haphazard musings

#76 - Go skiing.

Check.  Another one down. 

We headed west back in March and hit the slopes.

(Like I said the other day, I am so far behind.)

Fun Facts to know about the trip:

Ryan ran into a tree,

I only fell one - getting off the lift - so lame.
 
It was awkwardly warm = slushy snow & sweating even in only a t-shirt under your coat.
 

I got massive blisters and shin bruises from my boots.  That never used to happen.  I think it's because I am getting old.
 

Or it could have been the mile walk from the car to the lifts...maybe.
 

We had a quick overnight and yummy breakfast in Limon (Thanks Joe and Cindy!). 
 

We even got to visit the cows!  I love when their hair is long and shaggy.

The Smiling Moose for lunch.  Awesome deli in Downtown Denver.

 

I learned to drive in the mountains...

It wasn't really that bad...I don't think...

When we finally (2.5 hours later) pulled into Winter Park, I was exhausted.  Seriously, I was really stressed out.  But I figured out how to down-shift and everything.

Ryan then got to enjoy one of the happiest moments of his life.

It's really all about anything with an engine/motor for him. : )

We stayed at an awesome cabin in Granby.  It had awesome views.

We were the best looking ladies on the slopes.

We ate the best pizza ever.

During that meal, between the four of us, drank 5 pitchers of water and 2 coke's apiece.  The waiter brought a pitcher each time he came into our section.

    (hungry yet?)

We went to the very tip top of the mountain (over 12,000 feet).  It was amazing and I wish I had my camera...but since I tend to break things, I didn't take it with me.

It took Anne and I about 1.5 hours to find our way back down...

It took Ryan 20 mintues.

Loren was off exploring other regions of the huge resort. :)

'

I decided that I am moving here.

I want to wake up to this each morning.

 

 

thought of the day

Reading a new book - non-fiction.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

source

by Donald Miller

Recommended by Pastor Loren - his blog is undecided.  Perhaps you should leave him a comment, telling him what you think he should write about.

So far, so good.  

Interesting read - he writes like he would talk - which I obviously identify with...  

Wondering where it is going - in a good way.

Wanting to know more.

So back to the thought of the day.  

Get ready.  

It's kind of a doozy...

"I've wondered, though, if one of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don't want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgment."

Go ahead.  Read it again.  It takes a couple times.

"I've wondered, though, if one of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don't want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgment."

He continues, "...And if life isn't remarkable...we can be unwilling victims rahter than grateful participants."

Thoughts?

wow...10 days

since my last post.  I feel like a total slacker and I feel like I really need to get some stuff out.

I am all kinds of backed up on photos and stories and thoughts.

I can sum up the rest of the post in 4 words:

MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK MEETS

Do you remember those?

I went to one last week with my friends Julie and Kesler to watch some of the most awesome 8th graders I know.

It reminded me so so much of being 13.  I know I have talked about being 13 before and how much fun it is to think back. 

Notice I said THINK back, not GO back. :)

What are the key things you remember from middle school track meets?

Here are my top 5 things.

1. Boys.  I was in track so I could giggle with the other girls about the boys.

2. Cold.  It was always cold, unless it was hot.  Which sometimes, it was.

3. Food.  It was all about what my mom packed in my cooler.

4. Early release.  For the right meets, you could leave school as early as 12:30 sometimes.  Awesome.

5. Social Event of the Week.  Track meets were the event of the week.  Why?  Everyone did track.  Seriously, almost everyone.  There were no tryouts.  I "ran" track because all the people I liked, hoped to like and hoped would like me were on the team.

Other thoughts on track...I was bad.  I have never been much of a runner.  I was in throwing events.  I wasn't much good at that either.

I did once run the 800 meter race.  No idea what inspired my coach to have me run that considering I had never done it before, nor had I ever expressed a desire to compete.  But run it I did.  I actually got 2nd place. 

Totally crazy. 

Total fluke. 

Totally awesome. 

I never ran it again.  I decided to go out while I was ahead.

However, in the last few weeks, I have become a runner.  Twice I have run for 60 minutes...without stopping...without my legs falling off...without thinking I would pass out. More on this topic later!

 

 

Movie Reviews!

We are still loving Netflix.  So I thought I would share my lastest reviews.

1. Breakfast at Tiffany's

Can't believe I have never seen this movie.  I think it is shameful!  

It was awesome.  Loved it.  Favorite things:

Audrey Hepburn.  Need I say more?

Her name is Holly Golightly.  Golightly for some reason is hilarious.

She actually uses that cigarette holder in the movie...funny things happen.

She calls her downstairs neighbor Fred-baby - he is not named Fred - also for some reason funny.   Especially, when one guy doesn't know who he is until he introduces himself as Fred.

 

2. Driving Miss Daisy

Favorite things:

One of the best lines: "I wouldn't be in your shoes if the Sweet Lord Jesus come down and asked me himself."

Morgan Freeman is fantastic.

Interesting perspective on the South from 1950's through the 80's.

