Jan - Mar 2006

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JANUARY 2006

This morning Mike is going one way and I am going another...  of course even if I was able to ski I would not be going where he is going.  Today Mike is going to the top, up on the new Imperial Lift, the tallest lift in North America.  Taking skiers up to 12,848ft.  I won't ever make it up that one...  but since I couldn't ski at all, I am in town doing some shopping.  Well our form of shopping.  I was in and around town for about 3 hours and bought a couple of t-shirts and a ball cap.  Mike had the expensive day...   Guess that is what I get for being accident prone!  I picked Mike up and he says that the trip up to the top, on Imperial wasn't all that much fun at times.  It was snowing pretty hard, and the wind was blowing so the conditions were not very good at all...  at times pretty dangerous the way it sounds.  We are now off to Good Times Snow Mobile Tours.  This afternoon we are taking a 2 hour trip up to Georgia Pass on the Continental Divide.  Its still snowing pretty hard, so the visibility and the view is not going to be good.  We traveled over 20 miles on trails through snow covered trees.  Now this was a Winter Wonderland.  The few pictures I was able to take, don't do it justice.  After returning we booked another trip for us and the kids in February...  they will have a blast!  We are on the road home now, not going through Denver this time.  The road conditions and traffic going down I-70 and through the tunnels was bad so we decided to go through Colorado Springs instead.  Stopped at the Welcome Center into KS and slept for several hours.  Tomorrow we'll continue on home.  Its been another fun-filled adventure in Colorado.  Hope all of you have a very Happy and Adventure Filled New Year...  I am sure ours will be.

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FEBRUARY 2006

Well I left work alittle early today, to try and make it down to McKinney early enough to pick up Tommy.  Want to be sure and make the most of weekend in the light of things that have been going on with him… but that is another story.  We arrive shortly after 8pm and load him up and head to the hotel in Allen to check in.  They have an indoor pool so Tommy will for sure take a dip in the pool before bedtime…

This morning we are not up too early that is for sure… getting alittle slow start.  Once up we are off to have some Lunch at Red Lobster and then to REI as usual.  We take Tommy to Best Buy for him to do some shopping with his Birthday money.  Its hard to buy for him, cause he is at the age that toys are too little guy for him, and big kid toys are too much.  So he ends up, for now, getting games for his game systems.  For dinner we take him to Macaroni grill, he doesn’t want them to sing to him, guess he’s too big for that too.  After dinner we take him to see the movie, Pink Panther.  I think a good time was had by all parties.  After that Tommy and I decorated a bag for his Valentines, and he signed his cards for the upcoming Valentines party at this school.  Then one more dip in the pool before heading off to bed. 

Today we didn’t do much…  got up and then took Tommy to TGI Fridays for one last birthday meal.  Stopped by the park for some time on the playground, before taking him back to his dad.   We are now back on the road to home…  it was an uneventful weekend but still of activities...

We are off today to Colorado, to take Chelsie and Chase skiing.  This is the first time Chelsie has been on skis since her accident, and its been a few years since Chase has had a pair on too.  He thinks he is going to kick Dad’s butt, but we’ll see how he does.  Its also Chase’s first time on a commercial airplane, he is still playing it cool and calm.  We arrive in Denver, no real excitement getting there.  While Mike goes to get the rental car, the kids and I stick around to gather luggage.  Once obtained we head to meet Mike, we load up then we are off to Brec.  We stop in Friscoe to rent our gear, figure it will be alittle easier accessible then in Brec.  Once in Brec we check in at the condo.  This weekend we are staying in Beaver Run.  It’s a condo right next to the slopes with ski lift right out the door basically.  It’s a nice room, with a great view of the slopes and the lift…  Tonight we have to do the shopping so tonight we are just going to be doing some snacks for dinner, since we got in late and there is so much to do.  Tomorrow is the start of a very busy weekend in Colorado.

Up this morning, getting ready for a fun filled day of skiing…  I hope!  I am a bit nervous about skiing, since this will be the first time back after my torn ACL.  We have reserved a full day ski lesson for me, hopefully they can tell me what I am doing wrong and I won’t put so much strain on my knee.  Chelsie is going to be spending the next three days skiing with the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center instructors.  They help people with handicaps, disabilities and injuries get back on the slopes.  Hopefully it will be just like riding a bike for her…  I know she is very anxious to get out on the slopes.  Mike and Chase will be off together, doing what boys do…  Trying to show each other up!  I meet up with my instructor and he takes me over to the training are, baby slopes, to see how I do, and its not long till we are on the lift and up the mountain side.  We all spent the day skiing…  I think Chelsie got alittle tired, as I know I did.  But I think I may have finally got the swing of things, well “slide” of things as the case may be.  We’ll just have to wait and see how I do on my own tomorrow.  Mike got some pretty good pictures of both kids covered in snow from spills taken, but they laugh it off, and are having a GREAT time.  Tonight we are having dinner at Bubba Gump’s and doing some walking around town.  Then its back to the condo for some needed rest before another big day on the slopes.

