Catching Up...Vacation #2...

I also went on Vacation with Senor Smarty Pants' family, that was a whole other kind of adventure. His youngest brother and I have an interesting relationship...I wouldn't call it love-hate, but I wouldn't call it love-love either. But it was a good time. This time we went to Loveland and then up to Estes. Another beautiful part of Colorado and I hadn't been up there for quite a while. I didn't take much pictures, we didn't do too much which was nice. We just kinda relaxed most of the time. But we did go for a ride around the State Park up there, Rocky Mountain National Park. It was amazing. I loved the contrast of the meadow and the huge mountains.

There were signs that explained that the moose come down from the mountains during the winter time to the meadow. There is less snow down there and they need the vegetation, there is too much snow up in the mountains. I found a nice rock and sat on it and looked at the mountains for quite a while. They had to drag me back in the vehicle!

Shout for joy, oh heavens; rejoice oh earth burst into song oh mountains, for the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Isaiah 49:13

Blessings!

Catching Up...Vacation #1...

I know that I shared with you that I went on a Vacation this summer and I told you all about my 1st skate but I didn't share any of the other photos that we took while in Steamboat. While looking at these it really made me miss Colorado. This is the longest span I have ever been away from at least a view of the mountains! Mom and Dad had been to Steamboat before and they had went on a walk at Fish Creek Falls about 20 years ago and so they wanted to take us there! It was beautiful. But the most impressive thing to me....they get at least 14 feet of snow up there during the winter. The city depends on it heavily, it is their main water source. They have all kinds of wildlife as well up there. Senor Smarty Pants and I are thinking we need to check out the slopes up there soooooon!

My mom and dad have a picture in this same place with the same pose from 20 years ago, how sweet. :)

It was a really beautiful walk. We got to see so many different views of the mountains and the waterfall.

I love the Aspen Trees, my Grandparents have been out there in their 5th wheel for about 2 weeks now, they say the Aspens have been changing and are spectacular.

This picture makes me sad. See all the dead trees? The Mountain Pine Beetle is killing so many of the trees and there is really no way to control it because of the emense amount of trees. It is especially bad in the Breckenridge area.

These are my men... err... boys. They are so fun. :)

At one point I turned around and A had decided to do a little rock climbing.

Oh E!

The hill on the way back was VERY steep...but I knew we brought Senor Smarty Pants along for a reason!

One night we went to a Rodeo. It had been a while since I had been to one. My mom went to one every weekend and ropings' every Tuesday while she was growing up. She espically enjoyed the city people reading the program to learn all the rules. But didn't enjoy when they expressed their concerns for the animals involved-people they are fine!

The calf scramble. The kids were so cute!

Another Skating picture. It was so fun! All four of us are in this one.

Ok, here is our scandalous part of the trip. Steamboat Springs has its name for a reason, for the natural hot springs. We decided to find them. They are in the middle of nowhere, up a little road. We get there and we see the sign. Admission-not too bad but then read the bottom of the sign. We heard tell of a story of some shenanigans of some people from my hometown...after dark. Yikes.

This place was kinda strange. The pools were really hot! They are not kidding when they call them hot springs. I felt like it was some hippie retreat and it kinda was. But it was still pretty cool, but I was extremely happy we were not there after dark! They had a massage therapist giving free massages. I decided the dead of winter with those 14 feet of snow would be and awesome time to go!

This is where the water came from, no one was permitted up there. I cannot imagine how hot that water was if the pools almost burned my feet when I first stepped in.

As we always do when we are anywhere in Colorado we did some Alpine Sliding. So fun! Scooters on tracks down the slopes....what could be more fun?! Just keep all appendages in!

One day we went to a botanical garden. I loved it. I love plants, as you know, and Colorado always has beautiful foliage.

It was a really great Vacation!

Blessings!

Catching Up...Circus!

So this summer the Circus came to ol C-town and like an good blogger I was excited about this interesting opportunity to take pictures and share. But like a irresponsible blogger I didn't get this information on here till..uhhh...the 21st of September...the first day of Fall! (which may I please mention I am extremely happy about this season finally being here. It's my favorite!) Anyway, the Circus...It was big deal with don't get those type of things around here very often. This Circus had a big tent, we ignored the holes in it. But it was so fun

This was the clown...he is trying to make his own tight-rope. You can only imagine how well this went.

This chick was really cool! I was just amazed by her strength. I can barely lift my computer.

This "little" guy was the whole reason I came to the circus. It's a real African Lion! I have a dream someday of not only thoroughly visiting European countries but Africa as well. It just fascinates me. It's a whole other world over there. It's like nothing we have here or really anywhere. The African Savanna looks so amazing. I have no clue where this love came from but it's just one of those things. I want to go on a safari. So if any exotic animal from that area come to my area...I'm there!

