Denver and Ft. Collins Bound

It was FINALLY going to happen!  Jessi and Gary's cabinets came in when they were on vacation so we made plans to install her counter top on a Monday following our weekend in Ft. Collins!

Glenn and I were both into work that Friday, hoping to finish up last minute details and we did get some of that accomplished - mainly the inventory got finished!  HOORAY!!  But of course we didn't get out of there when we wanted to and we knew traffic would be bad!!  Bad wasn't even the word for it - it was stop and go all the way to Jessi's house and a normal 1 1/2 hour trip took 2 1/2 hours........

Jessi had a great dinner waiting for us - the guys unloaded the counter tops - and we had fun just visiting until the traffic subsided and then headed up to Jill and Robby's place!

Aleah had a birthday party to go to the next day so I tagged along - it was at a splash park and what a neat park it was!!  I love this picture of Parker - just standing there looking like he SO wants to join in!!

 The best part of the party was of course the food, drinks and the cake!!  It was a "Frozen" birthday party and the cake was sure cute!!

 I still had birthday presents to give Aleah and she loved her little china tea set we gave her!

 So of course we had to have a tea party with REAL water!! 

Late afternoon Jill and another friend hosted a "Nacho Bar" party at Jill's house - despite the rainy weather, about 25 people attended and we all stuffed ourselves with awesome nachos with all the trimmings!!

Let The Birthday Celebrations Start!

What better place to start celebrating than the Cliff House in Manitou Springs?  The church ladies always get together once a month and when it's your birthday month, the other 3 pay for your lunch or dinner!  Since I was the only one NOT retired we usually met in the evenings but now that I AM retired, we could do lunch - and I chose the Cliff House where we could sit out on the veranda!

It's actually a very nice hotel (someday I would love to stay there!) but they have a great dining room and this lovely porch that wraps around the front.  Lunch was delicious - especially dessert!

It was a special day spent with wonderful friends!

4th of July

Happy Birthday to Aleah who turned 5 years old July 4th - ready for kindergarten - where did the last 5 years go?   Also Happy Anniversary to Robby and Jill who celebrated 11 years together!

We decided to head out to camp, even though we knew it would be crazy with the 3 day weekend!  The small camper had to suffice again as Glenn hasn't had time to put the hitch on the back of the 5th wheel for the ATV trailer and I hadn't had time to pack it yet - someday!!

Glenn had an early morning appointment with the buyer at work so as soon as that was done, we headed over to Poncha Springs Pass - we had camped over there years ago in a really neat spot - unfortunately it's all blocked off now and you can't get in there but we found another spot along the same ridge that worked out just fine!  It was actually behind a fence (there were cattle around) so we just kept the atv outside of the fence so we didn't have to open it every time!

After we pulled in and unhooked the trailer, Glenn happened to glance at the tire and went Oh No - that didn't sound good - the wheel bearing was shot and the tire was about to fall off!  Luckily we hadn't driven any further or we would have been along side of the road!  Glenn tore it apart and we headed back into the nearest town to get parts - yes, they had them and he had it fixed by late that afternoon!

We had a great 3 days - lots of good food to eat, even though it rained 2 evenings while we were grilling - new trails to explore with lots of beautiful scenery and relaxation time!!

 There were a lot of butterflies out this time and I waited patiently till I could capture 2 of them in this photo!

 Did you watch Bonanza when you were growing up?  I loved that show and since we were heading into this tiny town, I knew I had to have a picture!!  No services at all offered there - just a few homes and a fire department!

 Beautiful odd looking aspen trees all over!

 Glenn was out walking around and found a treasure - I explained what it was - geocaching!!  So I added a cool looking rubber band and we placed it back where he found it!!  The treasure was planted in 2007.

A great 4th of July weekend - and a quiet one at that!

Campers at LVR

Kylan had his first time at LVR camp this year - Jaime and Brad dropped off both Rayna and Kylan on Sunday afternoon and Kylan was done on Tuesday evening and Rayna not till Wednesday evening so I headed out to LVR Tuesday to pick him up so he could spend the night with us!  He was so excited to see me and to show me around camp - the trail he hiked on, where he ate, where he slept and most importantly, the bathrooms!

I even ate an early dinner with him in the cafeteria - the meal wasn't 1/2 bad but we were late getting in there so had to eat rather fast!  I had forgotten that you had to scrape your plate and put your utensils in the tubs of water - how quickly we forget what camp life is all about!

