Beaver Brook

A lowly purple flower in the side of the mountain of dead leaves

I'm a poet and didn't know it ;)
This doesn't look steep, but let me tell ya... wooo eee

Cam and Schnoozeberry

Where we took a wine and cheese and cracker picnic by the babbling brook (to the right). It was actually really cold and I wish I had worn gloves and a hat. Then it started raining :(.

THE babbling brook. We will go again in the summer, b/c then we could play in the brook.

Me. That jacket is a $200 jacket Cam found for me at the REI garage sale for $30. So REI has this amazing return policy no questions asked, no matter how long you have had the prodcut. what they do with all those returns is 4 times a year they have a garage sale and mark things down extremely low. this jacket's zipper hsd been getting a little hard to go up and so the chick returned it (and probably got herself a new one) and I saved $170 on a #1 rated jacket. It's waterproof and windproof! Sometimes at the sale there are things people merely tried on and bought then decided they didn't want anymore. Cam got a brand new pair of hiking boots for $15 that are normally $150. We got snowshoes for $80 that are normally $160 that had been worn once. The only catch, you have to be a member (a one time $15 fee). You also get dividends back at the end of the year... 1% of everything you've bought. That's cool too! We love REI!

Anyway, back to the babbling brook. We decided to go on a whim, and left saturday afternoon, drove 20 minutes, saw a buffalo, hiked on this trail (which blind people can go on... they have signs in braille and a cable that leads them down), had a picnic, came home, showered, and ate dinner at OLIVE GARDEN. man i love that dang place. and i love italian margaritas!!!!

I forgot to say we have been searching for a recycle cener forevers, and we finally found a can bank... we had 2 1/2 trash bags full of cans, and made $1.75!!!!!

We also cleaned out the closet, and had 15 walmart bags plus a trash bag (i ran out of trash bags) and 2 pairs of shoes and some coats!!! we donated it in one of those clothing donation boxes by the grocery store. (they have those in norman in case you okies need one). it felt good to purge!

Also a bummer of a deal: May 15th I have to start wearing stupid carribean blue scrubs that the crotch go down to my knees at work. Boo.

Also, my pt's family member bought me a snickers... that was really sweet!

accupuncture

cameron's cousin mari (say it like martyr not mary) is in a chinese medicine degree thingy at berkley and is studying accupunture. so, she did it on us!!! it was so cool. she is also very cool!
in cam's foot

for cam's sinuses, and one in his left ear area to pop his ear from the flight and for his sinuses.

(keep in mind we had flown for 27+ hours and then got to jackson and then took a shower and was up all day and this was 1:30 on sunday, this is why i look like a druggy)

in between my eyes (for a headache) and behind my left ear, and on top of my head

ear

this is mari with all her needles... she is crazy but oh so cool.

hard at work.

Kristin and Chad

Cameron and his cousin (the bride) Kristin. She is sooooo awesome and hilarious!
Kristin and Chad Hatten... aren't they cute!

Kristin being Kristin (that was just after they were announced husband and wife!

the back of her dress. also, her dad was under terrible circumstances and they have been working for years for him to be able to get to this wedding, but he couldn't, so uncle frederick walked her down the aisle, and when asked who gives this woman... he says: her mother, father, and i do. ohhhh it was soooooo sweet!

leigh michael, i just want to squeeze this kid!

Lea Ann and David at the wedding (cameron's rents)

the chapel (it was supposed to be an outdoor wedding, but crazy storms were blowing through jackson, ms

me and cambot. look he has on new clothes!!!

So, the saga of getting to jackson was pretty much hell. We left friday morning at 0800 expecting tons of snow (6-12''), but there was none, so we thought we were home free. Yeah right. We had delays (instead of leaving at 1120) probably about 3ish hours of them (we left dia at 3:45ish). We missed out original flight to dallas, the dia lady put us on a different one, we missed that one, and when we got off in dallas the dallas lady put us on another flight to leave at 5:50 (our flight we had missed by like 5 min). So we think we are doing great, we'll just miss the rehearsal dinner (a good ole southern fish fry), but we'll make it in time to hang out with everyone. NOPE.... we sit on the runway for about an hour waiting to take off... finally we are next in line and the pilot who had just taken off ahead of us calls and says there is hail at the end of the runway... so we think fine it will go away in a minute... NOPE... the sky to the west is seriously torano black. Yup that's right folks... we sit through a tornado on the runway in the plane. i think the plane is just gonna take off on it's own b/c all the crazy wind. 4-5 tornados touched down around the airport, so they canceled our flight and we had to de-plane. about an hour later we finally make it to the front of the line to get a room in dallas (a pretty ghetto one) and some food. we have already been traveling over 12 hours too. boo. so we get a flight for the next morning at 0745. don't worry, ill make this short and sweet... it was delayed in the end about 3 hours too. so we finally make it to jackson at 1130 and have 24 hours before we have to get back on a plane back to denver. Just so you know... it's AMERICAN AIRLINES... DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT FLY WITH THEM EVER. they screwed up our honeymoon too. anyway, the wedding was fabulous and gorgeous. all of the family was great to see, especially mima!!! She read a passage from the new testament at the wedding, and it was so sweet!

