Take a Trip

Where's Elaine?

2011-08-29T13:43:00.001-06:00

And why isn't she blogging?

I'm still blogging, but I'm concentrating on travels only in hopes of doing some "real" travel writing. You can check it out at http://www.elainematthews.com. It's all for the love of travel!

New Work Website

2011-01-12T18:38:00.001-07:00

We've been working on a new website for work, and it's live. You can check it out at www.rswpartners.com.

New Addition

2011-01-07T18:46:00.002-07:00

You won't believe it, but we got a dog today. I do some marketing work for Tiara Rado Animal Hospital (check out the site, we did a good job) and they told me that they had a 12-year-old Collie that needed adopting. It's an old dog, but she doesn't act that old.

Her story is a sad one. Her owners were elderly and in a car wreck. The husband passed away a couple months after the accident. Since the dog, Babe, was his dog, it was too painful for the wife to keep her around as a reminder. She's incredibly mellow, which is our style. I think she might be part cat. Now for those of you with your jaws on the floor because you still can't believe I got a dog, here's some proof.

Mo Friends

2011-01-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

John and I spent our last day in Missouri visiting friends, and I'm so happy I got to see each and every one. We first made a stop to see Season, Pamela, Debbie and the new additions to their families. It was great catching up and seeing their babies. Unfortunately I forgot to take any photos!

Then we went to Donna's where we saw Briana, Tim, Kayla, Donna and Keith. It was just like old times hanging around with good food and conversation. Kayla, Donna and I couldn't resist getting one more holiday picture as we have done in years past. Kayla always has the perfect pose ...

Here I am looking like I'm proposing to Donna, but I'm trying to feel the baby. Don't ask me what Kayla's doing on the floor. I just noticed it!

This is the picture we got of John during the visit. I think the combination of my family plus my wonderful friends nearly drove him mad! Gotta love this guy!

Home on the Range

2011-01-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

December meant a trip to Missouri to visit my family, and it was good for the soul. I knew I missed all my nephews, but I didn't know how much. It was a fast trip, but we got to have our family Christmas. It was like I had never left.

Wyatt must have missed me since he clung on to my leg!

Levi truly was thrilled to see us.

Wade and Chase were ready to eat so they could get on to opening presents. How cute are these faces!

Wade was perfectly content playing with his train on the floor.

Mom and Chase played Rumikub together. They're deep in concentration.

The entire family crammed in the living room. We're a motley crew!

Texas Time

2011-01-02T15:06:00.007-07:00

Since it's been some time since I blogged, there have been a few things that have been missed. In November we went to visit John's family in Texas, and we had a great time. We were running all over the county visiting family, but it was still great fun.

We were in Texas just prior to Thanksgiving, and we wouldn't be back for the holidays, we had a Thanksgiving-style meal with John's dad, brothers and their familes. It was delicious and a lot of fun. We did manage to get a few shots of the family. Thanks for a wonderful time!

The Matthews' Men

Kevin (brother), Rick (dad), John and Van (brother)

The entire family

The entire family acting like a bunch of goof balls. You can see why I love these people!

Van's Family: Van, his wife Carla, Coley, Morgan and Evy

Kevin's Family: Kevin, his wife Kim and Kate

And you know these beautiful people, and if you don't, you wish you did.

Holiday hike

2010-12-26T21:23:00.002-07:00

It's been unusually mild this winter, which has allowed John and I to enjoy the outdoors even longer. Christmas Eve turned out to be the perfect day to explore more of the hiking trails throughout the Colorado National Monument. We're in Colorado, we might as well enjoy it!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T21:18:00.001-07:00

Wishing you a very happy holiday season! We were able to see many of our friends and family earlier this month in Missouri, which was our first trip back since we got married. It was good for my soul!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Birthday Vacay: Heading Home

2010-09-08T06:00:00.001-06:00

Our birthday vacation came to an end with a flight home over Bryce Canyon National Park and Lake Powell. Even from the air Bryce is spectacular.

If you look close, you can see the "bathtub ring" around Lake Powell.

Birthday Vacay: Zion NP

2010-09-07T06:00:00.008-06:00

On day two of our birthday expedition, we made the 80 mile trek to Zion National Park. This is another park that I didn't get to explore much on the train tours, and John had never been. It started out as a pretty dreary day, but by the end, it was absolutely gorgeous.

I really like that Bryce and Zion are so close because they give two completely different perspectives. At Bryce you're at the rim of the canyon looking down on these gorgeous orange hoodoos and at Zion, you're in a valley looking up at these towering monoliths. All of it is quite spectacular.

Weeping walls during our first hike. The sandstone is so porous, it is constantly "weeping". They say that the water that comes out of these stones is thousands/millions of years old ... I'm not sure about that one, but when you have a continuously wet wall in the middle of the dessert, the water has to come from somewhere.

These flowers were everywhere. I'm not sure what they are, but they're beautiful.

Looking down through Zion's Valley.

At the end of our first hike was this view. You can hike across the river into the "Narrows" which is where the canyon becomes even more narrow - imagine that - and it was carved by the river. I don't think I would do it that day since they were calling for flash floods.

John at the end of the trail.

Me striking a pose circa 1997 senior photo shoot.

The park's shuttle system. There is no place for the cars to park in Zion, so they have everyone park at the visitor's center, and then the shuttles come by every 10 minutes or so and pick you up, drop you off at the next stop, etc. It's a great system, but when we got there in the morning, I thought John was going to turn the car around to go home. The crowd was monstrous! He ended up having more fun when the crowds thinned out toward the afternoon. During our first hike to the river, it seemed as if people were hiking on a mission and not enjoying what was around them as they went, so you felt like you were slowing traffic if you stopped to enjoy or take a photo. But it is good to see that so many are enjoying our national parks.

A taste of Zion's monoliths

Birthday Vacay: Bryce Canyon NP

2010-09-06T13:46:00.004-06:00

A month late in updating you on our birthday trip, but here's the first day. John and I flew - John flew, and I rode along - to Bryce Canyon National Park the weekend before our birthdays. We landed at the airport, which is nothing more than a paved runway a barn and the "terminal."

We made our way to Ruby's Inn, which is near the airport and run by the same family for generations. There's a few hotels, couple gas stations, rentals, etc. Basically it's a tourist trap, but it's the only thing available near the park. We rented the last car available and made our way into the park.

I had been to the park before with the train tours, but I never got to do any of the hiking. I didn't even know there were so many great trails! I guess when you're touring with a more mature audience, you don't realize such things.

On a hike at Sunrise Point.

The hoodoos at Bryce Canyon. The hoodoos are caused by the natural erosion process of water flowing through the rocks, freezing, thawing, etc.

Toward the end of the day we were getting pooped from our hikes. I decided to take a breather after a monsoonal downpour.

John being his handsome, jovial self near the Natural Bridge.

Ending our day at the Natural Bridge.

That evening we went to the Western show that Ruby's Inn put on, which came with dinner. The food was good and the singing was great.

What's different?

2010-07-31T15:46:00.006-06:00

Can you see the difference between these two pictures? (not counting cleanliness)

That's right ... We put new pulls on our kitchen cabinets! I know it seems like small potatoes, but there will be no more nails breaking, splitting or pulled back painfully while opening cabinets. The extra benefit is it adds panache!

Ridgway to Ouray

2010-07-30T07:59:00.001-06:00

Swimming is a very important part of any trip with Levi, so we went to Ridgway State Park. We had heard it was a fun, beautiful place, and they were right. We had a picnic first.

And then Levi froze his tush off in the reservoir.

We then went on to Ouray, Colo., which is known for its springs. It's a beautiful town surrounded by the mountains.

I started to drive the Million Dollar Highway for this view, and had to turn around after a few miles. There is no guard rail and we were driving next to a cliff. My nerves couldn't take it, and I won't do it again!

I had such a great time with Mom and Levi. It was sad to see them go.

Grand Mesa

2010-07-29T07:47:00.003-06:00

The third day we made the trek up the Grand Mesa, which was about 30 degrees cooler than in the valley of Grand Junction. Levi and I are posing near the Powderhorn Ski Resort that overlooks the valley. You can see the Bookcliffs in the background.

It was so green on top of the Grand Mesa, and there are a number of lakes scattered about. Absolutely gorgeous!

This is another gorgeous lake. I really like the picture since it looks like Mom and Levi are standing in front of a back drop. It also makes you want to go camping ...

