More hiking...and what could have been a great April Fool's joke, but wasn't.

Last Friday, I [Liz] went on a short hike with one of my coworkers, Angela. Angela is a fantastic emergency technician (and actress!), and we have become friends since I started working at the emergency clinic. We decided to hit a portion of the Mesa Trail called Towhee Trail. It's a wonderful hike that starts outside of Eldorado State Park, so you don't have to pay! Sweet.

We took one of the vets' dogs with us (Shep) and he had a great time splashing through the creek that we crossed several times during the hike. The wildflowers are starting to pop up everywhere, and there were lots of buzzing insects that were taking advantage of the pollinating flowers. It finally feels like spring has arrived! (Except for the surprise 8 inches of snow we had overnight last week...) :)

Bill and I were finally able to take a hike together on Sunday after many weeks of a combination of work and bad weather. We decided to take it easy and went to Heil Valley Ranch Trail, just north of Boulder. We shared the trail with over a dozen mountain bikers who we had to occasionally jump off the trail to avoid - it kept us on our toes!


We had a nice time and chatted through the entire 5 miles about everything from work to kids to our future dreams. Since it was a rather easy hike, we had plenty of breath left to talk! Towards the end of the hike, the clouds rolled in and we called it a day.

On our way to the trailhead we saw this funny little shack, and I just had to take a picture for fun. I think the soda machine was actually in working order!
In other news...I finally completed my first project with the help of my vintage sewing machine - who has been christened with the name Betty. Betty was my grandmother (my mom's mom) who I never met because she died at a young age. However, her spirit lives on in her descendants. She, too, had a great old sewing machine that she loved and used regularly. She, too, cried at every little sappy moment. She had a great smile and glowing countenance. It was only right that my dear sewing machine bear her name.

See the beautiful pillow cover I made?? After 3 or 4 attempts at getting the pocket flap to not be backwards (ripping out seams between each attempt), I finally got it right. An engineer, I'm not!


See Goose "happily" perched on his new fluffy pillow bed?? Okay, okay... so I forced him to sit there while I took a picture, but now he has decided that it really is pretty comfy and is sleeping there as I type this.

And now for the moment you've been waiting for: The April Fool's joke that turned out to be real.

On the first of April, Bill and I received simultaneous emails from a mysterious lady claiming that she wanted us to audition for an eHarmony commercial. They "had read our story" and thought it was "very funny and moving", and wanted to arrange for a phone interview with us. I got excited for about 5 seconds, then immediately googled the lady to make sure she *really* worked for eHarmony. She does. And it's real.

We had a phone interview with the eHarmony production people which went very well. They asked us to make a video to send in so they could see how we interact with each other, and if, I assume, we are "commercial worthy". After a week of editing and cursing under my breath, I finally finished the video and sent it in. The eHarmony folks are eagerly awaiting the video, and we are waiting to see if we will be chosen for the next round of internet-dating advertisements. I guess all the jokes and ribbing we've gotten from you guys were really a foreshadow of what was to come!

You can see our video on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmmiPyq96WY

Until next time!

The Return of William the Conqueror and the Ensuing Celebration

Bill returned victoriously from his Edward Jones Evaluation/Graduation trip last week, and we were finally able to celebrate his birthday and the end of a long, grueling stretch of work!

For Bill's birthday, I planned a weekend away from home that was full of fun! We started the weekend by driving up to Fort Collins (an hour north of us) for Stop #1 - the New Belgium Brewery! This brewery is the home of Fat Tire beer, one of our favorites (they also make Skinny Dip Ale, which is *really* one of our favorites...). We got a tour of the brewery from a chatty young woman with a lot of excitement about beer, who gave us a peek at a part of the brewery that no one ever gets to see on the tour. Without going into too much detail, let's just say there was a large warehouse room full of multiple giant containers that looked like wine casks, and each had a spigot attached. Here was where they were fermenting a very special beer that isn't on the market - and we got to sample it straight from the barrels! Awesome!


The New Belgium company is very committed to sustainability and recycling, which is apparent in the decor as well as the philosophy. There were several artistic representations of recycling around the brewery that were pretty cool. The idea for Fat Tire beer (the original brew) was actually conceived on a bicycle, and so there are cool vintage bikes all over the place. The company encourages people to ride bikes as much as possible to save our energy resources. They even host a "Tour de Fat" every year around the country to raise awareness - pretty cool.

We got to taste 4 different beers after the tour, which will get you pretty tipsy if you have low tolerance, like me (gone are my crazy FSU days...). We enjoyed them, but we remain faithful to our previously mentioned favorites. After our tour of the brewery, we went on to Stop #2 - Vern's. On the recommendation of Crazy Unca Dave who had visited here before, we drove into the boondocks to have a giant cinnamon roll at this tiny gas station/cafe/dinner spot for retirees.

Bill made me sit under the stuffed buffalo carcass. Not that I really had a choice - there were stuffed carcasses perched over every table.

After we scarfed down our giant cinnamon roll (really - the size of a plate) and glasses of milk, we stepped out into the rainy day and took in this beautiful view across from Vern's. Isn't it just beautiful out here?

