Memorial Day Flowers

Ok, this will probably be the most boring post ever for any guy that reads this.... but I think the girls will appreciate it. Jamie and I went down to the Denver Botanic Gardens this morning to catch all the spring blooming and it was well worth it. The thing about the gardens is that each garden is different in different seasons, so this time we caught the columbines in full bloom as well as the poppies which were gorgeous.


Jamie did all the photography as I ran ahead and said, Ooh! Come get this one, or Wow! This one is gorgeous!


I have no idea what these two are but I thought they were SO cool... like big fireworks or something... nature is amazing..

We had to get at least one of us there... I guess...
The rest are of these beautiful Irises they had. I guess they had an Iris Festival this weekend and so they had these huge gorgeous gardens full of every possible color and kind. They were absolutely gorgeous. Sorry for how many there are, but we had so many good pictures I couldn't choose... and everyone likes flowers right?


These were my favorite (also the last picture) I loved the contrasting maroon and yellow... they were perfect!


Goal for next trip is to actually remember some of the names of the flowers I am taking pictures of... We'll have to go check them out in the summer for all the roses... can't wait!

Girls in Glenwood

Like I said the guys and girls went separate ways... us girls went up to Glenwood Springs, CO for some gorgeous scenery and some soaking in the springs. Friday afternoon we hiked up to Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon. If you haven't done this, then go! It is so worth it... probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

Jamie and I posing before the 1000+ foot hike in what a mile and a half? It was pretty steep...


At the top of the trail you come around a corner and boom, there it is... you can't see it until you almost walk into it, but it is gorgeous! It looks like you are in tropics somewhere... except for the rainbow trout lounging at the bottom of the lake... I wanted to take a dip SO bad!
Jamie and I hike down under the falls at Hanging Lake... little did we know there were much larger falls in store two minutes up the trail...


This is called spouting rock because the water has bored its way through the rock in some places rather than over it... I kept asking Jamie, "Now what is keeping that large slab from breaking off and falling down on us?" She didn't like it... This was awesome in person!


We had to get a little wet... we were able to hike all the way down under these falls... it was freezing... if you can imagine standing under a mountain run-off waterfall... definitely not the tropics!


This was our hotel in the background good old Hotel Colorado... very rustic and nostalgic, but one of my favorite places to stay.. Mom and Jamie on the bridge over looking the Colorado River and the old train station... good times in Glenwood! There were more pics of some caves and whatnot but I can't seem to find them.... there may be a part II of our adventures in Caves and in the Springs..
The trip was a ton of fun though and definitely much needed!!

Men in Moab

Last weekend the girls and guys went their separate ways for a weekend of fun... Rob's dad flew out and he, Rob and my dad headed to Southern Utah to play in the dirt. Here are a few pictures of them having some fun on the first day. Everything went pretty well minus my dad messing up his knee the first day. Day two on the other hand was a little more eventful... Although everyone came out alive and well in the end, Rob had a collision with an ATV that was hogging the whole trail around a blind corner. As always I'm just glad to have Rob back in one piece, alive and
without a broken neck! I think they had fun... we'll see if they go again next year?!

Motorcycle Lessons

This past weekend Rob and I went up to Conifer to help my dad with some prep for riding in Moab next weekend, wash the car, hang out with my mom for mothers day, etc. In the afternoon, after washing and vacuuming the cars, Rob asked Jamie and I if we wanted to ride the 80. I'm not sure if he was entirely serious, but after we said yes he got it out for us. I was sure I knew what I was doing, but after almost taking out the side wall of the shop on my first run, Rob decided we needed some lessons. The first few runs were a little rough for me. After my scrape with death I think I was kind of nervous, but I got it...Jamie is a total natural. She did almost ride off an extremely steep hill her first time, but right after that she put it all together and got it down. I think her second run she was asking how to shift to second... and third... pretty much how to go faster.
I got it! Finally! Rob was really patient, and as always, a great teacher... I was thrilled to get all that coordination down... I've done it before but it's been way too long!
I think Rob was getting bored watching us putt down the back hill in first gear so he jumped on the bike and showed us his sweet moves... you got to love this guy!
We even got my mom out for a few runs... she's done the motorcycle thing a few times so she picked it up with no problem, and had a lot of fun doing it!
After the mini lesson in the back we headed down the long twisty driveway where we actually got to speed up a little and have a little more fun! Rob only ran down and back up the driveway once before he got out another motorcycle... its pretty long and steep! Jamie was excited for him to get out on a motorcycle so she could have someone to race... I think she's the speedy one of the three of us newbies...
I was just happy to get on a bike again... after all its a major part of life for both sides of our family so I really should get a little better at it... and yes! I can understand why these guys just can't give them up, they are fun!