Skiing, zipling and extreme sportin’ at Copper Mountain

February 27, 2013 By

I’ve decided winter is exhausting. Not only do we usually come down with The Plague (Jamie is on week four) but we have a short few months to cram in as much outdoor fun as we can. With Denver’s dismal snow year, it has been that much more mandatory for us to head to the hills.

And yes, I said mandatory. As in HAS TO HAPPEN.

Copper Mountain was our latest destination to host us. A favorite among the locals because it’s an easy 75-mile drive west of Denver up the I-70 corridor, it remained a glaring omission in my must-ski list (though we had a stellar time there in Oct. 2011).

Hadley had a five-day weekend and Bode had three days off so we drove up after church on Sunday, skied as a family on President’s Day and then the boys drove home early Tuesday morning for work and school. That left two glorious days for Haddie and me to play, and one of them was my birthday.

X-Treme Sports

Upon arrival, we did a tour of Woodward at Copper. I’ll admit this 19,400-square-foot year-round ski and snowboard camp half-amazes, half-terrifies me. Nicknamed “The Barn,” Woodward is an all-steps progression program to help ages 8 and older learn aerial tricks and skills in a safe environment that you can translate on the mountain. See those ramps? My kids thought they were the coolest things ever.And I guess they are if you’re inclined to catch more than 1 inch of air on the slopes (which I am not).

The Barn offers drop-in day sessions, summer camps, SuperTramps and will undergo a big makeover this spring and improvements will include a new progressive foam pit designed for development of beginner park skills. The street area will double in size allowing for full access by BMX, mountain bike, skateboards and park skis and snowboards.

As a nervous parent, I was impressed with the capable staff’s emphasis on safety. Helmets are mandatory on the ramps and to even jump into the foam pit, my kids had to fill out some waivers and receive instruction.And Bode is counting down until he’s 8 so he, too play.

Copper Mountain

We’ve traveled to a number of mountain resorts around the country and what my family loved most about 2,465-acre Copper Mountain is that it was so easy. Easy to get to and the 140 trails across three mountains are easy to navigate. In fact, Hadley marveled about how wonderfully contained the base village is. “We don’t even have to get in the car!” she raved. “We can walk to skiing, dinner, tubing, zipling, skating and dinner.”

I didn’t correct her when she said dinner twice. It is, after all, very important.

On President’s Day, the kids went to ski school while Jamie and I hit the slopes. It is one of the few Colorado ski schools that has incorporated the FLAIK global positioning system, which tracks the kids’ on-mountain location, skier stats, and runs skied. Their instructors simply attached the GPS device around their leg and at the end of the day, we went online to see all their logistics. Turned out, they skied a lot harder than Jamie and me but we didn’t tell them that, of course.

Good thing there’s no tracking devices for parents who opt for an extra-long, leisurely lunch by the fire at Copper Station.

At first, I was disgruntled The Schoolhouse is located in the West Village, a shuttle stop away from the Center Village. But after dropping off the kids, Jamie and I rode Union Creek, followed by Timberline Express and that is where we found the best snow conditions that day.By day’s end, we were happy and tired. This was our first major outing since getting sick, which took quite a toll. In fact, sweet Bode fell asleep on the two-minute shuttle ride back to our condo.

How to Get an Alpine Rush

We vacillated on our plans. We had hoped to try out the new Alpine Rush Zip Line in the Center Village and then head over to the East Village for the Tubing Hill but remember the exhaustion thing? We opted to swing by the zip line since it was close to our condo, go back, chill out and then see if the kids were up for tubing. 

The latter didn’t happen but the former did…in a big way.

Poor Bode practically sleepwalked through Center Village and I honestly wasn’t expecting him to even try. But the second he spotted the zip line soaring over skating rink at West Lake, there was no holding him back. (Note: You must be at least 50 pounds and each ride only costs $10),

Jamie got outfitted in his harness and went first, racing across the sky. Hadley freaked out, “That’s too fast,” she wailed. A couple of summers ago, the zip line at Vail’s Adventure Race traumatized her and she’s been gun shy (terrified) ever since.

“I’ll go!” Bode boldly volunteered and he was off.The more you weigh, the faster you soar so Bode was considerably slower than Jamie.

“Maybe that wasn’t so bad,” Hadley faltered.

“You’ll go as slow as Bode. Let’s give it a try,” I encouraged her. The staffer soothed her fears and before she knew it, she was flying.In fact, the next day she begged to do it two more times. I’m not sure if she’s cured but her fears were definitely calmed.

Now, I just need to follow her example and tackle the ramps at The Barn the next time we’re at Copper Mountain.

