July 28, 2011

Older Than Dirt

We had the privilege to bask in the glory of this beautiful scenery for a week while in Breckenridge,Colorado celebrating Big Daddy's 70th!!!
I got to Colorado a little early because I wanted to be sure I would be there for all the festivities.  We have learned that flying for free is not as glamorous as one might think.  It has been very difficult and a lot of times, most of the time, it isn't even possible to get on a flight.  So I planned to leave on a Thursday and spend all day in airports if I had to, but I was gonna make it!  And I did!  Actually, without any problems!  {Coming home was a totally different story.}
On Friday night, Elyce, Anita and I went out to dinner at a delicious Cajun restaurant - - it was my first taste of Cajun!  On the way back home we ran across a very beautiful Double Rainbow!
Did I mention that while we were in Colorado we were enjoying a chilly 60 degree weather while the rest of the country was experiencing a heat wave!  The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I could have died a happy person if I happened to get struck by lightning during one of the nightly thunderstorms.
Jordan was able to join us that weekend.
We had a very exciting journey rafting down Clear Creek.  Due to all the rain the mountains were getting each night and the snow that was still melting off the mountains, it made for the highest waters they had ever seen in Clear Creek.  It also made 38 degree water.  So glad we were decked out in wet suits and other cold water appropriate attire.  It was my first time really rafting. {I have rafted down the Snake River in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but that was a leisurely float.}  This experience was terrifying to begin with, but too much fun that you forgot you were scared out of your mind.  It is extremely unfortunate there are no pictures of us in our rafting apparel...we looked good, really good.  It is extremely fortunate we live in a modern world filled with technological advancements so I could help with your mental images of us.
It was really a lot of fun and I can't wait to go rafting again sometime.  We also enjoyed walking down Main Street and looking in all the shops.
 There was a hat store that had every hat you could dream of wearing.
I loved the Sesame Street Beanies.
Dad, Mom, & Ben joined us on Monday night.  It was good to see their beautiful faces,
especially since they came bearing gifts!  {Thanks again for the cute cardi, Mom!} 
Jordan had to go back to work, so he departed Tuesday morning.  I was so happy he was able to come for part of the trip and get a break from work to enjoy the great outdoors with me.
 Luckily, he didn't have to be all alone back home because Cadbury kept him really good company. 

Side Story:  Jordan works with one of the sweetest ladies in this whole wide world and she watched our sweet little Cadbury while we were gone.  She sent Jordan this super cute e-mail a few days into dog sitting when Jordan asked her how he was doing...
She is too cute and as a thank you once I got home I made her some
 Coconut Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream Frosting.


















Dad's Big Day involved a breakfast of Ebelskivers.
Best way to describe them: Pancake/Doughnut Balls filled with Raspberry Jam.  They were pretty good, but tricky to make.  For sure worth it on a special occasion like your Dad turning 70.  After breakfast, we decided to go check out the Fun Park over at Peak 8.  We rode the gondola up the mountain.
Once at the top we enjoyed the beautiful views.
Ben rode the Alpine Slide.
There was lots of fun stuff to do, but more for little kids to do rather than big kids.  We tried to get Dad to buy the special Senior (70+) $20 Park Pass so we could all be entertained by watching him ride the ponies, go through the wacky mirror maze, take a cruise on the roller coaster and alpine slide, goofy golf, and other exciting things, but he had no interest.  So we went home and did what Dad ♥'s best.  Relaxing.
Each night we looked forward to feeding this ferocious looking guy.
We named him {I actually think him was a her, but whatever} Foxy.  He loved eating our leftover grilled salmon and teriyaki marinated brisket.  He would eat all his stomach desired, then he would haul the rest of the goodies up the mountain to his family which included a mate and two or three kits.
I hope someone else is feeding Foxy now that we are gone.  He was pretty scraggly looking and I would have brought him home if I knew he wouldn't eat my poor little puppy.  :)
To pass the time, we did some shopping at the outlet stores nearby and took a drive to Leadville for some antique shopping.  The drive to Leadville was through the mountains and there were so many mini waterfalls coming off the mountains, it made for a wonderful drive.  This picturesque lake was on the way.
It was an exceptionally fabulous trip! It was so hard to leave the beautiful weather and mountains & the good company and food.  It has been fun to reminisce on stories of Dad throughout the years and I was glad I could be with him to celebrate the official day that made him older than dirt.  I really think he should just start aging backwards now, like Benjamin Button.
By the end of my trip, I felt so good & relaxed.  Then it was time to come home & I got stuck in the airport.  Boo!  Luckily, twelve hours later I was home.  Seriously, I was lucky.  I was minutes away from spending the night in Dallas. 

3 comments:

Sharon Mae said...

Wow! What an amazing and perfect place to go to escape the heat!! It looks like you all had such a great time!

Holly said...

Wow! That looks like so much fun! I am glad that you could take care of Dad on his special birthday! Love you sis! We shall be pulling in to Texas on the night of the 13th!

Chris and Heather said...

Just looking at the mountain scenery cools me off a bit. So glad we saw you in TX!