merry christmas!!!

pandas could die

So, apparently this upcoming winter storm is going to be so bad not only could you die but the following other extremes may occur. should you decide to be crazy enough to drive through it:

1.) A kitten will explode every 60 seconds
2.) The eighties fashion trend will increase exponentially (we're talking neon colored leg warmers and aqua net, people!)
3.) The muffin top you refuse to acknowledge you are sporting will double in size
4.) Pandas will become extinct overnight
5.) Palin will be elected President in 2012 (seriously, that's reason enough to stay home and watch "A Christmas Story" marathon on the AMC channel)
6.) Your children will decide that moving out of the house after college is 'over-rated' and decide to live with you 'indefinitely'

is it over or just a break?

no post since June, huh? I knew it had been awhile but didn't realize it was that long.

Sorry.

Really, this whole blog thing started to become tedious and unfulfilling. I felt my posts were uninteresting and I started to get frustrated with a lack of understanding why some applications and pictures weren't working.

Oh yeah, and I've been BUSY. :)

School was nothing short of overwhelming at times, this past semester. 17 credit hours, 7 classes plus an online pet nutrition course kept me pretty busy.

Also, I really do feel like my posts - my whole blogging style, really - is uninteresting. Let me know if you feel otherwise or have any tips for me. I'm considering revving this thing up again but doing things different.....

less words, more pictures.

Here's one for starters. A picture outside our living room in October after the first big snow of the season.

i need help

how can i get pictures to fit "just right" behind my blog title? This is so frustrating. I feel like i have no creative control over my blog and I am clueless as to how to remedy that.
H.E.L.P.

Snowmass Chili & Brewfest 2009

We went to the Chili & Brewfest in Snowmass again this year.


Only this year we (Ladd, really) went as competitors, too.

His "Kansas City Pale Ale" (his rendition of Boulevard's Pale Ale) went over well with the crowd. Though it didn't "win" anything, his keg did get tapped.
That is always a good sign. :)




There was an impressive amount of microbreweries there this year with delicious samples to devour.
Music was excellent again with Leftover Salmon, MOE and Particle.
And with this view, how could anybody not have a good time. :)

green

Its rained so much here throughout May and June. I've loved it. Everything is SO GREEN. More green than usual. Today was the first day it reached 80 degrees.



Ahhh, Colorado.....

turning 30

Ladd turned the big 3-0 this March.

I planned a fun weekend in Denver for his birthday.

His folks barely missed the snow and ice storm that swept through Kansas that day and drove all the way to Denver to spend some time with their son, the "baby" of the family.
I also arranged for a couple of his friends to arrive in Denver Saturday night and surprise him at dinner. It went smoothly (short Devin being stuck in Kansas due to the ice - WE MISSED YOU SO!!!) and ladd was pleasantly surprised! Bueno!
We toured a microbrewery, drank and ate at a brewpub, knocked another Hard Rock Cafe off the list (no list, actually) and visited with family, friends and locals.

GOOD. TIMES.

Oh, yeah! How could I forget!?!?! Ladd requested a cheesecake for his birthday. I have never made one. needless to say, it turned out WAY better than I expected, for my first try. NO CRACKS!!! However, the edges crumbled a bit due to not enough buttering of the pan. It tasted maaaaa-velous!!!

love you baby!

 

new toy

So I finally decided on a new camera.

So far i am happy with it. Quite a bit, actually.

I do realize i have A TON to learn about it, though. It came with a big instruction manual as well as a CD. I intend to educate myself of its abilities.... eventually. I despise reading instruction manuals.

L.O.A.T.H. I.T.

Until i muster up the discipline to get educated on my new toy, i will be snapping photos with blissful ignorance!

Here are a few samples from the first couple days I had the camera. I played a lot with the lighting and focus. This baby has a crazy long zoom for a point and shoot and I have some practicing to do, but it was one of the features that helped me choose it.

As I said, i am aware that I have a lot to learn about this camera before I get the best pictures from it.

 

wildlife management week 3

week three was bird lab

we practiced foot braces and wing wraps and blood draws on pidgeons. They were remarkably fantastic patients!!
We then drew blood from the resident red tail hawk. She too was well mannered.
We ended with taking some blood samples from a rescued and rehabilitated golden eagle. We then got to participate in her release to the wild.
pretty cool.

 

hehehehe

twenty nine

Its here.

My 29th birthday.

My last year of my 20's.

I'm not one bit sad, anxious, worried, depressed, regretful, etc....

Nope.

My twenties have been full.

Full of accomplishments.
Full of goals being achieved.
Full of dreams being lived.
Full of LOVE.
Full of determination.
Full of friends.
Full of life.
Full of lessons.

So, this is a good birthday.
I'm thankful to get to have my 29th birthday.




I'm thankful.
I'm grateful.
I'm happy.
and I'm 29.

Cheers!

goat races and such

It's baby season around here, again.

