Procrastination in its Best Form: Blogging

I got this from Ms. Lindsay's page...and as I didn't directly get tagged, I just have to put it out there that this is just a way to put off (once again) chores that need to be accomplished. Apparently, this is all about high school.

1. Did you date someone from your high school?: Yep, a couple of 'em.
2. What kind of car did you drive?: In Japan, legal driving age is 18. And since my place was right behind the school, there really was no need.
3. What is your most embarrassing moment in high school?: I don't know if I had one.
4. Were you a party animal?: Ummm, to the detriment of my parent's sanity, that would be a BIG yes.
5. Were you considered a flirt?: No, I don't think so. I think underclassmen were more afraid of me than anything.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?: Choir, and sixth chair honor choir.
7. Were you a nerd?: Does 4.143 GPA give me away?
8. Were you on any varsity teams?: Starting varsity soccer, varsity volleyball.
9. Did you get suspended/expelled? : Nope. Goody-two shoes on school grounds. Outside of them, that's another story.
10. Can you still sing the fight song? : Uh, no.
11. Who were your favorite teachers?: Ms. Powell hands down. Humanities and Choir.
12. Where did you sit during lunch?: Home or at the park to feed our one-legged pigeon, Eileen.
13. School Mascot?: Red Devil (how appropriate) freshman and sophomore, King Cobra junior and senior years.
14. Did you go to homecoming and with whom? I don't remember going to a homecoming @ King.
15. If you could go back and do it again, would you?: Yeah.
16. What do you remember most about graduation?: That I was sweating in places I didn't expect during my speech.
17. Where did you go senior skip day?: I forget what it's called. Some park by the aquarium.
18. Have you gained weight since then?: NO comment!
19. Who was your prom date?: I went to prom 3 of the four years in high school.
20. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?: Didn't make it. Pregnant then.
21. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself?: CUT yourself off after the FIRST 2L Asahi!!!
If you read this you're tagged. Good luck!!!

Close Call

I looked both ways, saw it was clear, and proceeded to cross the YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS crosswalk at Walmart. Miss Sophie was hanging onto the side of the cart. Dylan was to my right, and Lou carried Liv behind us. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard, "HEY!" I looked swiftly to my right, and there was Louie half in front this blazing royal blue car with his arm out. The car, with a twenty-something brunette at the wheel, glittering phone in hand, came to a sudden halt. I studied her as realization of what may have happened because of her own inattentiveness dawn across that face. And, instead of remorse or a sheepish apology of hand gestures, I got a laugh. Not a nervous one; she genuinely appeared mighty tickled by the situation.
And I, on the receiving end of that laugh, ran through the possible outcomes had Lou not stepped in front of the vehicle. None of them, to me anyway, illicited even a little giggle. Those of you who know me well are aware of the Momma Hulk that rages red in my eyes when someone endangers the well-being of my children.
So, Miss Royal Blue Mazda 3 Hatchback 229-MUV, if ever I run across your pretty little car, you can guarantee it WILL be keyed. Just pray you're not in there when I get to it.

COUPLES DANCING NIGHT OUT!!!

Okay, for all of you who love to shake your groove thang, or want to watch your neighbors do the same, Lou and I are issuing an open invitation!!!

October 11th, Saturday Night

9:00-11:30 P.M.

Downtown SLC

This will be a Latin Dance Night Out...salsa, merengue, bachata, what have you. We haven't quite chosen between Club Karamba, Studio 600, or Club Mambo. But I've heard great things from all three. Studio 600, I believe, is also smoke-free! Yeay for me and others who can't stand having to shower at midnight to wash the stench from your hair! All of these clubs hold free dance lessons during the first hour, and then you're on your own after that.

I swear, this will be FUN!!! So, everyone give your fave babysitter a ring and set your reservation! Ladies can get all beautimous and guys can crank up the stud factor for the night and pretend we don't have snotty-nosed rugrats waiting for us to come home!

This will be a night of guaranteed great fun with good friends!

Let me know if you are interested.

Baby girl is sick :-(

My mini-me is miserable with an ear infection in her right ear. It seems to have come out of nowhere. Last night, her nose started to run. Then mid-day today she just started screaming and tugging at her ear. We're thankful she's not totally adverse to taking the meds, but it gets tiring having to cheer and make this big ole hoopla for every mL she willingly swallows. We're armed with an arsenal of medication, even the standard baby vapo-rub (doesn't hurt to try), in the hopes my sweet will sleep soundly tonight. Keeping fingers crossed that this is just a 24-hour bug (at least for the cold part).