Today is pretty much a replay of yesterday, except today I am skiing with the boys.  Doing a pretty good job of it, I might say, but will never do as good as Mike.  We hit some spots that I have not seen before, and one that brings back some bad memories of the ski patrol taking me down the mountain…  We have had a great day skiing, and got some pictures taken in the process.  Tonight we are eating at Eric’s, which is alittle sports bar/restaurant in Breckenridge.  Mike and I have eaten there before, we have a good time there.  Of course that happens pretty much every where we go… 

Last day of skiing… and we wake to fresh snow on the mountain.  Its wonderful…  I actually looked and felt like I knew what I was going out there.  I was a very happy camper, oh skier!  Mike and I had to get off the slopes around 11am today, because of a Condo presentation and tour.  You know one of those deals, where they try to talk you into buying?  Well we did…  and it’s a wonderful place.  Its called Valdoro Mountain Lodge, and its BEAUTIFUL.  We will definitely enjoy this place!  We had hoped to get to do some more skiing in the afternoon, but spent more time then expected doing the deal at Valdoro.  That’s ok…  we ended the skiing on a good note, and have plenty of things to do before leaving for home tomorrow.

All packed and out the door… heading to “Good Times Adventures” for a snowmobile tour.  Everybody has been there and done that, but this will be the first time for Chase to actually drive a snowmobile.  Chelsie will be riding with Mike.  We arrive a bit early as we usually are, but were able to take some pictures of the gang with the Sled Dogs, and the snowmobile.  Those will be one for the wall!  Once on the machines and off to play in the snow… Chase really takes to it, of course, and he is going full out, like we expected.  Mike and Chelsie take up the rear, but are having a good time.  We take the snow covered trails through the woods and up to Georgia Pass as we did before.  This time we take a little side trip over a hillside that has what everyone is considering a jump.  Chase flies off it and I make him go back so I can take his picture.  I was not prepared the first time over it.  After we are done we pack up and head toward Denver to catch our plane home.  It has been another fun filled adventure, this time with some added participants.  I truly think they had a blast… like we always do.  Maybe next time, we will have all the kids with us, so Tommy can experience the wonderful world of Colorado!

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MARCH 2006

A Bed and Breakfast Experience is what they call it.  Mike had stayed there before, and has become pretty good friends with Mark, the guy that runs the place and is also the Chef.  We got there kind of late on a Friday night, and there was not much going on…  just had a couple of drinks with Mark, then went and took a “tubby” in our room.  The bathroom in our room had a Jacuzzi tub, and Mike and I really enjoys our tubs together. 

We are up this morning and having breakfast with the other visitors at the house…  full spread, more then everybody will eat.  We plan on coming back sometime when we can hang around for the Saturday night festivities.  I understand he puts on a better spread and the dining experience.  After we check out and pack up the car, we are off to see if the Trumpeter Swans are still around at Magness Lake.  When we arrive at the lake, a sign had been posted stating that the swans had left and that they should return in November.  I have it marked on the calendar…  I hope they return, just like the ones in Boxley Valley.  The rest of the day was fairly uneventful…  of course ending the day at Willy D’s.

Tonight we are on our way to McKinney to pick up Tommy for the weekend.  We are taking him to San Antonio and are going to go to Seaworld on Saturday.  We pick him up and take him to the hotel for the night, which gives him alittle time to swim in the pool before going to bed…  that kid loves the water.  He should have been born a fish!

We are up this morning and getting breakfast at the little continental breakfast thing that the hotel has going on.  It isn’t great, but its better then nothing.  We paid for it, I am sure, so might as well take advantage of it.  After a quick breakfast, we load up in the car and head toward San Antonio…  the weather is great for the drive and so is the traffic.  Before you know it, we are pulling into the hotel parking lot.  We check in then out the door we go to the Riverwalk.  Wandering around the canal, makes for some interesting times.  Since today is St. Patrick’s day…  they are attempting to turn the water green.  Well it was kind of green before they started trying to color it, and putting the dye in the water made it just alittle bit worse.  Dinner down on the Riverwalk was a experience in itself, trying to figure out where to eat.  There are so many places, but non of them just stuck out with us.  So we stopped and ate at a place, that I don’t even know the name of.  It wasn’t too bad, but I have definitely had better.  After dinner we head back toward the car, trying to find it, and not quite remembering where we parked, made for a terrific end of the day.  Back at the hotel, time has a little time to swim before hitting the bed.  For tomorrow will be a busy day!

 After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we are off to Seaworld.  I took Tommy here several years back, and had a good time then.  Maybe he will be old enough this time to enjoy it a bit better.  We arrive at the park early, but were still able to purchase our tickets and get in the gate.  We stop by the stables to see the Clydesdales and the Budweiser Donkey from the Super Bowl commercials.  The shows were great as always, the Dolphin show is always close to my heart, and the Shamu Show was wonderful as well.  After a long day at the park we head back to the hotel, for a quick change before heading back down to the Riverwalk for some dinner.

 Well its time to pack up for home…  its an eventful trip home.  It takes us quite a while to get back to McKinney.  We had expected to be back around noon, but due to stormy weather and flooding, and lots of accidents it takes us about twice the time we expected.  We roll back into Lonoke around 11pm, 5 hours later then we had wanted.  Its been a long weekend, but it was a good time spent with Tommy.

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