My CRAZY Adventures

Rocky Mountain High!

2009-05-17T16:08:00.003-05:00

In case you haven't seen enough pictures of the mountains and Daisy...

Daisy didn't want to leave the ranch today to come home. I think she must think of it as some sort-of Doggie Disneyland!

Back to the Ranch...

2009-05-10T09:22:00.003-05:00

Daisy and I went up to the ranch on Friday to check things out. In all there were 5 dogs there! Daisy had a BLAST and was pooped last night when we got home. It's going to be a strange summer-- reservations are at an all time low due to the economy-- but we'll make it! Here are some pictures of our morning walk:

To the Window...

2009-04-22T08:59:00.003-05:00

So, here's my usual q2mo. blog update! :) Daisy, as you can tell, is getting quite big! She now weighs in at 52lbs (she was 21lbs when I got her). We have been working REALLY hard to get prepared for the ranch this summer. She has some emotional issues with people and tends to assume that new people are scary...so barks and growls with her hair sticking up. But, we're working on it.

In other fun news, she chewed up the windowsill. Yes, the windowsill. She had NEVER done anything like that-- so I was completely shocked. (No, she couldn't chew on something that actually belonged to me, of course.) My friend told me she may have a UTI-- so off to the vet we went-- but our vet said, "No, looks like just bad behavior..." Great. We're headed to our behavior trainer (she works specifically with agressive dogs) on Friday. One of the Pediatricians at one of the offices told me he doesn't want to take care of my kids when I'm a mom-- he thinks I'm going to be CRAZY! :) Who? Me?!?

Otherwise, we are doing GREAT! I still LOVE my job. Daisy still LOVES doggie day care (2 days per week). I will go down to part-time this summer, working 2-3 days as a nurse, and the rest on the RANCH!

(THE WINDOWSILL)

When in Rome...

2009-02-22T22:27:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I don't have any pictures (because that would be dangerous)...but I'm skiing now! I even have bought ski equipment because I figure I'm going to be here a while. I'm not great yet...it's a little scary to learn as an adult (My instructor asked me what my biggest fear was and I said, "that I will fall and die..."), but I've joined a Women's Ski Group at nearby Eldora and have been given Tuesdays off to learn! So I have some bruises...but for the most part, I'm having a great time! Today was AWESOME-- it was almost 50 degrees up in the mountains! I'll try and take some sort of pictures next time...maybe while I'm on the lift...if you see in the news that a girl has face planted off of a ski lift-- that'll be me trying to take pictures. :)

Well, $!%*!

2009-02-04T22:43:00.003-05:00

So, you already know I'm terrible at updating...so I won't even go there.

Nothing TOO exciting is happening. Daisy is getting bigger-- she's now 45 lbs! We had to visit with an agression specialist-trainer to work on some anti-social behaviors that likely came from being rescued (don't worry...she doesn't bite). We got some good training advice-- basically no more spoiling my puppy! She's not allowed to go to Day Care 5 days a week (don't cry)-- she has to learn to be alone for a couple days a week.

I still LOVE my job and Colorado. They had to lure me away from my Pediatric "home," but I have learned to like some other areas. And, contrary to popular belief, it's not too cold here. Today, it was near 70! (Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Indiana!)

The most exciting news-- I am learning to SKI! I have gone a couple times both at Vail and a place called Eldora which is really close to my home. Plus, I just joined a Women's Ski group where I will have a personalized lesson all day on Tuesdays!

Well, that's all for now. I'm sure I'll update again soon (in 3 months). :)

Tis the Season...

2008-11-28T14:59:00.004-05:00

Daisy got spayed on Tuesday, so we've just been relaxing the past couple days. Today I set up for Christmas! I was so excited to get all of my stuff out because last Christmas I was in Hawaii and didn't get to decorate with my own decorations. I tried to get Daisy to wear a Santa hat, but she only wants to chew on it and shake it around... (Yes, that's a black bear nativity-- isn't it great!) :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-31T08:56:00.002-05:00

Dog Park

2008-10-25T16:56:00.003-05:00

Today Daisy and I went to one of our local Dog Parks. This one is actually a "dog beach" at a lake. As you can tell from the pictures, Daisy had a fabulous time! There were three other labs there, her favorite was the 9 mo. old yellow lab, Bella, in the picture. She wouldn't actually "swim" like the other dogs, but she did wade and splash around and, of course, dug in the sand.