Fun in the Sun

2010-07-28T07:36:00.003-06:00

The second day Mom and Levi were here, Levi and I went to the gym, we all went shopping, went to the pool and Levi got a ride in the convertible. Here he is looking too cool for school.

John had a good time taking him for a ride.

While the boys were gone, mom and I got out the mower to attack our little grass patch. I barely started when the boys showed up. Levi wanted to try the rotary mower out...

Then mom ...

And John finished up. There's nothing better than making your chores look fun and having someone else finish them up for you! I'm sure there's a bit of Tom Sawyer in all of us.

Glenwood Springs, Colo.

2010-07-27T19:17:00.003-06:00

It was great having Mom and Levi out his past week for a visit. We had so much fun! Our first adventure was Glenwood Springs and the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. We took a ride up Iron Mountain on a tram, which is always an experience trying to get on and off a moving, swaying pod, but we got some great views on the way up.

Our first stop was the cave, which is was quite beautiful. One of the "rooms" is the second largest in the state. I have to say I was surprised since there are much larger caves in Missouri. I thought Colorado would have larger caves, but I guess not.

We took time to step outside the cave and take a look at the view of the Colorado River down below, and this thrill ride that swings you out over the canyon. I couldn't wait to try it out!

And then I got on it, and the butterflies started. We flew out over the canyon, looking at the river and highway approximately 4,000 feet below. I couldn't wait to do it again, but Levi sure could.

Levi rode the bull and laughed the entire time before getting thrown off.

I rode the bull and told them to stop BEFORE I got thrown off. By looking at the picture, I think I could have just stood up ...

We had lunch overlooking the city of Glenwood Springs.

And we rode the Alpine Coaster, which goes incredibly fast the more weight you have on the sled. This was our first go, and they assured me that the sled wouldn't fly off the coaster rails. It was so much fun, we did it again, but we did it on our own.

We sluiced for gems.

And we flew over the canyon once more before we made the trek back home. Levi is such a brave guy!

Rock Art

2010-07-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

I really like this picture I took at Arches National Park, so I thought I would share. Along the hiking trails, rocks are stacked so you know you're on the path. This particular stack was by "Balanced Rock".

Fam Trip, Part Dos

2010-07-21T07:00:00.004-06:00

The family fun continued Saturday with a trip to Arches National Park in the 100+ degree heat. It's a dry heat, so it's really not as bad as you think. However, it was still pretty warm. We took our time driving to Moab, Utah, making a stops along the Colorado River near Castle Valley. Here's John, Kevin and Kate. Kim decided to take a breather and recoup a bit from the full week of traveling and sightseeing. I would definitely need a vacation from a packed vacation!

The park was busy, but not as busy as it could be, which could have been due to the heat. I really like this picture of Kevin and Kate with the "Three Gossips" in the background.

Kate really enjoyed climbing all over the rocks. She's such a brave soul! This is much more treacherous than it looks. What you can't see is what they had to climb to get to this point at the "Double Arches".

As the day went on, clouds began to roll in, which made it much cooler (like 98). John took this picture as we were leaving the "Landscape Arch" area of the park around 6 p.m. or so.

Again, the mandatory glamor shot of me and John. I know you can't get enough of us! Do I sound conceited? Oh, well.

Fam Trip

2010-07-20T08:44:00.007-06:00

This past weekend, John's brother's family came for a visit. Kevin, Kim and Kate made the trek from East Texas by car, stopping to see the sights along the way. We had a wonderful time! Thursday night we went to the Downtown Farmer's Market and the next day we went through the Colorado National Monument. Aren't they cute!

Kate and I went off on a trail and spotted this lizard. At first it looked like a toy since it was so brightly colored, but then it scampered off into the shade where John shot this picture. Definitely real.

After our hike, which was longer than we expected, Kate was bushed.

Both of us were ready to stop the hiking in the crazy heat. We ended up taking a short cut off the trail on the main road. We're such rule breakers!

Then we drove through the monument, close to the cliff's edge. This is how I felt about Kevin's driving ... Kim went to her "happy place". (Just kidding, Kevin! You did great!)

Glamor shots of me and John. You know it's mandatory. I'll be sure to post more pix of our grand adventure with the Matthews. Stay tuned.

Cocker's Concert

2010-07-07T08:13:00.004-06:00

Last night John and I made the trek to Hotchkiss, Colo., a town around 500 people to see Joe Cocker. He's still got it and he put on a great show. His band was incredible and the fans were definitely into the concert.

Since Joe has a ranch and makes his home in Crawford, he puts on a benefit concert every year for the Cocker Kids Foundation. CKF benefits local kids with scholarships, camps, etc.

John and I skewed to the older side, but it's not to say that there wasn't tomfoolery happening in the audience, including a bit of the "medical" marijuana. Maybe those folks were reliving the Joe Cocker concert from Woodstock.

John and I before the concert.

Joe Cocker rockin' out.

We were able to go to a meet and greet, so I took John's picture with Joe. Yeah, we're on a first name basis ...

Final Friday

2010-06-25T08:44:00.002-06:00

Today's my final Friday I'll have to work for a couple months. Every business is feeling the pinch, and we're no different. To prevent a major shake up, my place of employment has decided to have summer hours, which means Friday's off to cut back on costs.

Now, if I were still single, I would be in panic mode. But since I'm now in a two income household, it'll all be a-okay. John was excited - and so am I - because we can take more mini vacations that we don't have to rush through.

Watch out West ... the Matthews have an extra day of play! (By the way, John has so much vacation, he can never use it all, so he's considering taking Friday's off every now and again. He's so sweet!)

Telluride, Colo

2010-06-17T21:53:00.002-06:00

Spring is here, and John and I are back at it; traveling the state and taking in the vacation spots others plan for all year. There are pros and cons to every place you live, but this is definitely a pro.

Last weekend John and I traveled to Telluride, which is about a two and a half hour drive from Grand Junction. Driving that small distance, I felt like I was definitely on vacation because the scenery changed so drastically, from the red rocks of the desert to the green trees and mountainous landscape of this cute little Colorado mining town.

The week prior it had been incredibly hot, but the day we left for Telluride, we had all kinds of rain and hail. You can see that the picture of main street is cloudy. Usually there's a huge mountain you can see towering over the valley community.

Telluride is definitely an exclusive community. There are no chain stores or restaurants to be found. If you're in Telluride, you meant to go to Telluride. This is not a community you drive through to get somewhere else since it's so tucked away. I'm sure this is what makes it the perfect getaway for stars like Oprah and Tom Cruise.

At the end of town you can see Bridal Falls. On Saturday, this is the view we had. Even though we couldn't see the top of the mountains, it was absolutely gorgeous.

We stayed in Mountain Village, just outside Telluride, on Saturday night. The hotel was very nice and the staff was incredibly accommodating at the Inn at Lost Creek. When we got up the next morning, the skies had cleared and we saw the true majesty of the surrounding Rockies.

To get from Mountain Village down to Telluride, we took the free Gondola. It's a perfect piece of transportation and incredibly convenient; take the Gondola up to get to the grocery store and down to get to Telluride. They also had a free shuttle. John and I think we could've been the perfect trust fund kids. :)

When John is away ...

2010-06-06T13:43:00.003-06:00

Last weekend, the long Memorial Day weekend, John was out on location the entire time, hence the cleaning of the closets. In addition I sewed up a couple things I thought I would share. The first is a bag a gal I met ordered. She said she liked purples, blues and greens, so she got her wish.

The second thing I sewed up is this skirt, with a waistband, zipper and pockets. It's been so long since I've done anything too complicated, so I had to teach myself how to sew in a zipper again. The pattern I used wasn't any help. I sewed it in and it looks okay. I'm sure it'll stay in, so I consider it a success.

Coming Clean

2010-05-30T19:38:00.005-06:00

I'm cleaning out closets Memorial Day weekend. (I know you're jealous.) Nothing more American than going through your "stuff". Actually, my crafting closet had gotten out of hand and I couldn't stand digging through a tub of fabric anymore. Since each piece didn't have a place, it got thrown in a pile. I think I have a sufficient system. Now I have to stick to it ...

OK, it's embarrassing, but this is the only way for you to appreciate the end result.

BEFORE

AFTER

The most horrifying part is I went on to clean out the other closets, or at least get the blatant messes straightened up. Be afraid, be very afraid.

