Just to continue my journal of our recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado….Saturday, August 21, 2010

We just about froze to death last night; I knew I needed to bring extra blankets, but we’re questioning whether we brought enough.  Finally, this morning, I woke Jaden up and had him come snuggle with Mommy, since he was cold too; he always manages to get out from under his blankets no matter what.  Those sleeping bags we have definitely don’t make the cut.

When we were brave enough to climb out from the covers, it really wasn’t that bad outside; it gets down in the 40′s at night, but the sun was shining right on our campsite, so it was warm this morning.  There were mountains all around us, and we were basically on the side of a wooded hill with tent sites up in the cliffs and rocks.  The boys have actually made a little fort up in the woods; I think they’ve just added on to what other kids have done.:) Jacob was feeling sick from eating greasy food the day before (he gets tummy aches like this after eating certain foods) and ended up losing his breakfast….but now he’s fine, having munched on some biscuits. After making sure he was ok, we left out, plastic cup in hand, just in case.  He ended up fine as a whistle, though, so we’re thinking it was a combination of greasy food and a long trip the day before.

We decided that we’d take the Trail Ridge Road this morning.  This road is supposed to be a highway to the sky, and it definitely was.I found myself covering my eyes at times, but to tell the truth, this road was nothing compared to what we’d find climbing Mount Evans in a few days.  However, the views were sensational; this park is just so beautiful.  We stopped at several places just to take pictures, as we climbed ever higher into the tundra.

This road wraps around the mountains from Estes Park over to the west side of the park at Grand Lake.  We were up over 12,000 feet when we reached the Alpine Visitor Center and store, where we took in the view and grabbed a few souvenirs.  The ice and snow were up at this point, and we could see lakes both close and off in the distance….mountaintop lakes.As you cross the treeline, it seems as if you’re crossing the point between Heaven and earth; the trees stop, and the tundra starts, as up in the tundra, there are no trees.  It almost looks as if you could touch the clouds, as the shadows form the clouds are so much closer.

We noticed both on the road and around the builings, these tall wooden poles that looked like branches.  They were just in the ground, sticking straight up into the air several feet.  We finally figured out that they must be markers for when the snow hits.  This way, they can tell where the road is and where buildings are?  Can you imagine being a construction worker on this two-lane road to the sky?  In the wintertime, this road is closed, as can be expected.

We ended up going over to where we could view the Continental Divide and the Colorado River.  It was neat to stand in the Continental Divide at Milner Pass (pictured below) and realize where we were….that water flows both east and west from that point.We took one little hiking trail, but we decided to come back down, as it was basically all uphill, and we had no idea where we were going.  The drive back was gorgeous, and even Dan was freaking out a bit by the drop off the road and no guard rails in places, not that guard rails would have done much good at that point.  If you went off, well, you were going to meet your Maker for sure.

We spent the better part of the day just exploring this road and finally went back down into town for ice (the local grocery store, Safeway, is awesome…) and ended up riding back to the campground.  On the way into our campground, we noticed several cars stopped alongside the road, and down in the pasture was a herd of elk. We ended up going out, sitting on a boulder, and just watching them.  They were so beautiful and peaceful.

There was a stream flowing through the field, so there were fly fishermen around; Dan wants to learn how to fly fish.  As we sat and watched the elk, there was one mama who had lost her baby; we could see her baby looking for her across the stream, but she hadn’t found him yet, and she kept running back and forth, trying to find him or get to him. It was a sight to see….even animals feel that adrenaline when they know their child could be in danger.  It’s just built in by a Divine Creator.  I don’t know how anyone could see all of this and not feel a Divine handprint on all of it.  I was dying to see some bighorn sheep or moose or even a bear with the boys, but we’ll have to wait and see.After getting back to our campsite, Dan and the boys got a fire started; I actually got some reading in; it was just peaceful to watch the other kids and families around the campground….our site is very private, but we have two other families who are close by, and the boys actually played with their kids some tonight. They had a great time.  I guess Jaden got hit in the head with the frisbee at one point, and I heard one kid say, “Man, he’s tough; he got hit in the nose with a frisbee and didn’t even cry!”  LOL  Oh, he has no idea how stubbornly tough that little guy is.  LOL  He has his moments, but he’s definitely mule-headed, as my dad would say.:)  Another set of campers (two guys) came into the park, set to camp at the next campsite over from us, but for some reason, the rangers chased them out of the park; they were searching their vehicle and bags, doing sobriety tests, etc.  To tell the truth, when they left, we weren’t disappointed….the rangers are so diligent and on top of things.  They are so nice too, always ready to talk or visit.  If there ever was a dream job for me, this would be it.  Yeah, I know the winters would be extremely tough, but to be in this beautiful place through all the seasons….well, that would be a true gift.