Stay tuned next time for our memorable mom-daughter adventures the next two days!

 

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Family, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, Jamie, outdoors, skiing

On being amazing

February 26, 2013 By

We have a lot of transitions going on Chez Johnson. With winter winding down next month, B will be starting back up with his third year of soccer. We’ve finally decided it’s in H’s best interest to hire her a tutor and have subsequently dropped her from the YMCA and swim team to pay for it (so crazy expensive but thanks to my dad for generously offering to chip in every month). Hopefully she’ll be able to try tennis or volleyball in the spring once we get caught back up.

I’ve held fast to the creed I only want my kids in one sport and activity (like music lessons) at a time–both for them and me. We have some friends who are literally running every night from activity to activity and while that’s swell for them, I’m a firm believer kids need a lot of imaginative, creative down time by themselves and to be together as a family; over-scheduling them is not the answer.

We’re busy enough as it is with our many adventures.

We are sharing a tutor with my friend Lori, who has seen great improvements in her daughter’s math. The only day that would work for them is Monday after school at the exact same time H had piano. She hasn’t exactly been enthusiastic about practicing and though it’s a priority for me to keep her in long enough that she is proficient enough to play the hymns at church, I was fine with her temporarily dropping it and letting B take her place.

My Competitive Miss would have none of it. Suddenly, piano became the most important thing in the world to her and so we ultimately switched her to Fridays and let B take her time slot on Monday.

Yesterday was a day of firsts for both of them: H’s first day with her tutor and B’s first day of piano. She was grateful for the extra help and hopefully this will help her regain her confidence.

B (short for Beethoven, not Bode) was stoked. I wasn’t going to have him start lessons until next year but he is always plunking away at the piano and has taught himself to read music and play by ear. At this rate (and intensity) it won’t be long before he’s surpassing H which, as you can imagine, will go over marvelously.

The night before, I asked him “Are you excited for your lesson?”

Referring to his teacher, he humbly said, “She may be amazed.”

 

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor

How to spend the perfect Denver snow day: In pictures

February 24, 2013 By

It’s no secret I’ve been disgruntled over Denver’s shameful lack of snow. It doesn’t help that my Utah friends have been slammed and have been posting about it on Facebook all winter. But we finally got our fill in Denver today.

I’ve been bedridden with the silly plague since my birthday on Wednesday. Saturday, I developed some kind of funky ear infection that led to vertigo so bad that I could barely walk. This led to a certain unsupervised person becoming a wee bit mischievous by writing “No boys allowed” on her brother’s window,  and then TPing my bedroom.Though Fat Kitty looks pretty guilty, too.

By Sunday, I wasn’t 100 percent better but ready to be DONE with the house. And then Said Storm blew in, church was canceled and we had a glorious snow day. And so we played games, watched movies and baked, starting with popovers.Followed by sweet ‘n spicy shredded pork sandwiches we roasted for seven hours along with steak fries.

Late in the day, the snow finally stopped blowing so we bundled up and went out to play. I found Jamie and the kiddos shoveling our neighbor’s driveway.Every year during our big snow storms, it is our tradition to build a snow fort.I also highly recommend jumping off the swings. Think: soft landing. Snow angels aren’t too bad, either.
Fat Kitty thinks we’re pretty crazy during the best of times. Just think of the looks he was giving us when we went to help another neighbor shovel and the kids played in the snow with their enthusiastic dog. A couple of hours later, I dragged the reluctant kids back inside for white chocolate hot cocoa and Haddie’s homemade peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. It was pretty much the perfect snow day.

And it’s about time Denver figured out it was winter.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley

Fear: Conquered

February 19, 2013 By

We are currently wrapping up a glorious trip to Copper Mountain where we have skied, ziplined, tub tubbed, shopped, skated and loved every minute.

Except the parts where Jamie and I have been pretty darn sick.

He and Bode had to work and go to school today but Haddie has a few extra days off so we decided to make my birthday tomorrow extra-special by staying in the mountains for quality girl time. Many more details are forthcoming (though I suspect I’ll be on my sickbed for a while recovering from it all).

In the interim, we’re going snowshoeing in Frisco tomorrow and my favorite moment of today: seeing this girl of mine zipline.

I’m enlarging and framing this pictures with the caption, “What Conquering Fear looks like.”

Because it’s just been that kind of trip.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, outdoors

One Romantic Evening–Celebrating 10 Years

February 18, 2013 By

Ten years. Our first major milestone since getting married and it seemed worthy of celebration.  At first, we decided upon a trip and I’ve long been obsessed with Nepal. But since we don’t have $10,000+ to drop (though this REI trip is still at the TOP of my bucket list), we decided we’d go to Mexico when my childhood BBF Allison announced she was getting married next month. But then we subscribed to every fare alert out there and realized we just couldn’t afford it right now (sob) and so here we are in Denver.

