The Lake with The Kids

Cherry Creek Reservoir with Grampa

Grampa’s chillin’ and JD is Superman

Alright bro… How are we going to do this?

Strong arm it… Ingenuity!

The 135th Kentucky Derby… Go “Mine That Bird!” (What does that even mean?)

The 135th (and my first) Kentucky Derby!

I met up with a long lost cousin, Chris Harlow. It had been at least 10 years since we’d seen each other. He was shorter than me last time I saw him.

Lucky for me, but not so lucky for him… he’s much taller now and helped me have a great view of the race!

The infield was muddy enough for some mud sliding (I did not participate.) The infield didn’t lend much of a view, but I got a leg up on this trailer.

The hats in the grandstands vs. the hats in the infield…

One of the rights of passage of going to the Derby… picking my horse.

See that? That’s a winning ticket.

My secret? $2 on every horse. 20 horses, $40 = winning ticket!

Since a 50-1 longshot won this year, I actually came out ahead!

Go “Mine that Bird!”

Seriously… what does that even mean? Is english the first language of that horse’s owner?

First hike of the season

Castlewood Canyon – just a little bit of paradise 15 miles down the road.

Here’s one thing I love about Coloradans… Snow on the trail? Just do it.

Bridge to nowhere…

I brought the kids out here a few times last year, they loved it. Hopefully we’ll get to enjoy it together again this summer.

First Tee-Off of the season.

Was I really snowboarding in 15 inches of powder yesterday?

Well, there were patches of evidence of the 18 inches that fell in the previous 4 days.

The first tee-off was a perfect distance, but a little to the right and.. lost.

Does the sunset light make my form look better?

Vail’s last day party

You know me… any excuse to make a costume!

It was Vail’s last day and there was a pond skimming contest. You fly down a hill on your skis or snowboard (no snowboarders made it) and try to skim across a 90ft pond in a crazy costume. You didn’t have to be in the contest to wear a costume so Courtney and I stopped by Walmart the night before and made these chaps with duct tape and safety pins. Yeeeehaw!

This girl used duct tape too, but I think she used more than one roll!

An EPIC weekend at A Basin

Courtney and I enjoyed 30 inches of fresh powder at A Basin in late April!!

Sports in Denver

What makes sporting events so fun in Denver?

The fans.

I was introduced to Hockey first. I went to the season opener.

The next game I went to was the vs Dallas Stars. They have this “kiss cam” during down times, and it zoomed in on these 2 cowboys. The one guy stretced and put his arm around the other. Dallas fans are good sports.

As a Valentine’s gift, I took Dennis and Jim to the vs Canadien’s game. Got a little bit of a nose bleed. But from any angle, good time.

The next game was vs the Ottawa senators. Wolkski in the box.

Avs vs Redwings, big rivalry. Good seats to watch the fights!

I decided on my favorite player, Cody McLeod, #55, enforcer!!

The highlight of my hockey season was attending this Mile High Gala put on by Kroenke sports. All of the players were there and I got to meet McLeod!!

Represent!

McLeod will generally be found in the middle of any fight. FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!!

Dinah and I won a silent auction at the Gala and got to ride the Zamboni!

We also got to stand glass-side during warmup.

Can I be any goofier?

I brought Christine and she got to sit in the BOX during warmups.

I was told that if I like hockey, I’ll love Lacrosse. I have to say… I am a fan.

GET IN THE BOX!!

Nuggets? Not so much. I won tickets to a game at the Gala, and it was so boring. The players are so arrogant and the fans are quiet. The baskets happen so often, people only cheer if the players show off somehow, dunk, etc. The fans also had to be warned ahead of time not to fight each other. What?

Since hockey and lacrosse are ending, I was really hopeful that I’d enjoy baseball. I went to the Rockies opening day and YES, I am a fan. We beat the Phillies 10-2. They won the championship last year!

As you read in a previous post, the kids and I went to the second to last game. They loved it!!

The second to last Lacrosse game of the season. And of course… I had to get a jersey. I found my favorite player, #2 Guze. And yes, he spent alot of time in the BOX.

The last game of the year and yes, Cody is in the box.

After the last game, the players all gave their jereys to some REALLY lucky fans.

I felt like I didn’t give my best as a fan at the last game of the year. It was my 6th sporting event in 5 days. I guess it’s a good thing we’re down to just baseball.

Hockey with the kids!

What could be better than watching Hockey? Watching Hockey with the kids!!

I was really happy and pleasantly surprised that the kids loved watching the Avs play the Canucks.

Marie was our intrepid photographer.

I think they may have been a little spoiled sitting 6 feet from the glass, close enough to feel our seats rumble when the players slammed each other into it. (My favorite player, Cody McLeod, #55 was generally responsible for that.) 

Of course, a little bit of fisticuffs and seeing Tucker take a high stick to the face right in front of us may have helped too.

I think they also enjoyed watching the PeeWee team play in between periods.

Of course, after nearly 3 hours and even going into overtime, the pedi-bike was a nice way to get back to the car.

Easter at the Car Wash

Are the kids helping clean the car out at the Car Wash?

Nope, just looking for a dozen Easter Eggs. And what is that in the egg? Candy?

Nope, it’s a real egg and if you crack it over your sibling’s, mom’s, or your own head, it’s a party!

It’s also a party on the floor of the car. So much for cleaning up the car!

What could be better than an Easter bunny that sings “Party Like a Rockstar?” “I’m on a bunny making mission.”

England

This moment made the entire trip worth it.

Did you know Heathrow airport is 27 miles long? I barely made the plane…

The English are VERY concerned about personal safety. Or very dim.

Seeing as they are concerned about safety, most likely they shouldn’t have let me rent a car.

Letting me drive allowed for a dream to come true… I made the pilrimage to the “Pemberley” of Pride and Prejudice. It was a 4 hour drive, but absulutely worth it.

How cheesy was I to re-enact my favorite scene? Those true fans among you will recognize the frames.