we love that family!

Peter Estin Hut Suckkkaaaas

matt and jon melting snow on the wood burning stove in a huge pot so we could have water. behind that are 4 twin beds against the windows we used for lounging! in front of the girl taking the pic (miranda) are stairs leading down to the basement full of wood for burning.
mirands and anastasia upstairs on the beds we slept in. there were three in front of me, and i was sitting on another bank of three. there were also 2 rooms with 2 double beds in them.

christopher and erica at the table we ate many a good meal at (and made up more verses to the diarrhea song) (when you're sliding down a hill and you feel the need to dil diarrhea diarrhea)

the view from the hut

that really low cloud is not a cloud, it's snow!!!! suckkkaaa!

erica brought in eggs for us to dye! this was a fancy hut to hut trip!

liz and emilyat the false summit (we had about 200 feet to go). we snowshoed up this on the second day (after staying the first night in the hut). We were beat man. You can't see my feet/snowshoes b/c we had to make the trail right there.

liz at the flase summit! i could barely breath if you couldnt tell :).

emo resting while we were sledding

christopher waist deep in snow after crashing sledding down his favorite run (he was a little stuck at this point)...

sunrise from the hut second morning

sunset first night april 1st. gorgeous.

emily, her fiance matt, anastasia, and miranda.

liz and erica trekking up the hill. erica was pulling a sled with 4 liters of wine and 12 hard boiled eggs :).

It was amazing. Woo woo for Colorado. It took us 5.5 hours to get up and 2 hours to get down. The first thing we did after was stop and get french fries and milk shakes :).

These were all people I work with.

Christopher: RN traveler from connecticut

Erica: Rn from Denver/Iceland...

Emily: RN from Pittsburg, PA

Matt: her fiance

Anastasia: in nursing school, but works as a tech, from russia

Miranda: just got accepted to CU for BSN, works as a tech now, from CO

Jon: Matt and Emo's friend from PA

Cleopatra (it's a bed)

I know I know, long time no post. Sorry. Things have been crazy here in the big D. Last thursday Cam and I started discussing getting a new mattress.... AND WE DID!!!

It's almost like one of theose temperpedic all foam ones, but a few notches below. We got it at denver mattress (denvermattress.com), and for a great deal. It was on clearance from $1500 to $899 (and we got all this stuff free with it)! It had been delivered to the wrong house and then brought back to the store, and so that makes it soooo cheap! Well, anyway it has no coils made out of metal, so that makes for a non-bouncy bed! Cam rolls around a lot, and I almost roll out of that old bed every night. Well, so I had a double bed (thanks to Papa Joe) for about 5 years. But when Cam and I got married, I registered for Queen sized sheets in hope that some day we would get a bigger bed (and the fact that rich old people buy nice sheets for wedding gifts).

So, we got a queen bed! It was seriously one of the happiest nights ever... Schnooze even likes it!

It's also taller and we have to remember that when we get up in the middle of the night so we don't die.

So..... that's that for now. Cam just came home so I could have the car for grocery shopping... I will try to post another one later with pics!

Live at Redrocks!

The picture doesn't do it justice, this thing is HUGE!
The side of the ampitheater. Naturally created in 1930.

The view from the top of the theater... lots and lots of steps to get up there (they have heartrate monitors in the visitor center, and they say you burn 40 calories taking the stairs to the top!)

Us at the top, it worse us out!

Schnooze on the trail!

Liz on the trail, it was about 1.4 miles around and you end up by the ampitheater.

Cam being all crazy!