Out of Nowhere

During a MyGym class:

Sophie: My cousin's name is Maddy. She's five.
Teacher: That's great. You should invite her to come to class!
Sophie: My Tita says they have a house to pay for. We have a house, but I don't think we're paying for it because I can come to this place.

Oh, sweetheart, how I wish we didn't have to pay for this house!

FINALLY!

For the first time EVERRRR, Liv finally has long enough hair to look like a girl.

If only she'd allow the pigtails to stay on!

LUV in the 'Hood

I tell you what, there is no neighborhood like OUR neighborhood! Apparently, other people nearby have noticed and deemed it the "Celestial Circle" or something like that...and it's SO true. Just two nights ago, great friends gathered again in the cul-de-sac for one last hurrah bbq this summer. Great times once more. Soon it will be coming home and hurrying in to the warmth of our homes for winter hibernation. But until then, fam Ochoa will definitely be outside enjoying every last moment of good weather. Hope to see you guys there!
Sorry, no pics on this one, cam was not charged. Ooops.

Anybody seen this locally?

I'm requesting assistance!!! Liv has been hit with a case of diaper rash and this is the only thing that her skin responds to. I've seen Mustela products at Babies R Us recently, but I wasn't searching for this exact product then. And I'm too lazy to drive to Riverdale to see and have it turn out that they don't have it. Looked online at the BRU website and they don't offer it, so I'm thinking they don't have it in-store. BUT, if anybody has sighted this product anywhere close, puhleeze let me know so I don't have to order online. Thank you!

My Happy Place

I am what most people call a Xmas freak. When I still used to work, my great friend Lisa and I would spend much time toggling back and forth between our system screens and shopping websites in an attempt to horde as much Christmas decorations as we could. One of my favorite places to visit during the holiday season is Tai Pan Trading Company off of 193. They have the most gorgeous displays of xmas trees ever.

In my second day of feeling blah, all it took was one little visit to this place and finding that their talented staff have already began putting up Christmas decor for sale. Nothing like it to bring a smile to my face.
So while waiting for my emergency supplies to come in, I have tasked myself another mission to freshen up the living room by re-arranging furniture in preparation for the holidays and all the embellishments that come with it! I feel myself start to cheer up already (and maybe part of the reason is b/c my wonderful mister took it upon himself to pick up the boys and bring the girls along). I tell you what, this man sure knows to come swooping in for the rescue. It seems he can always sense when I am nearing the mental breaking point. Not only did he do the dishes and put a load of laundry to wash before leaving for work, he was also thoughtful enough to turn on my scentsy warmer with the coffee candle in so I can wake up to the smell of roasted coffee in the morning (love the smell, but don't actually roast any). All this before 0630 in the morning. Need I say more? Keeper!
Yeay! "I can see clearly now, the rain is gone..." The blues are being chased away. Thank you, my dear, you always know what to do, don't you? Love you to pieces.

Just Not Feelin' It

Loving the stay-at-home momma role most of the time; about 99% of the time. However, I find when that one percent of the time comes, it's not just being annoyed, or disliking the role, it's more like running-away-as-fast-as-I-can hating it. Maybe it's just bad timing, with Soph's acting up and my own crazy hormones (TMI?), but it's definitely something. Olivia insisted on sitting on my lap the whole morning, rendering me helpless to do anything. At first I thought she might be sick since she's usually running around all over the place. In that case, I was fine to cuddle with her. But then Lou came home for lunch and there she was prancing around for her dad, healthy as a horse. Then, Sophie took it upon herself to use me as some type of bean bag slash trampoline and would cannonball her bony little self onto my body. So, yeah, the girls didn't help my temperament at all.
I was in a funk in a majorly bad bad way yesterday. Going to Zumba with a friend helped for a bit, or more like helped for that exact hour that we were there.
Once I opened the door to come home, Lou was there with Liv scrambling to jump in my arms waiting for me and he said, "I gotta go." Apparently, the death look I gave him was venomous enough for him to quickly withdraw his statement and offer a substitute: "I'll just stay home."
That kept me from socking him one in the kisser. Good move, love.
Dinner made it worse, with Olivia refusing to sit in a highchair or her own adult chair. She HAD to be in MY lap. And Sophie was making mealtime yet another ordeal. We had pot roast, and she hates beef. I guess we asked for it.
When it was time to sit and relax and watch DWTS, I was in serious need of personal space. I just had to abandon the show, dump Sophie from my lap and onto the couch, and just walk out. Thank goodness the neighbors were out.
And after all of this rambling, I suppose I should say I feel better today. But, NO I don't. I am still stuck in the funk. Maybe some retail therapy would do some good, if only I can keep from offering my kids to complete strangers for free. Don't call DCFS on me, I promise this is just a phase. :-)

