As the Thanksgiving weekend comes to a close, I look back and reflect on what exactly I did... Ate, took a nap, ate some more, tried to go see The Polar Express 3D, ate more leftovers, napped some more. It appears I had a most productive weekend!
Nah, really, the weekend has been quite enjoyable. We had a great Thanksgiving hosting a few of our friends over for much football watching and eating and drinking and game playing. It was a really great day and more importantly, dinner was fantastic. Thankfully I had my mom's Thanksgiving hotline to call when I had random questions such as where the heck to take the turkey's temperature and what's the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. We had quite a feast: Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Apple and Potato au Gratin (courtesy of Brian), Turnips, Cauliflower & Cheese, Canned Cranberry Sauce, Homemade Cranberry Sauce, and I think that might be it. For dessert; Pumpkin Pie, Cranberry Duff, and Ricotta Pie.
I really was starting to think Friday was turning out to be simply a day of naps and eating some more, but after dinner, we got out the Christmas decorations and I put up the tree and Rob developed the plan for our outdoor/window lights. Then we went to Wal-Mart to get some more lights for the tree and the windows. They didn't have everything we needed, so tomorrow's plan is to find the lights we need.
So, today was sort of a big bummer. We had planned to go see The Polar Express in 3D at the IMAX. We actually went down to the theater (it's south of Denver, so sort of a drive), met up with some friends there, only to find out it was sold out. We were all terribly bummed, except for Rob, who I think was secretly happy that he didn't have to see it. We'll give him some props for even going in the first place though! Next to the IMAX theater is a Dave and Busters, so we went over there for some Skee Ball and my favorite, the 18-wheeler video game. I actually also surprised myself with some mad skills at the basketball game. I think you might call me a baller. After that, we went down to Wynkoop Brewery to play darts, where we proved that girls CAN compete against boys. Alas, the night came to a close with some more leftover eating and yep, you guessed it, a nap.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Friday, November 18, 2005
hello again...
Yes, I know it's been a long time since I last wrote, so now, after a few beers, I will ramble on, on my goings-on for the past 3 weeks.
Most importantly, the pub just opened. Yes, the pub that is 1 block from our place. Yes, one block. Walking distance. It's an Irish pub that has guinness on tap and harp and boddingtons... Did I mention it was walking distance from our place? Anyways, we went there tonight for a few pints and dinner and some mad discussions with Dolan. It was just lovely. And I was so excited to finally try out our local pub.
Let's see.... What else has happened... Okay, back to halloween, Rob and I got to don our awesome homemade costumes at a halloween party. We were one of the few dressed up, but I think we were the best looking. :)
Last week, Danielle took me to my very first Nugget's game at the Pepsi Center. It ruled. You can't beat free seats, going to a game where your team WINS, and watching my little man, Earl Boykins, for 3 hours straight. I even got to exit the stadium by way of the court, and not only saw, but touched, the ice underneath the floor.
Our Tuesday kickball nights have evolved into weekend game nights. Yes, I know it sounds lame, but it really is fun. You can drink excessively, play games like Operation or Boggle or Cranium, snack on delicious dips and chips, and enjoy the camaraderie of excessively competitive friends. And when I say competitive, I mean that certain games (Operation) have been outlawed at all future game nights due to people's inabilities of keeping their hands steady and not jumping 4 feet out of their seats when the buzzer goes off!
Also of note, I am an official Colorado resident. I have myself a snowboard, boots, bindings, and snowboarding pants now. I'm ready to go. I've been practicing my balance and moves on my new 'flowboard'. It's a skateboard like thing that you can practice on to get your snowboarding skills up to par. Surprisingly, I am doing much better on it than I expected. I've gotten the whole jumping on it and moving thing down, without holding onto anything or falling down. Sweet.
Well, I am gonna go get me some sleep now...
Most importantly, the pub just opened. Yes, the pub that is 1 block from our place. Yes, one block. Walking distance. It's an Irish pub that has guinness on tap and harp and boddingtons... Did I mention it was walking distance from our place? Anyways, we went there tonight for a few pints and dinner and some mad discussions with Dolan. It was just lovely. And I was so excited to finally try out our local pub.
Let's see.... What else has happened... Okay, back to halloween, Rob and I got to don our awesome homemade costumes at a halloween party. We were one of the few dressed up, but I think we were the best looking. :)
Last week, Danielle took me to my very first Nugget's game at the Pepsi Center. It ruled. You can't beat free seats, going to a game where your team WINS, and watching my little man, Earl Boykins, for 3 hours straight. I even got to exit the stadium by way of the court, and not only saw, but touched, the ice underneath the floor.
Our Tuesday kickball nights have evolved into weekend game nights. Yes, I know it sounds lame, but it really is fun. You can drink excessively, play games like Operation or Boggle or Cranium, snack on delicious dips and chips, and enjoy the camaraderie of excessively competitive friends. And when I say competitive, I mean that certain games (Operation) have been outlawed at all future game nights due to people's inabilities of keeping their hands steady and not jumping 4 feet out of their seats when the buzzer goes off!
Also of note, I am an official Colorado resident. I have myself a snowboard, boots, bindings, and snowboarding pants now. I'm ready to go. I've been practicing my balance and moves on my new 'flowboard'. It's a skateboard like thing that you can practice on to get your snowboarding skills up to par. Surprisingly, I am doing much better on it than I expected. I've gotten the whole jumping on it and moving thing down, without holding onto anything or falling down. Sweet.
Well, I am gonna go get me some sleep now...
Monday, October 24, 2005
Back home...
After a week and a half in Chicago, we are back home now... It was so nice to see everyone and be back in Chicago for a while, though it's nice to be home again and see my Mikey-Mike. He missed us terribly, and hasn't left our sides since we arrived home. Poor kitty!
Among the fun and exciting things we did back in Chicago, I think our Halloween Costume Party get-together at the 10th Hole Pub topped it off. I'll post some pictures soon... But for now, I must go, as I'm off to Dallas....
