ONE YEAR!

A year ago exactly from today, we were handed the keys and moved into our house!!! Its been quite a year, filled with fun, demolition, remodeling and visitors! I wonder what the next year will bring. Maybe its finally time to have a housewarming party :)

SNOW!

Whew! Quite the snow dump we have been having since Tuesday night....haven't taken an official measurment, but I'm guessing at least 24 inches, and its still snowing!!!!

Decided to take the dogs skijoring in the awesome new snow! However, it didn't go so well, as the bottom layer of snow is a sloppy wet mess, so our skis just wouldn't glide.

Oh remember our garage project? Well this is what it looked like before....

And after! Think its gonna be delayed a few days. :(

The Garage is coming!!!!

Work has finally begun on our garage being built....we're pretty excited about this. Thought we post a few pictures of the beginning of the demo :)

The picture doesn't really show how deep and big the hole in the ground is!

Home Brewin

On to the next project!!!! A friend of ours who recently moved away from Boulder was a big home brewer but needed to lose some weight for moving, so he graciously gave us all his equiptment for making beer (Thanks Javi!!!!) So Ben was super pumped to brew his first batch! He picked out ingredients to make a Bavarian Dunkleweisen.....basically a dark Hefenweizen.

Mmmmm, smell the aroma!!! :)

Now we just have to wait til about Thanksgiving to bottle and try it! Any taste testers out there? :)

A great visit!

A couple weekends ago, my old roommate from college in Tucson.....and Ben and I's matchmaker :) made a visit to Colorado. Michelle and her sister Stephanie and their kids came over for some spaghetti, some wine and lots of laughs. So great to see you guys!

Miche and Steph

Miche's son, Nolan - this kid's got the biggest eyes ever!!! :)

Steph's cute-as-a-button daughter Rachel

Our First....and maybe Last, Cruise!

At the end of September, Lisa's parents, aunt and cousins, and us two went on a short 3-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver Island. None of us had been on a cruise before so we decided to do a short one. Well, after it was all said and done, we just weren't that stoked about our experience, really overrated. Which is weird, because I know a lot of people who love cruises and never had a bad experience. The food was pretty bad, pools and hot tubs closed after sundown, and just didn't like being stuck on a boat with not much to do. Had the food been better, that might have made being on the boat better, but no such luck. Oh well, we still had a ton of fun together and now we know what a cruise is like! Click on the picture below to see our trip photos!

Cruise

Backpacking with the Velasquez's

Ben and I had a slow summer since we both were injured for most of it. But this fall we both were feeling better and really wanted to do a backpacking trip. We were able to convince our friends and newlyweds Michael and Darcy to come with us. The hike we chose, that went to Arapaho Pass on the Continental Divide, was only going to be 6 miles roundtrip, only 3 one way. Easy right? Well, we didn't figure on hiking much past the Pass to camp, but it ended up being about 13 miles total. Thankfully, the Velasquez's still really enjoyed themselves and are excited to try hut camping with us this winter. You guys rocked!!!! Click on the picture below to see more of the adventure!

Backpacking with Michael and Darcy

A 90th Birthday Celebration

My grandpa turned 90 this year, and we all made a trip up to Nebraska to help celebrate. We also got to cheer on my dad at an antique tractor pull...a first for Ben to see. Good times, good pics. Check them out!

Grandpa's 90th Birthday

Jackpot!

Our washer didn't seem to be draining right the other week, so Ben took it apart and found out why.....(minus the wrench parts). Even a Glow-In-The-Dark Ninja found his way in! Have you looked in your drain trap lately? :)

Enjoying the Outdoors

Ben and I on a mountain bike trail near Nederland

Crankin up a hill - the picture just doesn't do it justice!

Taking the dogs on a trail up Boulder Canyon

Some great single track, Ben and I are gonna bring our bikes instead of dogs next time!

Doing some training with Cubby

The view back to Boulder from the trail!

Presenting the Velasquez's!!!!

Back in September, we were invited to attend our great friends wedding, Michael and Darcy. It was so great to make it to theirs and seeing all the planning Darcy put into all the decorations - something I still have fun looking at even after a year after our wedding! It was a beautiful ceremony and reception, thanks for inviting us guys and seeing your love take the next step!

Michael&Darcy's wedding

A Hike with the Block Family in the Park

A couple weeks ago, we called Brian and Vanessa to see if they wanted to hang out and maybe go hiking. This would be their baby Zander's first big hike, as V and I had gone on a short hike the day before, but this was exciting to go into Rocky Mountain National Park with all of us for a fun long hike.

All three of them were trying to get Zander into the Baby Bjorn - it was entertaining :)

The new mom and dad with their baby boy

Ben feelin and lookin good in the warm sun :)

Some of the views we had on the way up

Brian with Zander, Vanessa and Ben taking the side trail up.

Once we got to the Loche, there was a very persistent chipmunk wanting food, he got withing 2 feet of me!

A beautiful blue jay was hanging around as well

Ben fishing at the Loche

Who needs a changing table when you have a perfectly good rock? :)

Dad and son doing a little outside bonding

Enjoying some Fosters after the hike

What a great hike with great friends!