I Never Met A Cupcake I Didn't Like

Aiden neither too I guess...

After I got home from the mountains on Sunday morning, the two of us had to hurry scurry to get ready for a celebratory work lunch downtown. Aiden was so happy to see me that he wanted to hang out in the bathroom while I got ready. As per usual, as soon as my giant powder/blush make-up brush makes an appearance, Aiden's interest peaks and he usually takes it to pretend he's painting the wall with it. On Sunday though, he used it for it's intended purpose -- he helped someone special do their make-up...

Boo likes to be pretty too!

After everyone was all dolled up we scooted out the door and headed downtown to City O'City. Since the vegan population in our office is growing, we typically eat at places with lots of vegan options. Luckily, vegan applies to beer battered onion rings and ranch to dip (all vegan recipes) -- mmmm my favorite. And that was followed by pizza - which I ended up scraping everything off of and then dipping it in ranch (yes this is how I keep my girlish figure). The whole thing was followed by mini-cupcakes - we got half Chocolate Cherry and half Boston Cream. Since Aiden was with me, I got to have one of both.

When I said I tried them both, I mean Aiden ate most of the Boston Cream and chewed then spit out half the Chocolate Cherry -- I got what was left over.

Diving into his vegan Boston Cream cupcake

After lunch we headed home to nap a little, then met up with Steve and his parents. Took a little trip over to Rachel and Dylans and then hung out at home. We were planning to go out for a friend's birthday party but my car overheated so we stayed home and I spent the evening studying.

Now that my last summer class is over, I get to do as much pleasure reading as I want. Well, for a month.

I was told recently, that I can no longer go on living what I call an honest life if I don't see the movie The Princess Bride. So I got the book and started it. I am also still working on The 13th Tale and will be adding The End of Mr Y as well as Shades of Gray to the line up.

And because I was in such a good mood Monday afternoon, Aiden got trains.

And everyone enjoyed G-Mone's for dinner.

Rope-Tastic!

I realize it is Tuesday, but the last few days were a little bit blurry so to me, this is the beginning of the week.

Last Friday, I spent the entire evening writing my final Shakespeare paper. It was due at midnight, and because I was taught to write essays in the IB program, I didn't start my 10 page endeavor until after work (around 6) Friday evening. This class was a bit of a struggle for me. The teacher and the grading rubric made it way to easy for me to do the bare minimum the entire time. Which, as a student who is finishing up and trying to enjoy summer, is nothing to complain about. However, when I sat down to do this monster paper, I really had to engage in what I already knew and what little I read, then I had to make something meaningful out of it all.

I finished up around 10pm and was rewarded with a delicious red velvet cupcake from Kelly. And like the lame-o that I am, I went to bed shortly there after. I was up bright an early the next morning too because I had to hit the road by 9am to meet my Mom.

Since I've been seeing the fabulous Kaitlin, I haven't been traveling to Vail for my hair at all. But for my birthday, I got a free hair treatment. So, since I was headed to Mom's for a night I decided to take advantage. But before I hit the road I made a special stop...

I was so sleepy, I almost started a conversation with this guy at Tipsy's.

I made plans earlier in the week to play in the Colorado River with my buds, so I thought I should show up with gifts...

Once I hit the road, I was getting pretty excited. After the shenanigans of last week's rafting trip, I wasn't sure whether to be excited or scared about going to the rope swing. But once I was on the open road I started to get pumped!

After getting my hair done, I had to make a couple stops to pick up a couple people. The rope swing is a good little drive from where my mom lives so we try to take as few cars as possible. Plus, being located under a bridge on a sharp curve in the highway, there's not much space to park.

When we pulled up, my heart sank. The rope was gone. Typically, this happens about once per summer. The water in the river is really high right now, and since it's tied up below the railroad tracks, the railroad company removes it occasionally because they would be liable if someone drowned or got hurt - since we use their property to fling ourselves into freezing, rushing water - I kind of understand.

So how did we solve the problem? We climbed the steel holdings on the other side of the highway like a pack of monkeys, went up under the train tracks in the trestle and climbed across the highway, above the water, out to the middle of the river and jumped! Let me note here that crawled more than climbed because I am TERRIFIED of heights, and didn't pause to enjoy the experience much because I was so muddy and shaky that I just wanted down.

After hanging and drinking for a bit on the side of the road we made a new friend who lived close by and brought us a rope. So we sent a very drunk Christopher up into the trestle by himself to tie it up.

If you look close he's about 1-1/2 sections of steel to the right of the brick bridge work

And then we did some awesome swinging, which we set out to do in the first place! And of course just hung out and enjoyed the day too...

The Homies on the side of the road

After we left, I was a fair amount of tipsy (pardon the pun) so one of the sober homies drove us back to town.

And then we went to Linner at a little Hawaiian place. It was sooooo yummy!! Then I went home to Mom's to get ready to volunteer for the Eagle County Rodeo Bull Riding Event. If you know anything about rodeo's you know this is the cream of the crop, highlight event. 