On to Stop #3 - I made reservations for us for one night at the Sylvan Dale Ranch in Loveland, Colorado, a lovely 73 acre ranch in a little mountain valley that takes you back to the wild west. It was very rustic and peaceful, with a section of the Big Thompson River running right in front of our sweetheart cabin. We made friends with a Canadian Goose that was hanging out...

Sorry, no pictures of our lodgings - we were too tired to do much of anything except eat chocolate birthday cake and go to sleep! The next morning we had to get up early for a "cowboy breakfast" (pancakes, bacon, fruit, coffee, and juice) and then off to Stop #4 - a horseback ride through the surrounding valley!

Bill is a funny cowboy - he has only ridden a horse one other time and wasn't too sure what to do with his gelding, Sunset. Sunset just wanted to eat grass and wasn't so sure about crossing the little rivulets of water along the trail. Bill did a good job, though!

Buckaroo and I became fast friends, however, and had a great time conversing on the trail - I talked to him and he farted in response...all the way through the ride. I think he did it to give us a little "jet propulsion". I could tell he wanted to go faster!

This is a view of the ranch and the area that we rode through. We had a lot of fun and felt like we had taken a step back in time, into the wild west. After the ride I thanked Buckaroo with a good long scratch, and he head-butted me in the stomach in return. What a sweetie. :)

Stop #5 - Estes Park: it was right there, so why not? Estes Park is the "Gateway to the Rocky Mountains National Park", but really it's just a little area of cheap t-shirts, knock-off Indian crafts, and way-too-expensive hamburgers. We did indulge in some dark chocolate toffee and a caramel apple, though. While we were there, I realized that right around the corner was the historic Stanley Hotel - 100 years old and the inspiration for Stephen King's "The Shining". Creepy. I had to see it.


It really is a beautiful hotel, but I can see where Mr. King's inspiration came from. The view from the front porch is spectacular. There was even a wedding going on off to one side where the bride and groom were exchanging vows with the snow-capped mountains behind them. It was very picturesque.

After all that adventure we needed a nap! We took the scenic route home, and promptly took a 3 hour nap. The perfect end to a wonderful weekend!

We love you all! Stay tuned for our next adventure update!

Hiking and Baking: The Sequel

The plot is the same, the characters haven't changed, but the content is slightly different - it's a sequel! Last Friday, Jen, Clare, and I went for a hike up Mount Sanitas in the morning and then planned to make pies in the afternoon. This time we had an addition to our cast - little Soren, who turned out to be the antagonist in this chapter of the movie. :)
The trailhead for the Mount Sanitas hike was slightly misleading; it appeared to be a gradually rising rocky path that promised a comfy stroll up the mountain. But to the surprise of your heroines, what lay ahead were many twists, turns, and challenges.

The way ahead became rocky and treacherous to any who weren't sure-footed. Our tiny antagonist was having a grumpy day and was very upset about riding in his backpack chair. Could your heroines manage to keep the group in a cheery mood, despite the challenges they faced? Fate hung in the balance...

Our little group finally reached the pinnacle, and stopped to replenish our strength. We sipped the magic electrolyte-replacing water in our canteens and breathed the fresh air. We had conquered the ascent of the mountain, and yet we still had one more challenge ahead of us - keeping the antagonist from drawing us all to the dark side!

All of a sudden, a wonderful idea, like a shaft of light from heaven struck our weary group! In a moment of sheer genius, we began to sing:

"The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round,
round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
all through the town."

We continued on, singing verse after verse in our loudest voices, and the antagonist managed to start smiling again. The rain cloud over his head disappeared, and the day was saved! Who knew that a song about a bus could be the happy ending to our story!

And now, on to the pie-making! Clare decided to "throw" together a chicken pot pie from scratch. Jen and I were in charge of the dessert, and chose to make a strawberry/raspberry crisp instead of pie.
Clare thought it would be cool to make the top of the pot pie in a basket weave fashion.

For the filling, we added peas, carrots, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, and chicken (of course). I helped Clare add the perfect amount of flour until the filling was just the right consistency.

We carefully applied the basket-weave top and painted it with egg whites. Into the oven it went, and we waited with great anticipation to taste this culinary work of art!

Our strawberry/raspberry crisps came out of the oven first. It was extremely difficult not to eat them while we were waiting for the chicken pot pie!


Despite our misty morning hike, it turned out to be a beautifully sunny day. We put the pie and crisps out on the balcony to cool, and then decided to eat out on Jen's deck. The pot pie turned out to be the best chicken pot pie any of us had ever tasted! And with a little dollop of whipped cream, the crisps were the perfect ending to another adventure.

Will there be another installment of "Hiking and Baking"? I guess we'll all just have to wait and see...

The New Addition [or] '57 Chevy Reincarnated

After 2 weeks of anxiously awaiting her return from 'the shop', my new addition is now nestled comfortably in her new home. I am tickled pink to introduce to you my "new" sewing machine.