Among the fun and exciting things we did back in Chicago, I think our Halloween Costume Party get-together at the 10th Hole Pub topped it off. I'll post some pictures soon... But for now, I must go, as I'm off to Dallas....
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Let it snow???
Despite predictions of 6-12 inches of snow, we got nothing. Rain for 2 days straight, about 37 degrees outside, and no snow. I even went out the night before the storm and bought a shovel. We turn on the news, and the airport (which is way farther from the mountains than us) got 8 inches of snow. Then, yesterday we drive into Boulder, and the foothills are totally covered in snow (and of course the rest of the mountains). It looks like a winter wonderland every where except for where we are. :( I feel so left out. Though, as a bonus, today as I was running some errands and driving about, I was thinking, it really feels like I'm on vacation or out of town, because the mountains look so drastically different, it's like I'm somewhere else... Maybe I am.
Speaking of vacation and being out of town... Tomorrow we are heading to Chicago for a long visit. I have to finish up packing and picking up the house, all the while, watching the White Sox game. And yes, I am rooting for the White Sox now.
So, I'll keep this short and sweet. Although CNN is reporting a huge snowstorm in Denver, I'm shoveling rain.
Speaking of vacation and being out of town... Tomorrow we are heading to Chicago for a long visit. I have to finish up packing and picking up the house, all the while, watching the White Sox game. And yes, I am rooting for the White Sox now.
So, I'll keep this short and sweet. Although CNN is reporting a huge snowstorm in Denver, I'm shoveling rain.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Rained Out
Last night, our kickball game was rained out; however, because we are all diehard kickballers, we all showed up despite the gloomy weather (pouring down rain, lightning, the whole bit). We all went to our favorite post-kickball bar for dinner, and to our delight, our lovely waitress, Sarah, gave us two pitchers of beer on her because she felt bad that we got rained out! I must also mention, only one person from the other team showed up. He's officially the cool guy on the other team and I recruited him to play on our team in the spring.
We are getting ready to meet a friend, and fellow Red Sox fan, at Fox and Hound to watch tonight's game... I have my (actually it's Rob's, but it's too small for him) Red Sox shirt on, my Red Sox hat in hand and I'm ready to do some massive cheering for my BoSox. Rob already declared that this evening he won't be cheering for either team. I think he's just trying to stay on everyone's good side. :)
We are getting ready to meet a friend, and fellow Red Sox fan, at Fox and Hound to watch tonight's game... I have my (actually it's Rob's, but it's too small for him) Red Sox shirt on, my Red Sox hat in hand and I'm ready to do some massive cheering for my BoSox. Rob already declared that this evening he won't be cheering for either team. I think he's just trying to stay on everyone's good side. :)
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Before my White Sox fan friends have a field day...
Congrats to the White Sox for winning game 1. I can't say I'm happy, but I'll be a good sport... There's always tomorrow. Go BoSox!
Having a bad day??
If you're ever feeling down and out and are thinking that you're just no good...
Listen to this song:
http://www.kilbot.net/mp3/karatekid.php
Listen to this song:
http://www.kilbot.net/mp3/karatekid.php
A motorcycle demolition derby???
Ah, this weekend was fun-filled with Beer tastings, Red Sox victories and a fun evening at a dirt racetrack.
First of all, the Great American Beer Festival was a great time. With a gazillion beers on tap, I tasted everything from Shiner Bock to a Chili Beer to PBR. (with lots and lots of microbrews from across the US in between!) You get a tasting glass, and you get a 1 ounce tasting of whatever beer you'd like to taste. After the first 10 or so tastes, you lose count and you'll never remember what you had, but I do distinctly remember 2 beers that I hated. First was the Chili Beer. Little did I know it was going to be freaking hot, though the jalapeno chili in the beer bottle should have clued me in. Another was a sour beer that Brian had, which I tasted because he said it was really good. In my opinion, it tasted like the aftertaste you have in your mouth after you puke. To each their own, I suppose.
Saturday was spent recovering from the multitude of beer shots and then in the evening we attended 'crashfest' at a local dirt racetrack that was closing down forever. The night all started normal, or as normal as you can get being surrounded by super-mullets and nascar fan. They had regular races around the circle track, some figure 8 races with cars... Then a figure 8 race with... school buses. Yep, school buses. It was pretty bizarre, but awesomely hilarious. Then to top the evening off, about 6 guys on dirt bikes come out to the start/finish line. All of a sudden we see two guys on the ground in a fist fight. Then all hell breaks loose and all the other bikers are trying to ram each other and knock each other off their bikes. I wasn't quite sure what was happening, and didn't realize, until the checkered flag was waved, that this WAS the event! Not sure what to call it, possibly a motorcylce demolition derby, but it was damn hilarious!
I felt like total crap on Sunday- sore throat, congested, the whole bit, because I hadn't taken my allergy medicine in a couple days, so I spent most of the day in bed sleeping and watching football and baseball. Then Sunday night, we started watching 'Freaks and Geeks'- our friend lent us his DVD set of it. I immediately fell in love with the show. We watched some more last night, and I'm pretty sure we're going to be done with the 6 disc set by the end of the week!
First of all, the Great American Beer Festival was a great time. With a gazillion beers on tap, I tasted everything from Shiner Bock to a Chili Beer to PBR. (with lots and lots of microbrews from across the US in between!) You get a tasting glass, and you get a 1 ounce tasting of whatever beer you'd like to taste. After the first 10 or so tastes, you lose count and you'll never remember what you had, but I do distinctly remember 2 beers that I hated. First was the Chili Beer. Little did I know it was going to be freaking hot, though the jalapeno chili in the beer bottle should have clued me in. Another was a sour beer that Brian had, which I tasted because he said it was really good. In my opinion, it tasted like the aftertaste you have in your mouth after you puke. To each their own, I suppose.