Concert with Joe Cocker

2010-05-19T09:30:00.002-06:00

Joe Cocker, think old blues/rock guy and the "Wonder Years" theme song, lives about an hour from Grand Junction. He established the Cocker Kids Foundation to help local children that are less fortunate. In July Joe, we're on a first name basis now, is throwing a concert to benefit the foundation. My sweet hubby got us tickets. Should be fun!

Shrivel ...

2010-05-18T11:24:00.002-06:00

This is what I'm doing right now, shriveling up due to the lack of humidity. Last night when I went to bed, the humidity in the house read a mere 18 percent. Crazy, I know, for everyone back home.

4-H Skills Revisted

2010-05-16T18:01:00.003-06:00

Joann's Fabrics had a big sale on patterns, so I bought a few in hopes that I could remember how to make a garment. I don't think I did too bad. The shirt is a tad short, but I'll know I need to lengthen it about an inch next time. And, if I didn't sew all those garments in 4-H, I wouldn't have known what to do. The instructions on the pattern was so vague. Thank you Mom and Ann for making me stick to it and do it right! (Please excuse the lack of makeup ... just look at the blouse!)

Silly me ...

2010-05-14T23:30:00.002-06:00

So here I am on the computer close to midnight waiting on a client's Facebook contest to end. When I wrote the rules for the contest, it sounded great that the contest would end at 11:59 p.m. today. It sounded good until it was a very close race and there have been 50 more fans in the last couple hours. Only 20 more minutes ... The next contest will end at noon on Friday.

You, too, may become a fan and get tips and tricks for your garden at www.facebook.com/mtgarfieldgreenhouse. You can't expect a marketer not to plug the client!

Bloomin' Deals

2010-05-09T18:15:00.004-06:00

Since I'm a member of the Botanical Garden board, I decided to go in with my friend Val on a booth for Bloomin' Deals. Bloomin' Deals is where folks can come to buy plants and handmade goods. I had my bags and jewelry and Val and her husband sold their woodworking creations. We didn't have near the turn out as expected, but we had a nice time.

My Facebook post makes newspaper

2010-05-07T10:55:00.003-06:00

The time has come where Facebook posts supply the news industry. We have a community paper here called the Free Press. I decided to post a comment on the paper's wall about a client and its "pathetic patio" contest. The next day, I pick up the paper, and this is what it says under business news:

Elaine Matthews from Ryan, Sawyer & Whitney dropped this item regarding a Facebook contest being put on by a local greenhouse biz: "Thought you'd like to know Mt. Garfield Greenhouse has a 'Pathetic Patio' contest going on right now where you post a pic of your patio or deck, get the most 'likes' and win a $300 gift certificate to the store." Surely, you or someone you know could benefit from a patio spruce-up. Jump on Facebook and search for Mt. Garfield's page.

It's great for the client, funny and a bit sad that they're picking up a Facebook post verbatim. Love it!

Flat Stanley visits Colorado

2010-05-06T19:34:00.005-06:00

Our nephew, Coley, sent Flat Stanley to us in hopes of learning about Grand Junction. If you're not familiar with the book, a chalk board falls on Stanley, flattens him out and he travels around the world. (Reader's Digest version) We took Flat Stanley all around GJ: airport, visitors center, Colorado National Monument and the orchards. We can't wait until Coley comes to visit so we can show him the same good time!

Crowned, but not a Queen

2010-04-28T10:36:00.002-06:00

I'll become a queen next month when I get a gold crown ... on my tooth that is! I should've had my wisdom teeth taken out years before I actually did, because they really messed up my back molars, so much so that I need a crown. Let the money spigot open to the dentist's office...

Love lost ... Cake won

2010-04-22T21:52:00.003-06:00

So ... some things are hard to explain. John has out-of-state friends who have family here in Grand Junction. They were kind enough to order a three-tier wedding cake and a groom's cake for a relative's ceremony even though they weren't able to attend. We got a call this afternoon asking us to pick up the cake ... the wedding was cancelled. It's one of the oddest requests I've ever experienced. Now we have a load of cake to share. Their loss is our gain? And before you ask, we're assuming that the couple didn't care to eat the cake that was supposed to be a symbol of their marriage. When free cake's involved, we don't ask too many questions.

Yes, this involved a trip to the Wal-Mart Bakery.

New family member!

2010-04-17T17:50:00.002-06:00

I'm being over dramatic, but I've traded this trusty machine in for ...

This! My Singer has been beautiful and stitches great, but it just straight stitches, no back stitch no zigzag. My new Bernina threads itself and more! That's what I'm talking about! Welcome to the family Bernie.

Lunch with Ben Stein

2010-04-14T15:51:00.003-06:00

Today I had lunch with Ben Stein. OK, I had lunch with Ben Stein and several other guests in the gymnasium at Mesa State College. Once I got past the thought of him saying, "Bueller, Bueller," I could truly listen.

He had a lot of good, and very insightful, things to say about our economy and how government is working today. Nothing really jumped out at me, but it was nevertheless exciting to have the opportunity to listen to a noted economist, author, and television personality.

One year of wedded bliss ...

2010-04-12T15:35:00.007-06:00

It's hard to believe that we've been married a year! It seems like we've always been a couple, and I can truly say that it has been a year of wedded bliss. John says it's been six months of wedded bliss ... he's joking, but I assure you he got a dirty look for that one!

I also told John we have to take our picture on our anniversary. Very reminiscent of our first day of school pictures. Here we are all serious.

Being our goofy selves. Marriage has rendered us both blind. Really, we have no eyes!

John giving me a picture surprise. He's so sweet!

To celebrate we went to Target and picked out cards for each other. After we picked out a couple for each other, we read them and put them back on the rack. No joke. How romantic and frugal is that! (In case you're shocked and appalled, we did go out to dinner.)

An Artist in my Home

2010-04-08T08:31:00.003-06:00

That artist happens to be John. After our trip to Canyonlands National Park, we decided that this picture was frame worthy. In my opinion, this photo is as good or better than some of the photos selling in galleries of the same view. John had the picture blown up and put on canvas.

The photo up close and personal on a white wall.

And the photo hung where we think it will stay. (sorry for the bad lighting)

How do I get rid of blog spam?

2010-04-05T14:33:00.001-06:00

Is anyone else getting spammed in the comment section of their blogs? I'm getting all kinds of comments that include links for medications. How do I get rid of it?

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T14:06:00.002-06:00

Well, Happy Belated Easter! I hope everyone had a wonderful day with family and friends. Unfortunately, John was out on location the entire weekend, but he was able to come home in the evening, even if it was at 3 a.m.

We had a packed house at church Easter Sunday and then a couple, who's also a Grand Junction transplant due to the oilfield, had us over for dinner. All of us there were transplants, so it was nice having a "family" to have Easter dinner with. I just wish John could've joined us!

Spring?

2010-04-02T09:25:00.000-06:00

All in one day ... rain, snow, sun, rain, sleet, hail, snow. No tornadoes, so I know I'm not in Kansas anymore.

Hanging Flume Event

2010-03-26T09:41:00.005-06:00

I know you've stayed up late at night wondering about Hanging Flume's. Well, you've come to the right place! We had the DVD premiere event last weekend for "Hanging Flume: The Best Kept Secret of the Wild West" last weekend at Gateway Canyons Resort, and you, too, may know more than you ever thought possible about the Hanging Flume.

The Hanging Flume precariously perched above the Delores River near Gateway, Colo.

In all seriousness, it is quite the marvel, and you can learn more about this piece of Colorado gold mining history at www.hangingflume.org. And you can even by the DVD while you're there.

The center for all the action: Palisade Event Center, Gateway Canyons Resort

We had the premiere event for those involved in helping preserve this little-known piece of Colorado history, and they had a wonderful time.

A mountain man from the late 19th century stopped
by to tell us about the building of the Flume.

Valerie, Cat and I waiting for folks to finish watching the video. A long, yet successful, day!

I'm kind of a big deal ...

2010-03-25T11:26:00.004-06:00

If you would like a signed copy of the Sentinel article I'm in, I'll see what I can do. Now go and become a fan on Facebook and follow Winefest on Twitter! (I hope you know I'm totally kidding!)

Plane Excitement

2010-03-15T08:13:00.002-06:00

John and I ventured over to the Museum of the West to see what displays they had and to learn more about the area. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of information they had regarding this region. John was excited that there was an airplane, even if it was only half an airplane. Plane exciting!

God's Gift?

2010-03-14T18:43:00.004-06:00

I've driven by this store a number of times, and I've always thought I should stop and check it out. My thought was to help support a local Christian bookstore.