I had grand plans leading up to our anniversary that included a 10-day countdown with notes and presents. I did something similar our first Christmas together but then everyone got sick (including myself late last week) so survival became the new celebration standard.

Oh, how the great have fallen.

But it was still memorable. Jamie’s sister Lisa generously took the kids so we had a full night and Jamie plotted to take us to the Briarwood Inn restaurant, where he originally popped the question. The second time, that is. Though I said “yes” the first time, a girl dreams of her engagement and getting proposed via email just ain’t it.

I’d been battling a cold for a couple of days and an hour before we were supposed to leave, I–fresh from a shower and still in my bathrobe–took one look at our warzone-of-a-house (three weeks of illness will do that) and started cleaning. And cleaning. I figured Jamie could just take the kids over to Lisa’s at 4:45 p.m. and I could leisurely get ready–after all, our reservation wasn’t until 6:15 p.m. Ten minute before he was supposed to leave, Jamie came upstairs and freaked out. “Why are you not ready? We have to leave! You are coming with me to drop off the kids so get dressed and put on your make-up, NOW!”

I knew something was up so begrudgingly went to get ready. A few minutes later, I heard him call, “We have to go!” I raced downstairs, flew out the door and there was my white chariot!
My sweet husband had recreated our engagement night to the fullest, even renting a limo that he had scored for $60 via Living Social.

The kids were out. Of. Their. Gourd. I was so excited he had the foresight in his planning to have the limo take them to their sleepover at Aunt Lisa’s, grab her and even loop around the block. He left no stone unturned and had brought Sparkling Apple-Pomegranate Martinelli’s and put together a CD of our favorite songs including our wedding song, Sting’s “When We Danced.” “No wonder Daddy was so bossy trying to make you get ready!” Hadley mused as she stretched herself out in her seat, settling into a life she thinks she was born to live. Bode was darling. “This is 1X better than the WiiU!” he exclaimed.

We’re still working on multiplication but I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he meant at least 2X better.

“If I sold cookie dough, I would have ridden in this!” he continued. I didn’t pursue this one, either. It’s a sore subject in our house that I refuse to sucker our friends into buying the school’s sub-par cookie dough and instead write them a check. A check not big enough for the grand prize of riding in a limo.

As the kids bounced around from seat-to-seat, Jamie and I cuddled up, reflecting upon this beautifully imperfect life we’ve been fortunate to build and how much it has changed in 10 years. After dropping off the kids, Jamie had mapped out a long detour that stretched along the foothills that were on pink fire that evening. I marveled that these landscapes had been so foreign to me during that first limo ride and now I knew every trail and climb. Quite simply, they are home.

Upon arriving at the Briarwood Inn, I noticed Jamie’s car in the lot–a kindly gentleman from our ward had helped him drop it off earlier (sneaky, sneaky). The Briarwood Inn is old-school elegance and one of Colorado’s finest dining traditions nestled against Clear Creek in Golden. We ate, lo did we eat. Beef Wellington. Extensive appetizer and dessert trays. We talked about our future hopes and dreams, past happenings, opened each other’s cards (I had mustered up a Top 10 List for him) and the whole evening was pretty darn memorable.

Late the next morning, we picked up the kids, Jamie’s brother Chris and Lisa and went to brunch at Tag Burger Bar, a newish, hip burger joint. Oozing with originality and gourmand fixings. I opted for the One Night in Bangkok burger with green papaya slaw, crushed peanuts, mint and lime Sriracha aioli while Jamie loved the Blind in Texas with chile-rubbed crispy onions, aged cheddar, chipotle BBQ. And then we ordered the five different kinds of French fries: Old School Russets, Sweet Potato (yum), Finger Lickin’ with Cheez Whiz and pico de gallo and then our two favorites: Duck Fat Fries with Tag sauce and their Truffle Aioli and Parmesan Fries.

When we arrived home, we went into a romance- and duck-fat-induced coma and called it good. Definitely good enough to hold us for another 10 years….

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Foodie, Hadley, Humor, Jamie

Kids React to Valentine’s Day

February 16, 2013 By

Valentine’s Day may be over but since I’m blogging all about loooove this week, I simply had to post this charming video from Small Fry. They asked kids various questions about love, including where do babies come from, where your parents go on dates and if they’ve ever kissed anyone. Hilarious!

