Cam's First Day of School

Cameron's first day of school. Ahh the beauty of the day, cam starts riding to school in the 60 degree weather on dad's old road bike. It's so nice, he has on a button up shirt, an under shirt, shorts, his backpack, and helmet. He's taking in the beauty of the trail along the Platte River... dun dun dun... when all of a sudden...BAM. He gets hit in the chin by something, and it falls down his shirt. And the next thing he knows... something is stinging him. He jumps off the bike, throws his helmet off, and takes his shirts off. This crazy hornet stung him 4 times on the chest...and it doesn't feel good. Don't worry, right before he left the house, he had a thermos full of coffee in the mesh part of his backpack, as he bent down to get the dog, it fell out and hit him in the head. Poor guy. That's not all... his phone stopped working earlier last week, and cingular was going to send him a new phone next day.... 4 days later no phone. He called them, and well, darn, they forgot to send it. Poor guy. He said class was okay, but it was gonna be a doozy of a semester. So much for a first day.

Lazy Days for Lizzie

So, I randomly woke up at 0352 this morning, and realized Cam was still sleeping. But he needed to be up and getting ready for his Mt. Elbert excursion with Pathways. Steve was gonna be here in 8 minutes AHHH! I guess he got on his way, b/c when I woke up at 0430, he was gone. I for reals woke up at 0845, walked schnooze and ate some breakfast (4 choc. chip cookies and milk mmmmm). I decided to clean the whole house (it was really gross)... now it is sparkling. I then filed a whole bunch of papers, and called Bank of America (for the 4th time in a week). I decided since it was raining and gross and the high on the mountain for Cam was 56 awith 10-15 mph winds, I would make potatoe soup and carrot cake cupcakes! So, now the house smells sooooo yummy, and I am just lazing around with schnooze watching flip that house. It's great. Cam should be home in about an hour, that's what steve said anyway. These pics are from schnooze playing with the paper towel thingy after I was finished cleaning the house... she was sooooo cute!!!! Yeah yeah yeah.... sus and lindsay are coming to see me next weekend!!! WOO HOO!!!!!

Cam's Orientation Day

So, yesterady cam had orientation for Denver Seminary. We got up at 0630 to get ready and be there at 0745. It was a little scary because we didn't know anybody. We sat down at a table and more people came to sit with us. They were from all over the US. Mostly MDiv students. We sat through some boring "housekeeping" details about the seminary, then broke for lunch. The spouses were supposed to go to a separate room and meet each other. Let me tell you, I was a little scared. But it turned out alright! I met 3 lovely ladies, Rachel, Darcie, and Heidi. They are all from out of state, and Rachel got married a month ago, and Heidi and Darcie 1 year ago! So we fit perfectly together. I pulled out the old and well used line of mine....."let's be friends" and they agreed!!!! Darcie already emailed me everybody's contact info, and Heidi called awhile ago to see where we go to church and if they should try it out tomorrow!!! It's awesome! They are really sweet. Cam got his schedule all straightened out (they had him down for taking 5 semesters to graduate) back to 4 semesters. We dropped $450 on books for one semester. And he will be ready to go on monday for his first day of graduate school!!! Yeah for the camster.

Workity work/good news

Well, work is getting better. I just had 3 days in a row. Friday was pretty tough, I felt like everything was going wrong and no one would be my friend. But Cameron came to have lunch with me, and after that, things started perking up. I definately had my first patient go A.M.A. (which for all of you non-health care people stands for Against Medical Advice). This guy had a brain bleed, and there was no way we could force him to stay. He had just a few days prior gone AMA from another facility, so ya know, whatever. So, basically, it was pretty crazy. I also found him smoking in the bathroom, which is very safe, since all the oxygen runs through the walls of the hospital. Anyway, saturday and sunday were pretty good too. I felt like I was starting to make "work friends" with the people. Definately not able to joke around like I was able to at Deaconess, but maybe I will get there. Cameron signed us up for some groups at church sunday, so hopefully we will start to make some friends. We are going hiking (another 14er) saturday with the church group, and that should be lots of fun!!!! http://www.pathwayschurch.org/ that's our church, check it out. Today we finally (third times the charm) got our fireplace fixed (all you have to do is flip a light switch type deal and it turns on). We almost needed the fire last night!!!! Tonight we are going to a coffee shop with steve, scott, and some other people so I am excited!!!! WANT SOME GOOD NEWS????? Mom and David finally got engaged!!!! They will marry sometime in September on their annual camping trip, IN VEGAS!!!!!!!! They will honeymoon at their favorite campsite in Nevada called something about a fire or something. They like it because of the wildlife they get to see!!! Congrats Mom and David!!!!!!

