Visit from a HS friend and night out Downtown Denver

My girlfriend from High School was working in Colorado Springs for a week and decided to come out a few days early to stay with us and visit.  I was so excited!  We decided we would grab a hotel and hang out in Downtown Denver for Saturday night and then rush back to watch the Vikings game the next day.  Sad to say, but out of the 13 years I have lived in Colorado I had yet to spend a night out downtown.  I did some research and talked to a few friends for recommendations on places to go.  

Lezlee got to our house around noon and it was a gorgeous day out.  We grabbed a few beers and hung out under the misters and caught up for a bit.  I had to rush out to a bridal shower for a few hours so she stayed with the kids and Dan and got ready and then it was off to Denver.

We checked into our hotel and got did what girls do - primping and a little pre-gaming for a night out!  We headed out and our first stop was Katie Mullen's Irish Pub across the street from the hotel.  We sat on their large patio area and enjoyed some calamari and did some people watching.  

 

 After the Irish Pub we made our first attempt at the free public transportation downtown.  We hopped on the bus not really knowing what we were doing or really the direction it was going.  Needless to say the bus we hopped on was going in the wrong direction and we rode it the few blocks to the end and then just stayed on the bus until it started back up and went in the direction we wanted to go.  There was a strange guy that also didn't get off at any of the stops and walked toward us and then stopped.  I'm not really sure what his intention was, but he stood there for a minute and then decided to get off the bus.  Lezlee was hilarious and said, We are going to get killed on this bus!  I just said, Nah - that's nothing compared to the crazies that I ran into on the Boston subway.  We talked to a few nice people on the bus as we were heading in the right direction and then I saw a street that I recognized for one of the places we wanted to go and we hopped off.  We wandered around and noticed how extremely dressed up people were downtown for a night out and/or date night - wow!
We were head to The Green Russell where there is a semi-hidden speak easy bar.  We walked through an old diner looking door and were in an old era it seemed.  You just kind of had an awe moment of the neatness of this place.  We were seated at the bar and given the bar menu.  We went with the Bartenders choice drink.  The bartender then talks with you about what drinks you like and what liquors you enjoy and proceeds to mix up a unique one of a kind drink just for you.  It was an experience in itself watching them mix drinks and chip ice from a large ice chunk.  We stayed at this place for quite awhile and tried a few different drinks.  

 

Back out downtown in the hustle and bustle we started walking again and found one of the other places on our list, the champagne bar, Corridor 44 .  This bar was in a small space and had a small outside patio and was jam packed with people.  We were able to get a drink quickly, but the prices were a little steep so we grabbed a cheap glass of wine for the experience (never the best idea with champagne - you pay for what you get) and hung out for only a short while. 

Next our adventure took a to a nightclub where we also had one drink and danced to one song and then got the hell outta there.  For me I felt a little too old for the crowd and just wasn't feeling the "clubbing atmosphere".  We were getting hungry by this point and attempted to go to a seafood restaurant, OceanPrime,  but were told they had had a charity event for the night and would be adding 20% to each bill for the charity so we bailed.  We found somewhere else to grab a beer and some food.  After that it was back on the bus.  We got off the bus when we were by the 16th Street Mall and I saw Coyote Ugly.  It was last call and I wanted to check the place out.  I was sadly disappointed at the lack of crowd.  I thought that we were closer to the hotel than we were and Lezlee decided she was done walking in her wedges for the night.  We grabbed a guy on a bike and paid for ride to our hotel, it was hilarious!  We crashed at the hotel and got up early, grabbed a starbucks and headed back to the house for the Vikings game.  

I was glad I made all of our football food the day before so I only needed to toss it in the oven and re-heat stuff.  We made a pitcher of beer margaritas and settled in for some football.  It was a fun game to watch, but alas the Vikings let the game go at the end.  Lezlee and I took a trip down memory lane with old photo albums and laughs for the afternoon.

Lezlee had never had a ride in a Corvette so I talked Dan into taking out the vet and she got her first ride.   

It was a fabulous weekend and I was sad to see it end, but look forward to her next visit to Colorado.

