Homecoming... step 1

Find a really cute girl that is a good friend and creatively ask them to be your date!

trying (and succeeding at!) something new

River Valley Ranch - Carbondale, CO

Black Canyon - Montrose, CO

Gypsum Creek - Gypsum, CO

Vail Golf Club - Vail, CO

I am so proud of Sam... before ever setting foot into a freshman class this August he was walking down the fairways of beautiful golf courses all along the western slope as a member of the MHS Golf Team. He had never played 18 holes before and didn't have much training so he was a true 'newbie' to the sport. But he has practiced really hard and gotten better with every tournament - and even made the Regional Team! While he was frustrated with missing school for weekday tournaments and missing volleyball games (he's the team manager!) for golf practice, he persevered and now has a life-long skill that he can enjoy always!

wrapping up summer... kicking off fall!

Hamp (literally!) kicked off the football season on Saturday afternoon of Labor Day weekend... 

and then we enjoyed the rest of the weekend on the lake with friends!

Good Views

This was a pretty momentous first day of school - Hamp's last year of high school, and Sam's first year of high school.

I have always tried to be conscientious of enjoying every moment raising my boys - as parents we hear all too often that "it goes by fast" and I don't want to miss it or wish it away. So I suppose my view is that they are ready for the next adventure - whether it be Hamp applying, preparing and deciding for his future after graduation or Sam blossoming into an academic and student leader and loving all that high school has to offer. I know they will have a great year!

Not only have I tried to keep a positive mental view on the end of summer, but I think I've done a decent job of maintaining a nice physical view. In the last two weeks I have been able to go bike riding to the wine & cheese patio, paddle around Trapper's Lake, try all the flavors at the new brewery, and watch the sunset while kayaking around the lake.

Here's to keeping up the good views...

super summer adventures

Hamp finally got to travel this summer for his Ecology Project International trip to the Galapagos Islands! We had been planning and fundraising for two years for this trip and apparently it was worth the wait. After two weeks of no communication, I was thrilled to hear Hamp talk my ear off all the way home from the airport... he told me about all the wildlife and the biology lessons and the teachers and the culture. His favorite part was snorkeling with sharks and rays and sea lions and he wished he could've stayed forever! (I am glad he didn't!!!)

a typical day in the classroom:

Meanwhile, Sam applied to be a member of the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps for two weeks where he camped overnight and worked on trails in the National Forest. He was lucky enough to be assigned the Rocky Mountain National Park and even though the work was tough, the camaraderie and the experience to camp in the National Park was amazing!

Then I was left at home to figure out my own kind of adventure: a new job! 

Not the summer I would've guessed... instead of exploring the lakes and mountains in my backyard, I am exploring my personal ability to learn and manage a whole new career path.

I believe all 3 of us have grown a lot this summer!

Beach trip - 2.0

Two years ago we all met at the beach on 30A and it was proclaimed "the best vacation ever". 

It had a lot to do with great time spent with cousins and the freedom to ride bikes to the town square for snow-cones! So we chose to do it again - a quick trip to get that same feeling of good family love, salt water air and the Seaside food trucks.

We did everything we wanted to do - and didn't let an approaching tropical storm dampen our spirits! 

(just our swimsuits... in the road!)

It only rained a little - providing much needed opportunity to apply sunscreen and visit on the porch.

So we spent most of our time on the beach, of course.

We were there in the morning to build sand castles... and there in the evening to watch the sunset and play volleyball... and there any time in between to ride the waves!

Fireworks

We got lucky this 4th of July!

We caught a Rockies game Saturday night, July 3rd and cheered the team to victory over the St. Louis Cardinals (thanks to Trevor Story's 3-run home run in the 7th inning!) I didn't think much about where our seats were... until immediately after the last strike as the ushers began marking off the field... and our section! 

So we watched one of the most epic fireworks displays I've ever seen, lying on the grass in Coors Field!

The next morning we flew out of Denver to get to the beach. We met the Hightower family on 30A - our favorite! - and our luck continued with good travel karma and more fireworks. For 2 nights we watched the sun set from the beach and the sky light up with beautiful displays. We could see fireworks all up and down the shore - I felt so grateful just to be there!