Emergency Preparedness

It is I, procrastinator-extraordinaire, who, despite being in the military, has failed time and again to set up an emergency 72-hour kit or any other food storage plan stashed away for dire circumstances. Shame on me! You would think with Katrina, I would have run out and set the fam up. But, no, I decided vacations and other home stuffs took much higher priority! Goodness me.
With this post, I am hoping that by making this public, I'll finally peer-pressure myself into acting and getting this done. (Can't count on Mr. Hubby for this one, he thinks he's invincible) I found a great website TheReadyStore.Com that has everything I'm looking for (and it was recommended by the base). I hear the food is actually really good and prices are sensible.
Now, I just have to clear out my garage (for the third time this year! How do I manage to accumulate all this junk?) and organizethe storage room downstairs. NOT looking forward to that!

Announcement!

So one night, I happened to check out my blog hit counter and instead of the usual 5-10 hits for the day, this blog received a record number 225 readers. IP's from all over the world have viewed my page, some from Malaysia , and some even from Namibia! Yeah, the idea of my nonsense being read by complete strangers was cool at first, but it kinda creeped me out. Why they would be interested? Who knows? I'm not a very trusting person...

And so, this blog will be set to private in a week, hopefully giving everyone interested enough time to post a comment and request an invite (as I understand, I would have to invite those I want to have access).

There are a few of you who have asked if it is okay to show my blog to your friends, this is still okay. Just send me a quick comment and ask to be added (although I don't know if it's worth that much trouble).

This isn't a snub to you guys, just a way to protect the fam from strangers with who knows what motives. So please let me know if you'd still like to read my random ramblings! Thank you very much! Bow.

To the Department of Public Safety: University of Utah

Since you are the governing law-enforcing agency with jurisdiction over the University of Utah, to include the Rice-Eccles Stadium, I hope this message is received with much more concern than the laughable staff you hire as "security" for events that take place in that venue failed to give.

Tonight is the first time I brought my children over to watch a match between Real Salt Lake and Chivas, hoping this trip may instill a long-standing appreciation of the sport and pride in their hometown team. Unfortunately, certain events which took place during the game have left a bitter taste in my children's perception of soccer matches.

We have had the displeasure to be seated next to the Rogue Brigade, a bunch of foul-mouthed delinquents who had no regard for anybody else but the childish and clearly illegal antics they performed. Now, I want to make it clear that I do appreciate a good game and some old-fashioned jeering and much noise actually makes the experience more enjoyable. I clapped right along with them, even when their profanities seemed a bit excessive. I had no problem with that.

But when fireworks (to my knowledge, I understand fireworks are illegal when lit outside the July 4th and Pioneer Day holiday window) were lit, causing copious amounts of irritating smoke to be blown in my children's faces, I expected security personnel to duly step in and halt the illegal practice. After the lone orange-shirted employee radio'ed in for backup, at least five more staff appeared. They infiltrated their section and stood there apparently confused as to their responsibility. Two more smoke-producing fireworks were lit right in front of them, which suprisingly elicited absolutely no action from this "security."

What caused us even more distress, after my husband kindly and politely informed the security that our baby has asthma and the smoke may provoke an attack, the man shrugged and directed us to move from our PAID seats if the smoke bothered us.
Now, please correct me if I am mistaken, but it seems this group either intimidates the security personnel , or these punks have higher priority than the rest of Real Salt Lake fans? Where is the justice in this?

And after asking the security if they knew fireworks are illegal, the young man shook his head, "Not that I'm aware of."

Apparently, your security requires ample additional training. Your incompetent staff will be the first to be blamed if anybody ever got hurt in any of your events, and major lawsuits may possible be filed, and so I hope, for the sake of everyone's safety, that you heed this message seriously.

ZUMBA!!!

Tried the new Latin Dance Workout Craze called Zumba this morning @ Ladystyle. LUV IT! Salsa, merengue, kumbia, reggaeton, hip-hop!!! I didn't even notice I was out of breath until the end of the hour and I had a smile on my face the whole time. TOTALLY recommend this, y'all need to join me next time!!!