Puppy School

2008-10-18T20:00:00.003-05:00

Today was Daisy's first day of puppy school, and, I must say, she's the smartest dog in the class. Okay, so she was the only dog in the class, but her brother and sister were supposed to be there. (Their foster mom is the teacher.) We did get some good one-on-one time to concentrate on things we really need to be learning-- like "come". I also got some more background...I was thinking that maybe she was a Border Collie/Lab Mix, but her foster mom says that her brother looks like a Rottweiler and her sister looks like a Bermese Mountain Dog. Either way, those are both HUGE breeds. Her brother and sister were both adopted by the same person. She didn't choose Daisy because she was the "quieter" of the two females. Which works out perfectly...I would have chosen the quieter one! Apparantly, she wanted a good guard dog. So, it was meant to be...

Watching the sun set over the mountains...

Pooped after a long day of walks, playing with her friends, and school...

More pics of my baby...

2008-10-12T17:03:00.003-05:00

She's very difficult to photograph because once she sees the camera, she runs over to lick it! :) She likes to give kisses and the occasional puppy bites when she gets excited!

DAISY

2008-10-10T20:56:00.003-05:00

How cute is my girl? I did it-- I finally got a puppy! Her name is Daisy. She is from the Poudre Puppy Rescue in Ft. Collins. I saw her at an adoption event, and she was just the sweetest thing! She is a chocolate lab mix. Her "foster mom" was a trainer at Petsmart, so she is pretty well housetrained and can already sit! She has been a pretty good puppy so far! She's given me lots of puppy kisses to show her appreciation of me adopting her! Tuesday she starts doggie day care-- you can visit her doggie day care and even watch her on a live webcam at http://www.dogcityboulder.com/ ! :) Only in Boulder...

LOVING IT!!

2008-09-29T21:40:00.002-05:00

Just in case you haven't talked to me in the past month-- I LOVE IT HERE! I can't believe I've waited all of these years to move to Colorado! I love my place, driving to work, watching the sun set over the mountains, and (get this...) my job! Who ever said that office nursing was boring? I've only worked at one of the offices (one of the two Peds clinics) so far-- but everyone has been SO welcoming and grateful to have me-- which makes me feel good! I've had to hit the ground running...but I'm starting to get used to it. :) The most difficult part is not working for the same doctor every day (I'm a float), so I have to remember each of their personal preferences. Well, my days of traveling may be over...

I'll try to add some fun pictures later this week...

Murphy's Law

2008-09-21T12:03:00.003-05:00

Me and Murphy were quite close yesterday. I woke up early so I wouldn't look like I just got out of bed for a Sears repair guy coming to fix my dryer... Well, they called me a 9am to tell me that he called in sick, and they wouldn't be able to come until next Saturday. So, then I decided to go hike in the National Park. When I arrived at the trailhead, it was 71 degrees and perfectly clear, so I didn't pack the rain jacket, down vest, or fleece that I had in my car. I made it all the way to Bridal Veil falls and was sitting there eating my trail mix, when there was suddenly a CRASH of lightening and thunder, pouring rain, and hail. In the back of my mind, I remembered my friend Glenn had once performed CPR on someone who got struck by lightening on this same trail. So, I panicked and started to run back to the trailhead. After running about 1.5 miles, I realized that I was running with the storm, and it was clearing up behind me. So, I stood under a big pine tree and waited it out. By the time I got back to my car, I was soaked to the bone and freezing! Luckily I had packed a change of clothes. I headed up to the ranch, where they had an open bottle of wine and dinner waiting for me! Today, I'm spending the day sitting on my couch!

(Bridal Veil Falls)

The Storm...

FINALLY ON MY WAY HOME!!

My New Home!!

2008-09-14T11:47:00.003-05:00

Here's the nickel tour of my new place! I absolutely LOVE it! I have a mountain view from the back windows!

Front Door
Living room view from Loft
Kitchen
Dining Room
My bedroom

Blogger wouldn't let me add more pictures...but there is also a guest bedroom, basement, and garage!

I'M BACK IN ACTION...

