Fence & Tree

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Poll time!

Alright, it's poll time.  So, all of you peeps that stalk this blog and never write a message - it's on!  Humor me?  Anyways, I want to know who you think Teigan is looking like these days... she's changing so frequently, but big debates are happening here and I need some seriously serious market research done in order to back these arguments up!





And.... go!

PS :: I promise that one day in the next week or so I will take the time to sit down and write a legit blog post about something totally hilarious, inspiring, exciting, and/or ridiculous.  <Note to self: make something totally hilarious, inspiring, exciting, and/or ridiculous happen to me by Thursday. Great. Mmmkay. Thanks. Beep!>  Or I could just post more pictures of Teigs.  We all know that's what everyone wants, anyways.  I get it.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Soaking up the Fountains

The fountains in Market Square are one of about a million things I am excited about Teigan enjoying as she grows up.  While we've played around them several times before, this was the first time that she was all-out ready to get soaked - and that she did!  Unfortunately I missed it as it was part of a daddy-daughter date, but like any dedicated, proud, doting dad, Ben took video.  

What did everyone do before iPhones?  Seriously!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Monday, August 20, 2012

Colorado Vacay :: Part 5 of 5!

Our final full day in Colorado was a busy one!  We drove from Lake Agnes to Fort Collins to visit some family members on the White side before heading over to Donny's childhood friend's farm - before then heading back to Littleton to spend the evening on Donny & Mary Gayle's super relaxing back patio!  Phew, no wonder we were all in bed by 9:30pm!

In Fort Collins, we met up with a couple of Kathy's cousin's and various other family members at Grandpa Dick's sister, Dot, and her husband, Perry's, home.  Talk about two super-cool people!  They are both artists and their own work, combined with pieces they've collected, totally blew me away.

Dot & Perry in their living room
Once we landed at Jim & Cheri Vilona's farm in Berthoud, I was immediately taken aback.  They have a large-scale, outdoor sculpture park in their front yard, the cutest house, a crazy studio, a beautiful gallery [complete with what many have stated to be the most in-tact dinosaur egg collection in the world... at a home... not in a museum!], a farm complete with a miniture horse and a normal-size who just so happened to be the famous horse, Secretariat's, daughter.  It was like a theme park!
Secretariat's daughter and Teigan lovin' on eachother
Uncle Z-man, Dada, and Teigs right before we took off :(
 The next morning we were on the road back to KnoxVegas.  
It was a lovely trip and we were so lucky to have such a beautiful place to retreat!  Thanks to Donny & Mary Gayle for the hospitality and Doug & Kathy for making the trip happen - and for playing babysitter a few times while we were there!

Maybe we can not wait another ten years before we head up there next time?  Fo' rizzle.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Colorado Vacay :: Part 4

It's been a few days [hellooo soaking up the weekend - and the turbo, mac daddy Slip 'n Slide that may, or may not, have consumed much of our Saturday!], but I'm back to the 2012 Colorado series of posts.  Enjoy the obscene amount of photos because tomorrow I will posting Part 5, the final round.  I know you're upset... believe me, I am, too!  But here goes....
Reenactment alert: An almost identical photo was taken a decade ago of Zach & Ben! 
Thursday was, yet again, another beautiful day in Lake Agnes.  A few of us decided to hike up to a breathtaking spot - one that was familiar to both Ben and I.  It was the same spot that we went hiking to with Haely and fam ten years ago [almost to the exact date].  Donny, Mary Gayle, Zach, Ben, and I took a breather from this spot for quite some time.
Lake Agnes in the distance

As if my day weren't going great enough, as soon as we got back to the cabin, we were in for some serious rounds of Pickleball.  Never heard of it?  Me either - up until this point - but think doubles tennis meets ping-pong.  Still confused?  Have no fear, the USA Pickleball Association [I'm serious] will be happy to explain.  Anyways, it's amazing and the competitive side in me kicked into serious gear... as did everyone else's!


Thanks for noticing my form... and the whiff.










Ball girl!
After that, it was back to the 'ol bb gun target shooting...




... and then an evening ride and by-chance fishing to cap off the day!  <cue Erin catching a sweet rainbow trout just eight minutes into the ride>  Hiiiyooo!


Most fun day, ever, right?

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Colorado Vacay :: Part 3

Our third day in the mountains meant us traveling about 30 minutes into the beautiful town of Steamboat.  The day kicked off with Ben, Zach, Andrew, and I tubing down the Yampa River for an hour or so.  It started off peaceful and fun... but like any venture out with the boys, it ended with a food fight... well, river-algae-long-legged-creepy-mess-thingy's-from-the-bottom being flung left and right.  Sigh.

While we were tubing, the rest of the gang went out to the gardens.


Future soccer player?  Duh.
We met back up afterwards and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and eating... what we do best!  

T learning how to pick her nose and fling it on Uncle Z-man  in public. We're so classy!
Once we got back to Lake Agnes, it was back to the usual.... hang time, watching the Olympics, fishing, etc.  I tell ya, it's a rough life out there in Colorado.  Phew!
Sis [Kathy] & Bro [Donny]!
Mary Gayle and Donny

Zach soaking in USA!
Until Part 4!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Colorado Vacay :: Part 2

And so our Colorado trip continues... on Monday afternoon we were on the road to Lake Agnes, a small, private lake and forest area in the middle of the Rockies about a half hour outside of Steamboat.  

How else would ANY vacation in the middle of the mountains start?  With a smooth dive into the freezing-degree water - duh!  And don't you worry, I swam every single day we were there.  Glorious!
My swimming-partner-in-crime, Zach, and I on Day 1 of our epic water adventures!
Z-man and I - we survived!
The rest of our first evening [and every other subsequent night] was spent reminiscing, telling stories, and what we'll call "family battle time" when people would emotionally debate over hot, untouchable issues [cue Erin singing louder 90's pop music and running farther and farther away... hoooooray for the Olympics!]

The next day, Tuesday, we woke up and went on a wog [wog (whog): verb. 1) To move quickly by moving the legs as rapidly as possible in such a manner that is suitable until it's absolutely necessary to slow down and walk] around the 140 acre lake, did some target shooting via BB gun, and went on a nice hike where we saw a black bear!  

Grandpa Dick & Ben
Uncle Z-man, Professional Photographer 

Click on the picture - it's a black bear!
But lesbihonest, most of what we really did was sit around and watch Teigan grow up before our eyes.  Gosh, this past week I swear T became a toddler.  She's running, saying "no", carrying her purse on her shoulder everywhere she goes, and wearing out her kick-ass cowgirl boots [see Part IV blog].
Oh, and we watched and heard about Andrew spending all day long fishing.  On this day, it was just one lucky rainbow trout [that we smoked later on in the week].  But really, Drew... oww owww!
What fish could possibly resist being caught by this hot guy?   

So in the spirit of Now 1 and non-stop singing of the best 90's music, ever, being sung by only you and I in the middle of the mountains in the middle of the night, this is for you, Andrew... but really, I sing it way better, right?  Right?  Wait.... right?