Air Force Ball

It isn't every day we get to attend something big and formal like this. Last night was the Air Force Ball celebrating the Air Force's 61st anniversary. Black tie slash mess dress uniform slash evening gown type gala in the house! It was great, all servicemen and women looked so sharp in their dress uniforms ('specially my hubby w/war hero rack taking up all the space on his left shoulder), and all those beautiful dresses. 900+ in attendance!
As with any military celebration, there were the pre-requisite traditions: honoring of the POW/MIA personnel, posting of the colors, Air Force song...it makes you bleed blue all over again. It always puts a lump in my throat.
I am not one who enjoys getting all gussied up for events like this, I'm pretty LOW maintenance...But--special thanks HAS to go to hair-extraordinaire Mizz Brandie H. even when she felt under the weather, and her equally style-capable hub Jason who graciously volunteered to help out dowdy ole moi. I tell you what, Ms. Thang, you made me feel pretty for the 1st time in a long time. Muchas gracias, I LUV U!
And also, Miss Lindsay K., for lending me her cute shrug to cover up my hideous farmer's tan. It was perfect! Thank you!
Great times, great food, great friends. Pics to post later, (borrowed sis' camera since the ginormous Nikon didn't match the dainty dress).

Scentsy Party!!!!

Okay, ladies! Especially my fellow ladies in my wonderful 'hood! I know how all of you are into making your home as awesome as it can be! These Scentsy products are the thing for you!

I'm planning to throw a Scentsy party on October 16th, from 7:00-9:00 p.m., so I may share with you these terrific items. NO pressure to buy, just an excuse for us to all hang out, munch on some goodies, and stimulate our olfactory senses!

Please comment if you're interested in attending!

COOL FACTOR

Founder of West Coast Choppers, Jesse James, aka Sandra Bullock's yummy hubby, got a flight on an F-16 yesterday, and my yummy hubby got to fit him up with his gear! (I had planned to go and get a pic w/him, too, but the girls absolutely refused to wake up!)
True to form, hunky Mr. James did not spew chunks despite the fact that they pulled 9 G's!!! To give you a better picture of that, he almost blew a blood vessel in his arm, the ride was so intense! And, afterwards, all he could do was chuckle and say, "That was trippy!"
He definitely has that COOL factor.

MyGym

You all need to check out this place!

In an effort to get Liv involved in some sort of activity, we went to check out the new MyGym that opened in Layton, right behind the Walgreen's on Antelope Drive. We liked it so much, all THREE of them have enrolled. Even our oldest, who was very reluctant, thinking he was too old for that kid stuff begged to be enrolled.

So here's the deal: there are parent-involved classes for the young 'uns like Liv, and older kids can get dropped off for an hour of fun! All classes are oriented towards their ages and abilities, of course. EX: Dylan learned about his triceps last night and how to stretch and strengthen them, ran relays, and played capture the flag, and all sorts of other stuff. The staff is awesome and I trust them with my own. The layout of the gym is changed weekly to keep the kids interested at all times.

AND get this: once enrolled, each kid has unlimited free play. They have two one-hour free play sessions scheduled throughout each week and parents can just drop them off to play! This place's proximity to Target is also a big thumbs up!

If you're the least bit curious, hop on over there and sign up your kiddie for a free trial class to see for yourself!

You should be ARRESTED

There's nothing like a little kid strapped in her car seat, engine off, windows rolled up, and ALONE in the damn car that PISSES me off!!!! I do NOT care how freakin busy you are, and how you're just gonna run in real quick to pick up the other kid you don't deserve, all I wanna do is grab you by the hair and slap you until your eyeballs bug out. How DARE you take a tiny little blessing like that and put her in danger? How IGNORANT are you for assuming she will be SAFE because you locked your doors? YOU SHOULD BE ARRESTED!
Any dumb parent who claims leaving a young child unattended in a vehicle is okay should have to endure looking at pictures of those lifeless children who died because their parents chose convenience over the safety of their kid.
Choosing to bring life into this world is a precious precious thing. It is not something you do because you want to play dress up with pretty little dresses and pigtails, or because you want a little boy to teach sports to. Popping them out one after the other shouldn't be done because you think procreation at the rate you're going automatically reserves you the golden ticket past those pearly gates. Having kids is a 24/7, them-having-a-bath-before-you, kind of commitment.
It frustrates me beyond belief when I see otherwise. I have three wonderfully beautiful children, each one a blessing in their own right. I am not a perfect parent, but I'm a damn good one. My 3 will always be number one for me and that's that. So, no matter how frazzled I may be and the thought of running out to Walmart to grab a gallon of milk I forgot to buy just thirty minutes earlier with three tired and hungry munchkins riding my nerves will surely push me over the edge, I still take them in with me. Why? Because that's what good parents do. Because anything tragic, no matter how outlandish or improbable, is always nagging in the back of my mind, and I simply do not want to take that chance. Why do you?