This is what I saw when I drove by today. "God's Gift" refers to marijuana and it's a marijuana shop! I'm glad I didn't stop by. Colorado has legalized the selling of the substance for medicinal purposes, but there are a lot of things going on in Grand Junction now because they didn't set up proper laws before allowing folks to open shops. Welcome to Colorado ... What a mess!

John's Gone Native

2010-03-13T15:40:00.003-07:00

I've always referred to John affectionately as Mr. Colorado since it's where he lived when we met. You know he's a Texan to the core, but he's gone native. This weekend I found that I could sign up for a free Colorado hat on the Colorado tourism website. I did just that and we went to pick up the cap at the visitor's center. You, too, may look like a Colorado native. Just come and visit me!

I don't know if John will wear the hat in public.

I think he's a bit embarrassed to wear a Colorado hat!

Down in Monument Valley

2010-03-08T18:35:00.006-07:00

Monument Valley - Sunrise

Saturday morning started early once again, but not 4:30 early, more like 6 a.m. early. John took this picture of Monument Valley from outside our hotel. The colors were incredible!

Monument Valley and one of the "Mittens"

My one complaint about the park is we weren't able to explore and hike. Monument Valley is not in the National Park system because it is a Navajo establishment. We were only permitted on the 17-mile dirt road loop and were told not to hike. This was disappointing, yet I understand that they want to keep the park in pristine condition.

Rolling Stones in Monument Valley

Monument Valley "Mittens" at sunset

John and I decided to hike a trail that was marked on our hotel's map to Hidden Arch. The map wasn't that great and we couldn't even find the trail head. I asked at a convenience store, and I was told that we needed to go to the back of the campground, cross a dry river bed by foot and then follow the "light" trail. We started along the trail not knowing how far the path would take us. We weren't very far into the trail when there were a number of "light" trails going in all directions. We went one direction, then another and John spotted the arch that was right in front of our faces. Because of the rocks behind the arch, it was hard to make it out. You can spot it at the right angle when a bit of blue sky peeks out.

Hidden Arch - Discovered!

Hidden Arch

We had beautiful weather through our stay until we left the lodge. This picture should look somewhat familiar. Let me give you a hint. Run, Forrest, run!

South by Southwest

2010-03-07T19:52:00.006-07:00

John and I had a bad case of cabin fever, so we took a long weekend to explore even more of the surrounding parks. There are so many natural wonders within driving distance, I don't know if we'll ever see them all while we're living in Colorado.

Thursday evening we took off for Moab, Utah, where we stayed the night so we could get to Canyonlands National Park at sunrise. This was not my idea! John wanted to get a sunrise picture at Mesa Arch. We were up at 4:30 a.m. ... It's very cold that morning, and we pull up to the view point around 5:30 or so where we meet many cars. It's our luck that the Brigham Young University photo class is at the arch before we get there and there's about 30 kids in the "prime" photo positions. John jockeyed his way into position and managed to get some phenomenal shots. He's becoming quite the photographer.

Mesa Arch - Canyonlands National Park - Sunrise

View through Mesa Arch - Canyonlands

We then explored Canyonlands, which is a great park, however I wouldn't say it's a must see. If you're ever in Moab, you must go to Arches. On the other hand, I'm surrounded by so many spectacular natural wonders, I may be a bit jaded when it comes to which natural wonders I prefer.

Me and John - Canyonlands

Acting like a goofball (it's natural) - Canyonlands

By 9 a.m. we had been through Canyonlands and started our trek to Monument Valley. We went through a number of tiny towns including Mexican Hat, which is named after the rock formation, and Bluff, Utah. Here we stopped for lunch. The restaurant was directly under the Twin Rocks and was aptly named Twin Rocks Cafe. I had the best hamburger on Navajo Frybread. Delish! The bread is like a Mexican dessert bread without the sugar and honey. I strongly encourage you to give it a try. I should've taken a picture!

Mexican Hat Rock Formation outside of Mexican Hat, Utah

The Twin Rocks - Bluff, Utah

Finally we arrive at Monument Valley to stay at Goulding's Lodge, which began in the early 20th century. The Gouldings settled there originally as sheep traders and then Mr. Goulding established a trading post with the Navajo. During the Depression, the Goulding's approached Hollywood with pictures of the Monument Valley area in hopes of John Ford directing his Westerns in the area. It was a smart move ... the first movie starred a young John Wayne.

Goulding's Lodge - Monument Valley, Utah - Can you believe the view?! The lodge had a museum, theater that played John Wayne movies, delicious restaurant, indoor pool and tours available of the park.

Stay tuned ... I'll fill you in on the rest of the trip in future posts.

Weekend Warriors

2010-03-02T20:24:00.004-07:00

John and I look like we're training for the Olympic biathlon. In all actuality, we're finally trying out the rifle he got for Christmas. It's been too muddy to get to the range in our car!

You can see this is where old mannequins retire.

Back in Action

2010-02-27T18:28:00.003-07:00

I've been a poor poster as of late, but it doesn't seem that I've had a lot to post about in my life. It's been cold and snowy all around us so we haven't taken a lot of trips, however, we have done a bit of baking. Here's John making me his DELICIOUS peanut butter cookies. We're having our small group from church over tomorrow, so these will be perfect!

It seems my friends have had a load of great news with the new arrival a little one and another that's expecting. Congrats to you both!

Since I don't have a lot to share, I'm posting the quilt I made for the newborn. This was my first attempt at a quilt, so I know it's not perfect, but I still thought it was cute.

I really need to start carrying around my camera so I can share some of the bizarre things that I see here in Colorado. It's a different world out here! Right after I get off the computer I'm putting my camera in my purse. Stay tuned for more posts ...

Kids in Need are Everywhere

2010-02-01T15:07:00.002-07:00

We just launched a website for a non-profit - www.KidsAidColorado.org - and its staggering to find how many kids in our own communities are going hungry. It's not just the children in third-world countries anymore ... or has it ever been?

Take time to read this about the Kids Aid program and how horrible a problem hunger is in the area. Thank goodness for organizations like Kids Aid and their weekend backpack meals. It's reassuring to know that folks still have a heart for the children in our home towns.

Dodging Jury Duty

2010-01-28T08:42:00.003-07:00

I know it has been way to long since I've posted, but there hasn't been much to say. A major positive of the day is that I didn't have to report for jury duty. I lived in the county for eight months before getting called to civic duty.

Yesterday I checked in on the trial, and it was canceled. On one hand I'm glad because I have the day off tomorrow, but on the other hand, I think it would be fun to sit on a jury at least once. I guess I've watched to much Law & Order. Love that show!

10 Travel Resolutions for 2010

2010-01-05T09:19:00.001-07:00

Here's some great travel advice for a much more enjoyable trip. Travel on ...

Fun giveaway!

2009-12-30T13:32:00.004-07:00

With it being all cold and snowy, I've gotten into the crafty mood once again. One of the benefits of scouring blogs for crafting ideas is a giveaway. Here's the latest from Tea Rose Home. You must sign up before Jan. 5 for your chance to win this removable chalk board. Very nifty design.

Doin' Fine in 2009!

2009-12-29T16:15:00.014-07:00

Wow! What an unforgettable year!

January - At the beginning of the month I made a trip out to Grand Junction, and much to my surprise, I returned to Kansas City engaged. Yipee! As soon as I return, I put my house on the market. The next week, I made my way out to Washington, D.C., with four school groups to witness the inauguration of President Obama. Keeping track of 40 kids amongst 2 million of my closest friends in the freezing cold is an experience I'll never forget.

February - The wedding festivities begin with a wonderful shower hosted by my friends at the Independence Church of Christ. Thank you!

March - The monumental task of packing my house up begins. This month is also filled with outings with friends and visits with my family in preparation for my move to Grand Junction. There's also a shower thrown by the Hamilton church, a bridal bash with my girlfriends and the most fabulous tea party shower with family and friends that a girl could ask for!

April - The end of March and the first of April I made time to take my favorite EF Smithsonian tour group from Manchester, England, on a tour through NYC, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Once I returned, the movers were there to pack my house into a truck and drive it out to Colorado. I also had one final shower with the ladies from the Braymer community. Then I was out to Grand Junction a couple days prior to our wedding. My mom and nephew came out a day later and John's parents were out prior to the wedding as well. We unpacked the kitchen and got somewhat settled, did a little touring, and on April 11, we were married at the Gateway Canyons Resort in beautiful Gateway, CO.

