Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Dream a little dream

Ethan hates it when I tell him my dreams. First, they're usually the normal vague/surreal/alternative reality fare, and second, he is usually playing a distressed character that I have to rescue.

That, in itself, I find entertaining. He does not.

But last night I had a dream that I just had to tell him, despite his dislikes.

And now I have to tell you.

When I was in high school (or on break from college?), some friends and I took line dancing classes. It was fun and that was all. I proved that I have no real rhythmic talent, enjoyed the few classes anyway, and went on with my life. My life never, from that point forward, included line dancing.

That part is true.

But last night in my dream, my line-dancing friends and I were getting ready for some grandiose production. We were each assigned different colors of a garish, somewhat-resembling-Teletubbies outfit.   Kelly was blue, Carol was fuschia, and I was purple. We were rehearsing with the group. As usual, I was frustrated because I just *could not* get the steps right for the Electric Slide. They were hopping; I was turning. They stepped; I crossed my leg behind. It was humiliating.

But. The choreographer/step caller was in front, calling all of the steps. In order. Correctly. I don't mean he was calling them in what I assumed to be the correct order; I mean they were the real, true steps.

What does this mean? Somewhere in my subconscious, I do know all the steps to the Electric Slide. But somewhere else in my subconscious, I also know that *I* could never remember all those steps from so many years ago.

I know it. And I don't know it.

Absolutely riveting.

Now who wants to hear my dream about being in college when the Incredible Hulk had Ethan and I had to save him?

Monday, July 25, 2011

Pontooning Lake Dillon

Jonathan, our 3-yr. old, regularly asks, "Do you remember when Papa was driving the boat?"

And in case you don't (because, to be fair, you weren't there), here's what he's talking about:

















Abraham and Grandma




Eden and Grandma. This is one of my favorites.

Everyone who wanted one got a chance to drive:










Ethan said,  "Look at you, Edee! Are you a Pontoon Pirate?"

And then she cracked up. And I love it!




The End. (Well, three of them, anyway.)

Thursday, July 21, 2011

{pretty, happy, funny, real}: Jul. 21

I never know how to label my photos for {pretty, happy, funny, real}, so I just toss them out there and let you categorize them.

Anyway. Today is hot as blazes, and we were all dreading going outside to do the animal chores. (Do feeding/watering a dozen chickens and a rabbit count as doing "animal chores"? Absolutely. Now let me refasten my bonnet and straighten my apron.)

But we did venture outside, albeit reluctantly.

And when Ethan was checking the chicken feeder, he found a little something next to it.

Shock of shockers.


An egg! Our first egg! We were all thrilled, and I eagerly added it to 17 store-bought eggs for our lunch of egg burritos.

And those were the best egg burritos I've ever tasted...

today.

And just for fun, this is what I found as I was getting breakfast ready this morning:


Wait. Is that fun? It kind of also seems like a lot of work, especially as I'm trying to get breakfast on. And why can't they ever remember to move the remote and drape the blanket decoratively over the hole on the couch before they spontaneously gather?

These children!

For more photos of everyday life, visit

IMG_8896-3

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Garden of the Gods

Wednesday of Vacation Week we went to The Garden of the Gods. At least, I think it was Wednesday. Not that it matters. It doesn't. But it does nag at me...

I knew we would be going to Garden of the Gods, because every single person who found out we were going to Colorado Springs said, "Oh, you have to go to Garden of the Gods!"

But I never bothered to look it up. Why would I? I would see it soon enough.

But in my mind, I was envisioning some sort of lush...garden.

I should have looked it up. I would have seemed a lot smarter.

When we arrived, we stopped at the huge Visitors' Center so I could run in and grab some maps and general free info. Then we headed around the switchbacks.



And arrived at the Garden.

Ethan, his mother, and all the kids
Shoot. Now that I look at the pictures, I see that everyone is wearing the same thing they wore to the zoo. That means we must have gone to The Garden of the Gods on the same day that we went to the zoo. Which means we did NOT go on Wednesday.

This is why I blog.


Anyway, to get back to the Garden...it's a ROCK garden.

See how ignorant I can be?


I don't know if you can see it, but there's a little white dot on the big rock on the left. That's a climber.


Climber again.

"Forever free to the public"








I can't help but want to clean my camera lens when I look at these pictures. I don't know why that urge didn't strike when I was actually taking the pictures.

Probably because I was feeling inept at not knowing it was a rock garden. That ineptedness (ineptenacity?) translated to my photography skills.

Ah, well.

So on TUESDAY, we went to The Garden of the Gods, which is a ROCK GARDEN, and always make sure you have a CLEAN LENS when you start shooting pictures.

There. I feel so ept.

Next up: Pontoon Pirates!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Tuesday we went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. In order to get $2 off each ticket, I answered an online questionnaire about zookeeping. That thing was WAY too involved...I actually had to read the online zookeeping manual and ask Ethan multiple questions about the diet of a wombat and whether or not zookeepers play with their animals.

But after the questionnaire, wherein I learned enough to make me doubtful that this trip would be fun (because fun and educational ARE NOT THE SAME, says my 4th grade self), we headed past the Ladies' Open and up to the zoo.

I did retain one thing from the grueling quiz. Giraffes are a big deal at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

And that is true.












And here's what happens when you stand this close to a giraffe and turn your back on him. You get a giraffe hairdo (hairdon't?):



But there was more than just giraffes.

There was Suki, the Scary/Friendly/Dancing/Nurturing Bear, depending on what position you were in:







There were fish.





And many other animals, including a baby wombat they got to pet.


Then there was the Sky Ride to the top. Gideon and Salem and I chilled out by the grey wolf while the others rode to the top and back.

(Sorry this one is so blurry...)

The boys and Papa

The girls and Grandma
I was very impressed with the zoo layout and how accessible things were for even the youngest children.

We stopped at the slowest McD's in the world on the way home and got ready for the next day...Garden of the Gods.

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