This Guy was a master juggler. He was juggling hats!

This is the gorilla. I know I had you all fooled...but...NO he's not real! I know shocking. The kids got a kick out of this little stunt. The gorilla stole a ladies purse and went through it. Ha.

This was impressive. She did so many dangerous stunts.

This young lady was a member of a family of unicyclists. I only wish my family was that cool! And as if the super tall unicycle wasn't dangerous enough they added FIRE. Awesome.

This little geil had many titles under the big top but she was especially talented with birds. They just flew over to her and she spun them around. It was cute.

This one of like the 6 kids that a Grandpa came with. At one point they each had a snow cone. Then I looked over and they each had a bag of popcorn...then I looked over and they each had a bottle of water. It was so cute. The best part was that they didn't take their eyes off the show the ENTIRE time. They were mesmerized! :)

It was a fun night!

Blessings!

Even When the Miles are Many...

These are some pictures from my hometown that showed up on facebook today. You see we have a husband and wife that own a Coffee Shop/Pharmacy. They are crazy. They happen to be my cousins. The coffee shop is called Shirley K's. Look it up sometime. Its awesome. I feel it is what defines my town. It's what we are at our best. Nutty, fun, and friendly!

This is Mark...the pharmacist, yes he is in fact dressed like a gorilla...in a tutu...although I know for a fact that he will dress like this and many other ways if only asked...but today he has a purpose to dress like this....again, yes this is his moped...he drives it to work and revs it up if you look like ya wanna race....and yes that is a pizza box strapped to the back....but it doesn't hold a pizza...no...it holds something way better a, Shirley K's GIANT cookie. You see Mark the Monkey Man is on a delivery!

This is in one of our classrooms. This is Mr. Blex, a social studies teacher. Although I never had the pleasure of being educated by Mr. Blex, as he is new this year, from what I hear, he is a huge hit! Yesterday was Mr. Blex's birthday. Someone arranged for a cookie to be made and delivered and who better to go and make a scene and complete fool of himself than...Mark the pharmacist! It's perfect!

When I saw these pictures today it made me miss my home. Not just my house and my family but my town. I know I have wrote before about being homesick, yata yata. But the more I am away and the more I see things from home, I come to see that I belong there. It's good to get away but it's always home. I can't call any other place that, so far. I almost don't want to admit that because then it seems that I have made my decision and that I will in fact return there hopefully, someday, full-time.

Why is my town so special? Well just like many things we own, simply because its mine! My family is there, my memories are there. I am more "me" there than all other places. My town is pretty. It's crazy and the people in it make me nuts sometimes but it's a great place to live. You don't get the interaction with people like we do in big cities. How sad really. People know and just "get" each other. The song below has some really great lyrics. (Please ignore the ones about drinking and other teenage shenanigans. Not part of the point I am trying to make!) Just as in the song below I too try to take in all the mental pictures I can when I go to leave, enough to get me through until the next time I am back. Also like the title of this post, which is from a line in the song, even when the miles are many, I feel like I'm still around. It's still mine. I just keep turning home.

Blessings!

Cornflower is Way too Mellow

This is a song that my 9 year old cousin Rinn showed me! I love love love it. Just thought I would share. I don't have much to say...the song speaks for itself!

Blessings!

Twenty in 'Tember

Tomorrow is my 20th birthday. It's weird. As a kid I thought of 20 as a "Golden Age." It meant you were an adult, you looked like an adult, you acted like an adult, you dressed like an adult. You did adulty things like, having a job, a family, your own pet. Ya get the picture.

Funny thing is, well, I feel I look like a 14 year old. I will say that I try to act my age...ok...maybe older (crocheting on a Saturday night is not the typical night of fun for chicks my age..) Some of my favorite items to wear are barrettes from when I was 7. I currently am unemployed, and I can't even commit to buying a turtle. Basically what I am saying is I don't think I'm really ready to turn 20! But tomorrow is coming...soon!

And I have a present sitting across the room from my mom to open tomorrow and Senor Smarty Pants seems like he's up to something so it should be an interesting day! :)

Blessings!

E Pie's Big Surprise!

Ok so here in Nebraska only one thing is bigger than beef, and that is Husker football.....ok so they may be equal, but lets just say they both are what makes our state run. When it is football season everyone is wearing red and you better not even THINK about doing anything other than watching, listening, or going to the Husker game. When it is not Husker football season everyone is dreaming about and projecting the kind of season this years team will have.

