Long's Peak Hike - Sunday, July 24th

After a nearly sleepless night, I picked up my friend Chad (happy 30th birthday!) at 4 a.m.. We headed up to Rocky Mountain National Park, taking in two falling stars on the drive, and signed in at the Long's Peak trailhead at 5:30 a.m.. Temps in the 50's had me pulling on my running jacket, but before the first mile we were both sweating and back to our t-shirts. Chad set a brisk pace (being a youngster and all), and I felt so out-of-breath initially that I feared being unable to keep up! Finally I confessed that I needed to stop to eat and drink and we set off again. By the time we reached the first waterfall, the sun was out and my lungs were working properly again.

The first 2 miles traverse a wooded area, rich with the scent of evergreens and the sound of streams and waterfalls.

The next few miles wind through rock-studded hillsides, adorned with an array of wildflowers.

As we gained elevation, marmots and picas made frequent appearances along the trail. The marmots antics caused us to laugh aloud several times - one was even occupying a privy I needed to use!

An elk herd rested in the early morning sunshine; these two spotted calves stood just begging to be photographed.

Around 8 a.m. we reached the edge of Boulder Field. The name says all you need to know. I was thankful for snowmelt-streams and scattered, persistent wildflowers that lent a sense of life to this desolate stretch.

At the far end of Boulder Field, the climb to the Keyhole began. (See those specks along the ridge of the Keyhole? Those are people.)

Lovely, wind-blown self-portrait in the Keyhole, 13,150 ft. Thankful for my jacket again!

Looking east from the Keyhole, back across Boulder Field.

View looking west from the Keyhole. Truly spectacular.

Chad standing on "the ledges" that lead to the final stretch to the summit of Long's Peak. (See the bulls-eye near his head? Those mark the route.) My fear of heights kept me from proceeding; the Keyhole was my personal summit on this trip, and was well worth it!

Elevation at trailhead: 9390 ft.

Elevation at Keyhole: 13,150 ft.

Elevation gain: 3,760 ft.

Distance (round-trip): 15 miles

Daycation

Balanced Rock

High places...

and small spaces.

A beautiful day...

away from it all.

Nymph Lake Hike

Darin and I have finally figured it out. (We are slow learners.) For happily-hiking-children, bring along more snacks than you possibly think your children will want to eat. Do not ration said snacks. (You brought plenty, remember?) Hand them out with unsurpassed liberality.

Of Summer and School (but not together!)

I. Am. Loving. Summer.

For quite possibly the first time ever.

In years past, summer has boded oppressive heat and bored children. This year, summer means NO STUDYING! (Living in Colorado has helped in the oppressive heat category, no doubt, but I "sweated" my first year of nursing school way more than those hot Texas summers.)

Each morning finds Keeper at my bedside offering me a choice: "What is it today? An early morning walk? Or you and me on the back deck? Shoes or coffee?"

I am savoring running, bike-riding, dog-walking, fiction-book-reading, hiking, Wii-gaming, pool-lounging, popsicle-eating... even car-and-dog-washing days.

This has also been a much-needed time of reflection. School (ok, life!) threw alot of stress my way last fall, and anxiety was quick to follow. It may not ever be possible to achieve perfect balance, but...

perhaps a little less time here:

and more time here:

perhaps recognizing my running-addiction:

has to be balanced with a wee bit-o' Keeper-wisdom:

You get the picture.

It's been a long time...

(more on that later...)

and it's also been a long time since the kids and I headed to the zoo.

Zoos make me misty-eyed. Not the plight of the polar bears, although if I spent enough time obsessing about it that might draw a tear or two. But - hey! - we walk and bike often, we planted a small garden again this year, we turn off our lights...

I digress.

Rather, mental images of these two little ones pull at my momma-heart.

In their toddler years, the kids and I frequented the Fort Worth Zoo often enough that "zero-sense-of-direction-me" had it mentally mapped out. Chubby little toddler fingers pointed out squirrels in preference of giraffes... little legs always wore out before we reached the exit gate... Sweet times.

We have lived in Colorado for almost three years now, without visiting the Denver Zoo, a mere 45 minutes away. Yesterday the kids and I headed out to make some new memories in our (still new?) place, although images from the old have been calling me lately.

Observations: Then and There vs. Here and Now

1. We wore jackets. Until 1 pm. In June.

(We have been having a "major heat wave" recently. [Low 90s; sorry TX friends] Overcast and 58 degrees yesterday felt relatively nippy but oh-so-nice.)

2. Bears get frisky in cooler weather.

Very frisky.

Yes, THAT kind of frisky.

Some bears are quite uninhibited in captivity.

3. Seven-year-olds are no longer satisfied with the answer "they're mating." Or "they're making cubs." (Eleven-year-olds have already had The Class at school.)

4. The kids pointed out the animals that we were actually paying to observe. And the squirrels.

5. There were no sippy cups. Both kids walked the entire 6 hours without tiring. No diaper changes.

*I did have my hands free to aid a fellow mom who exited the bathroom stall with toilet paper trailing from her shoe and a screaming, naked-from-waist-down, toddler. Ah, empathy. And NO, I did NOT hand her the classic syrupy line, "This season will pass so quickly; cherish it!" I handed her paper towels and a plastic baggie instead.

6. There are roses to smell in every time and place.

Spring BREAK

Family ski trip to Sol Vista.

Note my SMILE on the GREENS.

"Green means go, this slope's for me!

Blues and Blacks may never be."

(If nursing school doesn't work out, I will write Seuss-like literatue.

Back-up plan #216A.)

Darin tried out boarding this time. After a few bumps and bruises the first day, he wound up really enjoying it!

We spent one AWESOME day in Leadville, skiing with TEXAS friends.

Kids

making

MEMORIES.

Milestones

Caleb "crossed the bridge" from Cub Scouts...

... to Boy Scouts!

A Tradition is Born! (and without injury!)

Ah... the family ski trip.

We spent Friday through Sunday in Sol Vista, CO, learning (or for Darin that would be "remembering") how to ski. The chair lifts were terrifying (for those of us who are afraid of heights), and the learning process was a bit frustrating (for those of us "old dogs?" who dissolved into tears at one point) but by the end of our last day there, smiles were on every face!

~the lifts -- just off our back porch!~

~awesome views~