First before I talk about the Redrocks... I have to give a huge shout out to my uncle marky!!!

He posted a comment on my blog and I am so proud of him!!!

Way to use that technology uncle mark!

Today was cameron's first official day of spring break. We wanted to do something cool but no expensive. Since we are poor. Anyway, I have always wanted to go to redrocks in Morrison. What I didn't realize is that it is less than 10 miles away from our house!!!

So we saddled up some snacks and water and the dog and went about 1200.

It was a gorgeous day. We started hiking and took a break about halfway thru to eat a sandwich and water the dog! And then we saw the ampitheater... it was sooooo cool!!! I can't wait to go to a concert there! It's open from 0500-2300. So we thought it would be cool to see the stars there at night! They are having an Easter sunrise service there but it starts at 0500... I will be working so I can't go. It's just a cool place. Very breathtaking...the pics don't do it justice at all.

We were supposed to go see our friend in winter park, but they have a youth group with them and said it would be too hard to get away for an hour. Boo.

Cam gets to see 300 the movie tonight... he is very excited and has been waiting to see this movie for forevers.

I read the best book ever last friday: The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer.

It's about organ trafficking very good!

My cousin Lane got a job at a private school as a math teacher!!!!

My sister and bro-in-law are in Seatttle (well soon, they missed their flight).

Peace out peeps!

Ringworm

This is a picture of a textbook case of ringworm. I have never seen it before in person, until Monday night.

Poor little Schnoozeberry was itching away at her belly. I turned her over to see all these red raised circles. Poor thing. She has ringworm. It is HIGHLY contagious too. It is not a worm no no no my friends. It is a fungus (the same as athletes foot). So we have been putting cream all over her and giving her benadryl.

What is Colorado doing to my baby???

She looks a lot better today and isn't even itching. I think we caught right on the money and speaking of money... this treatment was free!

Maybe another update later today!

Katie needs a baby!

I carry your heart (e. e. cummings) in pink
i carry your heart in green

forgotten/forsaken

family - print

chandelier cards

completely - print

Hey guys! I got this email from my very dear friend Amy. Her sister's hubby did the flowers for my wedding (if you remember they were amazing). Anyway, go to this website and buy some awesome art, they will continually be updating it with new stuff! I bought 2 things!

Hello all!

I am quite sure that if you know me at all you have often heard me talk about my sister and how I adoreher and so on. What some of you may not know is something of a more personal nature that involvesKatie and her husband Michael’s desire to start a family. Almost a year ago Katie miscarried at nineteen weeks due to complications during her pregnancy. A couple of months ago they lost their second child nine weeks into their pregnancy.

Katie and Michael are both incredibly strong people and their positivity and patience has been truly remarkable. Katie has diabetes and is already considered high-risk because of that. While her doctor does not feel that it has been a factor in her miscarriages, they have decided to begin the process of adopting. Adoption is something they have spoken of throughout their marriage, and after lots of research and planning and list-making (as only Katie can) they have decided to adopt internationally, specifically from Ethiopia. I am incredibly excited about this prospect for two reasons.

The first reason is perhaps the most obvious--I cannot wait to be an aunt. And I could not be more excited for Katie and Michael to be parents. The thought of finally getting to meet my niece or nephew is thrilling. The second reason is really the whole point of me writing this. Adoption, andinternational adoption in particular, is an enormous expense. So, I have started a project to hopefully assist them with the funding.

I have created some artwork which is available as prints and greetingcards at etsy.com. Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade goods and such, and we are thrilled to be apart of this community. We decided to title our shop Project 8256 (or, project8256 if you are searching forus in etsy) -- because there are roughly 8,256 milesbetween Oklahoma City and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Now, here’s where it gets really exciting: We had originally intended to put 100% of the profits raised from the project into an adoption fund. While creating the artwork used in the project, however, it became painfully clear that there is more that could be done. More that needs to be done. The statistics on orphans in Africa are absolutely staggering. It is truly a crisis--an immense one. While that is partly what drew Katie and Michael to Ethiopia, they are very realistic about the fact that they are really only making the tiniest of dents. This project is a way for us to do a little bit more.

So instead, 100% of the profits will be divided between an adoption fund for Katie and Michael and for AHOPE For Children. AHOPE (African HIV Orphans: Project Embrace) is an orphanage in Ethiopia that not only provides medical and housing needs to children infected with HIV, but it also provides counseling and education (which includes music, dance and art lessons!). We are extremely excited to be able to give financially to this organization, and my employer will match what is donated to AHOPE, dollar for dollar.

