On Saturady Jared and I, and one of his friends, met up with Jared's cousin Jeff down in Colorado Springs and went rock climbing at Garden of the Gods. That place has huge, beautiful sandstone formations!
These rocks just pop up out of nowhere! It is so pretty!!
There were so many different clusters of them! Jared's cousin Jeff has climbed quite a few of the formations. On Saturday the boys were kind enough to take it easy. Out of all the formations there is only one top rope route. It was my second time on real rock and Jared's friend Jermiah's first time.
I was super excited to go, yet scared at the same time! I love climbing up the rocks, its the coming down part I hate. I don't know why, but I just have a really hard time with it. =>
The group trecking up to those big rocks! As I caught up to them and passed the black car on the right a dad pointed out to his daughter (who was about 4) and said "Look at those people, they are going to climb the big rocks, do you see all their gear?" I felt so famous and cool! Then I realized the only gear I was carrying was a camera, so he probably wasn't talking about me, but I was associated with the people who had the gear, so I was cool by association! =>
We came to the base of the top rope routes, and the boys had the job of finidg a way up to the top so they could set the ropes up. What brave little soldiers! =>
This seemed so high to me! Yes, I am just a pansy when it comes to heights. I was nervous one of them was going to fall!! Maybe rock climbing is good for me, I can get all my worry wart tendincies out now, then I can be a chill parent....haha probably not.
The boys made it down safe and were ready to climb this rock! It was not as vertical as they would have liked, it was more like a slab, but it was good for beginners, and they found ways to challenge themselves!
While we were climbing this momma deer and her baby came right close to us! Jared called them tame deer because we didn't scare them at all. they just stood there and watched us. Then, of course, when I try and take a picture they decide to leave, so I just caught a glimpse of the baby bambi.
Jared was cute enough to tell one of the boys to take a picture of me at the top, because he knew I would want to document it for the whole world to see!! =>Yep, I really did make it! And a couple of times to the top! I am not going to lie, sometimes I wanted to quite half way thru it, but thats what is good about going with men, they know how to push you to finish!
There were not very many good hand holds on these routes, you used your legs more than anything. And there were some parts where there was just smoothe rock, the boys had contests to see who could go the farthest on those parts. It was very entertaining to watch. And sandstone is an interesting rock to climb. It has parts that are so grainy that you have to blow off some sand to get a goot grip. And if you pull the wrong way on a had=nd hold of foot hold, it will come off the rock and crumble. Many interesting experiences with that here. =>
There was this one boulder jutting out of the rock that you couldn't climb up the middle because of the lack of grips. Did that stop the boys from trying.... nope => But they did come up with funny positions to try and get up it!
And I learned how to belay here! It is not as hard as I thought it would be, its just nerve wracking when someone slips, because you control their life essentially! But I got the hang of it, and I even learned various tips and tricks so I can belay someone double my weight! Oh yeah, thats skill!! => haha
My handsome husband!! I love watching him in outdoor settings! He is like a kid in the candy store, just so excited to be there and loving every second of it!
The ropes get dirty from all the friction with the metal and the rocks, and as consequence so do your hands! I found this out the first time Jared took me real rock rock climbing, so I came prepared this time with wet wipes to clean off!!
Haha! He loves being outside!! Thats a true Idaho boy for ya! => I am getting to enjoy being outdoors more, especially when the elevation is too high for mosquitos!! I always have so much fun when I go on adventures with Jared!!
It was like perfect timing! When we were wrapping everytihng up because it was becoming dark a random stranger walked by, and he was nice enough to take our picture! This is the motely crew from left to righ, Jermiah, Jared, me, and Jeff! It was so much fun!! Garden of the Gods was absolutely gorgeous!! I can not wait to go again, esoecially when I get more skilled so I can do sport climbing with Jared!!
On Saturady Jared and I, and one of his friends, met up with Jared's cousin Jeff down in Colorado Springs and went rock climbing at Garden of the Gods. That place has huge, beautiful sandstone formations!
Jared and his friend Jermiah were climbing routes with colors, like only step on pink, or only step on blue, etc.... I was climbing just to get up the wall => I am not that rock climbingly advanced/experienced yet => haha
One of the walls Jared did had two overhangs and it was a 5.10 (which is apparently pretty hard, but the whole way they rate the routes is pretty sketchy to me)=>. It was way fun to watch him scale up that thing!! After the boys climbed a time, it was my turn again!
After looking at the different possibilites or routes to climb, I wanted to do the one Jared did. Not for any other reason but that that had more pink tagged rocks than any other run, therefore it was cutest. Foolish I know. =>
As Jared was pep talking me for the climb I was wondering if I could even get past the first overhang! He said it was alright if I didn't make it to the top, and that he would still love me (I had to ask just in case => ) So I started making my way up... and let me tell you, I just about quit after the first overhang!! I was dying up there!!! =>
But I pushed thru and made it!!!! Yay me!!! => I was so proud of myself!!! => And no, my techique is non-existent so I looked like a little wild money climbing up the wall, but who cares, I conquered that thing!! And stayed mostly on the pink!!! Oh yeah!!!! (Can you tell I am still beaming about it?)
This is a picture of almost the whole wall, and you can even see the pink tabs!! I love rock climbing, not as much as Jared does but I am gettign there!
This bean bag weighs 95-100 pounds and is huge and akward to carry, so we slid/pulled it down the stairs and to the car on a blanket. And after stuffing for a while, then we had the idea to document it. This is the bean bag, probably about half way in. Crazy I know! It looks like the car is pooping out something huge and blue!
And with more pushing and tugging and tucking, we were able to make some progress.
This was officially my work out for the month! I would have never guessed, but every single muscle in my body can push, and can be sore from pushing!