Fantastic song.

 

Rent them.  Check them out.  Netflix.  Whatever.  You have to watch them.

Also if you haven't seen it - The Holiday is a lot of fun!  It has the cutest two little girls in it.  (Skip to 5:30 for the best part.)

 

Do you ever...

pay attention to road signs.

I do.

They are for keeping drivers safe and aware of their surroundings.  They are important.

This one says Avalanch Area, my car photo skills aren't as good when I am in the backseat...

Anyway...So this sign tells me, "Be afraid - there could be an avalanche anywhere, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it."  

I mean you can watch for an avalanche, but if it there was one right now while you are passing this sign, well you're just gonna be the next abominable snowman.  Let's be honest, you can't outrun an avalanche.  

This sign tells us "Congratulations!  You are now aware that a giant boulder may come hurtleing down the mountainside at any moment! Better keep your eyes peeled."  

I always think about bananas when people say eyes peeled.  I picture grabbing your eyelids and literally peeling them back.  I think it would probably hurt pretty bad.

So sometime when you are hanging out with my dad, you should ask him about Falling Rock.  It was a guy he knew when he was a kid and he has some great stories.  Every time we go to Colorado we are supposed to be on the watch for him...so should you.

Really.  You just ask him.

Just dial 316.775...and his jeans size.  I will forever know what size jeans my dad wears, because it was our phone number growing up.  So if you can guess that you can call him and ask about Falling Fock.

And, this sign just seems unnecessary.  How much to you think the Dept of Transportation has spent, total, for all the signs announcing tunnels?

Which do you think you would notice first?  The tiny little sign announcing the tunnel or the giant hole in the mountain that you are just about to drive into?

Just wondering.

Favorite sign of all time and unrelated to this post of Colorado signs...

Please come enjoy the lovely views from these benches, but at any moment you could be looking in the face of a 5000 pound pacaderm with tusks the size of the car by which you arrived at this lovely spot.

Good News!

Well in fact it is great news!

Remember this?

Of course you do.  I have only talked about it 3 times in the last few weeks.

I made it at home and so can you!

Purchase this.

source

You can get it a mst grocery stores.

Get some GOOD quality lemonade (premixed - not the Country Time powder).

Then whip up a simple syrup - the ratio is one part water to one part sugar.  Just heat on the stove until the sugar is completely disolved. (According to another website this can be refridgerated for up to one month.)

So this is what I did.

2 tea bags in 2 cups boiling water - steep at least 5 minutes you want it to be strong.

Mix concentrate with 1.5 more cups cold water.

I used this to mix it - apparently shaken not stired (it's a shame Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig aren't here to help) really does make a difference.

I did about 20 ounces of tea to 17 ounces of lemonade and 3 tablespoons of simple syrup.

Add ice...and shake it like a polaroid picture.

Enjoy!!!

PS...just thought you should know I am posting this in lieu of working on my short story.  Yep next thing you know I will be an author...not saying I will be a good one, but i will have written something at least seven pages long...

PPS thank goodness for my Pandora station with Adele and Ingrid Michaelson...you should try it out.

Love It...Hate It...vol. 8

Welcome to another edition of Love it...Hate it...

This one is a love it!

I love this.

What exactly is this you may ask...well, it's two things!

1. a big family.  I love big families!!!  There is just something awesome about the idea of lots of people to love!

2. adoption.  I love adoption!!!  Isn't it just amazing that Jesus has given us the chance to live out the gospel here on Earth by accepting little people into our families and loving them unconditionally just like Jesus brings us into His family and loves us forever.

Don't you just love it!?!

That's a whole lotta family and a whole lotta love!

They asked me to come take their pictures the other day.  So I thought I would share a couple and share a tiny bit of their story.  The little gal in the middle, came to be part of this wonderfuly family from Peru.  It has been quite a journey for the whole family from beginning (understanding God's plan) to end (finally meeting her on another continent and where they only speak Spanish).  She has been with this family for 6 months now!  

She is the cutest little gal.  She is outgoing and confident, and we all love her.

How could you not?  She was really hamming it up for the camera.  She kept yelling cheese and smiling so hard I thought her face was going to break in two.

Check out her mama's blog and you can catch the whole adoption story!!!

I think this picture is my favorite.

Thanks for letting me take your pictures!  I had fun!
 

 

 

on a sunny day

not so long ago, Ryan and I took a little drive.

We followed a

as we drove along.

We passed a really long

that sat parked along highway 56.

After about 1.5 hours spent enjoying the lovely Kansas scenery, we ended up saying goodbye to

, 

he served us well and he was a great car.

There were lots of stories and memories shared by

as we allowed the Xtera to find its next owner.

Then we hit the

back to good old Newton.

It was a lovely trip as you can see in the view in my

of our new ride.

 

 

have you ever noticed

that while universities have beautiful campus landscaping and buildings and structures...

they have the strangest art.

Like weirdo people running and playing on the side of a wall...

Or this weird spikey dude...

Or the puffy couple just standing in wait...