Last Leg of the Trip

Here are some pics we took of our last days in Denver and our vacation.

We made it a point to visit the Colorado State Capitol in downtown since it has that step that marks the one mile point above sea level. Below is the view from the capitol's entrance looking out into the Civic Center Park and some other pretty building (sorry, too lazy to do the research).

3Msktrs at mile-high.

We ate lunch at the Downtown Aquarium restaurant. We got there about fifteen min after it opened, so we had premium seating right next to the aquarium walls. It was a miracle we got the kids to take a bite since they were so absorbed by the fish.

She kept trying to "kiss" the fish.

The final excursion was to the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster. Aside from the thousands and thousands of butterflies of all shapes and colors at their greenhouse, they also had aquariums, and displays of different types of bugs (eeewwww). Not my cup o'tea, but the 3 luv'd it.

Olivia loved looking at Nemo, Marlin, and Dory.

There was this particular butterfly that had a crush on Ms. Sophie. Whenever she would put her hand on top of her head, the butterfly would perch itself on top of it. It would fly away after a bit, then come right back. This happened several times, and each time, Sophie squealed with delight. This was definitely the highlight of her day.

A hands-on exhibit allowed children to have the resident tarantula, Rosie, creep itself across their hands. This was Dylan's fave part of the day.

Sophie wasn't the least bit scared. Brave girl.

At the SHRUNK! exhibit.

And so the vacation ends. Many plans were altered and replaced with others. I don't even want to remember how many collective hours we logged on the road. As tiring as some days were, there were even more days we took to relax and connect as a family. This vacation is definitely one to remember. Now, time to plan for next year!

Zilmer-McMillion Nuptials

So sorry this is a bit late. Vacation overload, is there such a thing? The two weeks were SO fun, but by the end of it all, it has taken a toll on energy levels. One of the two major reasons (excuses) for this vaca is Louie's close cousin Davina's wedding to her handsome betrothed Mr. James. The ceremony took place at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church in downtown Denver in the Auraria campus, across from the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The ceremony was followed by a cocktail hour and reception at the Curtis Hotel on the other side of the DPAC.

Us with kiddies came a bit early to give them an opportunity to expend some energy before the ceremony. Here is Liv with second cousin Jordan.
Expend some energy, Miss Sophia did, by dancing up a storm in the church courtyard.

James and Davina taking off the garter.

Davina and her Dad during the father-daughter dance.

First dance as man and wife.

From the hor d'eouvres (shot glasses of tomato and basil soup with a mini triangles of grilled cheese sammies on top and chicken skewers with a tangy peanut sauce) and made-to-order pasta stations (choice of pasta from orrichiette, penne, and bowties with sauce options of alfredo, sundried tomato, or marinara, and chicken), and yummylicious cake (dark chocolate with raspberry filling and vanilla cake with strawberry filling), everything was perfection.

The DJ was awesome, playing up to the crowd, and calling out wallflowers to come out to the dance floor. Best wedding Lou and I have been to in a LONG time. Congrats, Davina and James, we love you both!

Rules are Rules

Yeah, I know...rules are rules are rules. Each one is there for a reason, no matter how stupid it may seem. I'll take that.
BUT, how appropriate is it to call out the other team for such a lame @$$ violation as having shorts with pockets RIGHT after that team scores yet another touchdown? Just following the rules, or desperately clutching at straws for a victory?
The refs, clearly seeing what the sore loser team was up to, sent our Raptors to the bathroom to turn their shorts inside out to avoid a forfeit.
So, after the pockets issue was resolved, my hubby the great ran the ball down a yard short of a TD and intercepted a pass. We killed 'em 13 zip.
Blame it on pockets, blame it on whatever have you, but the point is YOU GUYS LOST! HAHAHAHA.So much for your undefeated streak, SUCKAS!

We're Home!

After two weeks of non-stop fun, we have arrived back at home. At first I thought it would be a little sad the vaca was ending, but lo and behold, I was actually relieved to see my garage door rolling up to welcome us. And funny thing, the kids were, too! Sophie started dancing in her seat once we got to the stoplight before the cul-de-sac singing, "We're home. We're home." Liv just about jumped out of my arms once we got inside. Dylan was excited to see the dogs again, who were just as happy to see us again also.
There are a couple more things I'd like to post about the wedding and other trips we made, but those will have to wait. Despite my OCD nature concerning blogging, satisfying hunger pains still come as first priority.

Kid-Free!

