Family | Life Elevated Mom

High on a Mountain Top Part I

July 15, 2007 by Amber

Greetings from my mountain paradise!

I have decided the Frisco/ Breckenridge area is the location of our future vacation home for the following reasons:

Gorgeous mountains: check
Nearby lake: check
Close proximity to Denver: check
Extensive network of hiking trails and paved bikepaths: check
Cool resort town: check

I excitedly shared my list with Jamie and elucidated that everything is in place. Until my bubble was burst:

“Sure, Amber. Everything except for the financing.”

Oh yeah, that little detail. Undeterred, I will keep dreaming and am grateful for our generous neighbors who loaned us their condo overlooking Lake Dillon for the weekend. Jamie had to work until late Friday so I had the brilliant plan to go up early with the kids. Exactly 28.5 hours early (but who is counting?) Well, I definitely would have if it had been a disaster but my gamble miraculously paid off.

The kids were positively jubilant as we arrived at the condo and strolled along the lake at sunset. On Friday, we had planned to bike to Keystone resort in what would have been a 20-mile roundtrip trek. You know, the day before my BIG RIDE with Jamie. It took only a few miles on the trail for me to rescind my plan because I just didn’t want the poor kids to be stuck in the bike trailer for too long. Oh yeah, and because I was dog tired hauling them.

The roller-coaster lakeside trail was breathtaking and upon arriving in the charming hamlet of Dillon, we stumbled upon a farmer’s market adjacent to the marina. I ardently declared, “This is the place” and unloaded my charges.

It did not take long for us to become swept away in it all: the live band, the vibrant marketplace, the scrumptious fare, the pulsating playground and the dock that became the surreal focal point for rock-throwing, fishing and cloud watching.

I called Jamie at work. You know, to rub it in just a little bit. He listened enviously as I described our backdrop until my reverie was punctured by:

“HADLEY, GET OUT OF THERE!!”

She had waded waist-deep into the reservoir.

Jamie chuckled, all envy gone, as he was reminded of his glorious gift of peace; 28.5 hours of it to be exact.

So much for rubbing it in….

In Part II of High on a Mountain Top: loads of pictures and the sordid details of The Big Ride.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Family, Family travel, Hadley

Double Dating, Crazy Canuck Style

July 10, 2007 by Amber

On Saturday, I had the brilliant idea to invite our neighbors to bike down to a chic little bistro that just opened up in Olde Town. We loaded up the kids in their respective bike trailers and followed our local river trail to the restaurant.

Dinner was lovely. Well, only if you consider having absolutely no kid food and portions the size of Bode’s fist. Call me crazy but if I am going to drop $40, I want to come out feeling like I just had some semblance of a meal.

As we juggled the kids during dinner, we were dismayed to see dark clouds creeping in. By the time we loaded everyone up, there was a veritable storm brewing. A storm with a strong tail wind, thunder, and lightning that jolted the sky right above our heads. And somehow Meredith and I were the lucky ones who were hauling the kids.

The husbands were smart enough to stay with us knowing that taking off would be far worse than any bolt of lightning. Though I could have dealt without Master Electrician Andy’s words of advice:

“Whatever you do, do not touch anything that is metal.”

I looked down at the metal bar-ends attached to my handlebars. You know: the ones that I was clinging to for dear life. Oh yeah, not to mention my metal bike frame.”

“Gee, thanks for the pep talk, Andy.

We made it home just as the rain started to dump, with no major repercussions. Though I must say that Jamie’s hair was looking rather suspect….

Filed Under: Colorado, Family, Humor, outdoors

When Life Isn’t a Beach

May 21, 2007 by Amber

I do not like sand. Some would even go so far to say I have OCD regarding my aversion to the stuff. I hate it anywhere on my body and most of all, I freak out when it is on my feet for even a moment after I leave the beach.

So one would wonder why I once spent an entire summer playing sand volleyball. Or why we’re taking all these recent trips to the ocean. Y’see, I would be in heaven if I was able to stretch out on a nice, rocky beach but sadly, very few people share my illness. And so I suffer for the betterment of those around me.

