Colorado Adventures - June 2010

What can I say, yes, we had another little vacation!! Since Joe and I haven't had much time getting out before, this year seems to be our year of trips!!! This adventure took us out to Denver, Colorado to visit my sister whom we haven't seen since last September. We flew from Duluth to Minneapolis to Denver. Not such a bad flight, but that thanks to Ativan, it does wonders if you ask me! We arrived in Denver on Thursday morning, taking advantage of some realixing time after traveling. We were exhausted, but I think that had to do from the lack of sleep we had the night before.

Emily came over to our hotel and we finally got to give her her birthday present that was stolen during our flight home from Jamaica. Thus, that was why she had to wait for it, it wasn't going to be mailed, thats for sure! After that, we headed out to dinner at a nice little pub, talked a little and enjoyed each ones company while we could.

After dinner, we headed back to our hotel, did I mention it was right next, literally next to Invesco Field AKA Mile High Stadium!? That place was beautiful, although our hotel was a little out dated, but very functional for the price. No complaints here.

Friday, Emily picked us up and we head to Red Rocks park. Wow, those rock formations were amazing and beautiful! It's amazing how nature had turned and changed things. Just beautiful! We parked in the South lot, so unfortunately for us non-Colorado people who aren't accustomed to the elevation, we had a bit of a hard time climbing all of those stairs and ramps!! Well, worth the effort, though. Look at these rocks!

This was taken at the top of the Red Rock Amphitheater. Just amazing!!!! When we were at the top, there were gym classes going on! I was amazed!! I'db e out of breath, although training at that elevation I'm sure would just get easier and easier. For a started, I was dying! Anyways, people were running up and down this theater. If you run from one side to the other, along each step here, you'd have done a 5k. Pretty neat, huh!? you cann't see it too well, but Denver is in the far background of this pic.
The three of us, after our breathtaking hike up the stairs!

If we were smart, we would have driven to the top like a lot of others had done, but the exericse was well warranted!

Just breathtaking!

A view from the bottom of the theatre.

After the Redrocks, we headed over, picked up Kyle and went to the Coors Brewery!
I've now been to five brewerys! And I don't really care for beer, figure that out!

Emily and I sitting and enjoying our free beer at the Coors Brewery! Minersmoon was what we were drinking. Half Killians and Half Bluemoon. Very tasty I must say so! You need to try it! By the way, we got a little tipsy there. You get three beers and a fresh brewed taste as well. Hey, that's a lot of beer for me!!! Especially since I don't drink all that much anymore. Wow, tasty, if I do say so myself!!!

After the brewery, we headed back to get ready for the baseball game. Lucky for us, the Brewers were playing the Rockies at Coors Field while we were out there! Joe, Emily and I went to the game on Friday night while Joe and I went to the game again on Saturday night. It was a lot of fun, unfortunately they didn't win until Sunday, go figure!

This is Coors Field, not a bad baseball park. I do think Miller Park is my favorite though.

Sunday was a bigger adventure. We drove down to Colorado Springs to Pikes Peak, the highest Cogwheel railway. We took the cogwheel to the top of the mountian. It was about an 1 to 1.5 hours to get to the top of the 14,110 feet elevation. A beautiful ride. The temperature changed from 92 degrees at the base (7000 ft) to 55 degrees at the summit of 14,110 feet. You can definately feel the lack of oxygen, but it was so beautiful.

Isn't this just beautiful! Breath taking, I must say so myself.

In the far background, you can see the continental divide!

Emily and I posing for the camera!

Yep, had to take a pic as a tourist! Pikes Peak, 14,110ft. The 34th out of 54 of the 14ers ( mountians greater than 14,000 feet in Colorado are called the 14ers!).

All smiles from 14,000 feet! Don't mind the hair, it was a bit windy up there!

After Pikes Peak, we headed over to the Garden of the Gods for a picinic lunch and a little walking and viewing the rocks. All of these places were amazing. Some, actually most, of these pictures do not do justice to the sights themselves.

This is what is called the Kissing Camels. If you look closely on the top, you can see the two camels kissing. Cute! Nature made, I must say!

Aren' these rocks amazing!? There were a couple of people actually climbing them, neat!

Joe and I at Garden of the Gods.

Here is the view from Garden of the Gods looking up to the top of Pikes Peak. It doesn't look too intimidating from here, but really, the top point there is 14,000 feet!! This picture just doesn't do it justice!

All in all, it was an amazing vacation. Breathtaking views and great company. It was so great to see Emily and I can't wait to go back to visit her again. A beautiful area. I highly recommend visiting it if you can. Just be warned, they drive very crazyily out there!

