could it be true?

Over the weekend, I heard it again.

Phish may be getting back together.

A tour in the Northeast is scheduled.

Could this really be true?

A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

This is the only type of phishing or fishing that I actually support.

Hells, yes.

If they can do this like they used to, please let this be true.

new heading

Just want to share with you that the new picture on my header is Glenwood Springs, CO. My current home.

I took this picture on top of another mountain, looking south.

As you can see, I live in a valley.

The town has about 9,000 people and hosts the largest natural hot springs pool... I think, anyway. You can fact check me if you want. :)

sweet 16

Our sweet boy turned 16 this month.

You wouldn't believe it, if you met him. He's silly, spunky, talkative and even bossy sometimes.

God how I love this cat. I've only had the priviledge of mothering him since he was 7. That's when Ladd and I met and I he "gave" him to me. (long story....)

I pick this guy up and snuggle and smooch and love on this furry fellow as much as he allows... and sometimes without him allowing.

Oh, Schwartzkopf. Schwartzie. Schwartzenegger. General. Floofin'-floof. ....etc,.

I love you.

You. Are. Awesome!


me and my baby




having birthday "cookies"

Epp summer gathering 2008

Okay, so this happened about 6 weeks ago, so I'm not going to go into too much detail about it. But I'll give you a little idea of the event.

We gathered at Grand Lake, CO. Ladd's parents rented a nice house for us all to stay at. Thanks again, Bonnie and Weldon.

There were good times and not so good times. This happens when you put 4 families together who are used to functioning the way they like or need to function. Its probably not good or bad. It just is.

For example, Somebody drank hydrogen peroxide (sipped, I guess), someone ate peanut butter sandwiches only to find out that it was tainted with dog saliva because it was the dog's peanut butter, dogs got out, a child played in toilet water, and all this happened because we failed to communicate.

Its simple, really. In our own minds, how we each do things makes sense, so why would we need to change it or communicate to others what we do and why we do it.

Well, apparently we do need to be more vocal about what we do and why we do it. At least when sharing confined spaces with lots of people over a long period. :)

Lesson learned.

But don't get the wrong impression here. Most of the time, everything worked out. My mind is flooded with good memories.

And when I see or talk to you next, if you want to hear a good story about a moose, let me know. Its too long of a story to write about. Just know Ladd, Bailey and I had a very brief but very close encounter with a very. big. moose.

Bailey LOVED this trip. She got to meet her dog cousin Sally for the very first time.


Baby moose near the Rocky Mountain National Forest


A sign along the hike Ladd and I did one day


Adult moose near our home. Probably the same one that scared the S.H.I.T. out of me one early morning. :)



The house.


My niece Naomi picked wildflowers the first night we were together and put them in these beer bottles as we finished drinking. Beautiful. As you can see, our beer preferences are as different and colorful as our personalities.


The Neufeld Epp neices and nephew.


Nature can be very phallic. Good eye, Kristin. I love how your brain works sometimes. :)


Sweet Eliza Irene. Super funny little person.


The not-so-newest addition to the family. The Hildreth Epp addition. Caden.


You can see more photos, including a much better close up of the giant moose, if you go to my sister-in-law's version of the trip on her blog.

pictures of our telluride adventure

Here is a few pics I'll share with you from our trip to Telluride. I highly suggest it as a destination for a vacation. We've only been there in the summer, but if you're into winter sports, I'm sure it would be equally awesome, if not better.

It seems as though there is always something going on there.

This time around there was a mushroom festival going on.
Yes.
A mushroom festival. And yes, it attracted people of all kinds. :)

And maybe you'll get to see Tom and Katie Cruise!! :) ...yeah, I don't care either.

On the way to Telluride


After a difficult (for me at least) steep and rocky hike for 40 minutes, we finally got to this. It was beautiful, loud, cold, and AWESOME. I could have sat up there by the water for hours just thinking and napping.











Who says you can't take your dog on a Harley ride with you?? This was awesome. That dog was willing and ready for that ride. :)

musing in telluride

Last weekend, Ladd and I went to Telluride for a long weekend get away before school started. I needed a break from work and this town. I knew that once school started, I wouldn't get a break until Thanksgiving (except for labor day which doesn't really count when you've only been back to school for one week) and I wouldn't be going anywhere except work, home, school, or the library until then. So, we took a much needed break.

We love Telluride. We've only been there twice, but we plan to go back while we are here in Colorado. That's one of the things I looked forward to when we decided to move out here. Telluride would be only 4 hours away, as opposed to 14 when we lived in Lawrence.

Long weekend get-aways are something Ladd and I like to do together. Its like a really long date. When we lived in Lawrence, we would take long weekends and go to St. Louis. We loved St. Louis. This is a nice change of pace though. The glorious mountains, wildlife, smell of the air, and lets face it, driving around the Gunnison National Forest is WAY better than driving on I-70 across Missouri.

Did you know that it is legal for passengers of vehicles to drink alcohol in Missouri? I'm pretty sure its because, well, they have to drive in Missouri. :) .....But I digress...

When Ladd and I get quality alone time such as this occasion, we tend to discuss our future and our goals and aspirations. This weekend was no exception. I realized something new about myself. I found that not only does it not bother me that I have no idea where we will be in 2 years, but that I feel excited about it.