That said, how is it I had to haul eight tons of it over the weekend and also threw in several thousand pounds of bricks for good measure?

Project Hadley Playset from Hades is well underway and I am pleased to say we are almost halfway done. It has been a beast of a job trying to build a retaining wall and fill in a rather substantial ditch our developers thoughtfully left all the houses on the west side of our street. Eventually, this is where the swingset will go.

Jamie took Friday off and diligently worked most of the weekend. I pitched in a good number of hours but now that Bode is mobile, I can’t turn my back on him for even a moment. I learned that the hard way last week. I let him nap on our bed and when he woke up, he briefly discovered the freedom of flight. It did not end well.

I promised Jamie he would have my undivided help during Bode’s two naptimes (that were not on our bed). I admittedly had a devious plan. Y’see, I nearly had a nervous breakdown last week because Bode was a terrible napper and Hadley didn’t do it at all. So I figured for once, these kids of mine would give me an out and I would have to endure Jamie’s slave labor for maybe an hour each day.

Bu then they both slept. And slept and slept. After my hundredth trip with sand and bricks, I was at my limit but couldn’t back out. I deliriously made up a catchy little jingle in my head, which I sang over and over again to get me through:

“WAKE UP, DARNIT. WAKE UP, DARNIT.”

OK, so maybe “darnit” wasn’t the exact word but my lyrics aren’t exactly along the lines of what Mormon girls would say. Well, at least not the good ones.

But I survived Round 1 and am ready for Round 2 next weekend. But this time I plan to be armed with an even better secret weapon for the children.

You know, like sugar. Lots and lots of sugar.

Filed Under: Family, Hadley, Humor, Jamie

Happy Mother’s Day!

May 13, 2007 by Amber

My recent trip to Moab had me thinking a lot about my former life. You know, back when I went to the bathroom by myself, climbed mountains without hauling an extra passenger and when I chose sleep deprivation because I could. Translation: before Motherhood.

And what I came up with is that despite our daily drama that life is really, really great right now. I hesitate to say that because through this admission, I’m afraid the bottom will fall out. But I just feel really blessed for our happy home.

Jamie is a doting, hilarious and hard-working husband.

Haddie is a spitfire who, despite her fierce independent streak, is a joy to be around. Most of the time.

And I cannot get enough of Bode who is crawling, exploring and absolutely delighted for every discovery he makes. Particularly when he attempts to ingest those things you and I call “choking hazards.”

For Mother’s Day this year, my little family went all out.

Bode: Slept through the night and made his mama proud when his “cutest baby” face was sent to a 1/4 million newspaper subscribers. Who cares that his daddy is the boss? Nepotism had absolutely nothing to do with it. Really.

Hadley: Promised to be nice the entire day and generously offered to let me watch the special “Mother’s Day Mini-Marathon” Dora the Explorer with her. Gee, how did she know?

Hunky Hubby: Marathon snuggles, a thoughtful present and breakfast in bed. Admittedly, the latter present came about with a wee bit of coaxing.

“Jamie, I splurged at the store today and bought myself some fantastic blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.”

“Errr…are you giving me your menu for tomorrow?”

“Exactly….”

At least the man takes a hint.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Filed Under: Bode, Family, Hadley, Humor, Jamie

When the chips are down

April 22, 2007 by Amber

I am generally a chipper person and a delight to be around. At least that’s what my latest fortune cookie professed.

It obviously didn’t take Saturday into account.

Y’see, I woke up sick. Because as previously stated, I am on the six-week sick cycle and it was past due. The plague evidently does not exempt people who were ill for the first two months of the year. It does not care.

All I wanted to do was lie in bed and let everyone else disappear. Unfortunately, I married one and then gave birth to two others. You know: they-who-refuse-to dissipate.

Jamie also had his “Macho Saturday” at the church. I don’t know who named the event but all I know is I would run away FAST from anything deemed “Feminine Friday.” But that probably just means I am insecure about my femininity.

Jamie evidentally oozes machismo because he delved into the variety of classes including deck building, steel framing, welding and golf lessons. Because all the former were just a cover for the latter.