This is, in fact, a family vacation, and the majority of our planned itinerary reflected that fact. However, after two weeks of carrying Miss Liv in my arms, and Lou constantly on the lookout so Sophie doesn't run off exploring, it was about time the Mister and Missus had some fun minus the kiddies.
Lou's cousin Davina loved us enough to provide a babysitter in the same hotel as the reception. And thank goodness, the three musketeers were willing to skip the party. So, Lou and I danced the night away! Just like old times. Salsa, hip-hop, dance, everything! From Marc Anthony to Akon to the Bee Gees, we were out there the whole time. My feet were killing me! And although most of the guests had already surrendered to their throbbing bunions and chucked the shoes, I never thought dancing salsa is attractive barefoot...so I kept them on.
Anyway, we had a blast.

Service Before Self

The United States Air Force swears to uphold these Core Values:

Integrity First

Service Before Self

Excellence in All We Do

The First Article of the Code of Conduct reads:

I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

As our family vacation draws to a close, our arrival back home to Utah will signal the start of preparing for Lou's impending departure for Iraq at the end of the year. It is time once again to slowly start discussing dad's upcoming absence, ensuring the children feel comfortable with the idea. Time again to start planning what holidays and birthdays will be missed. Time again to sort out a strategy of how life can stay as normal as possible back home, and making sure our missing puzzle feels loved and missed at the same time.

I have to admit, there were many times after an exhausting day, that I would cry to Lou over the phone from Iraq and say, "You know, I can't take any more of this. I need you home. This is too hard. We need to be together. Don't re-enlist."

He would always agree. But at the end, he would say, "You know, honey, this isn't for nothing."

And it would always click right when he said that.

This country is the land of the free because of the brave. (Ya, I know, I stole it from a bumper sticker, but it's SO true!) We wouldn't have the freedoms we have without these brave men and women willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of country.

Never take for granted the simple little things that make our lives so great, because some soldier out there is living in a sandbox, sweltering in 130 degree heat, constantly under mortar attack, and missing his family back home who is missing him just as much. Don't demean the sacrifice. Never forget.

Finally--Vaca time for ME!

For the past week and a half, most of our activities in this vacation have been kid slash family-oriented. The kids got to go to all the attractions they have wanted to see, Lou got several days to re-acquaint himself with friends and family, and I....well, I patiently waited. (I still had a great time, mind you, but I had a great time because I watched them have a great time) So today, my day of reckoning finally arrived. Today was ALL about ME! And where did I choose to go? My oasis slash sanctuary slash source of joy in the middle of Denver (drumroll, pls!)...Cherry Creek Shopping Mall. Anybody who has been to Denver KNOWS this is THE place for those seeking serious retail therapy. Neiman Marcus, Saks 5th, Nordstrom, Macy's, Tiffany's (a slice of teal blue heaven), and all these other stores NOT available in UT.

I've been trying to pick out a dress for the Air Force Ball next weekend, and this is the perfect place to find it. I've found a couple to choose from, and I decided to sleep on it and figure out which one I really want (or maybe, I just want an excuse to come back). SLICK. hehehehe.

Still not wholly selfish, Cherry Creek houses this huge kiddie play area with gigantic breakfast food items that they can jump on and off from. The 3 still had a good time after I dragged them around. Nothing like a little play and Haagen Daz (sp?) to complete the day.

Right now, Louie is getting ready to make his way to the wedding rehearsal. Then the whole fam will attend the rehearsal dinner afterward.

It's All in Your Head

As previously blogged, Mr. Dylan believed he was suffering from acute altitude sickness b/c he had a headache and was a bit nauseated. He got an aromatherapy treatment at the oxygen bar to relieve the symptoms, and he claims it helped. The headache came back soon after, especially after he found out we were at an altitude of 9,307 (remember this number) feet above sea level (we were at Breckenridge at the time).


On the way "home" to Keystone, Lou squeezed my hand for my attention.
Lou: Dylan, you should feel ALOT better once we get to the condo. We won't be so high at Keystone.
Dylan: Is it a lower level at Keystone?
Lou: Yup. You'll get ALOT more oxygen back there.
Dylan: I bet that's what it is.


Miraculously, upon arrival to Keystone, we hear this.
Dylan: Yep. Definitely feel a whole lot better now that we're here.


SO funny how purely psychological treatment works for our boy. So, upon arrival to the Hilton in Denver, Lou presented him with a little token to remember his "altitude sickness."

Paddleboating

This being our last day @ Keystone, you would think we'd try to fit as much into the itinerary for the day. It turns out this has been our most lax day so far. The kids were promised a morning of paddleboating and feeding the ducks and geese, and we were eager to comply. The condo came with coupons for free boat rentals, all we had to pay for were the $1 bags of fish/duck food (I guess they eat the same thing?).

