Ice, Ice Baby

We had planned to leave at 3am for our trek to Texas in a day.  We made it out by 3:30, which was impressive considering we had two people, two dogs, a stuffed automobile, and I was sick as a dog.  We made it to a rest stop just outside of Trinidad where I spent the previous 30 minutes willing myself not to throw up.  After almost losing Keebler to a trucker (he got out of his leash and I'm pretty sure if I hadn't felt nausiated before I would have then), spending some quality time in the bathroom trying to talk myself back IN to throwing up just so I'd feel better), and getting back on the road again the whole family felt...well...fairly good (I didn't puke, but Kona managed to just as we turned into the rest stop...on the seat...as Mike tried to get him out).

We determined that the way to go is indeed down I25 turning southwest at Raton and going through Dumas and Amarillo.  Yay!

Unfortunately, once we hit Dumas so did the massive ice/snow storm.

It took us an extra two hours using the usually speedy two lane country roads.  We also witness what was probably the scariest accident coming up a hill on one of these said roads.  I maintain that Texas drivers are complete idiots in snow.

Niwot Inn

We stayed here for Mike's St Vrain Christmas soire.  We will be coming back for Valentine's Day.  It is just lovely!

A Very Quivas Christmas 2013

This is our new Clayton Christmas tradition started last year.  We get gussied, head to Via Toscana, and then head home to open presents by the light of the Christmas tree!

This year we added a very nice bottle of mead thanks to Meadery of the Rockies.  It was insanely tasty.  We'd been saving the best (and last) bottle from our 2013 Palisade trip for a special occasion.  This seemed appropo.

Comfort

Tommy and Leslie on the road to recovery.  I'm going to get this framed for them when he's completely through.

Denver Holiday Party

Lucky Strike Style.

Prepared

This was how the box my parents sent me for my birthday was wrapped:

And this is part of what was in it!

BD W&C

Since Black Hawk didn't happen, Wine & Cheese did.  That place is always so special.

Wake Up Call

I woke up the day after my birthday (the day we were all headed to Black Hawk for a big birthday celebration) to a 3:30am phone message from Leslie.  I can write about it now (that I'm super late on updating the blog) without getting emotional, but at the time our worlds were rocked.

Tommy came out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth, and just fell over.  He was unresponsive, couldn't speak, couldn't move.  The ambulance took him to the nearest hospital, which quickly determined he had suffered a massive stroke.  They loaded him onto a helicopter to be taken for surgery at Swedish Medical, the premier stroke hospital in the state.  And they told Leslie to say goodbye then, because no one knew if he would make it there, much less into and out of surgery.

I ran to her house to pack her a bag and pick up her pup, and as people began descending upon the hospital, we were one of the many who showed up to show love to this incredible couple.  With hindsight, Tommy is doing just incredible.   He's regained his speech and mobility, he's slowly and surely recovering to his self again.  It's been inspiring to watch.  But it was a terrbile day as friends, helpless in almost every way.

We canceled the trip and remained in shock for most of the weekend.  The Groesbecks came over to spend the Friday evening, and that was when I cried.  I just couldn't believe this had happened: to someone we knew and loved, to someone so young.  It resulted in a group hug which Mike made less awkward with some sort of funny comment I don't remember now.  But I was, and am, so thankful for the life I have, and the friends I have in it.

Kona milked the evening for all it was worth; Max was just confused.

Dirty Thirty

Not sure why they call it that...but I did receive some scrumptious chocolate-covered strawberries from my parents at the office!

And had a lovely light show my last night at TCH.

Mike bought me a fantastic new camera with which I am already in love.  While I don't have a photo of it, it is very busy taking photos.  Good photos!

Pup Pup

Kai Man.

R Squared

Due to limited space in Sunny (a Taurus), this year I decided to do all of my Wetterling and Firethorn Christmas Gift Exchange shopping online on Amazon.  Not to sound like too much of a commercial: Amazon Prime is one of the best purchases we've ever made.  Free shipping, the option to gift wrap, easy organization.  And I don't have to do anything but click "Purchase".

And, you know...pay for it.

Anyway, I did end up spending quite a bit of money on gift wrapping due to not completing the task myself.  So by the time I started thinking of wrapping the presents under the Clayton Tree, my brain (and wallet) were starting to hurt.

So I gathered some items from the basement: an old dictionary and essays book, glue sticks, some butterfly stickers and paper that I'd purchased last year at Hobby Lobby for a project that never transpired, random blank tags, some cut up fabric from my crochet rug I'd hoarded because I loved it so much, and (this part is my favorite) some butterfly decorations that I'd randomly saved from Step Child's wedding because I have a thing for butterflies.

The road to hoarding is paved with "I could use this some day".

But in this case I was correct.

I then took the plethora paper bags I've had under my sink since birth...or at least since I moved here...including one from a 2007 meeting at the AmericInn in SLC, several TJ's, and some Christmas Bath & Body bags...

 And turned them into this:

 Yes.  That is a bow made of out plastic King Soopers bags.  Go on...appreciate.

The tags say "Meke" and initials for "Love of my Life" because that's how we answer the phone when the other calls.  I had the stamps from this project.

Book page wrapping.  More crochet rug fabric ribbon and yet another KS bow.  And a Mason Jar.  Because really, why the hell not.

Best part: the tissue I already had on hand (or grabbed out of Amazon boxes in some cases) thanks to learning to save every piece of tissue paper from every gift ever given maniacally (love you, Mom!).

So that brings the Total Cost to: zero dollars.

I also emptied out a plastic tub (because really who needs 27 pillows) so I can put all of the wrapping (besides the small square packages wrapped in book pages) accoutrement away and re-use it all next year.

Recycling FTW.

How you know you might have a problem

Me:  NAR!  Has Toms sent you a bracelet with a thank-you note?!?!?!

Nar: Yeah...

Me:  HOW DID THIS NOT COME UP?!

Nar: I dunno!  

Me:  It is sad how much this marketing ploy makes me want to buy more!

Nar:  Why do you think I bought the aqua ones?

SVFC

Mike's new office.  My favorite part was the welcome mat.  And the window, of course.

You Are Here

I found this awesome little ornament in Hawaii, and vowed that I would get one in both Colorado and Texas when we went.  Mike and I had an all day shopping excursion that included Kohls (where we purchase him some epic Levis) and H&M (where we purchased me some epic dresses), and - no joke - five different Starbucks stops in hopes of finding one for Denver and/or Colorado.

Starbucks gave me the finger and said "You no get."

Glow

Kona loves to lay under the Christmas Tree/

Don't Mind Me

Sometimes, Keebler is my back pillow on my desk chair.  Difficult angle...in more ways than one.

PBN

Tried purchasing a new Paint by Number from Amazon.  The thing showed up on a loose canvas, complete with frame and lovely paints!

I'm so in, China.  Thanks.

The Feels

Our tree is full of them.

I Always Go Overboard

I texted Nar a photo of my Toms score from Hawaii (thanks to Meke) on Black Friday.

"OMG. I just had a Tomsgasm," she responded.

That pretty much sums it up.

Rough Go

We almost didn't have a tree-topper this year...

Star Chaos.