Saturday was spent recovering from the multitude of beer shots and then in the evening we attended 'crashfest' at a local dirt racetrack that was closing down forever. The night all started normal, or as normal as you can get being surrounded by super-mullets and nascar fan. They had regular races around the circle track, some figure 8 races with cars... Then a figure 8 race with... school buses. Yep, school buses. It was pretty bizarre, but awesomely hilarious. Then to top the evening off, about 6 guys on dirt bikes come out to the start/finish line. All of a sudden we see two guys on the ground in a fist fight. Then all hell breaks loose and all the other bikers are trying to ram each other and knock each other off their bikes. I wasn't quite sure what was happening, and didn't realize, until the checkered flag was waved, that this WAS the event! Not sure what to call it, possibly a motorcylce demolition derby, but it was damn hilarious!
I felt like total crap on Sunday- sore throat, congested, the whole bit, because I hadn't taken my allergy medicine in a couple days, so I spent most of the day in bed sleeping and watching football and baseball. Then Sunday night, we started watching 'Freaks and Geeks'- our friend lent us his DVD set of it. I immediately fell in love with the show. We watched some more last night, and I'm pretty sure we're going to be done with the 6 disc set by the end of the week!
Monday, October 03, 2005
Hip-Hip-Hooray!
Red Sox are in the playoffs!! They're headed to Chicago to play the White Sox in the first round of playoffs... It sure will be a stressful week for me!
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
Once again...
it's been way too long since my last update.
We've spent the past week and half keeping busy, as usual. 2 weekends ago, we had a fun-and-beer-filled evening at Denver's Oktoberfest in Larimer Square downtown with a few of our friends. I had never been to an Oktoberfest celebration prior to this, but found it to be very entertaining. The downers of the night included the beer being so-so, they ran out of the huge steins that I was so wanting to purchase, and the multiple times the chicken song dance was played/danced. However, we rectified those downers by getting fresh pretzels, drinking enough of the so-so beer that we danced the chicken song a few times, and finally (and most importantly) me winning a chicken hat to don the entire evening. I'll upload a picture of it, yes there it is... As I'm sure you can see, that was after a few beers. When I first saw them, I was thinking, wow, those are so dumb. Then I had only a few tickets left, not enough to purchase food or drink, so I decided to play this game, in which the chicken hat was the prize. It was purely chance... A wheel with all NFL football teams on it, like a roulette wheel. Then you place your bets on whatever football team you wish. I had 4 tickets, so I went with the Patriots, Bears, Broncos, and a last minute pic was the New York Giants. A spin of the wheel, and 30 seconds later, it lands on the Giants and I, all of a sudden, am the very excited and happy owner of a chicken hat. I gleefully put it on and wear it the rest of the night, answering numerous questions about it and replying to some people's off-color comments... We topped the night off at a 80's club where we danced the night away to Devo and Michael Jackson, amongst others.
The 2 nights of kickball over the past couple weeks gave us one win and one loss. Last week we had a keg at the game, which was a blast (despite it being Bud Light). Supposedly, we're getting a keg from Breckenridge Brewery sometime soon, so we'll get to enjoy some nice micro-brewed beer.
Well, the past week and upcoming week and weekend are going to be football and baseball filled. We're watching the Broncos game right now (ooh, and I just realized I missed Laguna), and will be on the edge of our seats watching the Red Sox finish out the regular season. Yes, now that the Cubbies are totally out of the wild card/playoff race (ok, I'll admit, they were totally out of it in July...), my focuses are entirely dedicated to the Red Sox.
This coming weekend we also have another festival to attend: the great american beer festival. This is at the convention center in Denver, and there are 1669 beers on tap... Your ticket includes a tasting cup, which you can fill up at any number of beer vendors there. Thankfully, we have a place to stay in Denver that night, so no worries of us driving after that!
I think that's about it... Will update as fun and exciting things happen. Go BoSox!
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Hello, stranger.
Yes, I know it's been a while since my last post, but I will have lots to share now, as we've had many activities and guests in town over the past two weeks!
First off, Bob and Marilyn, Rob's parents, arrived the beginning of September for a wonderful visit, then for part of their visit, Rob's brother Ryan was able to come in town as well, so that was fantastic! In addition to Bob, Marilyn, and Ryan 's visits, we were also graced by the presence of Dolan's parents (who came in town to bring him his stuff) and Dolan's friend Levi (who was on his way driving to Irvine, CA to continue his education in... um... physics... I know it's something in particular; however, it was something I have never heard of and knew that I would never remember, so I didn't even attempt to memorize. Let's just say Levi is a smartypants.
So, of the numerous activities, eats, drinks, and sightseeing that took place over the course of the past week with our guests, I shall highlight a few.
•Mt. Evans Scenic Byway: This essentially is a road that goes almost all the way up to the top of Mt. Evans (you gotta do a little hike- maybe 1/4 of a mile to get to the actual summit). Mt. Evans is 14,264 feet above sea level. Let's put this into perspective... Chicago is about 600 feet above sea level, where we live in Colorado, it's about 5,400 feet above sea level... SO... Mt. Evans is freaking tall. The drive up to the top, despite being a heavily used road full of tourists from all over the country, is this narrow, winding road on the side of a mountain with absolutely no guardrails. And when I say winding, I mean switchback upon switchback. It's scary. It'd be scary enough if you were the only one on the road, but when you're relying on other drivers who have never driven in the mountains before to stay on their side of the road and not get distracted by a mountain goat... you get the picture. Anyways, the summit was awesome. Rob and I did the hike to the top and you could see EVERYTHING- the plains, Longs Peak, Denver, etc. It was absolutely gorgeous.
•Fado: We (me, Rob, Marilyn, Bob, Ryan, Dolan, Levi, Danielle, and Brian) all went to Fado's last Wednesday for some Irish food and fun. It was a blast. I wish Ryan would move out here just so I'd have someone to go to Fado with that screams as loud as me. Though I may have busted the eardrums of everyone at our table, I was awarded for my exhuberant singing and got to play the drum on stage with the Clancy's. Not only did I do that, but I also got a super cool Black and Tan Guinness hat. It rules.