She is a Fifties model SewMor sewing machine - beautifully vintage and purrs like a kitten. Back in WWII the Japanese started making Singer knock-offs with all the Singer parts and called it a SewMor. They were very popular due to the inexpensive price, but they were still durable and reliable, not to mention about as heavy as a '57 Chevy.


Although my lady is about 50 years old, she runs like she's straight off the factory floor. I am really excited to start bonding with her over the projects I've been designing in my head. She just needs a name! Any suggestions?


As I was grocery shopping yesterday (my oh-so-favorite chore...[rolls eyes]) I was greeted at the door by these friendly beauties. They asked me to bring them home with me and promised to add cheerfulness to my apartment. At $1.50 a bunch, I couldn't say no. And they are living up to their end of the bargain - see how cheerful?!

Happy Easter, everyone - I pray that you are able to experience Heavenly Love during this season!

Fun in my first major snowfall in Colorado

On Friday I had the day off, and planned to go hang out with Jen. She suggested we do some snowshoeing around her neighborhood and then bake cookies. Sounded like a great day to me! Jen also invited Clare, her rock climbing buddy, who is a lot of fun and full of spunk. We hit it off right away.

We hiked around for about 2 hours through ankle and thigh deep snow. I fell down twice (ha!). We saw a small pack of coyotes in the distance. We burned off enough calories to justify eating as many cookies as we wanted.

We decided after snowshoeing that we just wanted to keep hanging out, so all the hubbies joined us and we had dinner, beer, and basketball. I got to hang out with my little buddy, Soren. He cracks me up all the time, and I just had to share this video with you - he loves olives, and he always puts them on his fingers to eat them. Silly boy!

Yesterday (Sunday) Bill had to work, so I planned a fun-filled day with myself! I drove to Boulder to register for the BolderBoulder 10K - woo hoo! Then I hopped over to Chautauqua Park to hike another trail. We just had a decent amount of snow last week, so I wasn't sure how far I would be able to go, but the adventurer in me took over and I determined to hike all the way up to the Royal Arch. This is a 4 mile (round-trip) hike with a 1,200 ft elevation gain.

It was slushy. I had no crampons or hiking poles. I slipped and slid my way all the way to the top, and then all the way back down again! It was great fun.

When I finally got to the top, there was a beautiful view of Boulder and eastern Colorado. I met a lovely couple with a little baby and an adventurous dog. I really wanted to take some pictures of the arch, but it was so enormous that I couldn't find a place to take a picture of it and do any justice. Sorry!

I made a little friend while resting at the summit - He had no fear whatsoever. He climbed all over my shoes and my pack looking for any little bit of granola or nuts.

When I finally reached the trail head, my shoes and socks were soaked through and I was squishing my way to the car. But I was happy and filled with a feeling of accomplishment and adventure. I did it! All by myself! With no helpful gear or someone to encourage me on the way! I'm awesome.

Then I got back to the Tahoe and realized that I had left my lights on and the battery was dead. Back to reality!

It's a bonus! Two months in one post! :)

We've moved! I [Liz] was getting pretty annoyed with Vox, since they keep erasing my lovely posts before I'm done and that was really frustrating! So we are now living in the Blogger neighborhood, where we already have friends!

This has been the most amazing winter I have ever experienced. How can you beat 65 degree days, bright blue skies, sunshine, and mountain vistas in the middle of February and March? I have learned one thing about Colorado weather, however, that it is very unpredictable. It can be sunny and warm on Tuesday, and then we get a snow storm on Thursday (which is what happened this week). It certainly keeps you on your toes!

I turned 30 in February. I had determined to embrace my 30th birthday with joy, and Bill was wonderful in that capacity. He gave me the best gift ever - a plane ticket to Atlanta, Georgia to spend my 30th with my two best girlfriends, Jess and Helen. We had a great time, and I didn't feel old at all!Bill and I took a road trip one Sunday up into the mountains to Vail. The drive was beautiful, but Vail was a little boring if you're not skiing. It's a cute little ski town with expensive shops and restaurants. It's filled with people clomping around in their ski boots. It was a good road trip, but my favorite part was seeing the Bighorn Sheep on the side of the mountains as we were driving!


We also took a hike in Chataqua Park, up to the first Flatiron, which was an amazing hike and our favorite so far. The view at the top brought tears to my eyes, and that was the moment that I knew Colorado would be our permanent home for as long as God allows us to be here.

Besides the hiking and road trips and birthdays, Bill and I are working hard at our jobs. I am studying for my upcoming licensing exams, and Bill is busy meeting clients and getting ready to finish his training period. I recently joined the Denver Book Club, which is a lot of fun for me. I'm also training for the BolderBoulder 10K which is on May 25th. It is a very exciting and fun race that is famous all over the country. I can't wait to post pictures from that adventure!

Goose and Beaner are both doing well - their favorite pastimes are sleeping and sitting in front of the sliding glass doors to watch the birds. We are all happy and healthy.

I'll leave you with a picture of some of our local wildlife - a little creature that makes me smile every time I see one (and they're everywhere!).