dash to fill the carts!

Well I think that brings us up to speed, its time to wind down a little and get ready for the new year.  It is a little hard to imagine that this year is already wrapping up.  It feels like just yesterday Nyah was born and now we are going to welcome another little life into the family.  Crazy how fast time flies, make sure to enjoy every second.  See you next year!

Cheers for now,

Aaron

Family Update 12/22/12

It's been such busy time I didn't even get to post last Saturday. We've had a great time so far this holiday season.  It started off with a whole lot of cooking and baking.  From Gingerbread cookie with butter cream frosting to Homemade Chili and cornbread.  The house has been smelling great lately, especially with a fresh cut tree in the living room.  In addition to the cooking we have had lots of activities to keep us moving.  Logan had his first Gymnastics "mini-meet", a great gathering for all the families to watch their little ones perform in front of everyone.  This was followed by a cold but very fun time watching the Olde Time parade in historic downtown Golden.  We also were able to enjoy the wonderful holiday sign along at the golden recreation center together as a family.  Unfortunately we have also all been battling the sniffles, coughs and associated health joys that come this time of year.  A big thanks to Grandpa Mo for a wonderful trip to the Children's Museum of Denver and the awesome gift of a family membership.  Logan and Nyah really enjoyed the afternoon with Grandpa Mo and we will really get great use out of the membership.  Thanks Mo!  
We were fortunate enough to finally get some snow and amazingly there is still a little bit left on the ground as I'm typing.  Logan made his first snow angel of the year.  Unfortunately the snow was too fluffy for snowman construction.  Here's a little visual sample of the past 2 weeks:

Gingerbread cookies fresh out of the oven!

The cornbread went crazy in the pan.

Perfect meal for a cold winter evening.

Time to sugar up before brushing our teeth ; )

My little cutie ready for some snow.

He had been talking about snow angels all morning, Love it!

Today is a great day because it means Philly is officially on break from work.  A much needed break I might add for the whole family.  As we head towards Christmas day and New Years it is always so important for us to slow down a little bit and enjoy each others company and reflect on the year we've had.  What a year its been too, lots of activity and news to share.
On that note, we recently sent out our family holiday cards.  Now this may seem like a random transition, which it is. (If you've read many of my posts you're likely used to it.)  Our holiday cards this year included a hidden message.  To us it is obvious, but for others it has taken a little time to realize the meaning.  I have put a picture below for reference:

Logan picked the snowman for the occasion.

Wait for it....

Wait for it.....

That's right, our third bundle of fun will be joining the party in July of next year!!

I think we really caught some people off guard with this surprise.  I was lucky enough to be on the phone with my mom when she actually figured out what the picture meant.  Lets just say she was so shocked I can't repeat the actual first words she used. : ) (Sorry mom but it was too funny not to mention)  After that initial reaction she was clearly happy about her extra little gift.  I know some people are ready for anything from us at this point.  After all we are the couple who said, "We'll never have kids".  Well we made those statements while we were young and foolish.  Once you have one kid it's hard to explain the absolute joy and wonder you experience every single day.  Even on the really hard days there is always at least some little tiny moment that melts your heart.  Now that we have number three on the way our family feels like it will finally be complete.  I was one of three kids and I personally feel like that is a good number.  We are only slightly outnumbered now.  As one of my best friends pointed out, "You're going from man to man defense to zone defense now."  It was an interesting way of looking at it.  
And for any of you out there who are saying, "Next comes a minivan".  Not so fast, I've already test fit 3 car-seats in the second row of my truck and they fit perfectly.  Now if for some crazy turn of events we end up with twins, then I guess I'll have to think hard about it.  No the twins reference doesn't mean anything, it's just kind of a running inside joke.

I think that pretty much sums up the past two weeks.  I'm hoping to get into a rhythm and actually post every Saturday morning.  But plans change with kids I guess.
Cheers for now,
Aaron

Busy Summer, But I'm still here

To anyone who has tried to follow my little experiment of a blog, I'm not done writing.  I'm just taking the summer off from writing to do more riding and get some reviews ready to post once the snow starts flying here in Colorado.  A sneak peak at what I'm working on includes:

A YouTube/.mov video on how to build a pump track.  

A whole posting about building the pump track in our back yard.

2 new bike reviews, the 2012 Transition Bandit and the 2012 Yeti DJ.

A review of our newly acquired WeeHoo iGo Pro.

Reviews of both the old and new Specialized Hotwalk kids balance bikes.

An update of my life with two kids.

I think that just about covers what I have either been working on or have plans to write before the end of December.  Now hopefully the kids will allow me to spend that much time with a keyboard.  Um yeah, we'll see about that.  

Cheers for now,
Aaron

More coming soon...... I hope

Well now, it's been a little while since my last post.  I actually stated a few posts that I have not had the chance to finish yet.  I hope to get them up soon, life has been a little busy and sleep has been on the minimal side.

Cheers for now,
Aaron

Updates Coming............

Well the Holidays are a super busy time around here.  I have not forgot about my blog, in fact I keep coming up with new ideas.  I'm currently working on moving all of my gear reviews to this blog from my website project.  In addition I'm working on writing a few new gear reviews and I have a few new topics to post on including the all important SUV vs Minivan discussion.  Stay tuned, I hope to get some stuff up in the next few days.
Cheers for now,
Aaron