•Scotfest in Estes Park: On Saturday we all went up to the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highlands Festival in Estes Park. We started the morning off with the parade that goes through downtown Estes Park. It was amazing. Before we got down there, Rob shared with us that his mom always cries when she hears bagpipes... Sure enough, before the parade even passed us, I caught a teary eyed Marilyn (sorry Marilyn!!). However, I have got to say when you hear all those bagpipe bands, it is very moving... After the parade, we headed over to the festival. We attended the opening ceremonies which included a performance by ALL of the bagpipe bands and the Marine Corp Twentynine Palms band (At least 100-150 performers) playing Amazing Grace. It was awesome. I had goosebumps all over. After the opening ceremonies, we drank beer, dined on Shepherds Pies and Meat Pies and watched Irish dancing, Bag Pipe Band competitions, oh yeah, and shopped in the two huge tents where they had numerous vendors selling everything you can imagine.
•Hacienda Colorado: Okay, I know this was simply just a meal, but I must share. Despite waiting for over an hour for a table (we had 7 people on a Friday night at 7pm- Go figure), I was absolutely blown away by the service we received, the prices, and the margaritas. I think most of the entrees were under 10 bucks, and we all received a ton of food. Like 3 plates of food per person! It was nuts. Then, there was a delay in a few people getting served their meals (like only 2 minutes), and the manager came over to apologize for that and offered everyone free dessert! I'm totally going back there. The food ruled, and the margs were exceptional!
•Lake Dillon: One afternoon, we headed up to the mountains to Lake Dillon. It was really a beautiful day and we rented a pontoon boat to cruise the lake. Being on a big lake, surrounded by huge mountains is really amazing. After our boat ride, we wanted to go to the Tiki Bar at the marina, but were running late on getting back home for Fado, so we ended up just leaving. The Tiki Bar, at the marina in Dillon, has fantastic food and really good Rum Runners. During the summer while we were up there camping and kayaking, we hit up the Tiki Bar for lunch and drinks. So anyways, we just wanted Rob's family to enjoy at least one rum runner, but time did not allow...
•Dirty Bananas: This is a drink I made a few nights when we had our guests... It's originally an Ozark drink, courtesy of Val and Jeff (which I think they got the recipe while in Jamaica on their honeymoon). I have now made it a Colorado drink. It's the perfect dessert drink because it's frozen, has bananas, chocolate syrup, and ice cream in it. YUM.
So, I know I'm forgetting a ton of things, but I'm all out of time to write and when I remember other noteworthy occasions, I will definitely share. I must get myself psyched up for kickball now. :)
First off, Bob and Marilyn, Rob's parents, arrived the beginning of September for a wonderful visit, then for part of their visit, Rob's brother Ryan was able to come in town as well, so that was fantastic! In addition to Bob, Marilyn, and Ryan 's visits, we were also graced by the presence of Dolan's parents (who came in town to bring him his stuff) and Dolan's friend Levi (who was on his way driving to Irvine, CA to continue his education in... um... physics... I know it's something in particular; however, it was something I have never heard of and knew that I would never remember, so I didn't even attempt to memorize. Let's just say Levi is a smartypants.
So, of the numerous activities, eats, drinks, and sightseeing that took place over the course of the past week with our guests, I shall highlight a few.
•Mt. Evans Scenic Byway: This essentially is a road that goes almost all the way up to the top of Mt. Evans (you gotta do a little hike- maybe 1/4 of a mile to get to the actual summit). Mt. Evans is 14,264 feet above sea level. Let's put this into perspective... Chicago is about 600 feet above sea level, where we live in Colorado, it's about 5,400 feet above sea level... SO... Mt. Evans is freaking tall. The drive up to the top, despite being a heavily used road full of tourists from all over the country, is this narrow, winding road on the side of a mountain with absolutely no guardrails. And when I say winding, I mean switchback upon switchback. It's scary. It'd be scary enough if you were the only one on the road, but when you're relying on other drivers who have never driven in the mountains before to stay on their side of the road and not get distracted by a mountain goat... you get the picture. Anyways, the summit was awesome. Rob and I did the hike to the top and you could see EVERYTHING- the plains, Longs Peak, Denver, etc. It was absolutely gorgeous.
•Fado: We (me, Rob, Marilyn, Bob, Ryan, Dolan, Levi, Danielle, and Brian) all went to Fado's last Wednesday for some Irish food and fun. It was a blast. I wish Ryan would move out here just so I'd have someone to go to Fado with that screams as loud as me. Though I may have busted the eardrums of everyone at our table, I was awarded for my exhuberant singing and got to play the drum on stage with the Clancy's. Not only did I do that, but I also got a super cool Black and Tan Guinness hat. It rules.
•Scotfest in Estes Park: On Saturday we all went up to the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highlands Festival in Estes Park. We started the morning off with the parade that goes through downtown Estes Park. It was amazing. Before we got down there, Rob shared with us that his mom always cries when she hears bagpipes... Sure enough, before the parade even passed us, I caught a teary eyed Marilyn (sorry Marilyn!!). However, I have got to say when you hear all those bagpipe bands, it is very moving... After the parade, we headed over to the festival. We attended the opening ceremonies which included a performance by ALL of the bagpipe bands and the Marine Corp Twentynine Palms band (At least 100-150 performers) playing Amazing Grace. It was awesome. I had goosebumps all over. After the opening ceremonies, we drank beer, dined on Shepherds Pies and Meat Pies and watched Irish dancing, Bag Pipe Band competitions, oh yeah, and shopped in the two huge tents where they had numerous vendors selling everything you can imagine.