This year, we are keeping all the goat and sheep babies.
We have been asked to play with them as much as possible to get them used to people and being handled.
Last week, the farm manager asked all of the vet tech students to take the goats and sheep on walks if we wanted.
So.....a few of us went out during a break, haltered them all up, and took them on a walk.
We ended up having a race.
Twice.
I have video, but alas, I can't figure out how to view it, let alone share it!
Ladd would be so proud. :)

Its funny, though.
Right now, nothing seems cuter to me than watching baby goats and sheep run. Its funny. Kind of like Rudolph.

meet our new baby

Here she is.



Its been 2 1/2 weeks now and she has grown exponentially.
Its been fun to watch and help her through this transition of getting to know people and other animals, privacy, and all sorts of new things.
I've caught her staring at herself, among other things, in the mirror a few times.
Too funny!
I wonder if she's ever seen a mirror?!

She came from the hoarding situation last october.
Only a few kitties were still available from that situtation at C.A.R.E. and we decided to take on the challenge.
Plenty of other awesome kitties were up for adoption, but we new they'd find homes easy.
This baby is a bit skiddish and untrusting, which many people wouldn't have the patience to work with.



Here's her stats:
Female/spayed
10 months old
rescued from the hoarding house at about 6 months of age
tabby with slight calico expressive genes
amber/green eyes
can't meow - its more of a squeek!
silver/black/with a peach stripe on her nose and small peach patch on her chest
awesome
lovable
new friend to Bailey and Luna

Her name is Ariel.
I have sort of agreed on this, though it just isn't feeling right.
I'm feeling more like calling her Myrtle, Mable, or some other old-fashioned old lady name.
Any suggestions?

needing to catch up

I hate that I haven't posted in so long.

Life happened and sometimes that makes it tough to keep up with everything.

I'm most frustrated that I haven't blogged about Schwartzkopf yet.

We lost him Jan. 16. He lost his battle with Renal Disease.

I want to write about him and post all sorts of pics of him.

Its just too hard.

I'm mostly done with the weepy part of the mourning process. that's not the problem.

I just can't imagine that I could write a post about him that did justice.

I think I've accepted that and will post about him eventually.

He deserves a post ALL ABOUT HIM.

For now, know that i need to catch you up to speed on a few things and will do so as time suits.


Until then, i hope you all have had a good 2009 thus far and are enjoying that it is already February as much as I am.

I am past ready for green grass and flowers!

happy 2009

you probably have caught on by now that I heart LOLcat :)

Christmas and New Year's Eve 2008

This year, Ladd and I were able to spend Christmas Day together here in Glenwood Springs. It was nice. We watched movies, ate yummy food, drank our favorite drinks, and gave our furry babies their Christmas gifts. It was nice to have that day for ourselves.

a new scratcher


catnip was had


rawhide bones were chewed


Then, we were thankful to be able to drive home to Kansas the next day to see family again.
This year went down as my favorite time at home for the holidays, since moving out of the house in 1998.

My mom and sister-in-law graciously saved a large amount of their vacation time and used it to spend time with Ladd and me.
A whole week!
And Ladd also saved a week of vacation for the trip as well, which I am very thankful for as well.
It was great.
And once again, the Christmas time with family overlapped with Rachel's birthday.
She chose to spend her 30th birthday with all of us!


This look is showing her nervousness of the cost of the gifts she was about to open from her husband. ;) Cute.


Lots of relaxing, naps, food, drinks, games (I learned about the famous "Wii" - super fun by the way), gifts, bonfire, etc.
I am thankful for the time with them.

My mom and dad paid for Brad, Rachel, Ladd, and me to spend the evening together however we wanted, one night.
We had before dinner drinks at Brad and Rachel's.
Then, we went out for DeLIciOUs burgers!
We finished the night watching The Dark Night at their house.
Good times.
I'm thankful for Brad and Rachel and our relationship with them.
My husband, Ladd, was already friends with both of them before we even met.
Rachel is not only my sister-in-law, but also one of my best friends.
Since we don't see each other often enough, we really enjoyed our time together that night.
Thanks, Mom and Dad.











Time with Ladd's family was one of my best times with them as well.
It was even more relaxing than usual.
My mother-in-law is by far one of the best cooks I know.
Her food is absolutely amazing and I always get so full, because I want "just one more" bite! ;)
I'm sad to say, I forgot my camera when we went to his folk's house.
So, no pictures from the festivities there. :(

Thanks, Jerry and Kristin, for letting us invite ourselves over to see your kitty!
It was fun to be on your turf for a while.
I wish we could spend more time together and get to know more about each other.
Maybe we siblings could all get together for drinks or something, next time the family gets together?!?!?!




We enjoyed New Year's on the farm with a bonfire, per my request.
Ladd and I don't like to be driving on New Year's Eve, since we both like to partake in having a few drinks.
Bonfires are a favorite of mine.
I went to several when I was in High School and college.
Some of which were at my folks' farm.







And the Kansas sunsets.
SO glad to see these again!