May - In May John and I couldn't stay away from Gateway. We traveled down to the car show and participated in a fly out for breakfast at the resort's restaurant.

June - I started out the month with my final student tour, which was one for the record books ... sending kids home, being constantly late for appointments, no-show chaperones, etc. We ended the month my starting our journey to Texas to visit John's family, which threw us the best wedding bbq and we trekked on down to Galveston/Houston to enjoy the hot humid weather.

July - This month brought a visit from my good college friend Lisa and our outing to Arches National Park in 100+ degree heat. It was hot fun! At this point, I'm getting very nervous about not yet finding a job, but by mid-month I'm working at Sports Authority, and within another week, I'm the assistant manager at the Gap. When it rains, it pours!

August - It seems that I'm working the oddest hours, and never home when John is. By some miracle, we're able to celebrate our birthdays - born on the same day! - on our actual birthday. Donna also comes out for a visit, and we have a great time touring around town and catching up.

September - After a torturous selling process, the contract on my house is finalized, and my house is sold. At the end of the month I'm offered a job at a local marketing agency, and I can't refuse a job in my field where I can have normal hours.

October - Now that John and I are on the same schedule, we enjoy weekend treks to the national parks and fall flights.

November - I'm excited for Mom's visit. She comes out to stay with us over Thanksgiving, and I make my first Thanksgiving dinner. It was a great success, but the leftovers lasted ages!

December - I'm told it barely snows in the desert and when it does, it melts in the afternoon ... We get 10-ish inches of snow Dec. 8, and we still have it on the ground and some roads. It hasn't warmed up enough to melt. As I write this, another couple inches are falling ... I'm ready for spring!

This has been a full year of amazing changes, and after writing it all down, I see that I'm even more blessed than I realize. I have an amazing family, the most considerate friends and I get to spend the rest of my days with the best man a girl could ever ask for. God is good! To happiness and health in 2010!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T09:47:00.001-07:00

John and me vs. Mom and my in-laws ... Funny stuff!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Thanksgiving Recap

2009-12-13T17:56:00.004-07:00

I'm going about this a bit backwards, but I thought I would share some of the photos of my Mom's Thanksgiving visit. It was great to see her and we got to be tourists at Arches National Park. It was a wonderful time to go to the park because it was nice and cool.

Mom blending into the landscape.

Mom and I at the Double Arches.

Making the climb to Delicate Arch, which neither John or I had done before. It was quite a hike up hill most all of the 1.5 miles and with some treacherous ledges and such. This is the hike up the slick rock portion.

This was the prize at the end of the hike. Check out how small the person is under the arch. You can't tell all that well, but the rock that is around the arch slants to the right, much like a roof and then there's a ledge. John starts walking toward the arch and I hesitantly follow. Once I get three-quarters of the way to the arch, my knees are literally shaking and I wonder how in the world I'm going to get back to the trail, but I do with my knees knocking. I will never do that part of the trail again. If you come to visit, I'll hike out there with you, but I'll view the arch from a safe distance!

Me and Mom

Me and John at the Double Arches.

SN*OW

2009-12-08T09:22:00.005-07:00

Snow is pretty until you have to get out in it. John told me when I moved out here that I wouldn't need to bring my snow shovel. We'll probably purchase one today. I backed out of the drive only to get high-centered in the snow. And rear-wheel drive is not my friend... I'm doing as much work as I can from home, but I'm sure I'll have to get to the office tomorrow.

John trying to shovel the drive with a tiny shovel.

It's deep!

At about 7 a.m.

Parade of Lights

2009-12-05T18:57:00.004-07:00

John and I just got back from the Grand Junction Parade of Lights. The downtown area is pretty all lit up, but I was a bit disappointed by the parade; it was all businesses. This photo's from the carriage ride folks.

The courthouse is all decked out for the holidays.

On our way back to the car, we walked past the wind-up Mini Cooper. Had to share!

Happy Holidays ...

2009-12-05T16:40:00.003-07:00

From my neighbor to you. No joke, this is my neighbor's house.

Perfect Travel Photos

2009-11-23T10:41:00.001-07:00

Your photographs are at times your only souvenir. Check out Travel + Leisure's article on taking picture-perfect memories.

Best National Parks for ...

2009-11-02T15:34:00.002-07:00

Have you ever wondered which National Parks have the best biking, hiking or photography opportunities? Check out this article and find out. The photography at this link is breathtaking as well. No matter where you live, be sure you're taking advantage of the land that's been set aside for our enjoyment!

8 to 5

2009-10-27T16:54:00.002-06:00

Having a "real" job has its perks ... I know when I'm working, I have my weekends and it's stable. The down side is true travel isn't much of an option for the first year. With only three vacation days the first year of my employment, I don't see any fabulous destinations in my future.

I guess I'm writing this because I'm afraid that John and I's weekend excursions are nearing an end. Tonight we're supposed to get snow. I'm sure it will be melted in the next day or two, but it also means its sticking in the higher elevations. It makes me feel a bit claustrophobic to know that I'll be in the Grand Valley until Spring!

Here's hoping there are a few sunny and warm weekends remaining to gallivant about!

Fall Flight

2009-10-23T09:54:00.003-06:00

Last weekend was so beautiful! We've had some warmer fall days with just enough crispness in the air. Sunday John and I decided to fly to Moab, UT. I think we got to see the last of the colors because we've had some rain and wind this week, stripping the trees of their bright yellow leaves.

Back in Black ...

2009-10-11T20:43:00.003-06:00

The Black Canyon, that is. John and I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, but our Internet did. Therefore, I haven't posted recently.

Things are going well for us. A couple weeks ago I started my new job at a local marketing agency, which is great. Now John and I, in theory, have the same schedule. My first weekend off, John was on location, so this weekend, we went past Montrose, Colo., to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We figure people come to Colorado to vacation, so we need to explore it a bit ourselves.

We did luck out when going into the park. When we got to the entrance, we were told that the fee had been waived for the day because the park was celebrating its tenth anniversary being named a national park.

The Black Canyon is well named. The large canyon is never bright due to the dark shadows it casts on its opposing side. Parts of the canyon are so deep it could house two Empire State Building's end upon end.

We did our fair share of hiking while at the park. Each of the stops had the name of the point and how many yards it was to the lookout. The final point, High Point, had Warner's Trail. John's friend had told us that it was one of the best lookouts. The sign said the trail was 1300 yards ... 13 football fields one way ... We started out on the trail and got some breathtaking views, but it was quite hilly and steep, literally taking our breath away. From our pamphlet we knew there were 14 points of interest marked along the trail. Here John is happy we made it to the 14th.

The trip is always longer going out than coming back. Shortly after making it to the 14th stop we took some good photos of ourselves. We're really not that vain, but who else are we going to take pictures of?

Finally, on our way out of the park we took a drive to the bottom of the canyon, and I would say it was my favorite view. We were looking up the canyon walls, nearing sunset, and the colors were phenomenal. The road was at a 16 percent grade, but I wasn't driving, so it wasn't that scary. Here's the spectacular view of the Gunnison River and Black Canyon in fall colors.

Mature Readers

2009-09-02T19:08:00.003-06:00

Two of my three faithful readers have suggested I change my blog's background. They've told me the color combo was difficult for more mature eyes. Well, I hope this helps. Do let me know if it's easier to read. Keeping two-thirds of my audience happy ... ~ Elaine

Wildfire Woes

2009-09-02T12:01:00.003-06:00

The California and Utah wildfire smoke seem to be blanketing the Grand Valley. I took a picture this morning, and the haze is not nearly as bad today as yesterday. Yesterday you couldn't make out the Grand Mesa's outline. Today you can see the mountain.

Here's this morning's view with the haze.

Here's the same view on a clear day.

Oh, Donna!

2009-08-24T19:09:00.007-06:00

I just wrapped up a great long weekend with my friend Donna. She told me when I moved that when she found a good-priced ticket, she was coming and that she did! We gallivanted about Grand Junction, did some shopping, saw a movie, loafed around and John drove us up on top of the Grand Mesa, which is on the east side of town, and through the Colorado National Monument on the west side. Here's proof ...

Donna getting cozy with the art Downtown.

Being wary of the bears at the Powderhorn Ski Resort on top of the Grand Mesa.

Testing out the cooler waters in the Grand Mesa National Forest.

Thinking, and trying not to laugh, at the Colorado National Monument.

Being our fab selves at the Colorado National Monument.

I know you can't get enough of me and John, so here's one more to satisfy your appetite.