As we rearranged sleeping bags and blankets, and I put my 3-5 layers on, including knit hat and woolly socks with blanket literally wrapped around my feet, we drifted off to sleep in this peaceful place we now call paradise….this truly must be what Heaven is like.

To be continued….

Well, it seems summer is over, and today is our first day of school; so far, it has gone smoothly, and the boys have enjoyed it.  Jaden gets bored every so often and wants to do his own thing, so I just let him, and he comes back and wants to do some more.  Since we just got back from our camping trip, I thought I’d journal it a bit, starting today with day 1 of our trip.  If we could have stayed, we would have, and if we could go back, we would be there.  If someone came and told us to pack our stuff today, we’d be gone.:)LOL  It was lovely and beautiful and just some really amazing family time together, plus we had no cell service, except in town, which frankly, did NOT bother us at all.  I definitely recommend it for everyone.  Affordable too, as we camped the entire time, except for our very last night.  Boy, that shower, that last night after five days, felt awesome!  (Yes, I said 5 days; when you’re camping, and there are no showers, you learn to make do, as in the hat I wore for the last 2 days. LOL  We were honestly having so much fun, though, that showers were the least of our worries.)  I think it’ll be a place we go back to over and over.  Anyway, here’s day 1….We got out of bed around 4:30am, ran some quick errands, and headed for the Missouri/Kansas border.  We drove through Kansas today, which is, by far, the longest state EVER!  Parts of it were so beautiful, especially with the prairies and the wind turbines and the hay bales, the riverways and plateaus here and there….other parts, however, kinda boring.  There was an eerie feeling surrounding the turbines; they just aimlessly go round and round with a push from the wind, but with so many of them scattered in the wind fields, it was an impressive site.  McDonalds in Russell, Kansas were wonderful enough to give us 3 heaping bags of ice for our coolers, free of charge.

It was a long trip, but we finally started seeing the mountains about 5 or 6pm, off in the distance.  The excitement started to mount.  Dan had never been to Colorado, so he’d never seen the Rockies.  Neither had our boys.  As we got closer and closer, Denver finally came into view, and we crossed into Boulder, then on to Estes Park.  The drive to Estes was breathtakingly beautiful. Wow, there are some very cool houses out here.  Houses below the mountains, on top of them, on the sides….and a river flowing right through town.  Town was full of cute, little shops and tons of tourists shopping, eating ice cream, and just having fun.As we entered Rocky Mountain National Park, it was dusk, and darkness was falling fast in the shadows of the mountains (pics were taken the next morning).  We entered our campsite, our name on the late list as we went through the empty ranger station at the entrance of Moraine Park Campground.  We had to watch closely for our campsite on all the signs….we knew ours would be off the road a ways.  Finally, we found our campsite; thankfully, families were still up and about, having fun, playing with glow in the dark frisbees, sitting around campfires.We quickly got our bearings, gathered our things, and made several trips back and forth on the trail from our van to our campsite.  By the time we had our tent up, it was getting quite late, so it was time to just eat a quick sandwich, make a quick trip to the bathroom, and head to bed.  Quiet hours are enforced in the campground, so we didn’t want  to be a disturbance.