Of course, Sophie ran out of food first. She would throw handfuls of pellets at a time.

Liv, still annoyed with her life vest had a good time nonetheless.

We didn't do much else today. We were planning to rent some bikes and head over to the nearby villages, but the weather turned pretty fierce for a moment, so we ditched that idea. Instead, we spent the rest of the afternoon napping and then heading over to River Run Village to have some ice cream. Now, I am waiting for the laundry to be done so I can pack AGAIN.

Tomorrow, we are headed over to Denver for the last leg of the trip. It's sad thinking the end of the vaca is coming near. But Louie just reminded me that now, at least, I can start planning for next year's trip to the Outer Banks!

Lake Dillon & Breckenridge

Look at that view!!! Just a short five minute (maybe not even) drive from our home base is the little town called Dillon, named after the lake it is perched by. Dylan was so excited that there was a lake much like his name, he kept boasting of knocking on the mayor's office to demand a spelling change to match his.


Here is the marina on Lake Dillon. After picking up a ginormous sub, chips, and drinks from the local market, we hopped on our rented runabout and headed out to explore the waters.

Dylan kept bugging us to let him steer the boat, we finally gave in.

And of course, Sophie-So will never allow to be outdone. Shet got a turn also.

As excited as she was at first, her midday nap won out. Liv...always falling asleep.

After the boat trip, we headed down to Breckenridge. Unlike Keystone, which is primarily a ski resort, "Breck" as locals call it, is a real town. Despite it being the low season, the streets were still populated. Don't get me wrong, we like the solitude we have at Keystone, but we didn't want to walk around today as if we were the only ones who survived a nuclear holocaust.

This cute little ice cream shoppe only served the homemade variety. It was absolutely heavenly. The kids got the chocolate pudding and vanilla flavors. Louie and I ventured to be a bit more adventurous. (Ya, I know, Louie, too!) Instead of the usual cookies 'n cream, he got the Oreo Speedwagon, much like his fave, but with a twist: Kahlua flavor mixed in. AND he liked it! I got the Black Walnut flavor, much like butter pecan, but with a richer, stronger essence to it. My fave ice cream treat so far.

This was a first. Apparently, many people suffer from altitude sickness. Because of the high altitude of these resorts, there is significantly less oxygen than most people are used to. And so these little oxygen lounges are a staple at Breck. I kinda just "whatever'ed" the whole notion until Dylan started complaining of a headache and nausea. So we headed in thinking to try it out.
Here's Dylan hooked up to some lavender-scented oxygen.
It seems to have helped him quite a lot.

Awesome day again. We did a lot, but we relaxed in the condo until noon, so we still feel relaxed and well-rested. Tomorrow, we will explore more of Keystone and do a little paddleboating.

Bighorn Steakhouse

Keystone is pretty much a ghost town between September and the start of the ski season, so there were only a few eating establishments open for business when we were strolling around last night. Louie has been salivating for a hunk of steak since the start of the trip, so we decided to go ahead and splurge this time.

We must have been a spectacle, walking into the dimly lit, stained-glass-ceiling, restaurant, pushing a bright red stroller, in sweaters and flip flops. But they were gracious enough to take us in, as if we were spiffed up for the dining experience.

We were seated in a floor-to-ceiling windowed alcove, strategic enough that Liv could escape from her highchair and run up and down by the windows without bothering the other customers.

Lou had the Top Sirloin rubbed down with hickory campfire seasoning and whiskey butter. He was VERY satisfied with his meat, so to speak.

I had the rosemary roasted top sirloin lamb, fired up to a perfectly juicy medium rare, sitting atop a honey-gold jus drizzled with whole grain dijon. YUM.

View the menu.

If you are ever in the Keystone area...this is a can't miss establishment. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

KEYSTONE!!!

We made it a point to have lunch, a nice (albeit short) visit with the Frost Family in Cheyenne, WY, before heading back down to CO. This lovely girl, Jessi, is THE reason why LIFE IS GOOD for the Ochoa's. Or should I say, THE reason there is even an Ochoa family? She had known way before I even visited her at FWB, FL that Lou and I would hit it off. So she made it a point to introduce us once a TDY opportunity brought me over their way. The rest is history.

We luv u, Mizz Jess!Jessi, Andrew, and Steve

And onward to Keystone we go! The actual trip TO the place was probably THE most tense moment of the whole trip. You see, despite my fear of heights, I have this peculiar affinity for cool mountain destinations. It never fails to get my heart racing a bit (or a lot) during the drive up the steep and windy roads. It is a sacrifice I am usually willing to pay in exchange for the experience up top. HOWEVER, I am accustomed to driving up roads with GUARDRAILS. And, I, assuming it would be common sense for THESE roads to Keystone to apply such safety measures since it is a ski destination, was proved unequivocably WRONG!

