There are few things I love more...

than a trip to the mountains. This past week I went to Vail for the Vail Lacrosse Shootout. I took Susie and Amanda (two MoBap players) and Whitney (a former Kwood girl) with me for the team. Enjoy the pictures because surely you won't find the stories as amusing as we did.

view from our hike

Whitney, Amanda, and Susie on our hike

band photo?

We are finally done... and the girls are very happy

hanging lake hike for the second night in a row

at the top of Hanging Lake

Vail Fourth of July Parade from our balcony

At the Continental Divide

12,000 ish feet!!!

What a great trip! Can't wait until next summer.

The people we spent the weekend with!

Part of the weekend was spent with Lara Holley. It was so fun to see her and check out the place she lives, works, and where she spends her time. We may or may not have used her roommate's ingredients to make some chocolate chip cookies. He didn't take it too well, but at least the cookies were good and he handedly beat all of us in boggle. Hopefully I will make it ou there for another trip. I love Boulder, and it was so much fun to see Holla. 

Halloween was spent in Estes Park staying at Bob Smallwood's house. This is no joke! That is Rachel and Bob hiking near his house. He is an older gentleman who worked out at Rachel's gym during a two year stay in Cape Girardeau. He and Rach became friends during his daily visits to Healthpoint. We stayed in his house last year when we went out, but he wasn't there. This time he was there and spoiled us. He made us breakfast, took us to coffee, made dinner, and bought breakfast the next morning. His house is in an area with no cell service, so we maybe should have been a bit more weary. However, Rach and I have luck with random generous people, and this one didn't go south either... so I guess in the future we will continue to trust :) 

The Beauty that is the Place I Should Live!

The pictures say enough, so I will spare you many words. These are five reasons why I belong two states west of where God is keeping me.

Wind energy in Kansas

Just another beautiful Colorado sunrise

Entering Estes Park

Colorado: I heart You!

Just some more of my favorites from Colorado.

It was on this trip that I thought maybe staying in flat, not mountainous, not wild flowery, Missouri was a big mistake after all. 

Here's some pictures from the road between Vail and Steamboat. 

A Good Ole Western Rodeo Part II

I forgot these pictures... and for some reason I think they are great. 

1

2

3 ... and Done!

I thought this was darling... but we actually would become friends with this little duo. 

Me and Liz at the rodeo. 

A Good Ole' Rodeo

This summer on my trip to Vail, Colorado I decided to check out a good ole Western rodeo. With the help of a margarita and a few darling kids, it was an absolute blast. I am not a huge animal picture person, but I kind of enjoy these. 

Cowboy in training... taking off the lassos. 

There are a number of great things about this pic: 

1. The kids are laying in manure... on their stomachs. 

2. The calfs are staring them down. 

3. In just a minute the kids will jump up and chase the calfs around the ring trying to grab the ribbon off their tail... classic. 

i was going to live there...

but plans changed. It's been for the best. I guess you could say God knew what He was doing on this one. However, I still long for Rocky Mountain High... often. 

I look up into the trees in CSU quad. 

Sunrise in Estes Park. 

Horsetooth ... near CSU's campus. 

Estes Park 

Estes Park 

Hopefully it is only a matter of time before I end up living there. I'm thinking CCU should start a lacrosse program. 

Water

I am not a water person. I hate swimming in it; I would prefer to just lay at the edge of a lake, pool, or ocean. However, I love the sound and feel of having water nearby. These are some of my favorite "water" pictures. 

       Victoria Falls: Zambia, Africa 

I didn't even take this picture, but I love it. 

These are my parents... their first time at the beach. Summer 2008. 

Waterfall running up the trail on Hanging Lake hike near Vail, Colorado. 

                                               Sprouting Rock at the top of Hanging Lake