2008-08-28T18:44:00.003-05:00

Well, I thought I should update my blog since it has been FOREVER! Plus, there are changes coming... I am moving to Colorado once and for all. I will be living in the town of Longmont and working in Boulder. I will be a "float nurse" for Boulder Medical Clinic, meaning that I will be going where I am needed for the day at the clinic-- they have three clinics and do an assortment of specialties including GI, Peds, OB, Urology, etc. I'm stoked to be moving out here! I have a really cute townhouse with 2275sq ft.! Here is a couple pictures of some of our visitors at the ranch this summer... I'll be posting pictures in the next few weeks of my new place!

I'M HOME!!!

2008-05-01T16:04:00.004-05:00

Surprise-- I home!! (And, where did April go?) No, I didn't get fired; I was given an opportunity to come back to beautiful, overcast and cold, INDIANA!! Woohoo! Actually, I was thrilled because I got to be here for the birth of my first niece-- Grace! It's been so great to be home and spend time with family and friends before I head back to my true love, Colorado! I'll be heading there earlier than ever this year (mid-May) to answer the phones while the men all build a new poolside cafe! And, I know this will surprise everyone, I'll probably STAY in Colorado this time. Hawaii was great-- but the sunny beaches don't compare to the snow-topped mountains. (Of course I'll be home to visit every now and then!)

St. Patty's Day

2008-03-20T13:01:00.002-05:00

Here are some pictures from my St. Patrick's Day festivities. We went to one of the few Irish bars that is, oddly enough, located in Chinatown. Anyway, they had the whole street closed off for a block party...it was a blast, despite a few raindrops!

If My Life Was a Dollar...

2008-03-12T00:38:00.003-05:00

...I'd be a quarter! That's right, on the 4th I turned 25! We had one long week of festivities for my friend Kerry, who turned 30, and my birthday. Sorry-- I've been bad about updating...again, I'll try to do better! :) I'm hoping to go into the shark cage soon! More on that later... Here are some pictures from our celebrations...

Happy Hour

2008-02-16T23:46:00.004-05:00

Another picture of my rough life here in Hawaii! This one was taken on a private resort beach on the North Shore. Please take note of the umbrella behind my ear. The other is a rainbow view from my lanai at home in Waikiki.

Makapu'u Hike

2008-02-08T19:53:00.001-05:00

Today I hiked to Makapu'u-- a crater with a lighthouse on the east, windward side of the island. It is actually a great place to spot whales-- I saw two of them! As you can tell, the view from the top wasn't too bad either... The last picture is of the second hike I attempted, but did not succeed due to the rain and mud! I'll have to go back in the spring when it's not so wet!

I LIVE HERE!!!

2008-02-08T19:50:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture looking down Liliuokalani Avenue (the street I live on) and a picture of Waikiki at sunset! Ahhh...I live here.

Local Wildlife??

2008-02-08T19:45:00.000-05:00

No, not wildlife, just a trip to the Honolulu Zoo! (We do, however, have wild hogs here. You can see them at dusk running around outside the hospital.) :) Definetely not the nicest zoo I've ever seen, but it is within walking distance of my apartment and cheap with my military ID!

More Kauai Pictures...

2008-01-31T03:48:00.000-05:00

Here are some more Kauai pictures!Lunch Break from Ziplines.
Monk seal on beach.
Horseback riding.
Lighthouse.
View from our room...

Kauai

2008-01-31T03:32:00.000-05:00

After 'vacationing' in Indiana and four hard days of work...my roommate and I flew to Kauai-- Hawaii's northernmost island. As you can see-- we had a fabulous time! The day we arrived, I took a one hour helicopter tour of the island. The next day, we did a zipline tour with 8 ziplines, and today we did a two hour private horseback ride! The rest of the time was spent sunning by the beach and pools!

The Sheraton.
My Helicopter.
Na Pali Coast from Helicopter.
Ready to Zip!
(AHHHHHH!)

Surf's Up!

2008-01-08T20:55:00.000-05:00

So, I hate to show another picture of me in my bathing suit...but I needed to show proof that I got up during my surfing lesson this morning! It was a total blast, but I'm really sore! Turns out the hardest part about surfing is all of the paddling you do with your arms-- my arms feel like noodles now! Tomorrow I'm getting a massage! :)

Boat Trip

2008-01-05T21:23:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from our little boat trip yesterday. The ski boat was broken down, so we had to take out a pontoon. We had a great time-- we went out to the "sand bar" right in the middle of the bay where there were a bunch of other people anchored...you can see our boat anchored behind us. Just another day in paradise!

The View...

