Museum of Nature and Science

This weekend we headed to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Located in the eastern side of Denver within the 330 acres of City Park. The City Park is so large that is has the Zoo, museum, golf course, 2 lakes with a boat house, rose garden, fountain, great view of the city and a plethora of pathways to wander.

We decided to start at the top floor of the museum. I chose the Prehistoric Journey exhibit. As we wandered through the maze of exhibits and fossils we finally made it to the dinosaurs!! Here is a really neat exhibit I am next to with trees, a stream, jungle sounds and 2 dinosaurs fighting. We continued through the Egyptian exhibit and down the the next floor. We explored the

Indian Cultures, Expedition Health, Exploration Colorado, and Wildlife Exhibits. This museum had the largest collection of life size stuffed animals I have ever seen. Here is a picture of me next to a post prehistoric ravenous animal. (I can't remember the name.) The last floor had the space odyssey and the gem and mineral exhibit. Here is a picture of Matt next to a piece of a Crystal mine in Mexico that was relocated and reassembled in the museum.

Sunday, we woke up early and went to visit one of the local farmers markets. It had a small bounty of fresh vegetables and fruit and a lot of craft vendors. One item which we have noticed at both the farmers markets we have attended thus far are the fresh roasted green chiles. Here you can see the vendor roasting (and coughing) the chiles in a large drum. Delicious!! We bought our first bag and made great use out of them in some fresh salsa verde.

IMAX Experience

Last night we ventured into the night to the local movie theater which happens to be and IMAX theater! We have heard Inception was a great mind twisting movie to see. At ten in the evening we sat in the dead center isle of a giant theater with just a few other people and enjoyed our first experience in an IMAX film. Now I have been to OMSI IMAX in Portland, but these new IMAX theaters sound and look impressive! The previews for TRON on the screen looked amazing and we will definitely be back to see it in IMAX 3D!!

Boulder and Estes Park

Being Matt's last day before he has to get back to the reality of work and school, Team MOJO hit the road and explored the areas surrounding Denver Metro. First stop on the trip, the town of Boulder. According to the Colorado guide book we purchased, Boulder is a hip and happening area which specializes in alternative medicines, hippies, and a free thinking culture. My goodness, is this another Ashland? After being there for about thirty seconds, we realized the scope of Boulder left Ashland in the dust. Nevertheless, it was a fun place to visit.

Boulder had a plethora of "art" type sights to see throughout the city. And I mean CITY!! It made our little town of Ashland look like a one horse town. We actually visited Boulder during the Colorado Asian Festival which consisted of Asian dancing, food, and umbrella's. All of which we decided to leave for the other tourists to purchase and enjoy.

We walked through the Boulder shops empty handed and drove on to our next destination, Estes Park. The 40 or so mile drive was actually very familiar to Matt. He couldn't place the reason why. It wasn't because he had been there more than 20 years earlier, which he didn't recall one iota (sorry Mom!!!) However, the drive was very familiar.... until he mention it to JJ. THE SHINING!! During the beginning of the Shining when they are driving to the hotel... that's the road we were on. Actually, the Stanly Hotel in Estes Park was the hotel Steven King was originally writing about during the book. He stayed there while writing the original novel. Scary stuff. Thank goodness, we did not get stuck in the snow while here or surely JJ would be a goner............... HEEERE'S MATTY!!

But, I digress. When Matt's mom told him to visit Estes Park, we packed a picnic to enjoy while eating in the park itself. Needless to say, it is only a town called Estes Park. Here is a picture of us enjoying our picnic in the car before exploring the town.

Don't worry though. There was plenty of beautiful scenery to enjoy surrounding the town. Here a picture of water goddess Jessica walking on water.

One thing we haven't yet become used to is the sheer magnitude of the mountains here. Most peaks being upwards of 13 - 14,000 feet. WOW!!!

What's this?! Why, its Jellystone Park. The official home of Yogi bear. He is shown shamelessly posing with the two of us. Thank goodness we had already finished all of our food our he might have stolen our picnic basket!!

We are glad to have had the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of our surroundings before we have to become functional adults in society. Hopefully, soon, we be able to explore a little more of this alien country.

DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT!! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adventures in Denver

A lovely Saturday afternoon in Denver. We started the morning out with a double P90X workout. One for the Friday workout we missed because we spent all night looking for computer sleeves for Matt online and another for Saturday. Needless to say by noon and about 2.5 hours later we were starved and soar and hungry. (So with our workout regime; we decided to start from the beginning of the 90 day workout since we just took off 2 weeks to move and had may other interruptions in the 6 weeks prior. Although we had both lost about 15lbs.) We had driven by a Boston Market last week and Matt really wanted to go today since we were so hungry.
I asked Matt for a bite of his chicken here, but he wouldn't share.

We headed downtown to explore. we parked by the art museum and saw theses giant cow. Of course a great photo.

This area off Colfax had so much to look at, the many art museum buildings, the Cell, the library, art in the plaza, etc. We chatted with some people at the museum and they explained we need a whole day to explore it, so we will return again.