This section of the road was tame enough to unhinge me from my tense total-body state and snap a quick shot (and this section to my right had a pullout overlook). Most of the climb, there was at most a total of two feet between the lane and the straight-to-your-death drop-off. The 30MPH speed limit was thrown out the window as we crawled as close to the median as possible at a turtle pace of 10MPH. It didn't help much that Dylan, seated right behind me, kept yelling, "I can't help but look down! We're gonna die!" I broke out into a cold sweat, my heart thudding in my throat, as I leaned over the center console to be as far away as possible from the window and the terrifying view.

Obviously, we didn't careen off the edge, but to make the point more crystal for you, Louie, who loves to laugh at my acrophobia, admitted at our safe arrival that he had to run to the bathroom b/c driving that road gave him the chills and want to pee his pants.


And again, the sacrifice was well worth it (although we'll be trying the other way down the mountain come time to drive to Denver). We made reservations for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo at the Seasons in Lakeside Village. That unit depicted above is our awesome awesome awesome digs for the next four days.

This was on the short and sweet five minute walk to the lakeside town center.

Keystone Lake

Sophie, enjoying the time out of the car. (Ya like the new haircut?)

We'll be visiting Breckenridge and Lake Dillon today and taking advantage of the awesome hikes in the area. More updates to come!

Ochoa Vacation: Part Three

Colorado Springs exploring is now over. We visited the Air Force Academy Chapel and U.S. Olympic Training Center for one last hurrah @ CS. We grubbed down on Buffalo Wild Wings before heading out of CO for the meantime and onward to Sidney, NE to visit with Lou's family.

The chapel was exquisite. It sits on the mountainside, overlooking the valley below. Of course, the kids didn't take well to the need for quiet, so the interest for this place waned VERY quickly.

Dylan and Sophie had more interest in the U.S. Olympic Training Center, especially because of the timing. There were performance machines that measured visitors' physical abilities against the average Olympian. The Spirit Store was loaded with Beijing Summer Olympics merchandise. Dylan had his heart set on buying a gold medal of his own, and of course, Sophie-So had to be JUST like her big bro.

Dylan now considers himself a gold medal olympian. (smile)

On the road to Sidney (travel time 4 hrs).

Isn't it funny how a parent is suddenly all too willing to give whatever junk the kids want all for the sake of quiet?

It's total R&R over here in Sidney now, catching up with the rest of Lou's fam. (There's not much to see here in this humble little town.) Although, I have undertaken ANOTHER project and have rummaged through boxes and boxes of old photos in the hopes of printing out a heritage album for the Ochoa family. We'll be here until Sunday, when we will head back over to Colorado's Keystone Resort and a visit to Lake Dillon and Breckenridge.

Day Trippin'

Day Two in CS,CO. I am SOLD. We WILL move here when Lou retires. As much as I love love love Utah, a couple issues that have arisen recently have re-ignited my nomadic nature, and I have found THE place to satisfy it.

Itinerary for the day?

Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, Manitou Cliff Dwellings, Ghost Town.

Lou and kids in front of Balanced Rock.
Garden of the Gods, CO

We really just stopped at Balanced Rock and went straight to the Trading Post afterwards. This was our last stop of the day, and we were all getting a bit tired. It was a beautiful place. Maybe it's because Utah has more grand rock formations at Arches NP, I wasn't that impressed.

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We stopped at Manitou Springs for lunch. Dylan made it a mission to find all the springs in town and taste them all. It was believed by the Native Americans that water from these springs had healing qualities, which intrigued baby boy even more. In all, we were able to try five of them, with each spring having its own unique taste. Dylan's fave was the Stratton spring; he said it was fizzy and sweet.

Lou and Dylan tasting the water @ Navajo Springs. Fizzy and slightly bitter.

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Another stop was the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. Much like the ones in Mesa Verde, these villages carved into the canyon wall were by the Anasazi.

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When Dylan found the brochure for this place, there was no turning him down. The preserved Ghost Town in Old Colorado City was small, but had enough to keep the kids entertained.

Gold Panning @ GhostTown

It was a day full of activities, but we were still able to make it "home" by six with enough time to make lasagna for din-din. Tomorrow, we will be checking out (sniff, sniff) and making our way to Sidney after checking out a couple of necessary sights here at the base and downtown CS.