Here's the house

Mom's trip to CO

attempting Keystone yet again

Jaxon was taking pics before we left to go boarding

only in CO, do you go into Breck and see a Coors with frozen beer coming out

hot-tubbing

making gingerbread cookies

House pics

This is in the front room looking into our kitchen/dining area. Just starting to get Christmas decorations up.

We bought a house

We have had no time, we just got internet, so pics coming soon!

Snowboarding-Keystone

Fall has passed and winter is here

Grand Lake, CO

engaged!

Michael helped design the ring.

The proposal
We went to Grand Lake for the Labor Day weekend. A nice long week in yet another unexplored part of CO. Since it was my birthday that week we were also celebrating that. I thought maybe he would ask, seemed like a nice weekend for it. The weekend went on. We went to the hot springs on Sunday. He treated me to a facial, the springs, and we were going to do dinner. Our reservations ended up being later than I had wanted. I was famished! So we went back to the house and ordered pizza. No proposal. We played an exciting game of monopoly and ate some cake for the birthday celebration. He caught me thinking and asked. I said, well, I kinda though maybe you would ask me since we were having such a nice weekend. He said when the timing is right. I dismissed the idea for this weekend. Later in the evening, we were just hanging out in our room at the B & B. It was getting late, and I was tired. He asked me if I would rub his back. If anybody knows me, I was tired, I really didn’t want to rub his back, but I did. Michael says, I think there is some lotion in my bag, I start to sigh. I go into the bag, and didn’t find anything. He says check the top pocket. I open it…………..there is a pair of socks. I move the socks………..and there is a box. I just looked at him and said, “Are you serious”? I burst in to tears. HE got on the ground, started crying, and asked me to marry him. Did I tell you I was carrying the bag around all day, not even knowing? Needless to say I was shocked, and that’s how he wanted it.

Camping

paddle-boating in Wellington Lake (Bailey, CO)
waterfall trail, hike
ahhhhhhhhh, sunrise

Upcoming Camping Trip

Natural wilderness area, at a cool 8,300 foot elevation, offering both tenting and RVing off the beaten path, just eleven miles southeast of Bailey. With 150 campsites in the mountain forest, along the lake and group areas campers can enjoy the ease of having all the recreation at your front door: hiking, fishing, biking, canoeing, and paddle boating. These sites have no hookups, so RVers should expect to be self contained and tenters should bring water. There is potable water on siteÊand bathroom facilities along with a trading post. Dogs are welcome, call for additional information.
The fishing here is excellent, as the lake is stocked with a variety of trout, including rainbows, cutbows, cutthroats, browns and brookies. A state fishing license is not required, however a per/day fee per person is charged for guests. If you want to picnic or spend the day, there is a day use fee. You can bring your own boats keeping in mind it is a 'wakeless' lake, to maintain a peaceful environment.

Estes Park

Leaving New Mexico

Welcome to CO!

Manitou Springs/Pikes Peak

Hiking in Manitou Springs near Colorado Springs. That is Pikes Peak in the background.

Less than a month ago

Kept forgetting to post these....welcome to spring in Colorado. This week, 70 degrees next week who knows. I thought MI was bad!

Out in Denver

An Ode to my Mother...

What better way to honor my mother on Mother's Day in this day and age.....by dedicating a blog to her....
What can I say about my mother, My mother is the most beautiful person inside and out that I know. She is artistic and creative. She is real. She doesn't really care what people think of her. She talks to EVERYBODY. She always starts a conversation with the person next to her. She even talks to people who don't appear to speak English. They answer her in some language and she will keep talking to them as if she understands (Mom, remember the lady after the storm went through in Florida?). I am so proud of my mom and all that she has gone through in life to give all five (including Dorothy) of us kids a great life. She still reminds me of how she would scrimp and safe when we were younger (sewing dresses for Cassandra and I and making everything home-made) and I am sure she does this to keep me humble. My mother comes from modest means but wants the world for all of us. I am always so amazed that she was able to work for 30 years in a Ford plant in the hot, muggy summer months of MI, on an assembly line. She was on her feet all day, with a minimal break for lunch, and barely bathrooms breaks. My mother is a hard worker, and she instilled that in all of us (Matthew might not have caught on yet, but he'll get there). But, at the young age of 49, she is retired and living the life she deserves. Traveling, exploring, making jewelry, and doing what she does best...LIVING life to the fullest. My mother makes me want to be a better person. If I could only be half the woman that my mother is.
Ok, now I am crying because this is the first mother's day that I have not been able to plant flowers, or make a butterfly garden, or enjoy a margarita with her. Mom, I love you, and I hope I can come home soon to cause some more trouble out there with you.

Spring at Home

Missing home!!!!!
My mom sent the picture of the tree blooming in front of her house. Every spring, this tree blooms with these beautiful flowers. We just don't have trees like this out here.

Jarrett's B-Day and Easter in FL

Alena, Jarrett (brother), and mom
Just got back from a long weekend in Florida....I met my mom in Florida to celebrate my little brother's birthday which fell on Easter this year. We went to Cocoa Beach (which I got sooo burnt), and Universal Studios. Hard to go back to work, wish I could have stayed longer.

Spring Blizzard

BLIZZARD WARNING today and tonight

So, had to go to work today, to only stay for 2 hours and be sent home. Took 2 hours to drive home. Seeing the trucks putting chains on their tires outside of the mountains was new. Usually, you only see that on the passes, ex:Vail Pass. There was about 0 visibility on the way home!

February in Colorado

This was on a hike last weekend. Not that you can tell, but that is Pike's Peak in the distance. The weather has been great! It was in the high 50's on this hike. All week thas been in the sixties. We never thought we would be in t-shirts in Feb and March.

San Francisco

Sunset with the Golden Gate Bridge in the back. We were on the ferry going back to the city from Sausalito. We biked across the bridge.