•Hacienda Colorado: Okay, I know this was simply just a meal, but I must share. Despite waiting for over an hour for a table (we had 7 people on a Friday night at 7pm- Go figure), I was absolutely blown away by the service we received, the prices, and the margaritas. I think most of the entrees were under 10 bucks, and we all received a ton of food. Like 3 plates of food per person! It was nuts. Then, there was a delay in a few people getting served their meals (like only 2 minutes), and the manager came over to apologize for that and offered everyone free dessert! I'm totally going back there. The food ruled, and the margs were exceptional!
•Lake Dillon: One afternoon, we headed up to the mountains to Lake Dillon. It was really a beautiful day and we rented a pontoon boat to cruise the lake. Being on a big lake, surrounded by huge mountains is really amazing. After our boat ride, we wanted to go to the Tiki Bar at the marina, but were running late on getting back home for Fado, so we ended up just leaving. The Tiki Bar, at the marina in Dillon, has fantastic food and really good Rum Runners. During the summer while we were up there camping and kayaking, we hit up the Tiki Bar for lunch and drinks. So anyways, we just wanted Rob's family to enjoy at least one rum runner, but time did not allow...
•Dirty Bananas: This is a drink I made a few nights when we had our guests... It's originally an Ozark drink, courtesy of Val and Jeff (which I think they got the recipe while in Jamaica on their honeymoon). I have now made it a Colorado drink. It's the perfect dessert drink because it's frozen, has bananas, chocolate syrup, and ice cream in it. YUM.
So, I know I'm forgetting a ton of things, but I'm all out of time to write and when I remember other noteworthy occasions, I will definitely share. I must get myself psyched up for kickball now. :)
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
We are the champions.
Last night at kickball, we kicked butt! And won!
We were down to only one guy (Rob) and all of us awesome girls on the team. We DID have some help, as there were 2 guys there that weren't on a team, so they played with us. But, nonetheless, we kicked some firefighter butts. I got on base twice, got home once and didn't foul OR strike out at all. It ruled. And in grand kickball tradition, we went to Breckenridge Brewery afterward for their Tuesday night all you can eat Rib special. Yum-yum.
I also have some even more exciting news... Colleen had her baby last night! A baby boy- 7 lbs. 1 oz. and absolutely adorable! Mom and baby are doing just fine.
Rob's parents are coming tomorrow, so I've got to get some cleaning up done today. Then next Monday, his brother is coming. Should be a fun and exciting upcoming week or two! Can't wait for them to see our place and to show them around the area and take them up in the mountains! I think we might do the Mount Evans scenic drive- where you drive all the way up to the top of Mt. Evans (over 14K feet!). Well, I better get moving....
We were down to only one guy (Rob) and all of us awesome girls on the team. We DID have some help, as there were 2 guys there that weren't on a team, so they played with us. But, nonetheless, we kicked some firefighter butts. I got on base twice, got home once and didn't foul OR strike out at all. It ruled. And in grand kickball tradition, we went to Breckenridge Brewery afterward for their Tuesday night all you can eat Rib special. Yum-yum.
I also have some even more exciting news... Colleen had her baby last night! A baby boy- 7 lbs. 1 oz. and absolutely adorable! Mom and baby are doing just fine.
Rob's parents are coming tomorrow, so I've got to get some cleaning up done today. Then next Monday, his brother is coming. Should be a fun and exciting upcoming week or two! Can't wait for them to see our place and to show them around the area and take them up in the mountains! I think we might do the Mount Evans scenic drive- where you drive all the way up to the top of Mt. Evans (over 14K feet!). Well, I better get moving....
Friday, August 26, 2005
Apparently, I'm a very picky person.
As of late, I've been complaining of my vision. Like I can't see things as clearly as I used to, or as from far away. And, the real kicker was, the other night, we're driving home from downtown Denver, and if you've ever been here, there's a really tall building that says "Qwest" on top in big (HUGE) blue letters. I'm looking at it, and it's just a big blur. I ask Rob, "Can you read the Qwest sign?" He's like, yeah, it's clear. That's what made me call for an appointment the next day.
So, I go to the optometrist today and get my eyes examined, dilated, the whole nine yards. And what's my Rx? Basically the least amount possible to have it actually be a prescription. Okay, I was an optician for 5 years, so maybe this is why I'm so picky, but come on- it's something that most people wouldn't even notice. So the doctor gives me the lenses to look through out the window to the parking lot, and I was like blown away by the difference! She just said that some people (me) are pickier than others when it comes to their vision. Anyways, for those of you who know how eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions, go... it's a quarter diopter- nothing significant, but apparently is going to make a world of difference for picky, little me. So, I'm going to get contacts in a week or so, and yay! I'll be able to see again!
We had our first kickball game against another team this week. It was a team of firefighters. Eeek. The pitcher on their team had a MEAN curveball. I mean, it hits the ground looking like it's coming right to you, then it has this gradual, but pretty crazy curve the other way, that still makes it a strike, but is hard to kick (plus there was a pile of mud by the home plate, and i was afraid of falling on my ass in that). Anyways, after fouling out once (rules are different in kickball than baseball by a little- you count 3 strikes, 4 fouls, and 4 balls, all separately), and striking out once, I had my first RBI. I didn't get on base, but I was able to get Rob home to tie up the game. Sweet. We ended up losing, and the mean, curveball, firefighter pitcher on the other team pulled his hamstring (sinisterly laughing right now). It was a blast though, and we met a few more people that will be on our team who are absolutely awesome. Some of us went out to Breckenridge Brewery after for a bunch of beers and some yummy all-you-can-eat ribs and/or pulled pork sammiches.
Wednesday night, we went up to Fadó for some pints and to listen (rather sing-along) to my favorite Irish pub performers, Brian and Brendan Clancy... They play/sing awesome Irish pub/drinking songs, in which if you don't sing along- you get picked on. And everyone claps and sings and has a good time. He totally busted me this week... A girl on our kickball team met us up there, so her and I were talking and Brian got pissed because I wouldn't shut up, so he made me get up on stage and play the drum... Pretty funny. Anyways, it was fun, and we had some good Irish beer. YUM!