We couldn’t yet see the splendor that we’d wake up to the next morning….(continued Wednesday with tons of pics from high mountaintop roads and hiking trails galore).

FOR TODAY, from Mel’s Daybook….
Outside my window…it’s sunny and probably hot, and my garden is growing so quickly.
I am thinking…that I love having a garden outside my window.
I am thankful for…my mom and dad and their marriage of 50 years now.
From the learning rooms…we are officially out for the summer.  Yippeee!!!
From the kitchen…tonight will probably be Asian Chicken with Broccoli and Cashews with maybe some fried rice.
I am wearing…jammies and robe.
I am creating…I’ve got a bunch of library books, hoping to teach myself some different painting techniques and how to strip furniture.  I bought an old, round table with claw feet at the antique/junk shop the other day, and I want to refinish or paint it.  It needs some work but will make a beautiful piece of furniture when done.
I am going…nowhere today, except maybe to the pool and maybe to Walmart to grab diapers.
I am reading…True Religion: Taking Pieces of Heaven to Places of Hell on Earth by Palmer Chinchen.
I am hoping…that my Ebay listings will sell for good prices, as they’re going toward our curriculum/books for next year.  Oh, and that my foot gets to feeling better….rolled and twisted it, and it’s hurtin’ pretty good.
I am hearing…precious, savory silence right now.
Around the house…have to catch up on laundry today and work on my kitchen (more spring cleaning/rearranging).
One of my favorite things…is a clean kitchen with no clutter.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Jacob to Tae Kwon Do; writing work/MamaBuzz work; take the boys to the pool; library/errands; take my other books to sell over to the used Christian bookstore; gardening; etc.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing…(My mom and dad renewing their vows with my brother officiating)For more Daybook, visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Oh my gosh, what a great time I had….I can’t even begin to tell you; words just don’t describe the whole experience.  One thing that I’m kicking myself for still is the fact that I forgot my camera when I went to Radio City Music Hall, so I had to rely on my phone camera, which wasn’t all that great….so the pics from there are not that great. I’m also one to not get enough pictures….I’m too busy enjoying the experience! LOL  The experience, however, I will never forget! Thanks to Lee Jeans, who sponsored MamaBuzz to the event!

The weekend started out with quite the experience finding a place to stay.  We had an apartment rented, which seemed quite reliable and trustworthy.  When it came time to rent the apartment, however, the person renting was doing so on the sly, and thankfully, the realty agent in charge of that building was there when we arrived.  She was not happy at all.  We could have stayed, but we decided it was best to find a hotel….yeah, a hotel last minute, the weekend of a huge event, in NYC!  God provided, though, and we found a room at the Marriott in Brooklyn for the same price we were paying at the apartment.  We then ended up grabbing our MetroCards and shooting over to Manhattan on the subway, since we were due for registration at Gotham Hall.  At Gotham Hall, we registered, got our materials for the weekend, which included a special gift box filled with goodies, and we were set for the evening.The next morning started the sessions at the Jacob Javitz Center, and after welcoming comments by Oprah and Elizabeth Gilbert, my first session, which Melissa J. attended with me, was Dr. Oz!!!!  (Pic below is from the walk).

Dr. Oz is just awesome, let me tell you!  He spoke about how we could live our best life health-wise.  One thing that resonated with me was that we are in charge of our own health….we have to be pushy with the doctors.  Doctors aren’t prone to listen, but we have to make them listen.

Next up was meandering through the exposition hall, where we could talk to companies, including meeting our contact from Lee Jeans.  I voted for my favorite magazine cover, talked to the Wii people, and responded to a casting call for “Real Women.”  Missie was able to talk to Truvia and California Closets.  They had a live radio show going, and it was just a lot of fun, walking through and browsing, picking up samples.Then I went to see Nate Berkus, the decorating genius behind many of the Oprah makeovers.  He was a lot of fun to listen to, and offered so much advice on truly making your home your haven, making your home the place that helps you to live your best life.  I walked away with all sorts of ideas, especially about ways I can switch things up a bit….even by just getting nice sheets for our bed….just the little things make a difference.  He reiterated over and over again how many of us can use what we have; we don’t need to buy anything.I skipped lunch and snuck into the Peter Walsh session after this, and oh, was it worth it!  (He’s in the pic above in the radio show).  He was hilarious!  He happened to hear a cell phone ring in the middle of his session, and he jumped off the stage, grabbed the phone, and had us all say hi to the person on the other end.  He was full of energy,  and he seemed really unfocused at times, which made it even more hilarious.  For an organizing guru, he is full of great advice and just down-to-earth fun!