I used to never be that way. Years ago, I was already craving a plan. I am someone who needs stability and moving around the country did not go into that equation, even though it sounded so romantic and adventurous, courageous and so very liberating.

I felt buying a home, having a steady job (whether you loved it or not) was the beginning of a stable plan. Practical. Safe. The way my life was suppose to be, I guess. Not dreamy or exciting. But I never grew up being encouraged to do whatever I wanted to do and go anywhere I wanted to go. I grew up with practicality being instilled as a way of life.

Then I began to change. Things began to change. I realized that if I didn't go and try to do what I really wanted to do with my life, I would grow to be one of the saddest women that existed. Full of regret. Hopeless. Angry. Resentful.

No only did I know having those intense feelings would not be compatible with life, but I would be a poor wife, mother, and friend.

I went back to school. I had a teacher that I will never forget. It was as if she was speaking to me personally the day she told the class to go for it. Make your dreams come true. You. Can. Do. This.

So, I began to do it. Two years later, I got accepted into the college I wanted to go to so I could get the degree and training that I craved for years. We sold our house, Ladd quit an excellent University job, and we left everything we knew and moved 10 hours away to another state.

I think that unleashed a part of our souls. A part of us that craved adventure and experiencing the world. A part of us that otherwise might have never been set free and just festered inside of us as we grew older. Who knows what emptiness we might have grown to feel had we not made this leap of faith. This scary and exciting leap. I am glad I will never know the end of that version of our life story.

So here we are. Fourteen months after that giant leap. I have less than 2 years until I graduate with my veterinary technology degree and (hopefully) associates of arts degree. Yes, two degrees. Who would have thought? If you asked me 5 years ago, I probably would have said "No, way. There is just no way.".

But here we are.

Way!

There are a few things that we are pretty sure of happening after school, though:

1.) Backpacking through Europe. (Now that we FINALLY saved enough money, we don't have time right now. Go figure.)

2.) Offspring. No, not the crappy band from the nineties, actual living offspring.

3.) And, more likely than not - but I know not to commit to this yet - we won't be in Glenwood Springs. Its beautiful here, but we've both learned that though we grew up as farm kids, we are definitely more city kids than we thought!

So, if you were ever considering checking out Aspen/Vail/Glenwood Springs, etc., and you want a free couch to sleep on, time is ticking!

If you want to know one of the destinations we are considering as a home after school, at least for awhile, is Vancouver, Canada. Surprised?

We figure, no kids, we're young, so why not?? Even if its for 6 months, at least its something we tried. If I get pregnant during that time, it will be fine. Kids are portable. :)

What do you think of that, eh? :)

After all that intense thought, I will leave you with the most beautiful sunset. This picture does not do justice to the energy of it. People were stopped all over town. Standing in the middle of the street in awe. I feel so privileged I got to see and capture this.

TELLURIDE SUNSET 8/23/2008.

back to school

For some reason, every time school starts up again for me, I instantly have this playing in my head. :)





School started up again, today. I think my general feeling of today was relief. I know this semester is going to be tough and I will have TONS of reading, but I am ready. Bring it! I had a good long break and now its time to get back to business. That degree isn't going to get into my hands by camping, working, and other summer fun-ness that has been had. Its time to work!

I only had a couple of my classes today and so far so good. I am super excited for U.S. history. I will be learning so much and loving the discussions of politics, I'm sure!

I got a peak at the new vet tech freshman. (at least the ones that are in the 2 year program) These are the girls that I will be graduating with, along with my other fellow classmates from last year. I feel pretty hopeful and optimistic that this crew of people have integrity and kindness.... more than last year's class I hope.

I am not here to make friends, but it would sure be nice to do so. Not that last year's class was ever mean to me.... I stayed out of the petty/catty bullshit, therefore not making enemies. But it was harder to want to be friends outside of school with so many of these girls when they chose to make fun of and gossip about others. Not the people I want to hang with. Discussing feelings with your friends about/towards someone else is MUCH different than pointless and hateful comments... at least in my book. And let me say, yes, I did make some friends last year. It was just slim pickins' is all I'm trying to say. :)

Anyway, I have a good vibe so far about how this year will go and my trust and hope in anticipation of this year has been steady and strong all summer. Lets hope this class is a fine bunch of chicks (and one guy).

And yes, I take a lunch box to school.... it's just not as cool as Billy's. :)

i'm still here...

.... sort of.

Obviously, I haven't posted in awhile. Its a combination of lacking time/energy/enthusiasm/and creativity.

Don't fret. I'll get a groove back... I hope.

My second year of the vet tech program starts up next Monday.

Round two, baby!

I'm also loading myself up on a couple other classes so I can (hopefully) graduate with two degrees in May of 2010. Two of these extra courses are U.S. history, which really, what American couldn't use a little tune up of knowledge of our evolution as a country! eh?
(More like a complete overhaul, for me! I lack so much knowledge in this category! *looks down in shame)

I'm also taking comparative religions. Not exactly sure which religions will be discussed, but hopefully it expands beyond western religions. ... I'll keep you posted. (ha! Catch the pun???!!!) :) I wonder if I'll have to defend the Catholic religion again, like I did with the Mennonites I grew up with.... This could be interesting!!!!

later!