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/d1kXydCqhy4″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://youtu.be/d1kXydCqhy4

Confession: I have a secret dream of doing a web series like “From the Mouths of Babes.” This video confirmed it.

Filed Under: Humor

10 Years Ago Today

February 15, 2013 By

Ten Years Ago Today, I married the perfect man for me–one who knows and loves me better than anyone. Who is wise beyond his years, patient, fun, romantic, kind and hilarious. Our wedding day was perfect. That word isn’t usually in my vocabulary but that is exactly what it was because of the man I was to marry and the beloved people who surrounded us with their love.

The night before, my in-laws graciously arranged a delicious Valentine’s Day dinner for our out-of-town guests, catered by Jamie’s good friend, Chef Mike. I stayed up late giggling with dear friends in our condo, wondering if I could ever fall asleep before the most important day of my life.

February 15, 2003 dawned bright, beautiful and SNOWY! Denver was having a severe drought and this was certainly not in the forecast but was a dream come true for this Canuck bride!  Jamie came to pick me up and after only one minor stress-related freakout (quite miraculous for me), we drove to the Denver LDS Temple. The grounds were spectacular and the snowy-frosting on all the trees was good enough to eat.

For me, one of the most beloved facets of the LDS faith is the knowledge that marriages and families are forever, bestowed through the process of being sealed in the temple. To be in that sealing room surrounded by those we love, kneeling across the alter from this amazing man and literally feeling the concourses of angels–to date it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life and I couldn’t help but blubber all the way through it.

And we’re talking “the big, ugly cry” as Oprah calls it.

When we left the temple, the party began.  Here are some snapshots I took of our wedding photo albums. Scanners are for wussies…or rather, people who have way more time than I but you get the idea.

I literally get weepy when I see these pictures of all our loved ones. See my niece Emily in that red coat? Haddie wears it now

My family

Jamie’s family

The Parents

My Maid of Honor Stacey whom I’ve literally known since birth


Jamie and I were both at BYU at the same time, graduated in the same department, had likely played volleyball together at Carriage Cove every night one summer and yet never met until eight years later. It was during our lovely wedding reception at the Marriott that the craziest thing happened. I had many wonderful friends from my BYU days come to Colorado for the wedding, as did Jamie. And many of these friends knew each other from BYU. Just another meant-to-be moment.

That evening, we had our reception at a charming cabin in the mountains. Before I even moved to Denver, my mother-in-law Linda had searched out reception venues for me and patiently toured me around until we found the perfect one. Just 15 minutes from Denver in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Chief Hosa Lodge was my dream come true. Cozy with multiple fireplaces, white lights and a harpist, it was oh-so quaint.  The snow that evening made it magical. The reception was a blur with memories of the many people who would become my Denver family. We kept things simple–No wedding party, no painful line.  We greeted our guests, chased bubbles, dined on the delicious food that included croquembouche (a traditional French dessert I fell in love with on my mission) and danced the night away. It was the favorite wedding I’ve ever attended.

It’s a good thing, too, because it was all mine.

Last night we gathered the kids together to share our love story with them for the first time–the full one that very few know. They were captivated and mesmerized and my heart was full as I marveled at the family life we have been blessed to create in such a short amount of time.

Happy 10 Years to my beloved Pumpkin Man. I feel infinitely blessed to be yours.

Filed Under: Jamie, LDS, Marriage

The Beginning of the End of the Rest of Our Lives

February 14, 2013 By

Our engagement photo

What is more apropos for Valentine’s Day and the day before our 10-year anniversary than to reflect upon our journey to togetherness?

I’ve written about our Love Story here and also briefly about our wedding day. Tomorrow I’ll share oodles of pictures from our wedding album for posterity.

Though I’ve written much about our courtship, I’ll likely never reveal it all online because it was an intensely personal, sacred experience for both of us.

It all started when I messaged Jamie on July 22, 2002 after seeing his profile on LDSSingles.com. Though I was in the process of ending a five year on-again, off-again relationship, I felt very strongly impressed to write this guy in Colorado (I was in Utah) who had posted a picture of himself a mile away on an Alaskan glacier. Note: His screen name was “ArvadaFun” and mine was “BlackDiamond”and I wrote about the Colorado mountain towns I referenced in this article.

I’m not sure about “Arvada Fun” but I will say that I recently experienced “SilvertonFun,” “OurayFun,” and DurangoFun.”

So, how does it feel to be living in Pleasure Sponge Central? (I’m JEALOUS!!)

-Amber

And yes, I did reference a “pleasure sponge” on the very first email. #Hussy.