Town Hall Update

2009-08-19T12:03:00.004-06:00

Yes, John did make it to President Obama's Town Hall Meeting. But first he went to the opposition rally where around 3,000 folks gathered to talk about the proposed health care reform. Not wanting to risk security issues with taking his camera into the town hall meeting, John was sure to get a photo of the ticket.

The meeting was much more peaceful than those that have been held with Congressmen around the country. John likened it to behaving yourself and acting civil when the principal was in the room, but getting rowdy around your teacher.

Both sides of the issue were discussed. Grand Junction is a very conservative town compared to the rest of the state, but I believe the President decided on making a stop here because the area has a health care system very similar to what he is proposing - Rocky Mountain Health Plans. You can read an article about it in the LA Times.

On another note, John and I decided to drive to Rifle, CO, for an evening air show. About a half hour after we got there a storm began rolling through. It cut the show short, but it made for a pretty picture. At times I still can't believe I'm living in such a beautiful place!

Today: Obama in Grand Junction

2009-08-15T07:46:00.003-06:00

President Obama is visiting the Western Slope today to campaign for health care reform. Since this is a town hall meeting-style event, it is being held at Central High School and residents could put their name in for the chance to get a ticket to attend. John put his name in, and so did his friend Mike. Mike got two tickets, so they plan to go together. I told John to take pictures if he can.

However, there's also an air show going on in a neighboring town. The lure of the airplanes may be too much for John and Obama will have to wait another day ... Stay tuned.

Birthday Bonanza!

2009-08-12T09:37:00.004-06:00

OK, so "bonanza" is a bit of an overstatement, but John and I did have a great time on our birthdays. Poor John had been working nights a few days prior, including the night before our birthday! But we celebrated that evening with dessert. I'm so glad that we're both chocolate lovers and that neither of us will forget the other's big day ...

Only in Colorado ...

2009-08-08T09:26:00.002-06:00

Do you see a Lexus with a bike rack. Very odd, very odd. I just wish I would've had a camera ....

Another Giveaway

2009-07-14T10:59:00.001-06:00

At Make It and Love It she is giving away a great looking beaded watch. Enter today before midnight!

Musette Bracelet GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-07-14T10:36:00.001-06:00

Musette Bracelet GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Over the past month I have been in a more creative mood and checking out things online, making a few things and finding that there are a lot of great sewing/crafting websites out there. Grosgrain is one of those great sites. It also so happens that they have a giveaway for a nifty bracelet. Check it out, my friends. Enjoy!

Blog Makeover

2009-07-13T15:25:00.005-06:00

I found a link to free blog backgrounds. All you have to do is copy the text, go into your layout and add it to your gadget sidebar. I think it adds a bit of spice to the blog.

By the way, does anyone know how to get my banner to fit within the confines of that orange box. I have the simple blog layout that has a box at the top and I want my banner of the top of it. I shrink the image to fit and it hangs over the right side. So frustrating! I may need to change the blog layout once more, but I'm not having much luck with that. However, I did change the color around the banner from white to orange, which doesn't make it as noticeable.

Friendly Visits

2009-07-10T11:53:00.003-06:00

I've had a great couple days with my college friend Lisa. Being in the same state warranted a visit, so she made the drive from Denver. Who knew Colorado was so big? It takes four hours from Denver to Grand Junction!

Lisa said she had never been to Arches National Park, so I was glad to take her. Even though the temperature reached 101, we managed with plenty of water and air conditioning between our stops.

The most spectacular arches of the park - The Double Arches

The most famous arch in the park is Delicate Arch. It's on all the Utah marketing material and the license plate. However, the hike getting up to view Delicate Arch is not so delicate. It's a pretty steep hike, and when it's hot ... whew! I think the disappointing thing was we made the hike instead of doing the lazy man's lower viewing area and we seemed to still be three miles away from the arch. My camera was zoomed all the way in to get this photo!

Here's the little friend we made on the Landscape Arch trail. It was much bigger than a gecko, but it still seemed harmless. Here, Leezard, Leezard, Leezard ...

Finally on our way out of Moab, where we purchased ice cold beverages, we stopped at this foot bridge that crosses the Colorado River. It's a really nice bridge and trail that only adds to the charm of the area.

For the men in my friends' lives ...

2009-07-06T08:35:00.009-06:00

Space pictures along with ... drum roll, please ... photos of the Star Wars script and Indiana Jones stuff. I don't even know what they all are, but John sure did like them.

We went to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, which has some great displays once you get past the kids play area. The one thing that creeped me out was costumed characters of Darth Vader and one of his white soldier guys. I steered clear ...

First, the Lucas Films display - George Lucas's handwritten Star Wars script. Oooo, Ahhhh

The typed script of Adventures of the Starkiller

Indiana Jones's motorcycle and the outfit worn by Harrison Ford.

At the Space Center they do have displays related to NASA. We took the tram tour over to Johnson Space Center and sat in Mission Control. It's much smaller than it seems on television.

We also stopped at Rocket Park. These rockets are massive. This is me at the bottom of the largest portion of the Saturn V. Can you imagine?

You can see how long the rocket is here. Horribly massive to get the small Apollo spacecrafts in orbit.

And finally we got to tour where the astronauts train for their missions. Our guide was the son of the upcoming International Space Station (ISS) Commander and knew that the facility was being used for training the day we were there.

Here's the 2010 ISS Commander Mike Fossum in the Soyuz portion of the ISS. It was pretty cool seeing the astronauts using the equipment, getting ready for their next mission.

Greetings from Galveston

2009-07-02T18:05:00.010-06:00

OK, so we're not in Galveston anymore, but I sure do love alliteration.

John and I took a week and spent our time near the beach. It was a lot of fun. I had never been to Galveston, but I sure do love the water. You could go out in the ocean and get knocked around a bit by the waves. Fantastic for a land-locked girl.

I had to include this picture to demonstrate (1) the wind and (2) the messy state my hair remained in the second we stepped foot in Texas. (I'm lovin' the dry heat of Colorado!)

When exploring Galveston, we toured the Lone Star Air Museum. John was in seventh heaven. Because Hurricane Ike had hit the previous September, only one hangar was open. But still, John loved it; just look at his smile.

And as in previous posts, I just have to share again that I would be a great airplane model ...

From air to water we then went to tour the Elissa, Texas' tall ship with a sorted past. It hauled cotton, illegal products and many other things that I can't remember, but I'm sure you can find out here. It's unbelievable the number of people that got behind this ship to restore it to it's now fit condition. It makes me happy to know that there are still folks out there that have a passion to preserve our past.

John decided to tap into his inner pirate while on board.

And since I already posted the crazy hair picture, I'll post my picture not acting foolish in the Captain's saloon below deck.

The water levels of hurricane Ike are as much a tourist attraction as anything else. Here I am near the Elissa and you can see the piece of blue tape above my head. That's the 2008 water level. The white plaque above that is the 1901 hurricane that nearly wiped out the entire city.

We then ventured over to the Historic Strand District, which is the old downtown shopping area. They had a lot of cute shops, but there were still a lot of the shops that either were closed for good or were still being worked on due to Ike's wrath. Here's where the water stood in the downtown area.

To top off our hot day, we went out and bought Blue Bell ice cream. We barely got it back to the condo before it melted, but it was deliciously cold. Well, one more foolish picture won't hurt ... and from the looks of this picture my airplane modeling days are numbered ...

A Texas Toast

2009-06-29T15:11:00.006-06:00

John and I ventured to Texas because we missed the heat. (Right ...) And my new brothers- and sisters-in-law threw us a newlywed BBQ celebration Texas style. It was too cute and I got to meet all the aunts, uncles and cousins that I missed during my last visit.

It was complete with Western decor ...

Personalized cups

A rifle demonstration from John's nephew, Coley.

A dance routine from nieces Kate and Evy along with cousin Anyssa to Hannah Montana music.

Is there any other kind of music for a tween? I think not.

Then it was time for family and friends to leave and Coley helped blow out the candles. It was the sign that the party was over. Thanks so much for the warm welcome and marriage wishes!

Tour Time!

2009-06-12T10:54:00.006-06:00

I got back Sunday from a tour of Washington, D.C., and NYC with a group of students from LA. We had a really nice tour, but very interesting. We had to send a kid home in the middle of the tour for attempting to shoplift in Walmart! There were a few other mishaps, but everyone had a great time. It was a flexible group, so all is well.