May 2010

This May has been a fast, yet interesting month. Alot has been happening already, and the month isn't over with yet! I finally was going to graduate with my Doctorate in Physcial Therapy! It has taken me two years to complete, but now I can finally say I am done with school. It has taken a lot of time and effort, and I'm glad I'm done. That is until my next adventure I decide to take on!! A huge achievement I've accomplished!

Graduation was on the 16th, and I was pursuaded into walking. (Thank you mom!) Anyways, it really wasn't all that bad. Graduation was help at the DECC, and 635 students walked that day. This was the largest graduating class CSS has ever had! Something neat to be a part of; however, the whole process took a little over 2 1/2 hours!! I was one of the first to walk into the arena, all the doctoral students sat in the first two rows, with the masters degrees behind us and the bachelors behind them. Unbenounced to me, the doctoral canidates were the last to walk. We were the ones to actually receive our "hoods" on stage, so that was pretty neat. After receiving our "hoods" you walked across, they announced your name and you then received your "diploma", or the holder of a fake piece of paper! (I actually received my REAL diploma on that Tuesday after graduation.) It was a fun process, thank goodness I do not need to do that again! *S*

This past weekend, Joe got us tickets to the Brewers verses Twins games at Target Field! Fridays game were on the 1st level, not too bad. It wasn't that great for the sole reason that Twins fans do not quite respect baseball ettetiqute. When someone is batting, don't get up and walk up and down the isles! Other people may actually be watching the game going on. Being on the lower level, it was harder to actually see the game. That is why I actually enjoyed the game better on Satruday, the view was less obstructed! Oh, did I mention the game itself was actually better too, than 15-3!! Oh well, the company was great and it was nice to see the Brewers.

Here is a pic of Joe and I on the Golden Glove outside of Target Field! I think this is cute! Many people were out there taking these pictures!!



Here is one of us taken by us!! My arms are perfect lengths for self portraits!

Pictures from Jamaica

Here are some more pictures from our vacation. I could add many more, but that may take forever! These are just a glimpse. (I took over 400 pictures, and that is not including the pics Suz and Andy have on their camera. I'll have to add them once I get them.) Please enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Here is one of the pictures we had drawn there. The palm trees signify two people, and the hammock connects the two together! *S*

The vegetation was so amazing! There were these weird things all around.

Joe and I, at Christopher Columbus Point.

The main pool area again

One of the many scultures of food!

The ocean from our room!

Looking down from our room. It would've been nice to have our own "Plunge Pool" although the ocean was only a few steps away, why would you need one!?

View from our room.

Me partaking in the Beer Drinking contest. Needless to say, I did not win.

All giggles and smiles after tequila shots!

One of my views from my lounge chair!

Looking over toward the "family friendly" resort.

Me, the mean sky, and deep thoughts.

One of the gazebos used for weddings.

Looking out toward the main pool area.

Joe and I getting ready for our catamoran ride!

Me and my coconuts with Pina Colodas!! Yummy!

Looking at the main building.

The beautiful beach! The colors were so beautiful. I never really knew that there were places that had waters that look like this. Just breath taking.

Breezes Runaway Bay Jamaica 2010

Last October, Joe and I decided we wanted to go on a vacation before we really started the whole family thing. So after talking to some friends, Andy and Suzanne were takers and we booked our trip to Jamaica! We decided to do an all-inclusive Breezes Runaway Bay Resort and Golf Course. It was great! We flew out of Minneapolis March 7th at 7:10, had direct flight to Montego Bay, Jamaica, arriving around noon! It was great!!! We had a driver pick us up at the airport and bring us to our resort, about an hour away from the airport. They drive like madmen down there. Literally, inches away from the car ahead of them, on the wrong side of the road, and horns, well, they are always blaring!!! But it was still great!

Upon arriving to our resort, we had drinks in our hands! Did I mention it was all-inclusive?! Anywyas, our first night in paradise was great! A little chilly, but hey, I can't argue when the temperature is 80!

Our first full day there, Joe had to travel back to Montego Bay to do some work at a call-center he uses down there. We ended up getting a couple little perks from this as well! While Joe was away, Andy, Suz and I hung around, partook in a beer drinking contest (I did not win, sorry!) and laid around, just relaxing. It was a little chilly, but it still was nice. We had three pools to chose from and, of course, the ocean! So many different things were available to us. Volleyball, water volleyball, glassbottom boat rides, snorkeling (which I absolutely LOVED!!!!), catamoran rides, and many more. hte best part of it all, NO WORK AND RELAXATION!
On Tuesday, we ventured out and went to Ochos Rios and played at Mystic Mountain. Here we took a ski lift to the top of the rainforest, and then Zip-lined down!!!! It was amazing! Suz has all those pics on her camera so I don't have them yet. But it great. The tour guides we had were hilarious and made it a great expereince. Since we also had the option to do the bobsleding, we took the lift back up, and Suz and Joe went ahead and do the bobsled. According to them, it was great as well! Overall, a wonderful experience!