2008-01-02T23:10:00.000-05:00

I even think the views are better here! The first picture is taken from our lanai; it is the Ala Wai golf course with the mountains in the background. The second picture is the view from my window-- that's the ocean in between the buildings!

I've Moved!

2008-01-01T01:37:00.001-05:00

It came up kind-of suddenly, but I now live with my travel nursing friend, Laura! (We did the old roommate switch-a-roo. ) As you can see, my new apartment is about 10 times as nice as my old one! It is actually someone's condo that they own and rent out. It is located on Lilioukalani Avenue (which is about as fun to spell as it is to say) right downtown Waikiki. I'm still close to the beach and lots of shopping! We have a nice view that I will take pictures of later (it is dark now). And, I will email everyone my address within the next couple of days...

A 3 Hour Tour...

2007-12-29T19:21:00.001-05:00

Today I went to Kaneohe ("K" Bay) on the Marine Corp Base (a perk of having a military license) to take a class on boating so that I can rent a ski boat or pontoon with my friends. The class included a "lecture" and boat ride around the bay, which should have been relaxing; however, due to Gale force winds and choppy water conditions, we were all completely drenched by the end of the ride. I was freezing because the water was cold and it was sooo windy! Luckily, I passed the tests! The island in the one picture is actually Coconut Island, where Gilligan's Island was filmed. (I'm not sure how often I'll go there; apparently, there is a good number of Hammerhead sharks in the area. YIKES! I didn't see any, but I did see a sea turtle!) As you can see, not all days are sunny and warm here!

MELE KALIKIMAKA!

2007-12-25T15:38:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from Hawaii! I cannot believe I have been here for over a month! Seeing as it is my first Christmas away from my family, I'm going to cope by doing lots of shopping (the shops in Waikiki are open 365 days a year)! No, probably not a positive coping mechanism...but there are worse! :) I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in a couple weeks when I am home. Here are some pictures from our Christmas Eve Party last night (me and the tree, Ellen-- my roommate, and our friend Carl carving the turkey).

Manoa Falls

2007-12-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

So, Colorado has mountain lions and Hawaii has...Leptospirosis? Well, I didn't get in the water, but this morning I went on a really cool hike to Manoa Falls. It was only about 10 minutes from Waikiki, but look how lush and rainforest-y it looks! I felt like I could pull a Tarzan and swing from the vines (but, I didn't). The actual waterfall was also very neat to see... (The other girl in the picture is a fellow travel nurse that works with me at the hospital.)

Diamond Head

2007-12-19T01:38:00.000-05:00

Today, I hiked to the top of Diamond Head, a crater formed by volcanic eruptions. As you can see, the views were amazing! Then, I went to lay out on the beach and went to the Kona Brewery for dinner! Another rough day here in Hawaii! :) (All of those tall buildings in the distance of the first picture are roughly right where I live in Waikiki.)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

2007-12-18T01:06:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that it's almost Christmas when I'm here in Hawaii! Here is a picture of my living room and the Christmas tree that my roommate put up. I really like our 'lanai'-- we usually keep the sliding doors open 24/7 to catch a little breeze (our apartment is only air conditioned in the bedrooms). Indiana and SNOW seem a world away! This is probably going to be my only winter EVER without snow (I think I'm headed 'home' to Colorado after this...).

My First Luau!

2007-12-13T03:26:00.000-05:00

Today I went with a friend of my roommate to the Polynesian Cultural Center! It reminded me both of Epcot at Disney World and Conner Prairie (if your from Indiana...). Basically, you walk around to each exhibit of the Pacific islands like Tahiti, Samoa, Figi, etc. and learn about their culture. At the end of the day, there was luau and a Polynesian dance show. They roasted a pig underground and had other Hawaiian fare like taro (purple sweet potatoes). And, check out my REAL Hawaiian lei!

No Speaking...

2007-12-11T00:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been sick. That's why I haven't done anything fascinating. I actually completely lost my voice for the first time in my life...(and if you know me, this was a tragedy). I mean, I couldn't even call my mom! :( But, I did catch up on MANY episodes of Sex and the City, hence my photo. I'm all better now so I can get back in the game...