So sad...

Well, I am sad a little bit. I worked yesterday as my second day on the floor. I am definately getting more fluent on the floor with neuro lingo and computer skills. But, sad to say, that I don't think I am going to make any friends. Everyone is a lot older than me, or just kinda weird. But not weird in a good way (say like... me, Susanne, Genesis.... ya know any of those weirdos). And it just scared me because I want to be here a long time, because I love Denver (the 3 weeks I have been here), and I hate moving hospitals and going thru orientation. I know I will make friends somewhere, but I just guess not here. I will keep my mind open though. But I had this thought... why can't Genesis just move up here, I told her I would get her a job. Also, if I can hold out for 3 years, Susanne will be here... then I won't have to make new friends. I feel like i am energetic and bubbly and nice, why won't people just like me??? If you've had a difficult or long time making friends at your new place, please leave a comment on how I can be a better friend maker.

pie baking 101

Julie Malecek is an awesome gal (she is me and cam's friend), but her mom, well, she's pretty darn cool too. Ever since Cam has known Julie, her mom would make him his own pie (she would bring it back to Norman from Plano). Sometimes Cameron would have to share it with Steve, well I guess most times. But, when Cam met me, the first thing that popped into Julie and her mom's head would be that I needed to get that recipe and make a pie for cam when we got married. Then over Christmas, we were in Plano, and we went to Julie's house. Cameron asked Mrs. Malecek to make a pie, and she just whipped one out lickety split. When I saw how she made them, it made me very excited. She has this apple peeler, slicer, corer majigger. So, of course, I proceeded to tell her that's what I needed in life. So, for our wedding, the Malecek Family got us not only the apple dealio, but also the family recipe!!!!! I attempted today to make my very first apple pie. And, I would have to say, it was tastey, but needs some work. Cameron and I ate our slices, and he told me he could eat the whole pie, but I doubt that. For the recipe, let me know, and I can hook you up!!

Diamond Lake Trail

Cameron, Steve, and I went to
Diamond Lake Trail last night and spent the night in our awesomely huge tent!! Let me just tell you, we got to Nederland, CO and we got kinda lost, we couldn't find this really large county road 130, so we stopped and asked for directions. Well, you would think anyone could find this road (it'd be like Hefner Parkway or something of the sort). This guy was like ...'well, go this way then that way then turn left onto Caribou Road and go on that for 1/4 mile and it will turn into 130'. He seemed a little odd, but we listened to him. So 20 minutes on Caribou (which was a dirt bumpy as crap road) later, we run into what cameron and steve have turned into Ma and Pa ghetto. They were really just hippies, but for our story pretend they are no teethed overall wearing hick-o's that havent left this mountain in 6 years. Ma and Pa tell us well they havent been up here in 6 years, so at the top it might turn into 130, but youll never make it in that (refering to the Pasat). I don't know how, but we finally make it to 130 (nowhere near Freaking Caribou). We make it to the campsite, set up camp, cook, and drink. We had a keg from this wedding last weekend that we cracked open. It was pretty awesome.
Cameron didn't have a sleeping bag, and basically froze to death, but after we got up an moving he was okay. Schnooze came with us and was rocking it up the mountain. It was about a 2 hour hike up. We ran into some amazing waterfalls and beautiful flowers. It was gorgeous, until it started raining. We were down the mountain in about another hour and decided to eat in the fun little town of Nederland. I had some awesome mac and cheese and coffee to warm me up (it was brrr cold). We finally made it back to Denver, and we might hang out with Kate (my friend from work) tonight!!!! When you all come to visit.... Diamond Lake is the place to go!