I somehow survived the day and even made it to our neighbor’s BBQ that night but I wish my ailments could all be made better by the mere mention of a Happy Meal. Y’see, Hadley recently contracted a little bug that chose to reveal itself out her butt. In mass quantities. Oh, and did I mention she is still in diapers? (For an update on just how successful our potty training efforts are going, check out Jamie’s latest post.)

For much of the day, she was downright hysterical. And of course, she finally calmed down a few minutes before Jamie arrived home. Upon entering the house, he announced we should go to McDonald’s to cheer her up. Never mind I can’t stand their food. But being the good mom I am, I reluctantly tagged along and boycotted everything except for a handful of fries and two shakes that Haddie and I fought over. OK, maybe I’m not that good of a mom.

Jamie then decided to strike up fast-food appropriate conversation.

“I watched Supersize me on TV the other day.”

“And so you figured after watching about the demise fast-food joints cause the American public that McDonald’s would be a wise choice for your sick daughter.”

“Sometimes carcinogens can do us good, Amber.”

He should have stopped there. So should have I.

“Jamie, I’m surprised they’re already showing it on TV. What station was it on?”

“I don’t remember. Oh wait. Maybe it was on the Superchannel.”

Filed Under: Family, Health, Humor

Planet Alignment Tabulation Part II

March 13, 2007 by Amber

This post won’t make any sense unless you read my previous entry regarding my attempts to ascertain Planet Pluto’s Performance (P.P.P.) on our recent trip. Then again, most of what I say is lacking in gumption so you may just wanna be the risk taker you think you are and read on.

Daytime Drama

Despite all the setbacks (note: you would know what I’m taking about if you had just read that other entry), we had a grand time with Meredith and Andy. We had great eats, took Bode swimming for the first time and played cards until late. Well, late being 10 p.m. after the time change, which is a veritable night out on the town for us these days.

It was a flurried frenzy outside so we took the kids out to Snow Mountain Ranch’s Nordic Center. While baby Maddie was content to just eat the snow and pass out on her sled (not to beat a dead horse but… see picture on previous entry), plucky Haddie pummelled down the mountain. Because having a Dora the Explorer ski coat inspires her to conquer the world.

In the meantime, Bode and I went for a hike together in my new piece-of-crap Ergo carrier that I could not load even if my life depended on it. Or his life, which has been in jeopardy a few too many times during said loading process. Regardless, he said it was lots of fun. Too bad it was the only time he slept the entire trip.

P.P.P.: Perfectly aligned (but a little lopsided.)

Nappy Naptime

We have our own natural disaster at our place lately. Sadly, the Hurricane is slowly ceasing and desisting from that-which-is-my-only-daytime-sanity: her naptime. This weekend was no exception so instead of keeping grumpy Bode awake with her antics, I took her for a Girl’s Afternoon Out at the gymnasium.

We raced around playing soccer and basketball before Hadley announced she wanted to try roller-skating. Even though I’m a roller-blading junkie, I warily looked at her.

“You’re only 2.”
“I wanna skate!”

I caved and strapped her into the rental skates that looked about as old as me. I thought for sure she’d be screaming out of fear within moments but I was wrong. Brazenly, she pointed me in the direction she wanted to go and I obligingly supported her efforts as she glided along. Until she attempted to jump in them. And then scale the stairs. If they’d had a ramp I’m sure she would have vaulted off that as well.

When I loosened up a little, I started to appreciate her aptitude and had visions of athletic grandeur as I relished that I had blessedly escaped birthing a prissy girl. Until we removed the skates and she looked at them distastefully.

“What’s wrong, Haddie?”
“They don’t match my clothes.”

P.P.P. Perfectly aligned (but allegedly lacking in color coordination).

The Drive Home

Bode slept. Haddie puked.

P.P.P.: I’d have to call this one a draw.

SOLVE MY RIDDLE: Who in this picture had not slept for two nights?

Filed Under: Colorado, Family, Family travel, Humor, travel

San Francisco: From Riches to Rags

October 10, 2006 by Amber

Well, our riches to rags story is a sordid tale of our condescension from the Ritz to the Ramada. Normally, I wouldn’t deem this to be a bad thing, except for when it’s a blatant reminder of our station in life. I.e. Glamorous Ritz Carlton: company tab. Dumpy Downtown Ramada: our sad little dime. But I digress.

