Colorado Dreams: May 2009

Memorial Day Weekend in Wichita

We went to Kansas for Memorial Day weekend to visit some good friends, Clayton & Tawny. Matt actually grew up with both of them in Iowa. I got to hear lots of stories I had never heard before over the weekend! :) Friends from childhood hold a special place in your heart. It was fun to see Clayton and Matt having fun together...as if it hadn't been over a whole year since they had seen each other. It was great to get to know Tawny as well. She is a wonderful compliment to Clayton!

It was a little rainy on the way out...which was a perfect excuse to wear my new green slicker (as Nicole would call it!) See my Kansas atlas and info? We are set!

Clayton and Tawny took us to Old Town Saturday evenging after we arrived. It was a neat little area.

We went into this restaurant...were served water, looked at the menu, and headed out!
Too exotic and too expensive for our tastes that particular night!

We were much happier here for dinner.

Then we went down to the riverwalk for a stroll.

The Keeper of the Plains

They lit the fires!

Matt is trying a taping technique to ease some of the pain Clayton has been having with his shoulder. He taught Tawny as well so she can help him keep it up for awhile. Hopefully it works!

The Orignial Pizza Hut begun by two Wichita State Universtiy Graduates! They moved it back to WSU's campus
to inspire other students that they can accomplish anything if they put their mind to it.

After a Sunday of church, delicous lunch (nice work, Tawny!), afternoon walk around their lovely neighborhood and nap for Matt and I...we played a rousing game of Hand and Foot. So fun! Tanwy and I ALMOST won. This could be a new favorite card game. On Monday we ate lunch at Planet Sub before starting the 8 hour trek back to the Springs!

Thanks for a great weekend, Clayton & Tawny!

Weekend in Denver

Can you believe I have no photos to show for this trip? Two weekends ago, Matt and I headed to Denver for a weekend of fun & relaxation. We used the last of our date money that a very special couple gave us when we moved from Indianapolis that we have set aside on a monthly basis. It was such perfect timing that as we use the last of their money...we can now set date money aside on our own for special times together that we don't feel like we have to justify!

We headed north on Saturday, hit a new outdoor mall that we have never gone to before, bought a dress for my grandparents 50th Anniversary, got some good deals at New York & Company and had dinner at a fun little Mexican restaurant. Oh yes, and before all of this hit a large electronic store for Matt to check out laptop computers (his reward for obtaining the goal of being debt free.) We settled in a nice Hampton Inn that night...we love hotels because cable TV and king size beds are a huge treat for us!

The following morning I had breakfast with my previous Administrator who now lives in Denver. She was a great boss and it was so good catching up with her while Matt lounged at the hotel pool! After we checked out of our hotel, we plugged "parks" into our GPS and stopped at the closest one. We started walking on a trail that eventually led to another amazing park and community pool with slides. We were scoping out the area to bring my brother, sister 'n law and nephew to when they are out for a visit this summer!

After the park we found a Plato's closet and purchased some awesome jeans and shorts for myself. That place is great. We headed back to the Springs early enough so that we could get unpacked and settled for the new week. It was such a gorgeous weekend and our hearts felt full and brimming over with joy! We feel blessed far beyond we deserve. Everyone needs these types of getaways every once and awhile. If you have the chance...go for it!

Nicole Visits Colorado Springs

Nicole came to visit us in early May for a week. We had a great time checking out the sites in the Springs...and discovered new places we had never been to before!

Here we are at Chipotle...not a new place for us. A favorite!

Nicole loves her Bubble Tea!

So when we saw this place in downtown Colorado Springs advertising "Bubble Tea"...of course we had to try it.

A close-up of the beauty. Nicole especially liked the lid.

Relaxin'.

Happy in love.

It rained on the Saturday Nicole was here...so we had to be creative to have fun...or not? Because we found out about the Penny Arcade in Manitou Springs thanks to a helpful staff member of the 'Coffee and Tea Zone'!

Wait until you see these old school games...

Pretty great, huh? The price was right too! :)

I'm sure you are wondering what on earth we are doing in this picture...it will all be clear soon...

Ahhh...you see, we just were looking for a creative way to highlight the "Penny Arcade" sign. The idea worked better in my head than when we tried to act it out. So we had to settle for a piggy back!

Crazy Mirror.

The big money arcade game...Deal or No Deal. It was a $1 per game! But well worth the laughs. The ladies were hilarious on it.

After Matt played and I made fun of him for paying that much for a game...I had to try and see if I could beat how many tickets he won. I succeeded!!!