I helped take and check tickets and wrist bands. I also did a number on a delicious funnel cake.

Just before the event began.

What a rope-tastic day trip to the mountains!! More on Aiden's fun weekend coming soon :)

Another Date With Aiden

Tonight, Aiden and I had a special treat. We went to dinner with my best friend from college (and the poor soul who lived with me while I was pregnant) and his girlfriend. Since they are both living closer to us now, you would think we see each other quite often. Unfortunately, busy is the word for both of us.

But that makes it even more fun when we do get to hang out. Brian, Emily, Bubba and I had dinner together at CPK - which tragically stopped offering my favorite pizza. Aiden was his usual shy self, even though he spent an extended evening with Brian and Emily about two weeks ago. Also per usual, he warmed up, and hammed up by the end of dinner...

Auntie Em taught Aiden how to use the menu for playing peek a boo

In return he made her laugh

And play with him

Throughout dinner, the boys had their eye on a little helicopter stand outside the restaurant. So we made a stop on our way out so Brian and Aiden could check it out. The guy who was selling the helicopters was really awesome with Aiden. He let Aiden hold a controller (that didn't actually work of course) and Aiden thought he was flying the helicopter which was pretty cute. 

The higher it went the more he wanted to hold it and the closer it got to him, the less he wanted to do with it at all. But Emily helped show him that it was okay.

Then we went to get one of Emily's favorites - Cinnabon. But the Cinnabon place was unattended and when we finally got service, it turns out that they don't keep their cinnamon rolls hot and ready. Actually, it takes 17 minutes for them to cook after you order. So we all settled for cinnamon twists and frosting.

We all sat and ate dessert together and then Aiden and I had to get home. I've almost finished my last Summer class, less than a week and I'm done. Tonight I did my last assignment so all that's left is my paper and my final. It's getting so close. Soon I will have dates with Bubba every week.

Lookin forward to the end of the tunnel.

Who Knows

 Why do you look so familiar? I could swear that I have seen your face before...


I think I like that you seem sincere, I think I'd like to get to know you a little bit more.


I think there's something more, life's worth living for...

Who knows what could happen, do what you do just keep on laughing. One thing's true, there's always a brand new day. I'm gonna live today like it's my last day.

How do you always have an opinion? And how do you always find the best way to compromise? We don't need to have a reason, we don't need anything. We're just wasting time.

Who knows what could happen, do what you do just keep on laughing. One things true, there's always a brand new day.

I'm gonna live today like it's my last day.

Epic, I think that's the word...

We went "camping" this weekend. And I will try to capture all of the hilarity as best as I can for you. But I may forget some funny stories which you will have to hear at a later point from me directly.

My mom and stepdad are currently living in a fifth-wheel camper in a little RV park near Dotsero, Colorado. A little trivia for you, Dotsero is named such (Dot Zero) because the geologist Ferdinand Hayden did a survey of central Colorado forever ago and Dotsero was his reference point on his maps. I know I am an a dork...

Anyway, Aiden spent a few days with Grandma and Papa Tennant at their cozy new place last week and we went up with some friends on Friday to see them and camped below the RV park next to the river.

It was kinda late when we got there Friday and we of course set up our tents in the dark, but we've become pros at it, so no big deal. It was hilarious though that one of the couples had a much larger, nicer tent than everyone else. So we spent the entire weekend making jokes about them staying in the Hilton and asking if their guest bathroom worked. We were just jealous because our tent wouldn't even zip all the way.

When I woke up in the morning, I was less than amused. There was a bug on my face. Because Steve opened the door in the middle of the night and switched himself around to be sleeping perpendicular to me, with half his body out side the tent, in the dirt. I wasn't pleased. But after my coffee I was in a better mood. 

We played around a bit at our campsite.

Steve and Aaron - The Hilton in the background there

Steve, forcing me to put his *unlit* cigar in my mouth

us bein silly

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Saturday, Aiden hung out with Grandma and us crazy kids piled into one truck and drove to Paonia Lake. I've only ever driven past it before so boating and swimming there was a first for me. It was so much smaller than I remembered. But I guess I got a little bigger haha. It was really secluded and of the 7 boats we saw, 2 others were friends of one of the guys. So those two boats tied up to ours and we spent most of the day drinking and hoping to get enough of a beer sweater to jump into the dirty cold water. 

The girls after jumping in

Steve surfin

Jeb surfin and drinkin!

Aaron being frustrated with Steve

The clouds wouldn't leave us alone, we would get about 10 minutes of sun every hour - so we had to take that opportunity to jump in and pee and get as warm possible again before the sun was gone. Luckily we never did get any rain, and it was still warm enough to enjoy even though the clouds were hovering.

We made the best of it though, by making "Get Off!" jokes all afternoon...people kept asking for "Off! Bug Spray" and inappropriate jokes always ensued.

They boys didn't let the weather ruin their fun, that's for sure!

On the way back to camp, we stopped at the natural hot springs near Carbondale.