Now, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, ok its not really that big of a secret or a surprise, but I have never really been that into it. I mean I'm proud when they do well and I think it's a really great tradition and everything, it is one thing that basically the whole state can truly come together and agree on. I have been told that there is nothing like the Husker atmosphere at a game. Professional sports announcers on the T.V. have told me this, so it must be true right?! But, I'm just not all that into sports. I'll watch, but if there is something on the Food Network that looks more entertaining, well, I'm gonna flip it.

My family has very deep roots in Nebraska. But, I'm afraid we, the children of, two Nebraska natives hold a deep dark secret. We have never been to a Husker game! OH! NO! AH! My parents went to a few when they were younger. Ya know, before they were so tied down....Anyway we have never been. A and I never really have been too worried about it. I always thought it looked fun but I wasn't going to really beg to go. But E, we don't really know where he came from. He is obsessed with sports. He eats, drinks, sleeps, and breathes sports. Pretty much all kinds, all the time. So, naturally he is a massive Husker fan! E has had one wish his whole life, and every birthday since he knew the Skers existed, he has asked for one thing, to go to a Husker football game. My dad always has reasons on why this year just won't work, tickets are hard to come by, expensive or home games fall on Saturdays when he has to work, or has other projects going.

Well, the other day a family member who has season tickets (they are quite abundant in our area) approached my mom about 2 tickets they were not using this weekend. Mom said YES without even asking dad. After telling dad he could put it off no longer, he was taking E to the Nebraska vs. Idaho game they decided to find two more tickets for A and Mom to go along and then surprise E with the ticket a day before the game. I wish I could have been there. I actually found myself getting teary as my mom told me over the phone how they gave him the ticket. Here's the story:

E asked for 5 dollars to eat on at the hometown football game. Mom laid the ticket under the 5 dollar bill. E picked up the money and then said, "What's this?... Are you serious right now?! This is so soon, this is this weekend! Are you kidding me?!" You couldn't wipe the smile off his face! Then the chatter started, that's what E does when he is excited. Talk, talk, and talk. I am so excited for him. I know he is looking more forward to this game than anything he ever has had! I don't even care that I don't get to go. I am so happy for him. I just said they had to get me a cute Husker shirt, because I don't own one...OH! NO! AH! :) Have fun E Pie!

Blessings!

Well-Rounded....

I'm sitting here...doing my favorite mindless thing, watching the Food Network Channel. Pretty sure I could waste a whole day just on this channel. I am watching one of my favs, Giada. Her voice is so soothing. She is currently making a nice Egg White Frittata with Lox and Arugula for her friend that just had a baby. It looks delicious. But that is not the point of this post. The point of this post- school-yikes. This semester is not fun. Mentally I am doing much better, I am no longer lonely all the time-like I was last year-but my classes just aren't as fun.

But while in this frustration with my classes I found myself thankful. Actually thankful that I had went to CCC last year because of the classes I had taken. Riveting Phycology classes, and wonderful Introduction to Teaching classes. Classes that showed me I was in fact, in the right major. I have the sinking feeling that had I not been at CCC I would not have taken the classes I did, therefor not knowing that Education is such an excellent place for me and the passion that I truly have for it. Had I went to a larger college I believe the advisor would have put me in more General Education classes, like I am enrolled in now. I love to learn and I love education but these classes don't inspire me and for me that is so important. I know I would have become frustrated and then probably changed my major....(who knows...something random). Or I would have even quit. I don't quit much but, when you are dealing with the kind of money that I am spending but don't really have, it would be easy to justify to move on to somewhere else and something else.

If you look at the classes that actually pertain to my particular major it amounts to about 2 years of work. But because the whole college system strives to make "well-rounded people" they fill your other 2 years with classes such as Macro Economics, where the teacher just talks and talks and continues to talk and you have no clue what he just said. Or another personal favorite, Math. Now I understand completely that math is extremely important, I can add, subtract, blah, blah, blah, I can do many higher level things as well. But to my little "use time wisely" mind most of things covered in my class seem....well to not be using my time wisely when I want to teach children below the 2nd grade. This may sound ignorant. Oh well. From what I can see, while they are exposing me to different subjects (aka making me take these classes I don't care about) I am seeing how much I absolutely don't like these subjects, coulda done without that knowledge. Thats the kind of well-roundedness they are implementing in this chick. I consider my self very well rounded. I guess I wasn't aware though that I was actually going to college to become well-rounded . I think that should counted as another degree and listed on my diploma as well as my Education degree. I guess everyone is double majoring. Ok my rant is finished...for today.

Blessings!