Dole Plantation (Part II)

2007-12-02T12:31:00.000-05:00

Dole Plantation

2007-12-02T00:29:00.000-05:00

So, I'm having some trouble uploading pictures onto Blogger...but don't worry-- I'm still doing cool things. I went to the Dole Plantation in the middle of the island yesterday and learned all about pineapple farming! I actually rode on the Pineapple Express which was a little train ride that takes you all through the fields! (They also grow mangos, papayas, bananas, coffee, macadamia nuts, and a huge assortment of other stuff.) It's funny because pineapples are grown in rows in a field, much like corn, which I didn't really expect. You'll get it when you see my pictures...

Pearl Harbor

2007-11-29T22:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to Pearl Harbor to see the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. It was unbelievable to see the list of the names of soldiers who died during the attack in 1941 and even more crazy to see the actual sunken ship beneath the water. To cheer myself up, I then went to a must-see flea market at Aloha Stadium called the Swap Meet that takes place every Wed., Sat., and Sun.! They had a 1/2 mile of practically anything you would want to buy from Hawaii-- scrub tops, luggage, candles, ukeleles, etc.

Hanauma Bay

2007-11-24T22:47:00.000-05:00

Today I went to the premiere snorkeling spot on Oahu-- Hanauma Bay. My Hawaii book says it was "used as a flim location in Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii..." Anyway, I probably saw like 20-30 different types of tropical fish, and there is no fear of sharks because of the reef! Then, I spent the rest of the afternoon lying on the beach-- I've got a good base tan now... Ahhh, life is rough here in Hawaii. :) And, finally, what you've been waiting for, a super hot picture of me on the beach! Haha!

For all you nurses out there...

2007-11-23T00:19:00.000-05:00

It just doesn't seem like Thanksgiving with 85 degrees, sun, and palm trees! So, I thought some of you out there might be wondering how the actual work is going out here (no, it's not all just fun on the beach). Well, I was bumped to day shift, which is fine by me...but, day shift begins at 5:45AM!! (AKA Crazy Early) I have to wake up at 4:45. However, we get to leave at 6:15PM, so it pays of in the end. The unit only has 16 beds which includes some rooms with more than one bed. So, the unit itself is pretty small...just one long hallway. The hospital is up on a hill, so from our floor (the 7th), you can see the ocean! I had three days of orientation, which actually, I'm feeling pretty good about. The difficult part is learning all of their computerized charting, etc. They do EVERYTHING through a computer system, including orders, meds, etc. and rely a lot on their doctors to put orders in, admit and discharge patients, blah, blah, blah. We'll see how it goes Monday when I'm on my own! :) Sorry no new pictures-- I'm going to try to get out and do something fun this weekend and maybe go to Pearl Harbor later this week when I'm not working. Happy Thanksgiving!

Famous person sighting!!

2007-11-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

So, I forgot to say in my most recent post about my adventures last night... I went out to eat with some people that I had just met at a little restaurant in Waikiki. Well, as I looked up from my menu I saw Reggie Miller! I was like, "I think that's Reggie Miller." The people I was with didn't know who he was... The one guy at the table said that it wasn't him. But...it was him! When he passed our table to leave I said, "Hey Reggie, can I get a picture with you? I'm from Indiana!" He was really nice and, of course, posed for a picture. I'll post it after it gets emailed to me.

Kailua Beach

2007-11-18T21:29:00.000-05:00

Today I decided to try out a different beach-- this one gets a 3 star rating in my Hawaii book! It was about 10 miles away from my apartment on Oahu's windward coast. The drive was absolutely gorgeous through the lush mountains and check out the view when I got there! Unfortunately, it was a little to windy to lay out there so I didn't stay long!

More pictures...

2007-11-17T20:34:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of my wheels for the next 6mo., and I tried to take a picture of my Hawaiian license plate, but as you can see, it kept coming out blurry. I went across the street to the beach this morning to begin working on my tan...you can see Diamond Head (a volcano) in the backround of the beach picture. Last, there is a picture of the statues in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village across the street. I think they're doing the hula or something...

ALOHA from Honolulu!!

2007-11-16T23:38:00.000-05:00

Well, after 10 grueling hours of flight...I made it to Honolulu! I was a little overwhelmed with it all (moving my luggage...renting a car...getting around in a new place...); this is the closest to a big city that I have ever lived-- as you can see from my pictures, I am surrounded by high rises! Today I was able to get a little more comfortable-- I am in walking distance from the beach AND two Starbucks! I started off my day at 3:30am (8:30 Indiana-- Ugh), and made myself lie in bed until 5:30. From 5:30 on I managed to go to Starbucks, the beach, the grocery store, WalMart, Sam's Club, Verizon, and I bought a car! And now I'm pooped! :) I will be picking up my car tomorrow...I'll post pictures so you can all see my new (used, of course) Subaru Outback! My apartment is on the 12th floor of a high rise. It's NOT the nicest place...but it's free, so I'm not going to complain! Here are pictures of my bedroom and the views from the patio adjacent to my bedroom. If you look closely, you can see the ocean and some boats in between two of the buildings.

