Month: June 2012

Waldo Canyon Fire – View From the Deck

June 27, 2012

Last evening, husband and I were out on the deck grilling up dinner, and saw this view of the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs.  It’s far south from our area, but since the elevation is slightly higher here, we get a pretty good view of the mountain range southwest and west of us.  I was watching the news later on that evening and it looked really devastating.  There’s been so many mountain fires in Colorado that it’s pretty depressing.  Husband said there’s been 6 inactive ones and currently 6 active ones for a total of 12 just within the few months.

More info can be found on 9News.

Pretty Lips

June 22, 2012

It’s been a long time since I’ve bought any makeup from a department store. I mainly buy from Sephora.com these days. If you know me, you know that I have a thing for lipsticks. I prefer the matte long lasting ones and sheers over the pasty or glittery ones. If I could only take one thing with me to a secluded island it would probably be a lipstick. A girl needs to look pretty all the time, you know.

I shop at a nearby Super Target all the time and rarely do I ever check out their beauty stuff.  Well, that’s because I always have my daughters with me and they love the pretty stuff just as much as I do.  Of course, they can’t buy grown up beauty stuff, yet.  And, I’ve got so much makeup (especially lipsticks) that they’ll ask me why I need to buy more.

But, yesterday, I went and got myself a Sonia Kashuk lipstick in Rosette.  I’ve been wearing it since I bought it and love how buttery it glides on.  There’s no staying power but the color is beautiful and works well with my skin tone.

Like all my other lipsticks, it too will go into the doomed lipstick box (Chanel, Shiseido, MAC, and Dior are already there along with CG, L’Oreal, and Maybelline) to be rummaged by my 10-year-old a few months later.  For now though, I’m going to enjoy how pretty it makes me feel.

Hiking Mt. Bierstadt

June 18, 2012

Husband has made it a goal to hike all 14ers in Colorado after having hiked Mt. Bierstadt over the weekend with a friend.  That’s a total of 53 mountain peaks.  He wants me to do this with him but I am out of shape and probably won’t make them.  I hope to at least hike up a few easier ones.

Husband used Sports Tracker App to track his hike.  The orange line shows start to finish and the camera icons are where he stopped to take a photo (the photos pop-up with touch on iPhone or Android, or mouse-over on the Sports Tracker website).  Just above the map are his stats.

The goal.  It doesn’t look too bad from this angle but from what husband has said, it’s pretty rigorous.  Btw, that’s husband’s friend in the photo.

This was the top (elevation: 14,060).  There were already others enjoying the view.

Panorama view.  Click on it to see it slightly larger.

When I go on one of these hikes, I’d like to go really early and be at the top to see the sunrise.

[All photos taken by husband with his Samsung G2]

Damaged Walkway

June 11, 2012

Last year, husband put in a walkway using flagstones, sand, and breeze (photos of it here).  Last week, the sand and breeze got washed away by the rainstorm that lasted all evening and through the night (the family even hid under the basement stairs for awhile during the tornado sirens).  We’re now getting an assessment on putting in a new (permanent) walkway.  The sand and breeze will be hard to clean up.

I took these photos this morning.  It was a little chilly. 🙂

 

Be So Happy

June 3, 2012

Since I learned of Pinterest about a year ago, I’ve been addicted.  I’ve been pinning mostly phrases and quotes, and today, I found one that really speaks of my daughter, Kylie.  She is often so happy that her happiness makes me happy.

[This image was pinned via Pinterest.com from here.]

Is there a way I can store some of her happiness and give it back to her when she is an adult?

These photos were taken with a Nikkor 50MM 1.8D lens.  Husband and I bought it today and I wanted to test it out.  I think I’m going to love it.

Memorial Day and Amazing Clouds

June 2, 2012

It’s been a long week but somehow it managed to pass by quickly.  Memorial Day, I was in Wisconsin for a dear cousin’s funeral.  It was heartbreaking but it was also really wonderful to be with extended family.  It’s been almost a decade since I’ve visited cousins out of state, and with life being busy with everyone on different schedules, it has always been difficult to plan visits.  If I could, I’d definitely plan more visits.  Returning home was hard.  There wasn’t much time to catch up on life during the time we (Mom, my sister, and myself) were there.  I always find Facebook too harsh and abrupt for catching up on things so it’s rarely an option.  I’d much prefer the presence of those I love.

Back home husband and Kida ran the Bolder Boulder in Boulder, CO.  The Bolder Boulder is a 10K race that takes place every year on Memorial Day and has been going on for 35 years.  This was the first race Husband and Kida ran and they really enjoyed it, especially Kida.  She loved it so much that she wants to run it again next year!  I had planned to be there to cheer them on (this was planned in April) but sometimes things just don’t work out so perfectly and that’s okay.  I’m just glad that Kida had a great time.

Today, the family took a short trip down to Colorado Springs to visit the Cave of the Winds.  It was awesome but I think I was more fascinated by the clouds on our drive there.  We also stopped by Dunkin’ Donuts where I had a sugar coated raised donut, a Boston Kreme donut, and an iced coffee.  The donuts were my favorites since I was 16 working at a Dunkin’ Donuts as a cashier.  It’s been about 17 years since I’ve walked into a Dunkin’ Donuts but the memories flooded back as soon as I saw the coffee shop.  I had so much to tell husband about the years I worked in one that I think he zoned me out.