So, should you be interested, here’s what you can do:

1. Check out the shop at project8256.etsy.com. We will try to update periodically so if you don’t see something you like, check back.

2. Spread the word. Please tell your family, friends,co-workers and so on about what we are doing. Forward this email on if you’d like.

3. Keep Katie and Michael (as well as the children ofAfrica) in your thoughts and prayers. If you are interested in more information, here’s where you just might find some:

Katie’s website is www.journeyfromethiopia.com

I have started a blog, which can be found at

project8256.blogspot.com

Thank you all so much for your support. I hope youare all doing well and finding yourselves blessed.

Much, much love,

Amy Coldren

Stuffy

I have to add to the list:

24: My aunt and uncle are taking the no-smoking pills, and they are working, which is a miracle in itself!!!!
25. I have some weird sinus coldy thing, and i sound all weird.
26. WE PAID OFF THE CREDIT CARD with our tax return and now are debt free (except grad school debt)... it feels amazing!!!!!
27. my haircut is cute!
28. i found shoes to wear with the dress for the jackson, ms wedding. I am wearing the brown dress from sus's wedding, and adding a yellow ribbon, and then these cute brown flats!
29. beat cam 12-7 at jeopardy tonight!
30. peace out

A tribute list to cousin lo lo

I love lists too... so this is a tribute post list for my cousin who loves lists just like me!!!

1. I am getting my hair cut today and I am excited!

2. I have been shopping at whole foods more, and they have this amazing fresh squeezed OJ and I am obsessed with it.

3. I bought a new indigo girls cd on itunes: Despite our Differences and it is good!

4. Cameron and I started going to counseling and we really love our counselor Rick

5. My friends Laura and Andy started a blog: okfroeses.blogspot.com and they have a cute dog Yoda who is a Schnooze dog but all white.

6. Laura and Andy are redoing their floors to hardwood!

7. They are probably a little crazy

8. It is 50 degrees outside, and when I took out Schnooze I wore flip flops!

9. I got new shampoo and it smells good

10. I regularly beat Cameron at Jeopardy (it comes on twice a day here!)

11. 2 weeks ago I had to get my stupid uniforms for work: Carribean Blue for RNs... they are ugly.

12. I took care of a pt from Iran, and she had a lot of flowers in her room, and when she left she said I could have them: a hydrangea plant and some roses and other things, they are pretty.

13. I have today and tomorrow off of work

14. Our friends Lisa and Michael are driving back from Tulsa today! They have Habib the dog

15. in about a month we will go to Jackson Mississippi for Cam's cousin's wedding! Their invites are realllll cute a white cardstock with a thick black ribbon on the bottom and then a green one over that!

16. I love green

17. Less than a month til my hut to hut snowshoeing trip! I have everything I need now too!

18. I have become addicted to redbull... i know, sad.

19. sus is going to seattle on a spring break trip with chris to find an apt and job!

20. lane is kicking it up in LA and getting a job!

21. Lo and Brad are making their house so cute and I want to see it right away.

22. The above picture is of my friend Genesis... she is pregnant with baby #2, and she found out it's A BOY!!!!!!!! She's such a good mommy! (that pic was taken on my last night in Norman in July) (we were sad and crying but you can't tell b/c we're so HOTTT!)

23. Last but def not least... MOM AND DAVID have a saturday goal of completely quitting smoking!!!!!!!!! They started taking a new drug that's amazing called chantix (sp?) and it's a miracle worker. I know 5 or so people that have taken it and have never been able to quit before... let everyone you know know about it!!!!

more snow???

This is a pic of when cam and I went to charleston last spring break to our uncles' beach house! It was amazing! We want to live there!

It snowed again all day yesterday, but it is like 33 degrees today and it's melting. thank goodness. cam has had a pain in his ribs, so he went to the doc, and they drew some blood and he peed in a cup. His dad has a weird high bilirubin disorder called Gilbert's Syndrome... but it is harmless, you could just be jaundiced some days of your life. Anyway, they are checking that and his liver functions and he doesnt remember what else. Schnooze got a haircut today, and she looks super skinny and soooo cute!!! I get a haircut next week FINALLY!!! And I think we are making sushi with matt and em saturday!