Promise to update more...

2007-11-09T14:40:00.000-05:00

So, I know. I've been really bad at the updating. In my defense, my life has been a tad boring lately... I promise to update more when I get to HAWAII next week! :) Here is a picture from my Disney vacation with my family in October.

Goodbye Ranch...HELLO VEGAS!!

2007-09-10T15:51:00.000-05:00

This year we had an extremely CRAZY staff party! It was a total blast! Luckily, I didn't have to say goodbye to all of my friends...some of us left the day after the staff party for VEGAS! What a great time! I'd tell you all about it...but, what happens in Vegas... Here is a picture of me at the staff party (drink in hand, of course) and some pictures from Las Vegas. For now, I'm home in LOVELY Indiana (so I probably won't have anything to post...) :)

Photo Hike

2007-08-22T20:38:00.001-05:00

Today I went on "Paul's Photo Hike." Paul is our manager and a professional photographer-- so once a week, he takes guests on a hike and gives pointers on taking great pictures. So, here are some of my pictures from the hike and a picture of an elk that I saw outside of an apartment building in town!

Another Manic Monday...

2007-08-14T11:11:00.000-05:00

Just in case you thought I was classy...how about this picture of the Chef, Michael, and I in the staff room. Yes, that's a bottle of champagne I'm drinking out of, and he's smoking a cig. A party of two turned into about a party of ten staff sitting around drinking from a champagne bottle...I laughed so hard that I was crying... Oddly (or maybe not so much) these are the times I miss in the winter...

Never a Dull Moment...

2007-08-10T12:10:00.000-05:00

So, I saw these Googley Eyes in our Staff Room and decided to put them on this lovely bear statue at the bar. I think they really compliment the goldfish in his mouth...

Mt. Audubon

2007-08-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I did another great hike-- this time to Mt. Audubon. It was a crazy 8 miles with 2,776 feet of elevation gain! Yikes! It was beautiful-- 6 of the 8 miles are above treeline in the "tundra", so the scenery was absolutely amazing! Notice the warning about mountain lions on the sign-- I carried a stick for about a mile until I realized the stick probably wouldn't do me much good...

Blue Lake...

2007-07-25T15:18:00.000-05:00

Today I didn't have to be at the desk until noon...so I got up early and hiked to Blue Lake. It is a really nice hike (unless there's snow!) that begins at above 10,000 feet and climbs to above 11,000. The temperature at the trail head (to make you all jealous) was a balmy 62 degrees! Now, back to my desk work...

I'm Alive...

2007-07-16T20:15:00.000-05:00

I know it's been a long time...but our Internet has been down! Well, it's finally back up, and here are some pictures from our fun and crazy karaoke last Friday!

Happy 4th of July!

2007-07-04T16:41:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July from Lane Guest Ranch!

Estes Cone

2007-07-04T16:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I went on an excruciating hike up to the top of Estes Cone. Round trip, it is only 5 miles, but the last .7 mile is almost straight up. (And then straight back down after you get to the top...) I'm just happy I survived! The view from the top was amazing...here are some pictures! The one of the rocks is a picture of the trail!

Trail Ridge Road

2007-06-28T18:48:00.000-05:00

Today I went up Trail Ridge Road with some of the guys that I work with. Now, being the only girl on the trip, I was the only one prepared for the icy cold tundra weather. (Trail Ridge Road is the highest highway in the U.S.) Well, the boys decided it would be a good idea, all of them in flip flops, to climb up this glacier and slide down on their butts. By the time we left, they were soaked and freezing-- I had to crank up the heat in my jeep for them. I stayed at the bottom of the glacier to take pictures! All in all, it was a fun day off... Here are some pictures. (The one of all four of us is at the Alpine Visitor's Center at the top of Trail Ridge.)

New Artwork...

