Vail

I spent last week in Vail, CO for work.  I won't lie...I was 0% excited for this trip.  I didn't want to be away from the boy for that long at all!  I survived the week though, and it ended up being a really quick and fun week.
The first day Jen (my boss) and I drove, we stopped at this golf course for lunch.  It was beautiful!

Then we went to a sushi place for dinner that night.  Jen has never met James but she loves him for helping me like sushi.  It was yummy to my tummy!

The next night I got a half rotisserie chicken with grilled asparagus on a bed of wild rice risotto.  Yes please!  I had to document my delicious meals and send pics to James so that he would be jealous.  I'm pretty rude!

On our walk home from dinner we came across an awesome park with a pirate ship playground.  That is Jen, the best boss around!

I had never been to Vail before really.  I had driven through a time or two, but I had never gone into the villages.  It was so lovely with buildings that look like this...

And bridges going over the river like this...

And walkways like this...

It was their total off season so the hotel was actually affordable and most of the restaurants (the few that were open) had major discounts on all their entrees.  Awesome!
One morning I decided to go for a run.  I nearly died!  I will never try running at 8100 feet ever again.  There is not enough oxygen for me up in those elevations!  It sure was beautiful though!

I watched the sunrise over the mountains on my run.

This was our hotel...the Tivoli Lodge.  It was about a block from Vail Village, and it was so nice!

Here is a little panorama shot that I tried on my phone so you can get another feel for Vail.

  It was a fun week, but I sure was overjoyed to get off that airplane have James waiting there to pick me up!  I'm pathetic, I know!  It's weeks like this that make my job worth it though!

Primary, Race for the Cure, and Ruined Date

I have been called to be a Primary teacher.  I have been in Relief Society for 15 years now, so I am quite excited for the change.  My first Sunday teaching, I had prepared a very involved and informative lesson.  Five-year-olds have about a 3 minute attention span I discovered.  Bring on the coloring!  It has been a real learning experience so far, but they sure are cute and say the funniest things!

Tricia and I kept with tradition and ran the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure last Saturday.  That 5k nearly killed me.  I don't know how I can run 13 miles one Saturday and then 3 miles the next Saturday almost kills me.  I did donate blood this week week, so I'm blaming it on that.  It was a beautiful day!

 

That same weekend, I planned an awesome date for James and I.  We were going to go up the canyon and roast hot dogs and brats and s'mores and sit around a campfire.  This is my most favorite thing to do!  I bought wood and all the food and packed the cooler.  When James got to my house, we headed toward the canyon.  It was beautiful in the valley, but as we got closer to the canyon it started to rain.  And it got worse and worse as we got closer to the canyon.  Awesome date ruined.  I was really bummed.  I had made so many preparations for this.  James tried to make me feel better by saying we could have a "campfire" in my backyard around the BBQ.  Not the same, but good try!  We did it anyway.  He was one the phone for most of dinner dealing with work stuff so I ate alone.

Then James ate.

Then we roasted marshmallows over the stove and watched the NBA Playoffs.  It wasn't what I had in mind, but it worked!

I'm still holding out for a real campfire though!

"Our" First Garden

A few weeks ago, James suggested that we plant a garden.  I just stared at him.  Where are we going to plant a garden?  Neither of us own the homes we live in and my experience with gardening only involves killing things.  He suggested we buy pots and just do a few things.  Sure, I'm in!
After discussing our plan with his parents, they suggested that we split their garden and we can help maintain it.  We are going to have quite the harvest in a few months!

Several different kinds of tomatoes!

Onions and carrots

Peppers, jalapenos, and beets

Zucchini, yellow squash, and pumpkins.

Raspberries...yummmm!

Herbs...lots and lots of yummy herbs!

There are lots of beans too and radishes.  Our beets, radishes, and carrots have started sprouting above the dirt.  It's so exciting!  I can't wait until we are eating our own fruits and veggies!  P.S. It poured rain on us almost the whole time we rototilled and planted.  We like to keep things exciting!