Rock Band 2

I probably should have blogged about the "Engaged & Newlywed Group" that we belong to before now; but what better time than the present???

We meet every Wednesday night and have dinner at someone's house and then we discuss things going on in our lives as well as other marrital topics. In addition to that the boys talk about their Fantasy Football league. The girls have a running joke to see how long it takes for Fantasy Football to come up when we all get together. And it's usually Justin that starts it. :o) Right now we are also going through the book Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires The Respect He desperately Needs.

But this week we played Rock Band 2! Here are some pictures of us "rocking out"!

13.1 Miles!

Well I did it! This past Sunday I ran the Denver Half-Marathon with my friend Megan. We trained together and separate for about 3 1/2 months. During that time I went through almost an entire jar of Tiger Balm, many Function Shock Sport drinks, and a pair of tennis shoes. (Never underestimate the importance of good running shoes when you run 5 times a week!)

The race went really well and I had a really good time...although it is weird to say you had fun running 13 miles, probably sounds more like torture to most people. I got to see parts of Denver I hadn't seen before and there was some really great people watching as well! Afterwards I was really sore, even walking was quite the task. But after some more Tiger Balm an another Shock Sport drink by Monday I was almost back to normal. Only my knees are still a little tender.

Now I am trying to decide what my next challenge will be???

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.