2007-06-28T18:41:00.001-05:00

So, I decided last minute to get another (my last, I promise!) tattoo! I got it done at a place in Boulder called Enchanted Ink; it is run by Registered Nurses! The new tat' is a tribal sun (meaning happiness). If you can't tell from the picture, it is on the inside of my right ankle. :)

Mom and Dad Visit Colorado

2007-06-27T15:27:00.000-05:00

Mom and Dad came to stay at their time share in Estes Park last week. It's really nice to see people from home while I'm out here...even if I'm having a great time! Despite the heat, we had a really good time. I took them downtown Boulder, and we did the Twin Sisters hike together. It was tough, but we all survived! Here are some pictures...

Game Night!!

2007-06-12T18:07:00.000-05:00

Last night we had our first "game night" of the season. Tom and Linda (a couple that works here) live about one mile from the ranch. Every couple weeks, they have all of the staff over for dinner and board games. It's really nice for us to be able to get off the ranch and enjoy some good, clean fun!

Auntie Em...Part 2

2007-06-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

So, the weather (as usual) can change very quickly here. We were actually having some nice weather...until yesterday. Not only did it snow, but we had 80mph winds with 100mph gusts all through the night. As you can imagine, there is alot of damage. Both of our huge patio awnings blew off and were shredded in the pine trees. A couple big trees came down (one on a cabin). And, of course, we had no electricity all night...which meant no heater for me. I was afraid the roof was going to blow off my room, so I didn't get a whole lot of sleep. Luckily, no one was injured. Here are some pictures I took this morning.

My Recent Projects

2007-05-29T18:32:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of my latest project here - painting our Kid's Camp. I wanted it to look like an ocean; I used some really neat spray paint that looks and feels like sand! I also painted one of the walls with chalkboard paint so the kids could color on the walls! Now I'm back to my desk working on reservations, sign-ups, posters...basic concierge work! The other picture is of a big storm we had today coming over Mt. Meeker (13,911 ft) in front of the ranch. It hailed on my poor Jeep!

Home Sweet Home...

2007-05-23T21:38:00.000-05:00

Remember that nice tan I had before I left? Here are some pictures I took today... it started snowing shortly after I arrived at 2pm and there's a total of about 4 inches so far. You'd think I'd hate the cold...but I love being here! Luckily, our ranch manager remembered I was arriving today and put a space heater in my room!

Auntie Em!

2007-05-23T21:21:00.000-05:00

Well, my summer just couldn't get off without a hitch. As my dad and I arrived at our hotel in Kansas for the evening, we noticed some storm clouds moving in. I blew it off as nothing (because that's what I do); after all, we have storms in Indiana. So, at about 9:45 when the tornado sirens went off...I got just a smidge worried. We ended up having to go to the Holiday Inn next door and going into the basement with everyone else (plus their dogs and toddlers, of course) for about an hour and a half. It was a blast.

Sedona and the Grand Canyon

2007-04-05T17:07:00.000-05:00

I spent the last 4 days in Sedona, Arizona with my parents. Well, I didn't really get the rest and relaxation that I needed (I was sick the entire time with a cold)...but I did have a great time hiking in the Red Rock canyons, shopping, and laying by the pool! We also spent a day at the Grand Canyon. It was a nice break from Indiana weather and work!

Lions, Tigers, and Bears!

2007-03-25T19:18:00.000-05:00

Well, driving to the Indianapolis Zoo may not count as traveling... but it was great fun! It was such a beautiful day here in Indy (they are few and far between...) that my roommate and I had to get out and enjoy it! I think the animals were tired of being locked up all winter and happy to get outside as well. Here are some of the animals we saw...

CHICAGO!!

2007-02-04T15:05:00.000-05:00

Last week I went to the windy city twice-- once on January 23 for the taping of the Oprah show and then again on January 27 for the broadway musical "Wicked"! My mom and I had a great time at Oprah; the show was about "real beauty"-- looking great no matter your age or size and it will air on TV February 5. I also had a great time at "Wicked". My family spent the whole day shopping, drinking Starbucks, and seeing the great sites in Chicago-- like this huge bean-mirror thing!

Thoreau Says...

2006-12-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

"Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still."

Why I Started This Blog...

2006-12-18T17:48:00.000-05:00

Well, I've decided to start a blog because I'm constantly on the go! I wanted my friends and family near and far to be able to keep track of me and see pictures of the places I travel to and the exciting things I do! The above picture is of me at the Alpine Visitor's Center in Colorado in 2006.