Wow, so I'm all jacked up on caffeine right now, so I'm thinking this post won't make much sense, but who cares... I'm not the one that has to read this. ;)
I think tomorrow we're going to head up to Chief Mountain to do that hike with Dolan, (that's the hike we did with Ryan in May, and there was 4 feet of snow we weretrekkingg through for the majority of it) and then at night we're going to hang out with some fellow Red Sox fans to watch them play. Should be fun...
One sidenote, because I don't want to come off as a dumbass, I just ran spell check and can you believe that KICKBALL isn't in their dictionary? Sacrilege.
So, I go to the optometrist today and get my eyes examined, dilated, the whole nine yards. And what's my Rx? Basically the least amount possible to have it actually be a prescription. Okay, I was an optician for 5 years, so maybe this is why I'm so picky, but come on- it's something that most people wouldn't even notice. So the doctor gives me the lenses to look through out the window to the parking lot, and I was like blown away by the difference! She just said that some people (me) are pickier than others when it comes to their vision. Anyways, for those of you who know how eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions, go... it's a quarter diopter- nothing significant, but apparently is going to make a world of difference for picky, little me. So, I'm going to get contacts in a week or so, and yay! I'll be able to see again!
We had our first kickball game against another team this week. It was a team of firefighters. Eeek. The pitcher on their team had a MEAN curveball. I mean, it hits the ground looking like it's coming right to you, then it has this gradual, but pretty crazy curve the other way, that still makes it a strike, but is hard to kick (plus there was a pile of mud by the home plate, and i was afraid of falling on my ass in that). Anyways, after fouling out once (rules are different in kickball than baseball by a little- you count 3 strikes, 4 fouls, and 4 balls, all separately), and striking out once, I had my first RBI. I didn't get on base, but I was able to get Rob home to tie up the game. Sweet. We ended up losing, and the mean, curveball, firefighter pitcher on the other team pulled his hamstring (sinisterly laughing right now). It was a blast though, and we met a few more people that will be on our team who are absolutely awesome. Some of us went out to Breckenridge Brewery after for a bunch of beers and some yummy all-you-can-eat ribs and/or pulled pork sammiches.
Wednesday night, we went up to Fadó for some pints and to listen (rather sing-along) to my favorite Irish pub performers, Brian and Brendan Clancy... They play/sing awesome Irish pub/drinking songs, in which if you don't sing along- you get picked on. And everyone claps and sings and has a good time. He totally busted me this week... A girl on our kickball team met us up there, so her and I were talking and Brian got pissed because I wouldn't shut up, so he made me get up on stage and play the drum... Pretty funny. Anyways, it was fun, and we had some good Irish beer. YUM!
Wow, so I'm all jacked up on caffeine right now, so I'm thinking this post won't make much sense, but who cares... I'm not the one that has to read this. ;)
I think tomorrow we're going to head up to Chief Mountain to do that hike with Dolan, (that's the hike we did with Ryan in May, and there was 4 feet of snow we weretrekkingg through for the majority of it) and then at night we're going to hang out with some fellow Red Sox fans to watch them play. Should be fun...
One sidenote, because I don't want to come off as a dumbass, I just ran spell check and can you believe that KICKBALL isn't in their dictionary? Sacrilege.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Let's go cubbies....
Well, we attended all 3 of the Cubs games while they were out here in Denver over the weekend. It was a ton of fun, the stands were filled with more Cubs fans than Rockies fans, probably 5 to 1, so it was pretty ridiculous. Even though they only won one of the three games (how the hell does that happen??? the Rockies are one of the worst teams in the league... Oh yeah, it's the Cubs we're talking about...), it was still a great time.
Other highlights of the weekend included dinner and an evening with Jen while she was out here and Dolan coming to town. Dolan started his classes at CU (in Boulder) today and we've been having fun showing him around and going out with him. Tonight we graced our clubhouse with our presence and played some pool and tic-tac-toe there while watching Monday Night Football. I do think we'll be going there more often. Having Dolan here is not only fun, but also educational, as he has taught me how to play dominoes and backgammon. Now, I am addicted to both, and can't get enough of it. He is also supposed to show me how to play chess, so pretty soon I'll be all set to hang out with old dudes in city parks.
Other highlights of the weekend included dinner and an evening with Jen while she was out here and Dolan coming to town. Dolan started his classes at CU (in Boulder) today and we've been having fun showing him around and going out with him. Tonight we graced our clubhouse with our presence and played some pool and tic-tac-toe there while watching Monday Night Football. I do think we'll be going there more often. Having Dolan here is not only fun, but also educational, as he has taught me how to play dominoes and backgammon. Now, I am addicted to both, and can't get enough of it. He is also supposed to show me how to play chess, so pretty soon I'll be all set to hang out with old dudes in city parks.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Back up and running... almost......
My foot has almost healed 100%! Yay! I can walk pretty fast now, with minimal pain, and I'm not wearing that ugly boot anymore! Yesterday, we went to the Grand Prix of Denver... They literally close down a whole section of town near Six Flags and encompassing the Pepsi Center and numerous streets, build a race track, grandstands, food and souveneir boothes, and so on. It's absolutely unbelievable that they can do that for 3 days of racing, and have it all taken apart in a day and the city is back to normal! I hear they do the same thing in Long Beach, but I had never heard of such a thing before. Anyways, it was a pretty cool race and we got to see the cars up close and the drivers after the race, because our neighbor gave us some special passes.
Let's see... what else is new... Last week we saw The Life and Times play in Denver. That was pretty awesome. We also went to Wal-Mart, and the friendly entrance old man convinced me (easily) to ride on one of those motorized thingamabobs that the fat people drive around Wal-Mart. It was pretty awesome- I hadn't laughed so hard in a LONG time!