First, our San Francisco experience. I LOVE that city but it rained. And rained. And rained. It didn’t start out raining. It just waited until we were too far away from Said Dumpy Hotel to turn back. We were optimistic and believed the weather would clear because of the blue skies intermingled with storm clouds. Yeah, right. I guess in California, it still rains when the skies are blue. Who knew?

And so we walked. And walked. And walked. For hours and hours. And miles and miles. To Union Square, China Town, random neighborhoods with near-naked homeless guys and finally, Fisherman’s Wharf. And it rained and rained and rained. Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t all bad. Bode made a friend.

And despite the deluge, we kept our spirits up and just enjoyed being drenched as a family. We also had an amazing lunch at a shamelessly touristy restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf with stellar views as Blue Angels dipped over the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

And the weather did finally clear. Of course, we were on our way to the airport.

But back to Said Dumpy Hotel. It was quite a miserable experience, notwithstanding the stellar view.

Oh wait. Wrong day. This was more like it:

Yippee. It was possibly the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Maybe it was the lights that didn’t work most of the time. Or the shoebox room with only one foot of maneuverability. Or the sticky bathroom floor. Or the lack of elevator for our second-story room. Or the television with crappy reception. Oh, and don’t ask about the pancakes…err…pillows.

Suffice it to say, it wasn’t our most memorable night of sleep. But imagine our delight when leaving the next day and we spotted this sign we had missed on the way in.

Next time around? I think I’ll just mortgage my house and stay at the Ritz.

Filed Under: Bode, Family, Family travel, Humor, Jamie, travel

Putting on The Ritz

October 8, 2006 by Amber

So, Jamie, Bode and I survived our big California adventure. Both of my boys were a dream and made me fall in love with them even more. Especially the little one. At least he didn’t ditch me to go golfing with the good old boys.

Of course, the pampering at The Ritz Carlton definitely helped. As we drove up to the breathtaking grounds, I hestitatingly asked Jamie “How much do you tip at a place like this?”

His response was indicative of cheap buggers everywhere: “Whatever you do, avoid everyone at all costs.” No pun intended.

Our room was, welp, let’s just say one night at the Ritz cost as much as our entire week-long cruise we’re taking next year. We stayed in a garden-level room with our own private deck and firepit.
Upon arrival, we went for a brief walk along the cliffside to smell the ocean. And money. As we meandered back we eavesdropped on a cigar-smoking group of millionaires hob-nobbing around a firepit: “Yeah, when we were down at Pebble Beach, we cruised around in our $120,000 Mercedes. Blah, blah, blah.” We believed him, too. When waiting for the [$40] valet, our PT Cruiser rental was the only vehicle worth under $50,000.

Bode slept marvelously in his luxury Ritz baby crib, only waking up a couple of times to eat and then sleeping in until 9 a.m. I had been such a sleep-deprived wreck that getting my eight hours almost made me make out with the little guy in gratitude over it all. Jamie ended up reaping the rewards. I think he’s finally cluing in that it doesn’t take illustrious vacations or 1,000-thread-count sheets (though they certainly help). Just get me some freaking sleep!

While Jamie was in meetings the next day, Bode and I found a coastal trail and walked for miles along the cliffside. That afternoon, we hit downtown Half Moon Bay and then hung out on the beach together. He had a great time and was a very amiable travel companion, though he did say he always thought his first trip to the beach would involve a bit more skin.
As for Jamie, he had his first exposure to The Big Boys on the Block. You know: the VIPs of Yahoo, eBay, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. Jamie even had one of them retrieve his golf ball. I couldn’t have been more proud.

Several hours and calls from uptight golf widows later, The Boys called it a day. Or maybe it was the rain that did that. Regardless, I started to get an idea of the life these widows lead. Which is why when Jamie’s golf clubs never showed up at baggage claim after our trip, I oh-so-briefly considered tipping the United worker to have them “mysteriously” stay missing.