After playing here, we headed into Margarittaville for lunch! Not thebest, but still good! We then did a little shopping, souviners of cours! Then we went to Dunns River Falls. So what do you think when you hear that? Yeah, you'd go see the falls. Nope! We walked down the mountain, just to find out, we were walking back up the mountain, but through the falls!!!! It was so amazing! There were tons of people and guides around guiding us up the falls safely. It was great! Something you just can't describe.

Dinner Tuesday night, Joe and I ate at the Japanese restruant, which was delicious! Wednesday we hung around and played by the pool and relaxed all day! Joe and I did some water activities, he had a golf lesson, and Suz and I got to go to the spa. Wednesday night the four of us went to the Luminous Lagoos. It was where the right combination of salt water and fresh water meet, bringing micro-organizism to around. It's hard to explain but it was absolutely beautiful! We jumped out of the boat and got to swim in this bay. Everywhere you moved the water around, it turned a luminous green!! Just amazing!

Thursday, the temp was high 80s and not quite as breezy, but great! Nothing too exciting happened, other than some easy reading by the pool and swimming! I actually read a book for enjoyment. Something I have not done in many, many years.

Friday it was mid-high 90s and hot! We relaxed by the pools and Joe and I got to go snorkeling for my first time! It was absolutely great!! The vest kept me afloat the snorkel kept me breathing! I had never really seen anything like that beore. So on Saturday before we packed everything we got to go one more time!!! Although this trip was alittle longer, I also go stung by two jellyfish. Nothing, bad, but it sure did sting a big!

Joe had the opportunity on Friday as well! I had never seen him do this before, and he did a great job!! Smile for the camera!!

Unfortunately our trip home wasn't as pleasant as expected. That's awhole different story though. All in all, it was a great trip! I'd love to go back to Jamaica again, so it's in the works! We'll see where we go next time! I must say, I am definately going snorkeling again!

Here Joe and I are, our last hour at the resort. Here's to a great trip and many more!

Let 2010 Begin!!

2009 has pasted and it couldn't have been sooner. It has been a roller coster of a ride, and we're hoping this year will be a bit calmer. Emily moved out to Colorado with her boyfriend Kyle. Since she wasn't sure of her work schedule, she wasn't able to come home for christmas, and it's been since September since we've seen her. I can honestly say I miss that girl!!! Soon t hough she'll be here visiting so we are all looking forward to seeing her and Kyle.

On December 3rd, my dad offically retired from the Postal Service! It's crazy that I can say that, considering he's only 55!!! We are all happy and glad he's done. I keep telling him that if he wants, he can always come up here and babysit a couple days a week when we have children. (Granted that may not be for a couple of years, or something, but we keep putting that idea in his head, especially since he keeps asking where those grandkids are!!)

At the beginning of December, we had an unfortunate happening occur when Joe got laid off from Starbucks. Granted it was only a part-time job, it still sucked because now we are tighter with money than before and we were pretty tight before. Oh well, the upside to this was we get to spend more time together! Something we haven't had much of for awhile becuase he was always working. So this is a good thing!

At the end of December, Dad had surgery for prostate cancer. Everything went great and is at home recoverying. I'm glad it all went well, although he had a lot of pain to start with but I think things are settling down a little. The pathology reports came back this week and thank God, but they were all negative! Everything was contained in the prostate. He doesn't need any radiation or chemotherapy at this time. That is huge!! It's been a long past couple of months waiting and seeing what's going to happen. As you all know I tend to take on a lot and worry about everyone else, so this has been hard on me, and in turn Joe. So, I am terribly excited to hear good news from the Doctor.

As of now, we are heading into the new year slow and surely! We are hoping to get a couple of good weekends of skiing in along with some snowshoeing and getting out more. We are both still running and Joe is planning on doing another 1/2 marathon this year sometime. I may do another one, but depends on what happens. We are heading to Jamaica in March for a week with our friends Andy and Suzanne. This is a badly needed vacation and we are both excited to get away for a while. I'll post some pictures when we get back. I hope everyone had a great christmas and a great new year!