vacation 09 (67 photos), by Amy Hartling

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
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Estes Park, CO elev. 7522

I really didn't think that the altitude would bother me...and I was wrong. It wasn't too bad, but the side winding roads did bring on some car sickness in addition to an altitude headache.

The back of our cabin/resort had a little mountain to climb. Evy and I enjoyed going up and down the hill the first night. Eventually she chickened out.

The first full day we went shopping at the quaint downtown area. We bought Evy her first silver and turquoise ring (which she has already lost) and we all took a nap. Next to the cabin a river runs parallel to the road-icy cold rapids awaited and the family took a trip into the river several times. Evy really enjoyed playing in the river mud. We enjoyed the warm sun, cold river until it got a little too warm. I can tell you that I am NOT missing the 116 degree weather we left, but the CO sun can get toasty.

We enjoyed dinner at Hunters Chop House next to Lake Estes and then a drive into the Rocky Mountain National Park. Unfortunately, we only saw 2 wild animals. A little chipmunk and a dear. We climbed a peak to altitude of 10338ft and saw a little snow and experienced a rainstorm and 45 degree weather before we left the park at dark.

More to come tomorrow! Meanwhile enjoy the pictures!

A Long Strange Trip

Evy and Grandma in the back seat watching a movie.

Once we got into Colorado, we experienced a storm which included a tornado watch. This is the rainbow that we saw as we drove away from the truck stop in Lemar, CO.


This is the view from the Colorado Springs hotel room. We spent the night here after a long drive from Oklahoma.

We went to the Cave of the Winds and Garden of the Gods before driving to Boulder and Estes on Sat.






There was more sleeping as we drove to see my HS pal and her family.



This is the view of the back of our cabin.
More to come tomorrow!!!

Fancy Nancy Set

I have been working all morning to get the invitation for the party complete. Aren't they adorable...now the party will have to live up to the invitations!

As blonde as I pay to be!

Yesterday, I was unloading the "things" in the trunk of my car before loading up some gear and lunch for the Splash pad. I set my phone under the trunk lid, next to the struts that aid in holding it up. Oh, I know what you are thinking...I shut the phone in the trunk, smashing it into small ever-loving pieces...NOPE!

The phone slid into the tail light. Yes, the tail light. I tried to stick my hand down there and almost had the phone retrieved. Then it slipped further into the tail light housing. I tried to find the screws that would pop off the housing- with no such luck, so I went to the Internet to get some instructions. No luck!

So I gathered some kitchen tools-tongs and a 2 prong fork- and headed back out. Except this time, I got my hand stuck in the car. You need to have the whole picture to enjoy this...

Standing in my garage-door up for all the passing cars to witness-trunk lid open- daughter in the house- phone inside the tail light- hand stuck in the the tail light...no additional phone in the house. Did you get that in your mind?...it is kinda of funny huh!?!

For about 10 seconds-which felt like an hour- I really started to panic thinking I was going to need to call the fire department for some rescue- but how the heck was I going to do that?...my phone was in the stupid tail light!

I did get my hand out- not without some souvenir marks. I sought out some smaller hand help- Evy tried to get it, but knocked it through and it fell on the floor of the garage...how simple was that!?!

Not Me Monday

Oh yes... it is that time again!

Time for MckMama's Not Me Monday!

This week is was not me who let my daughter wear plastic princess shoes to dinner-because she calls them her dinner shoes. I am also not the mom who lets her daughter wear the costumes to the store. or put on lipstick in church...nope not me!

I did not go to the store and buy several shirts, with the intention of embellishing them myself so that I don't have to pay $30 for a cute t-shirt for school next year. I am also not seriously considering purchasing nursing pants to wear to my job. No, not me...I 'should' be more professional than that...however scrubs would be cheaper than getting all the snot, etc than my other nice slacks.

It was not me who decided on a whim Sat. morning to get my hair cut and colored at a salon that just moved into the mall...I didn't drag my daughter and husband along- with the intention of getting their hair cut too. I then didn't just about drop my mouth open at the bill...nope not me...I spend money without thinking.

I also was not lucky enough to get a new car this week confirming that I am SO blessed!

Going to bed with my hair wet

Tonight I am doing just that...going to bed with my hair wet.

This week, I have been facilitating a Schools Attuned worshop. I have been staying in a hotel a 100+ miles away from home. Fortunately, my opar (my mother) came along, so that I was able to spend the week with my daughter, instead of away. I like to stay in hotels, but without my whole family, it isn't complete. I have greatly missed my husband. He has been at home, dealing with the stresses of life without his lovely wife. I can say that...because he would tell you it is true.

This week has been a new experience. I am teaching a different curriculum and with a partner I haven't taught with before. I have had 4 consecutive bad hair days and I also haven't felt great. We are in the middle of ovary suppression and I ended my cycle 4 days early, which has thrown my plans for a loop- The good news is God's timing is still on track.

Anyway...at the end of the day, the participants give us feedback in the form of a reflection. Yesterday I was blown out of the water by the negetive entry we recieved. I am not sure if it was me, or her, but it bothered me. It said something to the fact that we were unanimated and monotone. Me? monotone? really?!? So I was over-the-top-oohhy-goohy animinated...and it worked. They ate it up! But, all that goohyness is exhausting...

Michael came down to enjoy some Zio's dinner and watch Big Brother with his bride. He then loaded up my daughter and mother and returned home. So tonight I will sleep in that big bed all alone- with my wet hair- hope my alarm goes off in the morning and I find myself in the midst of a good hair day- at least I owe the partcipants that...since I have been boring and monotone-you know?!?