Corn Roast Festival 2013 - Loveland, CO

There were so many exciting things happening in Northern Colorado this weekend.  The kids and I first went to breakfast at Perkins and then happened to be at the location where the USA Procycling tour was racing by.  We checked that out - the kids were none to impressed really, but it was the beginning of the race and they cyclists were all packed together and went by in about 3 seconds.  A lot of fanfare for a little amount of time.  Later we headed off to Loveland to go to the Corn roast festival.  We couldn't wait to eat some corn!  I met a couple of my friends there and we all hung out for a majority of the afternoon and listened to the talent show, ate more corn, and danced and listened to a band.  The kids enjoyed it to because they got spoiled!  It was a fun afternoon.  Although Junior was tired at the end of the night and started having a little melt down.  We kept telling him he was ruining his painted face, but at that point he was spent and it was time to head home. 

Not so happy anymore :(

Last Year of Preschool!

Junior was excited and a little nervous to start school.  He told me he was going to be a little shy and asked if that was okay.  I said it was.  He was a very happy camper to use his new backpack.

 

 

Drive Inn Movie Night

Since it was getting close to the end of the nice nights we decided to take the kids the drive inn theater to watch the new movie Planes.  Me and the kids had never been to a drive inn before.  We were all pretty excited.  We each had our own bag of popcorn, a few snacks, and a cooler full of drinks.  We arrived pretty early to be sure and get a good spot.  We were amazed at how big of deal some people made of the drive inn.  People had some serious set-ups of tables, chairs, food, blow up mattress in their truck beds, it was pretty crazy.  We enjoyed the movie, but it was a little late and poor Katelynn's allergies decided to go haywire and by the end she was pretty miserable.  We did make it through the first movie and then called it a night.  I really liked the movie Planes as well.

First Day of 2nd Grade!

It was a rush to get all of our school supplies and get ready for Katelynn's first day of 2nd grade when we got back from our trip to Minnesota.  We had one week to get everything done and get back into a normal schedule.  All went well and she was super excited to be a 2nd grader!

 

Minnesota Trip 2013

The next day was my grandpa's bday so after a day at the lake it was time to head into town to celebrate.  It was great to see everyone and eat some good food and visit.

Me, BapBap, and Jeff 

Katelynn, BapBap, and Junior

A quick trip to the dairy farm was also a must the next day.  My dad wanted to show off his new combine and the kids were just as excited as he was to checkout the big piece of machinery.

The next day it was time to pack up and head to South Dakota for the Trautner Rendezvous and see the other side of the family.   After a few hour drive we made it to Sisseton and found my aunts place.  It was great to see some more family.  The kids were so happy to see their cousins again that had come out to Denver to visit.  We had a relaxing night of Pizza, drinks, and a bonfire.  The kids stayed up a little late and it was chaotic while the kids kept switching campers and deciding who was sleeping where and with whom.  At the end of the night both kids were in my parents camper sleeping with me.
The morning was the girls day to cook breakfast for everyone.  They made breakfast burritos and an assortment of mimosas, it was great.  The day went on and more people were arriving for the weekend.  Unfortunately we had to get on the road again and start our road trip back to Colorado.  I left 3 hours after I had intended to because I really wanted to stay.  I was exhausted after 2 weeks of vacation and the first hour and half of the drive was brutal, but then I found some energy and battled through.  We finally stopped at a hotel for the night and settled in for some sleep and made the rest of our journey home the next day.  This was a trip to remember and I would be glad to it all over again, maybe next year?!

Chris and me at the Bonfire

We had been in such a rush to get a move after hours of trying to get the right hitch on the pick-up to pull the camper to SD that I completely spaced that I wouldn't be seeing my dad again and forgot to say good-bye.  He drove all the way to SD to come and say good-bye to me.  He stayed for the fun of the night, but when he went to bed he was tired from a long week and when he gets tired he talks in his sleep.  He must have been dreaming of me, Natalie, and Reid from our night at the casino and was talking all kinds of crazy.  I couldn't help but start laughing over in my bunk, but then after awhile you really just want him to shut-up and go to sleep!

Minnesota Trip 2013 - Birthday

I had a great bday this year.  I got to spend time with my kids and my family in Minnesota at the lake.  I gave jet ski rides, did some tanning, a few of my aunts and uncles came out to visit for the afternoon and brought me some Skinny Girl peach margarita.  Then I got to hang out with a few of my best girl friends from high school.  At the end of the night it was back to the cabin to spend time with my mom, her cousin and my brother.  Who could ask for more?!  Except maybe a little help with the hair at the end of the night - whew that humidity with give me a wild mess!  I hope 35 brings great adventures and happy times.