Let's see... what else is new... Last week we saw The Life and Times play in Denver. That was pretty awesome. We also went to Wal-Mart, and the friendly entrance old man convinced me (easily) to ride on one of those motorized thingamabobs that the fat people drive around Wal-Mart. It was pretty awesome- I hadn't laughed so hard in a LONG time!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
On the D.L...
Yup, I'm on the D.L... The other night, as I was stepping out of the truck, my foot twisted and I chipped a bone in my foot. It hurts like crazy and I'm confined to the couch, with my foot elevated, iced, and donning a lovely post-operative boot. Yay. Hopefully it'll heal in a couple weeks, and I'll only have to miss a game or two of kickball.
Yup, kickball. Rob and I joined a kickball team/league in Denver. One of our friends is the captain, and our first game is next Tuesday. I'll probably be sitting it out, but at least I can brush up on strategy and the rules while I watch. I can't wait. Should be a lot of fun.
Last weekend we went camping to Lake Dillon again. It was awesome. The weather was phenomenal, and we tested out our backpacking tent, new sleeping bags, and sleeping pads. My goodness, these sleeping pads we got, though a little pricey, are well worth the money. I have never slept so good while camping. I seriously could not believe how comfy they were! They are only a 1-1.5 inch thick, and compress down even smaller. I think they are comparable to sleeping on a regular mattress! Seriously! They are 'therm-a-rest' brand and you can buy them at REI and other sport stores... If you camp, I highly recommend them.
Anyways, back to camping.... We kayaked from our campsite to the Dillon Marina, which was quite a paddle... As we're pulling up to the marina, a canon was shot off and they were playing the National Anthem and there were tons of people there. We had no clue what was going on! We got out and apparently it was a Regatta for sailboats. So we ate lunch on the lake, drank some delicious Rum Runners and watched the race for a while before heading back to camp. We ended up going home Saturday night and just relaxed the rest of the weekend.
Well, I need to get back to work....
Yup, kickball. Rob and I joined a kickball team/league in Denver. One of our friends is the captain, and our first game is next Tuesday. I'll probably be sitting it out, but at least I can brush up on strategy and the rules while I watch. I can't wait. Should be a lot of fun.
Last weekend we went camping to Lake Dillon again. It was awesome. The weather was phenomenal, and we tested out our backpacking tent, new sleeping bags, and sleeping pads. My goodness, these sleeping pads we got, though a little pricey, are well worth the money. I have never slept so good while camping. I seriously could not believe how comfy they were! They are only a 1-1.5 inch thick, and compress down even smaller. I think they are comparable to sleeping on a regular mattress! Seriously! They are 'therm-a-rest' brand and you can buy them at REI and other sport stores... If you camp, I highly recommend them.
Anyways, back to camping.... We kayaked from our campsite to the Dillon Marina, which was quite a paddle... As we're pulling up to the marina, a canon was shot off and they were playing the National Anthem and there were tons of people there. We had no clue what was going on! We got out and apparently it was a Regatta for sailboats. So we ate lunch on the lake, drank some delicious Rum Runners and watched the race for a while before heading back to camp. We ended up going home Saturday night and just relaxed the rest of the weekend.
Well, I need to get back to work....
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
yum-yum
I made some pulled/bbq pork tonight that even the most discerning pork lover would be wowed by. It was Yuuuuuummmmy! Although I am a ginormous fan of eating out, after dining out on vacation for a bunch of meals, it is nice to get home and make/eat some home cooked fare.
I have self diagnosed myself with this: mal de debarquement syndrome. I still feel as if I am on a boat, ya know that rocking feeling you have after being on boat? Well, it's been since Saturday since I was actually on a boat, and I am still having that feeling. Isn't that weird? Anyways, it's never taken me this long to get back to normal. I am wondering if the change in elevation has something to do with it too. Hmm...
I am hoping that Mikey will be quiet tonight and I'll be able to get a good night's rest. I think he's so paranoid about us leaving again, that he is determined to keep us by him and alert all day long. When he is sleeping at night, it's usually at our feet, but the past nights since we've gotten home, it's been either right on top of me or right by my head. And the meowing... He just won't stop! Enough complaining. Even though he's been bugging the hell out of me, and I'm exhausted, I still love him. :)
I have self diagnosed myself with this: mal de debarquement syndrome. I still feel as if I am on a boat, ya know that rocking feeling you have after being on boat? Well, it's been since Saturday since I was actually on a boat, and I am still having that feeling. Isn't that weird? Anyways, it's never taken me this long to get back to normal. I am wondering if the change in elevation has something to do with it too. Hmm...
I am hoping that Mikey will be quiet tonight and I'll be able to get a good night's rest. I think he's so paranoid about us leaving again, that he is determined to keep us by him and alert all day long. When he is sleeping at night, it's usually at our feet, but the past nights since we've gotten home, it's been either right on top of me or right by my head. And the meowing... He just won't stop! Enough complaining. Even though he's been bugging the hell out of me, and I'm exhausted, I still love him. :)
Monday, August 01, 2005
Reality TV Extravaganza
Show 1: Laguna Beach
Well, I finally saw the first episode of Laguna Beach season 2, (I know, a week late, and I didn't even watch tonight's new show) and what can I say...
1. It was way cheesier than season 1, but was I suspecting anything less? I think not.
2. Despite it being a horrible, horrible show, I know I'll be watching it all season.
3. I hate Kristen, the new narrator of this season. I hated her last season. I hate her now.
Show 2: Hell's Kitchen
Alright, this was the first episode I've watched of this show, and thankfully it was the 2 hour season finale, so I know I won't be sucked into another show for months on end... However, I did sit through the 2 hour show, in which they took no less than 20 minutes to announce the winner (of course) and made some scrumptilicious (sp?) food.
Show 3: O.C.
Okay, this isn't a reality show, but it deserves to be mentioned, in my opinion...
Yay! The season 2 DVD is coming out this month and season 3 previews have started to air.