swedish medical center

What can I say? Today was my first day at my new job, Swedish medical center in Englewood, CO. I am swedish despite what cameron thinks. So it is pretty awesome being surrounded by Dala Horses and the Swedeatery. It went well, even though we wont get health insurance for about 3 weeks. I made a friend, her name is Kate Ferguson. She actually went to school at OBU and just graduated. She will be working at the only other place in the hospital i would want to work... on the telemetry floor with the old people!!!! But, she'll be working nights :(. We are going to be friends though, I just know it! Swedish is super cute, i hope you can all come soon. You have a place to stay. And to answer Lo's question about my knee holding up on the hike??? It did very well, and i think it was because the moving in stair-stepper thing worked it out enough. It's def hanging in there. Love colorado!

Apt 10-305

Here is our new apartment.
We do have a view of the mountains, but it was too cloudy and light to see them. If you look past the balcony shot, that is where they are.

Honeymoon pics :)

We did a rainforest hike one day. We went to the beach one day and I got stung by a jellyfish. We had a botanical garden tour and Cam jumped in the waterfall! We had an amazing view from our room and had an amazing 5 star dinner every night.

MY PHOTO PAGE

To see many more photos about what's going on in our lives... please go to: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/coolliz4/my_photos

Bierstadt

So, today Cameron, Scott, Steve, his brother Allen, Cooper the dog, and I climbed Mount Bierstadt. Today started with a wake up at 0430 am. That was not very welcome I can tell you that. We left about 0530 for the trailhead. Once we got to the trailhead it was about 39 degrees F. Brrrrr. We started up the trail and it was no problem until we started getting to the really rocky parts. We took lots of breaks and drank plenty of water. But it was still a difficult hike for basically 5 new hikers (Cam was the only one who had been up a 14er). Once we got to the skree (all rocks) it was crazy hard. We met lots of people that were really cool. And after 3 hours (of really good time) we made it up the 14060 foot mountain. We signed the paper that is in a little tube, took lots of pics, and we also ate a lite snack. Let me just tell you it was so darned cold. I was freezing (I had on fleece pants, a t-shirt, a long sleeved t-shirt, a fleece jacket, gloves, and ear warmers) and I was still cold. On the way down it went pretty fast and it was a lot less strenuous. We finally made it down and ate hot dogs and chips by a little lake. It was pretty awesome!!!

New bike for the camster

Cameron wanted me to write a blog that he just came home from Boulder with a new bike. Well, it's not new, but new to him. It's an '02 Rocky Mountain Oxygen (canadian style). Apparently new it costs $1600, but he got it for the low low low low price of $550. He wants you all to know that it has tons of upgrades (like derailers and seats and bars and stuff) (and no it doesnt have a kickstand yall). He says it is freakin hardcore balls. That means it's super cool. Night.

This is us awhile ago. Just being cute.

uhaul sucks

Well, we packed up the 28th of July and headed to Colorado. The Uhaul had some amazing a/c but somehow it just stopped working. I could only sleep the whole time because Cameron had me take Dramamine because of the bumpy ride. He drove the whole way with me and Schnooze sleeping next to him. We finally made it 14 hellish hours later. We dropped off the car tow thingy at Uhaul. Then parked the Uhaul in front of our soon to be apt. We spent the night with our friends Scott and Steve in downtown Denver. We unloaded in what seemed to be Oklahoma weather the next day, and let me just tell you.... it was like doing the stair-stepper for 6 hours straight. We had to go down one flight then up two. BOO. thank goodness for our strong guy friends!!!! We have been unpacking and buying and straightening ever since. Tuesday Cameron climbed his first 14er. And I will be joining him and some friends early tomorrow for my 1st 14er (Beerstat???). Schnooze seems to like all her new doggy friends in the apt. If you're looking for fresh tamales.... apparently our neighbors distribute them, b/c their houses always smell like Mexican food and they are always blaring Mexican fiesta songs. We love Colorado but are still getting used to it.