Swim Display

A left-over shot from the Vegas trip. Their window displays are amazing. This one is pretty eye catching.

Crop Circles

A view from 20,000 feet on the way back from Las Vegas via Denver. What's with the circles?

Cash in my Pants

I put $5 in the Wizard of Oz slot machine fully expecting to lose it all, when Glenda the Good Witch shows her cheery face on the screen and says something like, "Sometimes, good things DO happen!" She was right. I know it's not much but I feel like I won the lottery.

Blurry Picture, Clear Memory

Tonight I was lucky enough to have been invited to have dinner with Dr. Oz. He's exactly the way you see him on The Dr. Oz Show...very nice, very caring, and very genuine. A great guy all around. He raised an eyebrow at the steak I was eating so I put down my fork and said, "I'm from Kansas!" He gave me an understanding look as if he knew I had no other choice. Funny! He gave the group of us his new book, autographed them for us, and then posed for pictures. All I had was my cell phone and the room was dimly lit, so the girl next to me snapped this for me. I took a picture of her picture to post here tonight.

Packed for Vegas

Heading to Las Vegas for a conference. My packing skills are improving. I will have just ONE checked bag and one small carry-on. I need to pack light because they always load us up with so much swag. I packed two more empty duffel bags just in case. I'll probably be carrying at least one more bag on the way home.

Sports Town

Aztec Art

Guess where we ate tonight? Love that place! Wasn't feeling all that hungry tonight so only ate half and now I have a DEE-LISH meal for lunch tomorrow! Score!

Sky

I entered a contest today. I had to take a picture of the sky. I sent it to the photographer holding the contest hoping for a win. Well, I didn't win but he shared all of the entries with us in this collage and I thought it was pretty cool. Can you guess which photo won? Can you find mine? Bonus points for you if you guess either!

Wire 'n' Wood

From the evening walk.

New Beginning

For some reason, I was looking through my junk e-mail today and ran across a newsletter from Kim Komando. It was talking about the "Cool Website of the Day". This site was a free fitness tracker. It's called www.HotCal.com and it's exactly what I've been looking for. It keeps track of my exercise and how many calories I burn as well as everything I eat during the day and how many calories I take in. I entered my current weight and my weight loss goal and how fast I'd like to lose it. The website does the rest. It lets me know how many calories I can have each day to meet my goal and so much more. It's my new favorite website and there are some changes I'm making in my life today. Not only did I find this site today, but Oprah had Dr. Oz and Bob Green on the show today to discuss the serious threat of diabetes. There was so much good information in that show and a lot of it really hit home. Lades and gentlemen, get ready and stand aside. Change starts now.

Slide Show

We got together tonight with the BIL & SIL to share photos and stories from our vacation trip with the FIL & MIL. Even though it's only been a week since we were in RMNP, it was still nice to revisit the trip already. We were also fed healthy doses of summer food to top off the night: dogs, brats, beans, sweet corn, cottage cheese, cucumbers, birthday cake and ice cream (for my BIL). A good night!

Gettin' Crabby With It

Glamtastic!

We went to see Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta in concert tonight. We didn't know what to expect but we thought the concert was great! What an entertainer! Like I said at the show, this is probably the last time we'll see Adam Lambert playing at a venue this small. Hello, arenas!

Black & White & Read All Over

I actually had time to sit down and read the weekly newspaper tonight. That, my friends, is a treat. You know what else is a treat? Getting to go to bed for the night right after I post this. Check the time of this post. Now add 5 minutes. Boom...I'm in bed. See you tomorrow!

Over Dressed

I worked at a job fair today downtown. On my walk back to my car, I passed this statue and it made me a bit uncomfortable. The heat index was 114º. I'm surprised this guy didn't melt down into a shiny puddle of nothing. It had to be swampy wearing those pants in this heat.

No Hunting

Trucker Pull

After all of the adventure we experienced in Colorado, sometimes being at home can be a dull shock to the system. So, my daughter and I went on a bike ride in search of enough adventure for a little girl. We both rode up the hill to a nearby overpass and waited for the semi-trucks to roll beneath us on the interstate. I know Amber enjoyed herself, but I have full confidence in knowing that the truckers enjoyed blowing their horns to make my daughter's night. Some of them probably have sons and/or daughters at home, and maybe, fulfilling the request of a little girl pumping her arm up and down on the overpass made them feel a bit closer to their own kids back home.

Rearview Paradise

Mixed emotions here. Rocky Mountain National Park is such a wonderfully peaceful place, but I was also ready to get home for a decent night's slumber in my own bed. Goodbye, RMNP. We'll be back. And, thanks for all of the wonderful memories.

I ♥ Snow!

I wrote a love note in a wall of snow on our trip up the narrow, one-way dirt road, old Fall River Road. This was near the top right before we reached the Alpine Visitor Center. We were about 11,000 feet above sea level right here.

25¢ Mountains

See that stretch of mountains off to the left? Those are the mountains they put on the back of the Colorado quarter. Except, these aren't as shiny.

2 Miles High

ColoVac

Waiting

Watching the commotion around him, Sonny supervises from high atop the first floor.

Packed

Having A Ball

This is all need to get me through the 4th. I love these things! They're like a bottle rocket with cartoon sound effects but without the stick. Bottle rockets are probably safer. These can be a bit unpredictable, which just adds to the excitement of the day!

Red One Stars

Today was the Independence Day parade where we all bring our lawn chairs and line ourselves up and down the streets to watch the display of firetrucks, classic cars, elected officials (and those hoping to gain their seat in the next election), horses, clowns, motorcycles, church floats, baseball teams and decorated bicycles. The kids chase candy thrown at them from the parade and the parents all take pictures and video. The little boy from a couple of doors down noticed that he and I were wearing the same red shoes and kept pointing at them. So, it was my picture for today. As my kids might have said at that age, "Match-o-match!".

Softball Bleachers

Amber had her last softball game of the season tonight. She played a great defensive game making good throws and tagging runners out. She also hit a home run and a double! What an athlete! They won in a nail-biter 7-6.

No Problem