Okay Lance Armstrong is coming on Letterman, so I'm out...
Well, I finally saw the first episode of Laguna Beach season 2, (I know, a week late, and I didn't even watch tonight's new show) and what can I say...
1. It was way cheesier than season 1, but was I suspecting anything less? I think not.
2. Despite it being a horrible, horrible show, I know I'll be watching it all season.
3. I hate Kristen, the new narrator of this season. I hated her last season. I hate her now.
Show 2: Hell's Kitchen
Alright, this was the first episode I've watched of this show, and thankfully it was the 2 hour season finale, so I know I won't be sucked into another show for months on end... However, I did sit through the 2 hour show, in which they took no less than 20 minutes to announce the winner (of course) and made some scrumptilicious (sp?) food.
Show 3: O.C.
Okay, this isn't a reality show, but it deserves to be mentioned, in my opinion...
Yay! The season 2 DVD is coming out this month and season 3 previews have started to air.
Okay Lance Armstrong is coming on Letterman, so I'm out...
Home, at Last!
After an absolutely glorious vacation in rural Illinois, the St. Louis metropolitan area, and Lake of the Ozarks, we are home at last. Can't say I wanted to leave the Ozarks, but it was sure nice to come home to my kitty and my own bed.
Well, here's a brief recap of our trip....
Drove 13 hours to Edwardsville, where Rob's parents live and got to see the Cubs play the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. That was awesome, even though the Cubs lost that game, they won the other two they played there that weekend! Go Cubs! Then we went up to Rob's aunt and uncle's for the annual Gillespie camping trip. The weather was close to miserable, but the beer cooled us off, and Rob's aunt and uncle were kind enough to let us use their camper, so we were able to sleep in a/c. We had so many friends come down from Chi-town to camp with us- it was awesome! I had such a blast, despite seeing too many dudes in speedos and getting a gazillion mosquito bites. My parents also came down and spent the weekend with Rob's parents, and Rob's uncle from Alabama was in town, so we really got to see a ton of people! The Illinois/St. Louis portion of our vacation was a huge success.
The middle of last week, Todd met us at Rob's parent's house, and we went down to his parent's place at Lake of the Ozarks, where we spent the rest of our vacation. We had absolutely beautiful weather. We arrived in the Ozarks on Wednesday around noon and spent the rest of our weekend there lounging on their gorgeous boats, floating in the water, eating absolutely divine food out at some great restaurants and also at their house, courtesy of Linda's gourmet cooking, and of course, drinking lots of beer. Our vacation just simply could not have been any better. It was so great to see Todd (Oh, how I missed his humor) and his family (his brother and sister-in-law were also down), as well as some of their extended family and friends that we've gotten to know over the past few years. I even got quite a tan down there, and to top it off, I got a few more gazillion bites of some sort there too! Some additional highlights of the Ozarks included Jeff's comments at dinner on Thursday night ("I love you" to the bus boy amongst other crazy comments) and watching the SNL Best of Will Farrell ("You win... You always do...."), which I'm still laughing about now. Anyways, it was a lot of fun, and I really didn't want to leave!
We left Sunday morning from the Ozarks, for a marathon drive through Missouri, Kansas, and finally half of Colorado to make it back home by 9pm. If you ever think your cat doesn't like you, leave him for 10 days (don't worry, I had someone watching him) and come back. He won't leave your side. Mikey has been meowing and rubbing up against us, and slept right by me and won't leave our sides now! Ah, and it is so nice to be back in the humid-free climate of Colorado. How I missed thee.
Well, I must get some work done and catch up on all my emails from the past week.
Well, here's a brief recap of our trip....
Drove 13 hours to Edwardsville, where Rob's parents live and got to see the Cubs play the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. That was awesome, even though the Cubs lost that game, they won the other two they played there that weekend! Go Cubs! Then we went up to Rob's aunt and uncle's for the annual Gillespie camping trip. The weather was close to miserable, but the beer cooled us off, and Rob's aunt and uncle were kind enough to let us use their camper, so we were able to sleep in a/c. We had so many friends come down from Chi-town to camp with us- it was awesome! I had such a blast, despite seeing too many dudes in speedos and getting a gazillion mosquito bites. My parents also came down and spent the weekend with Rob's parents, and Rob's uncle from Alabama was in town, so we really got to see a ton of people! The Illinois/St. Louis portion of our vacation was a huge success.
The middle of last week, Todd met us at Rob's parent's house, and we went down to his parent's place at Lake of the Ozarks, where we spent the rest of our vacation. We had absolutely beautiful weather. We arrived in the Ozarks on Wednesday around noon and spent the rest of our weekend there lounging on their gorgeous boats, floating in the water, eating absolutely divine food out at some great restaurants and also at their house, courtesy of Linda's gourmet cooking, and of course, drinking lots of beer. Our vacation just simply could not have been any better. It was so great to see Todd (Oh, how I missed his humor) and his family (his brother and sister-in-law were also down), as well as some of their extended family and friends that we've gotten to know over the past few years. I even got quite a tan down there, and to top it off, I got a few more gazillion bites of some sort there too! Some additional highlights of the Ozarks included Jeff's comments at dinner on Thursday night ("I love you" to the bus boy amongst other crazy comments) and watching the SNL Best of Will Farrell ("You win... You always do...."), which I'm still laughing about now. Anyways, it was a lot of fun, and I really didn't want to leave!
We left Sunday morning from the Ozarks, for a marathon drive through Missouri, Kansas, and finally half of Colorado to make it back home by 9pm. If you ever think your cat doesn't like you, leave him for 10 days (don't worry, I had someone watching him) and come back. He won't leave your side. Mikey has been meowing and rubbing up against us, and slept right by me and won't leave our sides now! Ah, and it is so nice to be back in the humid-free climate of Colorado. How I missed thee.
Well, I must get some work done and catch up on all my emails from the past week.
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