Fiesta de Hudson

Mike was an incredible help as my plans for the yard were realized today!  It was one of those parties where, once it occurs, you feel as though it was worth all of the planning and effort.  Most importantly, Jess and Chris knew they were loved and going to be terribly missed.  I think that was the most important aspect of all.  And we had a blast doing it!

There was a sign on the front door that read "Keep Calm and Enter through the Gate to the Left".  I didn't think to get a picture of the front, but we used the banada/tissue paper theme there, too.

This thing has been sitting in our shed and then garage since Corrie's party.  Mike and I had looked at some terrific wrought iron pieces that could be used for allowing what will be beautiful flowers to climb.  It was hard to spend $150 on them though...so we waited.  I can't believe I hadn't thought of this til now but it hit me on Friday just how perfect this candle wall would be with flowering vines crawling up it.  I love using stuff we already have...

 Party time!

We made the best anti-mosquito candles out of our favorite distiller bottles, Dollar Tree glass beads, and citronella oils/wicks.  These babies work wonders.

Mike made these tables in NO time flat!  We bought beverage tubs on sale at Target, turned them over, and laid the table tops he put together for some ground eating.  I received the jars after some quick inquiries on Freecycle, and colored them with Modge Podge and food coloring.  I actually wouldn't recommend that as it's almost impossible to get them to be evenly coated, and if it rains...well...they don't stay dry and your hands will turn turquios faster than you ever thought possible!

The trash cans say "Keep Calm and Save the Earth" and "Keep Calm and Ditch the Waste".  There are myriad themes goin' on here...

So much incredible food!  Tried a new Pinterest Recipe: Texas Trash.  HUGE hit, I would highly recommend it.  Besides queso and Jurritos/juice drink combos, Chris and Jess made all the food.  Myriad tasty treats.  And my lovely neighbor Beth let us borrow her folding table!

Unfortunately it started to rain as it started to get dark, so I don't have photos of the hanging lights you we installed from the porch to a corner of the house (you can kind of see them below to the left).  That also means I never got to put candles in the colored jars (sigh - first world problems).  I bought some solar lights to string around the trees that come on automatically when it gets dark enough, too.  Those ended up being an awesome investment.  Both gave of a lovely, romantic light.  And we enjoyed it from under the dryness of the patio...

 To the Hudsons.  Can't wait to come see you in AZ!

Run wild with the hope

Mike and I ran a bunch of errands in preparation for Fiesta de Hudson tomorrow.  Saying goodbye to these two as they move to Arizona on a whole new adventure will be tough.  So we're compensating with biz.  It's how I cope.  And it's how Mike helps.

Complete

Finally added Keebler to the family portraits in the guest room.

I had the frame in the garage amid the myriad thrift items I bought for no particular reason other than "I could do something with that".  I ripped a canvas in half to fit the frame (also from the same pile against the wall), had some spray paint leftover from other projects, and some black acrylic paint in the basement.  Probably the cheapest project I've ever done.

My favorite part, though, is that the placement of the Keebs is right by the corner that was a bit hoobied from the get-go.  The way it's done makes it look like he's just chewed on it.  I don't know why, but I love it.  Dogs are such huge blessings.  Even in destructo-mode.

Not a bad way to end the day...

We edited Skinnytaste's Chipotle Lobster and Avocado Wraps, substituting crab (me) and chicken (him) for lobster since apparently KS refuses to steam it for you...

It was even tastier than I thought it would be!  I wrapped mine in Romaine leaves to nix the starch.  The crunch was fantastic.   Add in some Strawberry mead + back porch goodness = perf evening.

"I think the cube makes it more classy"

I think she's right.

Staples

It's pretty much a given (and is fairly obvious given our previously documented trips here and here).

Wedding Weekend

We had a fantastic time with Mike's co-workers and their wives at Steve & Erin's wedding.  Such a good time, in fact, that these were the only photos we took...

That's my quilt piece for a blanket one of their family members will be making.  We all thought it was pretty epic.

We ended up spending 30 minutes after the wedding just enjoying the moon on Boulder creek.  Beautiful evening with the love of my life.

Mass Transit

We decided to (finally) try picking up the bus literally right behind our house and taking it (with one stop) to Boulder.  It was an incredibly fun venture!  We enjoyed every non-driving, fairly hassle-free minute of it!  It's a shame 128 doesn't run on the weekends...

One lady stopped us and asked "Are you going swing dancing???  You look so cute!"  Goorin FTW.

Plant

I sometimes amuse myself way too much.

What.

Post-Work

It's still a project work in progress, but this is what we did to our yard!

I'll take more/better pictures soon.  Maybe when I've decorated for Fiesta de Hudson (who are abandoning us for AZ)...there will be tears.  But part of the decor will be bandanas.  Multi-faceted.

Costco

Nar: Thinking of you.  And Walking Dead.

Falling Up

We woke up early Sunday morning.  Well, some of us did.

The trail down took half as long and we clammored twice as fast down the rocky slopes.  Keebler and Kona are in their element with their packs on and a trail to blaze.  It's fascinating to watch.

We felt incredible when we hit the trailhead.  To reward our hard work we stopped by the original Beau Jo's and ate a huge pizza in traffic on I70.  Finished the day with Band of Brothers and Trader Joe's Syrah.  We win.

Missouri Lakes Trail

Some pre-trail java.  The camp coffee press and the camp pillow were my two luxuries I brought for which I am eternally grateful.

 What is that theory about dogs and their owners?

 At least packing up was unexpectedly easy...

Probably the hardest thing I've ever done physically.  I am the weakest link.  Literally the only trail shot I got as I was so intent on 1) not falling over the myriad cliffs into the river, 2) not letting Keebler fall over said cliffs, 3) not letting Keebs eat random animal poop, 4) trying not to be mad at how difficult climbing what are basically rock stairs up a mountain are, a nd 5) in general trying not to pass out.

But when we got to the lake and found our campsite, it was somehow all worth it.

 The lake (click to get the full effect):

 Out:

When we arrived I was so exhausted I could barely walk down to the lake.  I plunged my face into the crystal clear water and almost froze it off.  Then I looked around me, at what I could see having made the trek.  It was difficult to tell what was lake water and what was tears.