But then I remembered our tipping policy. Or lack thereof. I just hate it when being a cheap bugger comes back to bite you….

Next edition: From Riches to Rags. Our Condescension to San Francisco….

Filed Under: Family, Family travel, Humor, travel

“Meet the Parents” Incarnate

August 14, 2006 by Amber

So, it’s been pretty crazy ’round these parts with the folks in town. Saturday afforded me my first morning off I’ve had in a long time while Jamie took my parents and Haddie on an adventure. Well, if you’d consider “off” to mean hauling a screaming newborn out on a walk and then passing the rest of the morning screaming at pharmacists who lose and then chose to not fill prescriptions. All this while I could have been out playing in the mountains.

Truth be told, I actually chose to stay behind while Jamie drove them to the summit of Mount Evans. At 14,000-feet, it’s the highest road in America with some of the most stellar views of the Rocky Mountains. But if you’ve ever hiked around at that elevation, altitude sickness abounds. Call me crazy but I’ve invested too much in Bode the past 10 months of my life to have his head explode at the top of the mountain. Just call me a good mommy.

Jamie, on the other hand, ain’t exactly in the running for The Son-in-Law of the Year Award. When showing me a picture he took of my parents at the summit with a mountain goat in the background, Jamie commented, “Don’t you think this is a great shot of three old goats?”

But my folks have been definitely dishing it out from the beginning. If you knew my crazy family, you would know why I was a little more than nervous when I first brought Jamie home for our own version of Meet the Parents. My mother, in particular, was given specific instructions to, well, behave (i.e. not be herself). It took only one day for her to break down and announce that she was no longer going to be on her best behavior. It was good while it lasted.

So Jamie shouldn’t have been surprised when he called my parents to ask for permission to marry me and my mom interjected his touching declaration of love by shrilling announcing, “Oh, you can have her.”

Suffice it to say, those Fockers don’t have nothin’ on myfamily….

Filed Under: Family, Humor, Jamie

Crazy Fun Family Weekend

January 23, 2006 by Amber

Welp, we had the best ever family vacation to YMCA of the Rockies last weekend! Now, “best ever” meant different things to different people. For Jamie, it meant I completely lost my voice and could only murmur sweet nothings in his ear. For me, it meant I was out of the house. Thankfully, Hadley was in a great mood the entire time. Oh, and she slept through the night. That makes “The Best Ever” list for both of us.

We called it our Crazy-Fun Weekend. Each time we’d say that, Haddie would obligingly throw her head back and raucously do her Crazy-Fun Laugh. Someday she’ll look at us in disgust and pray no one will see us participate in such corny activities. But for now, we’re milking it.

Our mountain resort was idyllic. A huge storm blew threw on Thursday, leaving a blanket of powder and bluebird conditions. We had planned to snowshoe and skate but since going up the stairs made me cough up my only good lung, we downgraded our activities. We still knocked a few baskets down on the basketball court, went swimming, played with the stuffed elk in the lobby, and pigged out on the buffet free times a day.

But the real highlight was sledding and playing in the snow at the Nordic Center. The tubing hill was abuzz with activity, mostly teens dog-piling and trying to kill each other. Hadley looked at them in wonder…and then proceeded to pummel down the steep slope in her little sled, absolutely annihilating her competition. They marveled at her: “How old is she?” they’d ask. Proud Papa Jamie would humbly reply “Oh, she’s only 1.” I think he was secretly plotting her Olympic prospects in the luge.

Our little speed demon was also in her element at the base of the mountain when Jamie put her in a tube, grabbed a rope and spun her around in circles. He had her going so fast her body was sloped over and her neck flung back as she squealed with delight. I thought for sure her head would pop off but it held strong. It’s a good thing, too, because after a year of questioning if it even existed during her Jabba/Chub phase, she recently discovered she had one.

We rushed home to watch the sad demise of Jamie’s Broncos. OK, he watched, I napped. We’re both feeling a bit bummed–he, because of his team. Me, because it’s painful to see a grown man cry. Oh, and because I’m going to have to have to endure his nappy 1999 Broncos Superbowl sweatshirt for at least another year.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family, Family travel, Hadley, Jamie, travel