Thus began a whirlwind long-distance courtship. Five months later, I dropped everything to move to Denver and a month and a half later, we were married. Before our wedding, Jamie compiled the volumes of emails we had exchanged into two beautifully-bound keepsake books that are an absolute treasure. He inscribed them for me with the following message:

On July 22, the great events of my life took place. I got a message. A message from the woman who was to be my eternal companion. That message started a two-month email and phone correspondence that brought about a marvelous work and a wonder and a great love.

From the very beginning of our correspondence the Spirit was very strong. In some ways the words on these pages do not completely convey the depth of the messages sent back and forth. I look back at some of the things I said very early on in our correspondence and I can’t believe I was so bold. At the same time, saying the things I did felt very natural. Time had no meaning over the first two months of our relationship and everything seemed compressed. It is difficult to explain, but things that happened over a two-week period felt like two months in the most wonderful of ways.

The two months of emails, IMs and phone calls ended in the most amazing revelation of my life: The clear promoting that I needed to get engaged to Amber before we had ever met each other. After much pondering, fasting, prayer and a blessing from my father, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I proposed marriage to Amber via email.

A week later I knocked on the door of my fiancée and for the first time saw her lovely face. We now eagerly look forward to our sealing in the Denver Temple on Feburary 15, 2003.

-Jamie

December 2002

Filed Under: Favorite Posts, Jamie, Marriage

Take note, guys

February 13, 2013 By

A few years ago, I jokingly dubbed February as Ambruary because Valentine’s Day, our anniversary and my birthday all fall within a week of each other. On Friday, Jamie and I will celebrate 10 years of wedded bliss. When I was driving home from skiing on Monday, I stopped by Chief Hosa Lodge, which is where we had our wedding reception. And, like that night 10 years ago, it was snowing. The whole day was perfect–from our ceremony in the Denver temple when it snowed for the first time in months (some would have been devastated; I was thrilled), to a luncheon at the Marriott, to our reception that evening at this lodge with white lights, roaring fires and a dreamy harp.

More on all of that later but when I came home from a busy day yesterday, Jamie had left some roses and a sweet note wishing me “Happy Ambruary” and a promise to cook us a delicious dinner that night.

The roses? Lovely. But making dinner counts as a hundred roses in my book.

Filed Under: Jamie

The Ultimate Cure for Cabin Fever: Discovering Colorado’s Cossetted Camelot

February 12, 2013 By

After a week of caring for sick kids, a wave of cabin fever washed over me. Life is good on many levels but also so overwhelming with major, saddening issues over which I have no control. I just needed to get out and for me, that means outside. I left Hadley with Jamie and headed to the mountains. I have a bucket list of trails I want to tackle and one of them is Lair ‘o the Bear Open Space. We spend a lot of time playing in the creek in the summertime but the Bear Creek Trail extends 12.6-miles through three contiguous Denver Mountain Parks to the west. I had no idea how extensive it was until I set out but it was just what the doctor ordered.

Or he would have if I’d been sick but remember I was the lone holdout in the family for the first time ever?

I was delighted to wear my YakTrax traction devices on my shoes for the first time this winter. That’s my nice way of saying, DENVER–YOUR SNOWLESS WINTER HAS SUCKED.

But my winter expedition did not and I loved it all–from hiking in snow to the beauty of the crystallized river to the chilly temperatures to the complete solitude where it seems even the birds had abandoned the forest for warmer climes. Just alone in my thoughts without any of life’s distractions.

When I was about 15  minutes into my hike, I was stopped in my tracks by enchanting classical music that saturated the area. I looked around, saw nothing and deduced I was imaging it. But as I pressed onward, the music grew louder and more urgent so like the Pied Piper,  I blindly followed it and it lead me to the Dunafon Castle.

Now I’m not sure about you but it’s not exactly happenstance in my life to find a cosseted château in the mountains–particularly one that is located off a road I’ve driven a hundred times. Built on a peninsula overlooking the crystal-clear waters of Bear Creek, I later found out this stunning seventeen-acre “Colorado’s Camelot” was built in 1941 and is a residence that opens for private events May through October.  The property was securely gated off but I’ve vowed to return for one of their guided tours.

That fueled my fire and the hike I’d only intended to be a brief escape turned into a three-hour, who-knows-how-many-miles hike. I simply couldn’t turn around; the mountains are among my most sacred places. When I happened upon this view of the peaks that worship 14,26-ft. Mt. Evans, the thought came to my mind, “God is in charge.”A wash of peace came over me…and I walked away from my brief interlude with Colorado’s Camelot with gratitude for a renewed perspective.

 

 

Filed Under: Colorado, hiking, outdoors
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