Go Buffaloooooooes!

Last weekend Justin and I met our friends Kourtney and Thad up in Boulder and we went with them to the CU vs. Texas football game. The game started at 5:00, but we got to the field early for some pre-game tailgating! Kourtney made BBQ, potato salad, and baked beans for everyone and of course there was plenty of beer to go around!

We made it into the game in time to see Ralphie the Buffalo make his entrance. Ralphie is CU's mascot and is a real live buffalo that leads the team out and charges around the field. He has about 6 handlers that make sure he doesn't get a wild hair up his butt and decide to charge peple on the sidelines.

Unfortunately CU lost the game, but we still had a great day hanging out with our friends!

If Only It Were Just A Parasite...

My friend Kourtney found out that she was lactose intolerant about a year and a half ago and about 8 months after that my doctor and I put two and two together and I realized that I was also lactose intolerant. I never realized how much I was going to miss cheese, ice cream, and a yummy gooey hot pizza! I know you are all thinking...can't you just take a pill? That's what everyone says. Unfortunately for me it doesn't work that way. It will work for dairy in small doses, but for anything good it doesn't. Being a "lactard" pretty much sucks, but all along at least I had Kourtney to share it with. Right? Wrong!
I had breakfast with Kourtney about a week ago and I found out that all along she had had a parasite. and really it was the parasite that was lactose intolerant. :o) So she has been on medicine and now she gets to start slowly introducing dairy back into her diet. LUCKY! Sometimes its hard and I get frustrated; I can't imagine never being able to have fondue, homemade ice cream, or delivery pizza ever again! But all I can do is just take it one day at a time.

It's Fall in Colorado!

This past Sunday Justin, Ashley and I went up Kenosha Pass to see the leaves changing colors in the mountains. The Aspen trees turn bright yellow and then just before the leaves fall off they turn a beautiful red. We walked a little along the Colorado Trail and Winston ran around like a chicken with his head cut off. :o) There was a storm in the distance and just before we were getting ready to leave the rain arrived where we were and we could look back over the Aspen trees and see a full rainbow! God is amazing!

My August

August has come and gone very quickly. Looking back I am trying to figure out what in the world has kept me so busy??? I am training for a half marathon that I am running with my friend Megan in October. So that keeps me busy 6 days a week. Pretty much when I get home from work I hit the pavement.

I also spent one week in Rapid City, South Dakota for work. This was my first work trip and I guess it counts as a mini promotion. We were opening a new store, so I went as part of a team to help set things up. I am going to start traveling more; the next opening is in Draper, Utah in October.

When I got back to town from that trip Justin's parents were here for a short visit. We really enjoyed spending time with them and as always love it when we have family in town. We went to the Parade of Homes together and even spent a little time golfing.

Ashley came back from Africa later that week, so we spent the weekend listening to her amazing stories.

This week the Democratic National Convention is here in Denver...I am hoping to head downtown and be part of all of the excitement/craziness tomorrow night.

I have attached a few photos from my visit to Mt. Rushmore when I was in Rapid City. I have a funny story to go a long with them. It might not be as funny telling it like this...but I promise you it was HILARIOUS! I was in a car with my boss, Barb, and my co-worker Elena. We were leaving Mt. Rushmore and Barb pulled over at a scenic area where you could still see the mountain. There were two older ladies and a gentleman taking pictures. Barb gets out of the car and starts talking to them in a french accent. She says, "Who are those people up on the mountain." (Remember in a french accent.) One lady says, "those are the Presidents." (She had a strong southern accent...so you have to imagine that too.) Barb says, "Which ones?" The lady responds, "Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt." She couldn't remember the fourth, so she yells over at her husband, "who is the fourth one?" And he yells, "Franklin, Ben Franklin." At this point I am practically dying laughing and Elena has her head buried in the back seat from listening to Barb talk with a french accent. Barb gets back in the car and I ask her, "Did he just say Ben Franklin?" Then we giggled even harder because it is John Adams on the mountain and Benjamin Franklin was never President.

It made me think of when Jay Leno does his "Jaywalking" questions on his show where he asks people random American history questions and he gets a million different answers to the same question. I can only imagine how many different answers one would get if they stood there and asked people all day long.

Dirrrrty Dog

Last night Justin took Winston for a walk and when they got back I went to say Hi as they were coming in the door and gasped because Winston was wearing socks...only they were made of mud! But he was a very happy dog! I imagined he was saying, " What mud Mom, I don't know what you are talking about." We took him outside to get a picture before he got a bath, so here are the before and afters.

Twilight Golf

Last night Justin and I went to play twilight golf at Foothills. We started around 6:30 and finished about 2 hours later. Basically you get there and get as many holes in as you can until you can't see your ball anymore plus its cheaper than a regular round of golf. Justin wasn't quite on his game last night and I don't have much of a game at all, but we had a great time anyway! There was even a beautiful sunset!

Myrtle Beach Here We Come!

This past week Justin and I were in Myrtle Beach vacationing with my family. A lot of my extended family was there; aunts, uncles, mom, dad, cousins, grandma...ect. We took a red eye flight in from Denver and my parents picked us up in Raleigh and we headed down to the coast. For lunch when we got there we ate at the BEST sandwich place around Georgio's (which we ate at another two times that week). That day we just hungout and cat napped because the weather was cloudy and rainy doe to the tropical storm out in the water.

The rest of the week we spent our mornings at the beach and our aftenoons either reading and lounging or shopping. At night we usually ate dinner at the house and then we would go do something. Sometimes all together and sometimes separate.

Tuesday Justin, Mom, Dad, and I went to Charleston SC. I hadn't ever really been there durning the summer. I always went in the spring and fall in college. So the heat and humidity really caught me off guard. It was really hot and humid in Myrtle too, but it was totally different when there was no escape. We walked around for a little while and just when we thought we were going to totally melt we stopped at this restaurant called Magnolia's. It was the cutest local spot and the food was delicious! I was even able to have some fried green tomatos. After eating we went to the slave market and walked around there a little. Then we decided to take a historical tour via horse and buggy. It was very interesting and it was nice to not have to walk anymore. But I still thought I was dying! (I am not used to the humidity anymore...I am totally spoiled here in CO) We headed back to Myrtle shortly after that.

On Friday I headed back to Burlington with my family. Saturday morning some of my NC friends came over for brunch, it was nice to see everyone and to be able to just hangout. After everyone left I went with my Dad and Justin to a gun range by our house. Most of the time we were there I sat in the car reading. But I did shoot a little and I even had a bullseye right in the center! But I've had lots of practice from shooting cans sitting on a tree from across the street up at the mountain house. That night we had a wedding reception party to go to for a family friend. I got to see more people I hadn't seen in several years and catch up some. Sunday morning we woke up got ready packed and went to eat breakfast with my whole extended family. That seems to be the tradition now. Then we headed back to the airport.

We had a great trip and I wouldn't change a thing...except maybe the humidity. (Sorry to keep going on and on and on about the humidity, but it was stinkin HOT!) I didn't do very well taking pictures. I didn't want to get my camera all sandy by taking it down to the beach and then I just didn't think about taking pictures the rest of the time. I'll do better next time.