This pic was taken in front of the art museum. If you look close I am being swept away with the paper!

Next to the art museum was a plaza that had beautiful flowers and an open area theater with huge columns. We sat and watched a local rock musician play for a benefit called Feed the Need which supports local schools with supplies and money for those in need. The music and idea for the benefit was great but unfortunately there was like 20 people that showed. No PR and it was sad to see. AS we walked further into the plaza the capital building laid int he middle. I got this great pic of it!

We walked past 16th and toward the business district. We found this sign on the ground that explained a bit about the unusual grid system of Denver's city. All of the main downtown city streets sit at a 45 degree angle. It does seem odd.

Before we headed back home for dinner we happened to see across the street from the grid sign this really neat looking building, Brown Palace Hotel. It was really cool and spectacularly classy inside. As we walked in people were having afternoon tea and crumpets in the lobby while a piano player entertained. The dinner menu had an 8 course meal at a great value of 105$ plus tax and tip. We felt a little under dressed so we decided another day perhaps.

Just a side note, the tax thing is hard to figure out here. And it is hard to get used to on our pocket books too. So in the city its like 7.7 but in other areas is 6.8 or less. So it pays to know what cities charge what for what. It depends I guess. There's no tax on necessity grocery items. But things like a cooking spoon or other unnecessity items in the grocery store are taxed at like 2 or 3%. Matt got a new laptop for school and paid $60 in tax, ouch! Good thing he had a rebate so it still was the cheapest one he found.

We made it to Denver!

Our drive to Colorado was 26 hours, 1400 miles and 4 days. Matt drove the giant U-haul pulling the Corolla and I drove the Nissan. It was a long slow drive but we made it safely. This was our first pic in Colorado and I almost missed the sign. But with some evasive maneuvers, I got it. We stopped in Fort OCllins to use the restrooms and it just happened to be a great visitors center too! We must have got 30 or 40 brochures and maps of Denver and Colorado. I even got an awesome free Colorado souviner hat!!! Here is the first pic of the city!

This is a few days later at 16th street mall. I am playing one of the many pianos that line the street. It can be a great conversation piece or a great way for musical bums to become entertainers and make a little cash!

This is part of CU/UC Denver Campus! Here's Matt sitting in the business center of the school, trying to get info for classes! So much prep!
This is the Student Union; Trivoli. Across the street is the Pepsi Center Field! Crazy!
We decided to stroll through the city after Matt got some things done for school. We walked from campus to the famous 16th street mall. What a fun street and I couldn't resist the chance to take a pic by this gigantic Pegasus. And of course as we strolled through LoDo (known as Lower Downtown) we happen to stumble upon Coors Field which is home of the Rockies. Crazy! What you don't see adjacent to the Field is 2 bike cops clocking people coming off the ramp of the freeway and then walking in the middle of the road with their hand out to pull them over and nail them with a speeding ticket. We have heard cops here are not forgiving!

Apartment hunting trip to Denver!

Matt and Darlene went out to Denver to scope out a nice place for us. Which was well worth it because our place is great and we probably would have ended up in Glendale which would have been scary.

This is a pic from the land in Colorado. The plans for the land are pending until further notice, but the view looks spectacular!
Matt's mom being silly!

Matt, Darlene, Shey and LauraLee went to the bridge at the Royal Gorge; Colorado's natural wonder. It looks really far down from the bridge so I have no idea how anyone could fish from it. About 1,000 ft. over the Arkansa River. WOW!

Last 6 Months Update!

In March we flew down to lovely Palm Desert and visited my Grandparents for a week. We golfed, visited an Oasis, saw wild desert flowers, ate great food, admired the most tricked out and fancy golf carts in California and visited with two of our favorite people.

Jonathan (Matt's brother) married Breezy and her kids in March at Cannon Beach, Oregon.

It was so great to have friends and family visit us this summer in wonderful little Ashland. Here is a pic of Melissa with Lotus and Naomi! We had a great time hanging out!June 24th we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. This year was my turn to decide the event (we alternate every year). I chose to raft the Rogue River. We dropped in at Ennis Riffle and rafted about 5 hours to Grave Creek. I only got stuck once, on Agness riffle in the middle of the rapid on a large rock. Poor Matt had to watch me struggle off the rock as he gracefully floated by. But I eventually made it off without bailing out of the raft! We also saw a baby black bear take a dip in the water across the river from us as we ate lunch.

Matt Graduated from Southern Oregon University in June with a business degree in Marketing and a certificate in E-Commerce and Internet Marketing. Yay. We were so happy all the parents came to show their support, and Lauren too!

I had my 28th birthday July 24th. My Grandparents hosted a lovely dinner with family. I was excited that my friend Chelsea came too! The food was great and the company even better and I had my favorite, Lemon mereingue pie! It was a wonderful evening on the river.

Before I left work at FMG, some fellow co-workers and I had a nice farewell get-together. I will miss my job and all the great people I became friends with. I am now and forever a FMG model and jewelry artist!

This last pic is me and my friend Chelsea at the FMG annual picnic. We finally got r faces painted and they look fabulous!!!