I've always referred to them as "Hippie Dips" because on just about every raft trip I have taken, we have passed natural hot springs and they were always being used as a bath by transient people.

By the time we got home and showered and ate dinner, it was nearly 9:30. With big plans to go rafting Sunday, we nixed the idea of going to see the Eli Young Band in Gypsum, and had a little fire then went to bed early. Good thing too, because we were really in for it on Sunday.

We rafted the Eagle River, from Wolcott to Eagle. Our guide wanted to pull out a little early because of some pretty serious rapids at the normal take out place, but  we decided to chance it anyway. Even though most boats flip there. Even though someone died there last week. Even though our raft was half full of first timers.

I've been quite a bit and I was scared.

Most of the trip was sunshine and enough beer that the cold water was easy to handle.

The girls taking a beer break

The whole crew

But after our beer break, the weather caught up to us. Just in time for the rapids to get serious.

I had taken my shirt off when we stopped, because I was soaked from paddling up front. So I was sitting there in my bikini, drenched in rain, anticipating the monster ahead of us. Not going to lie, I was a little freaked out. But we did really well, we kept the boat flat and no one fell. When we came to the take out though, there were three rafts waiting on the ramp not moving or doing anything and we had no where to go. We crash landed into some brush and the raft was pretty determined to keep going down stream even with the 4 guys in the water trying to hold it.

It was so determined in fact, that the force of the water sucked one of the guys under. He appeared next to me and Lauren who were still sitting in the boat, and he heaved his arms up over the side of the raft. Lauren grabbed his arm and he kept telling her to let go, everyone was scared. All I could think to do was grab his life jacket, so I stood up, grabbed it and just threw my body backwards. Fewf. 

Then Lauren and I had to scramble to get off the raft  so we went climbing in the brush hoping to get solid land under our feet. In the process, I got a nice little gash going up my leg. It hurt so bad I didn't even want to be touched. (It already looks a million times better)

Since I was driving the "shuttle" I went running to the car to get changed. I was so cold I just started stripping in the middle of the Eagle County Fair Grounds parking lot. You know what they say, let it all hang out...I think they say that anyway.

Once we made it back to camp and I could feel my toes again, I was so high on the whole thing that I wanted to go again. Not sure the rest of the crew was ready but they'll come around I hope :)

Here's one more funny video - happy Monday!

It's All Over

Well I had some very mixed feelings about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II - of course because I am a Potter nerd, I loved it. But, it wasn't my favorite movie of the series. 

I actually left the movie feeling a little empty over it. Obviously if you haven't followed the books or movies you would be totally lost watching it. But, for those of us who have been following for 12 years now, it was kind of like the reward for making it to the end was to see the end. And that's what it was.

Rachel and I standing in line for SB - yep broke my 3 month streak!

The movie theater decorated for the midnight showing with house banners and "floating candles" - it looked like it took awhile to get it done! I couldn't help but laugh though, the whole thing was really impressive and was supposed to look like the great hall. Except the table with it's decorative plates and goblets, was pretty small. Maybe the size of a folding card table. It made me giggle.

Slytherin and Gryffindor

Floating Candles

Maybe I was just cranky when I woke up the next day, but I felt like maybe I was just kind of over Harry Potter. I saw and read all there was to see and read and so I was done.

After talking about it with my fellow geeks at work, I decided I liked it a lot more. I did cry during the movie and all. It's hard as a kid I think, to grasp what JK Rowling was getting at with Professor Snape's character and when I got to reflect back on it after seeing his whole memory sequence I decided that it really was very moving. And even if the movie was non-stop action with not much else to tie it together, it was the special treat, the "denouement" if you will (yes I am a dork), of the whole series to see it all finished.

date night

Every now and then we have a night that isn't all about homework and bubble baths. This week, we had a night that was all about margaritas and street tacos....mmmm.

We went over to The Newlywed's house, because really, they have forever to be alone together and would much rather drink with us, I think.

Rachel, with slight instruction from Dylan (I believe he told her "figure it out") made her first ever batch of margaritas. And she did awesome! Plus she got to use her new over size margarita glasses - it's inconvenient to refill so often ;)

And they were delicious! She did a darn good job!

It was really fun to just hang out with them and help cook in the kitchen. We got all caught up and swapped funny stories from the wedding and last couple weeks of their wedded bliss. 

Aiden came over too, but as soon as Nemo was on TV he wanted nothing to do with us noisy adults. At dinner time though, with all the extra attention of everyone sitting at the table, he of course, had to ham it up a bit.

He even helped Rachel open one of her wedding gifts that came in the mail - by disposing of the bubble wrap properly. 

It's so nice to have things settling down a little right now. We weren't worried about moving or vacation plans, and I didn't even think about Shakespeare (until Dylan asked what I've read...) all evening. It feels so good to just slow down and enjoy your friends sometimes. Especially when you get to have grown up talk - because I am becoming way to adept at Aiden Language for my own good.