In this picture I like the blanket just chillin there. We used it to lay down and push with our legs. We even brought one of our folding chairs our to use. This thing is crazy stubborn!
After and hour and a half of pushing and pulling and tucking this is how close we got! We were all out of energy and ideas on how to get the trunk to close all the way!!So we walked over to the apartment office to see if they had some twin or something we could use to tie it down, but to no avail!
When we got back I had a renewed determination!! And my a true miracle we got the trunk closed!!!! Oh I was soooo elated!!! And not 10 seconds after it closed there was this huge thunder clap, and a storm started coming! It was a great modern miracle of bean bags!! And no, my plan did not work out entirey, fo I wanted the bean bag to be soely in the trunk and fill the back seat with tubs and such, but I will take what I can get!
At least the trunk is closed and our bean bag is in the car!! I have packed other things, but the boxes are too heavy and big for be to carry out alone, and it is pouring rain, so that adventure will be saved for later tonight! But for now, I will just relish in the triumph over the bean bag!!! 
While waiting we walked around the shopping center and saw these beautiful fountains!! And we ran into some a couple that works for EcoSure so they were able to take pictures of us! => 
I can't decide which one is better, so I put both of them up! =>
After the picture taking we continued to walk around and decided we were hungry. We went to a restaurant that we went to when we first came to CO, its has very yummy mexican food!
We went in late in the 9:00 hour or early in the 10:00 hour, and didn't think much of it. The place was dimely lit and had music playing, but not terribly loud. I ordered a huge burrito, knowing I wouldn't finish it all, but it sounded so good, and Jared thought he ordered and enchalada (if that is how you spel it).
Well this is what came, and weird, but very pretty looking, salad. We were a little confused. => So we asked the waitress. Apparently he ordered and enselada rather than an enchalada. Weird how two very similar words can get you two every different things. => But he was a good sport and ate it, and he got to finish my huge burrito, so it wasnt a total loss for man food. =>
Towards the end of our meal the lights got even darker and the music even louder. Then all of a sudden there were scantily clad girls dancing on the countertops! That was a little suprising. Jared, being the good boy that he is, didnt look at them, but unforrtunately his eyes ran into mowgli. => It was the funniest thing I had ever seen! This guy was dancing in a loin cloth and thinking he was all that! Oh so funny!! Jared then immediately got up, went and found our waitress, got the check and left. It is funny how quickly a good place can turn into an inappropriate place. But that ladies and gentleman was officially my first nightclub expereince!! Wahoo!!! =>
We got out of the restaurant just in time for our Harry Potter movie!!! I took this while we were watching the previews. Can you tell that I am super exited for it and Jared is.... less that excited. => The movie was not as good as I would have hoped, but it was not terrible. It was just LONG! We got out of the theater at like 1:30am!! Oh was I tired!! =>
But it was a very interesting and adventerous date night! And I loved being able to play with Jared!!
This picture is taken while driving down to the doctors. The little sicky was in the back being too sick to be in the picture =>
So we get to the doctor place, which is in a kindof shady part of town, but we take the little sicky in and they tell me to be back at 4 (it was 2:45) so that was no problem, it would just be faster than we expected, which is never a bad thing. So Danae and I drop him off and head into dowtown to do some exploring.
We made a food break at McDonalds, and I get a text from the sicky saying it will probably be more around 3:45 that he is done. So we didnt have as grand of an adventure as hoped (driving thru dowtonwn and eating mcdonalds) but no big. So we head back to the doctors and get there about 3:35. I go to the front desk to find out where to pick up the patient, and they tell me I willhave to wait longer because he is still in gettin looked at. I didnt think it was going to be too long, but boy was I wrong! We start reading magazines to be entertained, but they are all over a year old! so we knew all the stories! So we started entertaining ourselves with taking pictures.
Little did we know we would be taking pictures for the next TWO HOURS!!!!!
Yep, as you would expect some of the pictures got pretty funny and weird! =>
But the funny thing is, while we were taking all these pictures, we were doing them silently! I know it doesnt look like it, but we were skilled at stealth-mode pictures! The nurses did not want to be there, and therefore were not very nice, so we didnt want to agravate them =>
Wheel chairs.... oh so fun! I would never wish to have to be in one, but they are great tools for enjoyment and fooling around! =>
No, Danae didnt actually push me around, remember we had to be super quiet, but we can fake like it in the pictures =>
And off we go!! => Just kidding, this was only when we had been waiting at the office for one hour! Little did we know we had a whole other one to go!
Can I just say, doctors offices are boring!! They have nothing fun in them! Good thing I found a camera in my purse, or who knows if we would still sane? =>
So we took well over a hundred pictures while we were there, but I am chosing only the best to put on here. Some of them got a little random, which some of these are, just imagine like fifty times more weird, and just be grateful you dont have to see them =>
IT was taking forever! And we didnt want to bother ther nurses too much about it, so we just patiently waited.. and waited... and waited... and waited.......
We were dreaming of a time when we were not trapped in a doctors waiting room.... hehehe not really, just taking more random pictures. =>
My hand is on top, oh yeah, look how tan I look!! =>
These pictures are my favorite! Just imagine, having to jump and time just right, while being absolutely silent. Yeah, we got pretty talented at jumping quietly! =>
And about this move, I call it going crazy in a waiting room => hehehe
So we totally even got bored of taking pictures! This was our last one, just to show our bordem. But luckily like 30 seconds after this picture was taken, a nurse brought out our little sick boy all drugged up! And it was time to go home!!! I am glad I could help him out, but doctors are not my favorite, especially when they tell you a time, which is hours off, and cause you to wait in a boring waiting room!! But luckily I had a friend nice enough to join me in the bordem. =>