So here are 3 darling pics of Kylan!

Camps are so much fun for kids and I can't think of a better place to send them than Lutheran Valley Retreat!

Celebration Time/Goodbye Mtn. Aspen Granite

Is retirement really here?  Is the business really handed over to the new owners?  Almost and yes!  I don't think Glenn and I or the new owners realized how much actually happens when you turn over an existing business!  The list seems to be endless.................and as I write this over a week later, we are still not finalized on everything!

Glenn is still finishing up existing work - I am still moving things off the work computer to the computer at home - there are still outstanding invoices, bills still to pay - insurance audits to happen - and an inventory to still finish up!  As Glenn and I well know, there are not enough hours in the day to run a business and the new owners are finding that out! Hence, the delay in getting the inventory done and the final details all worked out - but it will happen - and once this week is over, we're hoping most everything is finalized!

We were both SO surprised when flowers were delivered Monday morning - a gift from our kids, Jaime and Brad, Jill and Robby and Jessi and Gary - they were beautiful and actually still ARE beautiful sitting on my island here at home!!  Thank you SO MUCH!!

 My friend Joleen brought us a basket of goodies to celebrate with when we got home!

 And that's exactly what we did!!

Here's to retirement! 

A Late Celebration

It's pretty rare that we see any of the kids without the grand kids but Jaime and Brad had  dropped Rayna and Kylan at LVR Camp so we made plans to go out to eat together!  But first, they stopped by the house so we could show them our new property and have Glenn open his gifts!  Because it had been so long since we've been together, the girls hadn't given him his birthday gift or his Father's Day gift!

 Glenn opened up the first package which was a new watch (desperately needed as every watch he's had he has cracked working with granite) and a tire inflator, small enough to carry in the ATV!

Now the second package - I was laughing so hard I could hardly take the picture!  Every time someone asks Glenn want he wants for his birthday or Fathers Day or Christmas, he always says he wants a new butt, as his is cracked..........it's a standing joke all the time!  So when he opened his package, that's exactly what he got - A NEW BUTT!!!

Mark one up for the kids - they really got Glenn this time!!

We went to Russ's for their yummy hamburgers and had a great time before Jaime and Brad headed back to Denver.

Will Those Darn Cabinets Ever Arrive?

Plans were ONCE AGAIN to install Jessi's counter tops the last week in June but it wasn't to be...........Jessi and Home Depot have had MANY conversations the last few weeks and I know not all of them were good!

But I hadn't seen the kids for quite a while so decided I would head up to Denver for the weekend anyway and Glenn decided to stay home and catch up on some R & R!

Jessi had wine coolers waiting along with a great dinner!  And because she didn't have time to make dessert, I told her we would go to Safeway and buy ice cream because I hadn't had my all time favorite, Chunky Monkey, in a long, long time!  And we needed to celebrate my retirement!

At first we couldn't find it and even googled Ben and Jerry's to make sure they still made it and yes, they did!!  Jessi started reading the tags below each one and sure enough, there was a vanilla in front of all of the Chunky Monkeys - we were dancing in the aisle we were so excited!!

 It was beautiful outside and we made good use of the deck that evening!

 Saturday morning was coffee day - and then a few garage sales - and then a walk up to the park where the kids were swimming!

 Mid-afternoon we went back to the pool with the Smiths - it was nice and hot out so the cooler water actually felt great!

 After swimming we headed to Chipolte's for dinner with Jaime, Brad and the kids and then back to Jaime's house for dessert!  What a fun day!!

Sunday morning we actually had time to stop for coffee and smoothies before church!

Shopping was next on the agenda - I was buying things for our new 5th wheel and Jessi and I had fun picking out items!  But then my phone rang with the news that no one EVER wants to hear - it was Glenn telling me there was a fire in our subdivision, about 1/2 mile from our house.  And he needed to know where the evacuation list was!!  Funny how in times of stress you can't think at all!!  I knew it had been hung on the side of the frig since last year but I also remembered taking it down and filing it.  So I just started listing things for him to pack and then would call every 5 minutes and remind him of something else!

Jessi and I headed right back to her house and luckily I was pretty much packed up so I hit the road for home - Glenn called a little later and said the fire was out and all was clear - WHEW!!  Too close for comfort - and now the NEW evacuation list is indeed hanging on the frig!!