After the sessions were over for the day, we grabbed our huge, beautiful gift bags, and I ran to the subway to catch my train to Brooklyn, so I could change and head back into the city for Radio City Music Hall that night. 

That evening was a truly beautiful experience.  I’ve always wondered what it’s like to be inside that beautiful hall, but wondering and being are 2 very different things.  It was breathtaking and beautiful! Being a VIP guest, I was ushered down to Row 8, aisle seat.  As I sat down and got situated, the lady next to me, who was there with her daughter, introduced herself to me, and we began to talk a little bit.  She happened to be the general manager of JC Penney, and she was telling me different places to stay in NYC.  She offered to help me out with the legwork next time I have to go back, which I may just take her up on.:)  As the show began, Oprah walked out, beautiful and full of vitality.  (Keep in mind I’m kicking myself because I only had my phone camera.)

She began to tell the story of her life, which is truly a remarkable story.  One thing that she did over and over, even singing “I Surrender All” at one point, was to give credit to God.  Even if you’re not an Oprah fan (which I partially am, just keepin’ it real), her story is an inspiring story for sure.  The things she endured in her childhood, only to lift her chin and keep moving forward to a better life, gave me a new perspective on the real person behind the name Oprah. As the crowd throughout the hall sang Happy Birthday to O Magazine, the evening came to an end.

At the end of the show, the Rockettes came out to celebrate the 10th anniversary of O Magazine, and lo, and behold, out jumped Hugh Jackman from behind them.  I definitely screamed out loud on that one; I don’t know; something just came out of me.  It was awesome!  He was there to celebrate with Oprah.

The next morning, at 4:30am, I dragged out of bed, got ready, packed up my stuff to take down to the hotel bellhop to store for me, and headed back into the city for the Walk for Charity. 

It was freezing cold!!!!  I had 6 layers on, since we had to wear the special t-shirts.

It started on the Hudson next to the USS Intrepid, went uptown for a ways, and ended back down at Times Square.  As we all stood waiting in line to move (like a huge herd crammed together), the energy was unbeatable.  People were freezing, but we were dancing, talking, taking pictures, and “waiting for the celebrities to arrive.”  LOL

I don’t know how many times we heard that phrase, and every time we heard it, a collective groan would go through the crowd.  LOL  It was so cold!  Finally, after an hour or more, the walk began, and everyone came alive, rarin’ to go.

There were people along the way to cheer us on, NYPD were everywhere, and we made our way. 

Arriving at Times Square, we were given another goodie bag with goodies in it, and we made our way to the stage to see all of the celebrities, which included Oprah, Dr. Oz, Suze Orman, Jennifer Hudson, Bette Midler, and many others! 

It was so much fun!  I caught the tail end of the Happy Birthday song to O Magazine, sung by the beautiful Jennifer Hudson. 

This particular video isn’t mine, but these girls documented the walk really well, so enjoy!

When it was all over, I headed up to our favorite bakery on the Upper East Side, Hot and Crusty.  Yeah, I know, the name is hilarious, but boy, do they have awesome bagels and cannolis.  Then Central Park it was. 

Even though it was freezing, I walked around, until I got really cold and headed for a hot chocolate at Starbucks.  I will never forget this weekend, not only for the networking opportunities it afforded MamaBuzz, but for the experience and memories I have.  People from all different countries getting together and just having fun and making a difference….truly an inspiration to Live MY Best Life.