I was surprised at how light the crowds were in DC and NYC. At Arlington National Cemetery, I could get some decent shots of the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The soldier marching marches 21 steps, waits 21 seconds and then does it again. This is in honor of the 21-gun salute.

The Changing of the Guard includes inspecting the gun and the guard's uniform.

In NYC you may have heard about the city closing down parts of Broadway to make it more pedestrian friendly. Now they have lawn chairs in the middle of the streets to lounge about.

Here's me and some of my closest friends ... By the way, the weather was crazy! We about had heat strokes in D.C. and then it was cool in New York. That's spring for you!

I couldn't make it home the same day my tour ended, so I spent an extra night in NYC. I then had a lengthy layover in DC, so I went to take a closer look at some of the museums.

The magnolia trees were in bloom in DC as well, and I think they're absolutely gorgeous.

Happy Travels!

April Tour

2009-05-24T16:58:00.003-06:00

I failed to blog about my tour in April that was with my most favorite school group. I had the same school last year, and these girls were fantastic. They did there home country of England proud. Our tour started in NYC, then DC, where the cherry blossoms were in bloom and gorgeous and ended with a drive up to NYC and a stop in Philly.

The teachers and me acting like fools in front of the White House. Obama is waving from the top floor, second window from the right.

I really liked this photo. I took it from the Lee Mansion, which is in the Arlington National Cemetery. You can see the Washington Monument and the Capitol in the distance.

Travel Option

2009-05-20T11:31:00.005-06:00

I got to thinking, I've told you about my flying adventures, but I have never told you how may get in on the action. If you're in the area (Grand Junction and Rifle) and want to take flying lessons, you can check out the Colorado Flight Center (CFC). The CFC organized our breakfast fly out last weekend and it's the company where John earned his pilot's license.

However, if you are currently a pilot, you may be interested in taking a flight tour. Parkwest Air Tours is for you. You take your plane, along with your new-found friends, and travel the United States by air. The company offers tours to Alaska, the Southwest, Rockies and the "American Outback." Once you've arrived at these locations, you have time to explore and wonderful accommodations.

It looks like a lot of fun! Happy travels!

Hot Time

2009-05-19T13:04:00.002-06:00

Thought I would share that this is the oddest spring for me. I'm used to many more rainy days than sunny in good ole KC. But in Grand Junction, we're setting records. It was 92 degrees yesterday and it's supposed to be just as hot today. I haven't seen rain it seems in ages, but they are calling for rain this week. And a lady at church put it best saying that it rains mud here. It doesn't rain enough to get the dirt completely out of the air, but just enough to make the dirt stick to your car. It's all new and different! And I do enjoy having sunshine.

Come Fly with Me

2009-05-16T15:09:00.011-06:00

John and I flew away this morning to the air strip at the Gateway Canyons Resort. It was a beautiful day here. I know the Midwest is getting rained out, but the sun just won't stop here. I guess that's what I get for moving to the desert.

Anyway we flew there with some amazing aerial views ... but first, me posing at the airport. I know you're thinking that I should be an airplane model. It's a thought.

This is an aerial of the Colorado National Monument outside Grand Junction.

Here's the approach. At this moment John's talking to the planes already in the air and on the ground getting ready to land. The airstrip is the dirt strip at the right of the photo.

This is where we landed ... and took off. And, yes, Mom, I'm okay. John did a fantastic job. Once we were on the ground and walking to the resort for breakfast, we had to dodge cow pies. So I guess the cattle roamed to the air strip.

This is the plane that arrived shortly after us and the other planes that came into Gateway.

John flying the plane through the canyons.

The final approach into Grand Junction.

If only ...

2009-05-15T09:01:00.003-06:00

If only I had this car ... on the other hand, I doubt it has cruise control or cup holders....

John and I went down to Gateway Canyons Resort last weekend to the car show. We drove down looked at everything, had a picnic and drove back. It was a really nice day. Tomorrow we're FLYING down to Gateway with the Colorado Flight Center's "fly out" breakfast. We're landing on a dirt runway ... Stay tuned ...

Home Sweet Home

2009-05-04T09:39:00.006-06:00

A couple of my loyal fans have asked me to post a few pictures of Grand Junction and the our humble abode. I have to say Grand Junction is much different than Missouri. You can see that much of the green is man made.

The front of the house and our tiny little patch of grass. The rest of the yard in the front and back is rock. Perfect! John uses a push mower with no motor for our yard and it takes all of 15 minutes to do the yard work with the weed eating!

The back yard with the nice patio area.

The view looking directly out our back door. This is looking east toward the Grand Mesa and the lovely shed the neighbors built. :)

Looking north from the backyard you can see part of the Bookcliffs, which are quite spectacular. I'm sure I'll post more pix of the them later.

Our container garden! John and I picked up some pepper and tomato plants yesterday and we are trying our hand at keeping these things alive. We'll see ...

CO Views

2009-04-30T09:39:00.003-06:00

John had to make a trip down to Farmington, NM, earlier this week, and he got a few great shots in the process. On his way down to New Mexico it was snowing!

The following day he drove back, and I believe he caught this shot near the quaint little Colorado town of Ouray. All these little mountain towns are what you expect: clean, crisp, pristine places with a splash of tourism.

Backtracking

2009-04-29T09:38:00.005-06:00

I had promised long ago that I would post the pictures from my showers ... Here it goes!

The wonderful hostesses - Pamela, Debbie and Season outside the tea house.

The guests. The shower at the tea house was a lot of fun. We were served tea, of course, and tea sandwiches and scones. I always loved tea parties! The gifts were wonderful as well with everyone bringing their favorite recipe to put in my recipe collection. And I've already been trying out the recipes with great success. Thank you to everyone!

My final shower was hosted by the Pleasant Hill Lyon Club in Braymer. I've known these ladies since birth, and it was such a delight to share this time and catch up with all these fine women.
Isn't the cake cute?!

More Wedding Photos

2009-04-23T11:01:00.002-06:00

Domestic Duties

2009-04-22T13:59:00.004-06:00

We were in desperate need of vacuum cleaner, so John and I set out to find one and bring it home. John gave it the first spin. He's thrilled. Can't you tell? :)

Mr. and Mrs.

2009-04-15T14:44:00.007-06:00

Well, this Miss is now a Mrs.! John and I tied the knot April 11, 2009, at the Gateway Canyons Resort in Gateway, Colorado. The setting was absolutely perfect for our ceremony. Our parents, my nephew and a couple friends made the trip for the occasion.

The ceremony was short, sweet and to the point, but the vows were incredibly appropriate. They weren't the standard, but it seemed that they were written just for us. You can see from the photo of us taking our vows that a storm was moving in. While we were driving to Gateway, which is an hour south of Grand Junction, it was overcast and stormy. We drove over the mountains with snow, and as we pulled into Gateway at 2 p.m., the weather stopped. Our ceremony at 4 p.m. had sunny skies except for this piece that was behind us. We took the picture in front of the palisade after the ceremony and then the front moved in. It couldn't have been more perfect timing.

You can see how picturesque the resort is for weddings. While at the resort, we took a hike and John took this picture overlooking the resort and the dramatic landscape. I wouldn't do one thing differently. The resort was the perfect place.

After the ceremony we ate at the resort's Paradox Grill, and I've included the picture of me and John feeding each other cake for Debbie. She was very concerned about it, and we'll be sure to have cake at our one-year anniversary ... It may not be the same cake, but we just might drive down to Gateway for that slice!

Here's the entire family: Levi, Mom, Me, John, Linda and Rick

I'll post more pictures and stories soon. Be sure to check back.

Bridal Bonanza Begins

2009-03-17T19:26:00.005-06:00

It's hard to believe, but in less than a month I will be on a one-way flight to Grand Junction to start my married life! Wow! I can't wait, but there's much to do before I go ...

It all began Friday with my girlfriends taking me to the Kansas City Power & Light District. We had dinner at the Peach Tree, which was absolutely delicious. I had grilled pork chops and baked mac & cheese. They even had live jazz. The one hiccup we had is that it took nearly an hour and a half to get our food. The restaurant had been slammed due to a conference. In short, everyone received their meal on the house. The food was definitely worth the wait.

The hostesses Donna and Kayla

Afterwards the gals and I walked over to Howl at the Moon to listen to the dueling pianos. These guys are phenomenal. You give them a request - any song - and they can play it. Then others bring requests up and they're looking at that request while singing another. So much fun!

Kayla, Season, Debbie, Pamela and Donna at Howl at the Moon

On Sunday my mom's church threw a shower for me after a potluck and it turned out great. We had great cake and punch and some fun games.

It's an adjustment having the attention put on me, but I've been told to just soak it up. So that's what I'm trying to do. Everyone has been so kind. I have another church shower Thursday and one thrown by friends on Saturday. It's a party all the time!

And to end the post, this was a gift from Donna ... I told John about it, and he didn't think it was as funny as me. It's just luggage tags ...

Possible Interest ...

2009-02-21T10:23:00.003-07:00

Friends have asked how the home-selling process is going. I've had 10 people come to look at my house. The exciting part is someone came to look at it for a second time today! A second look is always a good thing ...

Arches National Park

2009-02-13T10:41:00.011-07:00

I promised a while back to write about our trip to Arches National Park. We decided to drive down to Moab and visit the park earlier in the weekend. It was a beautiful day - chilly, yet sunny. We got into the park around noon and began our adventure ...

It began innocent enough with the mandatory picture at the sign.

And taking roadside pix.

We then decide to stop at Balanced Rock and try to take some self portraits ... but we're so tiny!

Then we stop at the double arches and take some goofy pictures. I'm so clever!

At the same double arches stop is this treacherous bit of hiking ... very slick but no falls.

To avoid going down this hillside skating rink, we decide to go around the double window arches on the primitive trail. Mind you we're not prepared. We both have on heavy coats, but we're not in hiking gear. I have on rubber soled ballet flats ...

It starts out well with spectacular views we wouldn't have seen otherwise. We continue to follow the snow tracks, but we're not sure if we're on the trail or not. We get to a point where we need to either go over these arches, go back the way we came or go over and around steep cliffs. My vote was to go back the way we came.... about a mile or so back ... but John went up a steep incline to see if he could see the parking lot from where we came.

Up the snow and ice cover cliffish incline, John found this.

To get to this, there was a lot of this ... which is much slicker and behind us was even more of a steep, icy incline, cliffish thing.

While John was taking these pictures, I was climbing up the icy incline, thinking with my gracefulness that I was surely going to fall back and really hurt myself. Remember ... ballet flats! So, I climbed up this on my hands and knees. Fun. Somewhere around that tree is where there was a place we could go over the rocks, down through an ice covered crevice that was VERY steep and where I proceeded to sit on the ice and scooch down the ice-covered rocks.

We did make it to the lot and had a good laugh after the fact. I really was scared, thinking that I was going to kill myself out there. I could see the headlines now, "Two ill-prepared 'hikers' found in Arches ... if only they had stayed on the trail ..." We couldn't find the trail!

We then went and took many more beautiful pictures throughout the park.

We're so small!

Three football fields could fit in the middle of this arch. This was quite a snowy hike to this arch, but we stayed to the well-marked trail.

Walking back to the car, we ran into this little guy. We thought it was a chipmunk type thing but it then jumped off like a kangaroo. It's rightly named a kangaroo rat.

Our final photo of the day.

This was a fun trip, and we didn't see everything there. It's definitely a park worth visiting, and we'll be sure to visit again with a pair of hiking shoes and gloves!

Where and When

2009-02-06T16:51:00.005-07:00

If I've forgotten to tell some of you, John and I now have a date for our wedding. To make sure a cyber-stalker doesn't come, I won't tell you the actual day, but it's in April. However, I will let you know where it will be.

We're getting married at Gateway Canyons Resort in Gateway, Colorado. It's a beautiful place about an hour south of Grand Junction. The gentleman that owns the Discovery Channel decided to build his home in the area, and then a resort and auto museum. There's hiking, jeep excursions, rafting and more. It's all very exciting!

Dress-capades

2009-01-31T18:11:00.002-07:00

This isn't necessarily a story about me and my travels ... there aren't too many these days ... but a story of the traveling dress.

Since my ideal wedding involves just me and John and our immediate families, my ideal dress isn't traditional. I would like something more like a cocktail dress. I found a cute dress on sale, bought it just in case I didn't find anything else, but it was black.

I ordered the dress that I thought was perfect ... It came, I tried it on, but it didn't even cover half my body. I thought to myself, "Surely I have the skirt bunched up and it's not going on my body correctly." It's not going on my body correctly because it's a size 4! My bone structure isn't a size 4. Therefore, this dress traveled back to the store to have the appropriate size ordered.

Dress number two arrives in the appropriate size. I try it on, it looks nice and the zipper splits. This is the last straw. This dress travels back to the store to stay. However, I travel around the city trying to find the right dress.

My mom arrives the following day to give her opinion on the dresses I try on. Low and behold, we found the perfect dress. After going through all the dresses, which I thought would be an easy affair, I'm now even more happy that John and I have decided to elope. I don't have the patience to go through similar escapades with bridesmaids' dresses, flowers, decor, etc.

Although the dress-capades have the potential to end in seven to 10 days, they may go on. The dress I've picked out has been ordered from the store where I was able to try on others in a different color. Here's hoping it comes in the my size and color!

Home for Sale!

2009-01-29T09:52:00.005-07:00

If you're looking for a super-cute home in Kansas City North, let me know ... I put my house on the market last week, and I would love to get it sold soon.

Come on! I know you want it ...

Surviving Inauguration

2009-01-27T19:10:00.006-07:00

Well, I survived! It wasn't a complete nightmare, but there were moments. Roads were closed, only one bridge allowed us to get into DC from Virginia... Think about all the traffic going into the city and 10,000 other buses visiting the capitol. We got lost in the ghetto one evening. It never dawned on my driver to check out a map for the next venue while the group wasn't on the bus. I had to be the navigator in a city I don't know that well. I had transfer issues for a set of three passengers to and from the airport. Mile long waits at Reagan International on the way home - Seriously, I felt sorry for those flying US Airways. The line for that particular airline spanned the entire airport, plus out the door. Incredible.

That being said, the inauguration itself was incredible! As soon as we stepped out of the bus we got swept up in a wave of people that were walking in four lanes of traffic toward the National Mall. The atmosphere was electric with excitement. People kept moving, but there wasn't pushing or shoving. We got to the Mall itself around 8 a.m. and we settled near a jumbo tron at 12th St. - approx one mile from the Capitol. I had wiggle room about the size of a newspaper. The worst part was standing for five hours. Thankfully I had little warmers to put in my gloves and boots. Otherwise, I don't know if I could have stood it. One of my middle school students began to cry because she was so cold and her chaperon took her into one of the Smithsonian's.

All in all, it was an experience of a lifetime. Would I do it again? Possibly. Would I do it with a group of 40? Doubtful. Enjoy the small video of my surroundings.

Inaugural Ball

2009-01-15T10:08:00.003-07:00

No, I don't get to go to THE Inaugural Ball, but I do get to go to AN Inaugural Ball thrown by the Smithsonian Student Travel folks. It should be a lot of fun. The kids from all the tours come together at points around the city to eat, dance and mingle.

Keeping with my fun facts, the tradition of the Ball was started after the Inauguration of James Madison. First Lady Dolley Madison hosted the gala at Long's Hotel with 400 tickets being sold at $4. Quite a price for 1809!

From then on, the Inaugural ball quickly turned into an anticipated highlight of Washington society. However, Harding requested that the Inaugural committee do away with the elaborate ball and parade in 1921 to help set an example of thrift and simplicity. (Something that I think should be done today ...) Subsequent Inaugurations followed this trend, with charity balls becoming the fashion for the Inaugurations of Coolidge, Hoover and FDR. Harry Truman broke the tradition in 1949 and got the official ball back on its feet.

Big News!

2009-01-14T06:43:00.006-07:00

I'm engaged!!

I've written about my inauguration worries. Being the procrastinator that I am, I decided to jump on the cheap flight to Grand Junction for a long weekend. It was well worth it. I returned home yesterday engaged!!! I can't wait to spend the rest of my days with this wonderful man!

This weekend we went to Arches National Park, which is where this picture was taken and a topic for a later posts. I'll be sure to share and post more pictures of the trip then.

Pray for me ...

2009-01-08T22:13:00.003-07:00

Keeping with the Fun Inaugural Facts!

Ronald Reagan's 1985 public Inauguration took place inside the Capitol Rotunda due to freezing weather. This was the coldest Inauguration day on record with a noon temperature of 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pray that we have a nice, warm 50 to 60 degree day on January 20, 2009! Actually, pray for unseasonably warm weather January 17-21. That's all I'm asking.