August 13-20

Friday we packed a load of stuff into our car.  I went to work.  Mr. Wonderful unloaded the car at our new place.  In the afternoon we hopped into our car and drove to Iowa because there was a party to attend.

 Saturday we saw some good friends.  We played some cards and ate some food and danced.  Well, the girls danced.

We drove home on Sunday, stopping to visit a good friend and her parents.  It was wonderful to share a meal and see their new home!  My parents and brother and sister caravanned down I-80 with us from York, NE to our new place!

Monday was moving day.  All day.  The boys carried; the girls cleaned.  Thank you family!

Tuesday we went to Garden of the Gods.  I got a sunburn.  No one else did.  I forgot to take pictures.  My brother did, but I didn't get those pictures from him before he left my house.  We also went to Pikes Peak!  It was a beautiful sunny day!

 Then it began to hail/snow.  They made us stay indoors - as in the EMTs stood by the doors and refused to let people go outside because there was a lot of lightning.  So to pass the time, we ate doughnuts. Thanks to Dad and Mom for the demonstration of said activity.

When we emerged a few hours later, this was the scene.  They had to plow the road so we could get down. It was definitely an adventure.

 We forgot to shut the windows and the snow blew in to the van.  Notice the pellets, not flakes of snow filling my sunglasses, which, it would seem, I also forgot in the van.

 On the way down we stopped at Crystal Creek Dam and Reservoir.  It was raining and windy, but I had to have my picture taken to prove that I'd visited a place I also deal with at work in the archives.  This is due to a monstrous amount of nerdiness on my part, of course.

Wednesday we took a tour of Redstone Meadery and Celestial Seasonings in Boulder.  

Thursday I went back to work.  :(  We ate "Isaiah's Fancy Casserole" for dinner.  It was tasty, and it will most likely impair the health of our livers and hearts.  I got stung by a wasp while minding my business taking out the trash.  My arm swelled up into a 3" diameter welt which the picture below shows poorly.  It gives off heat like a sunburn.  It itches.  

Friday = last day of family at my house/time for a big food party.  My family brought my grill to me!  It needed some repairs, but after restoring it to stability, it was ready for my brother the master griller to work his magic.  Steak, grilled corn, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, red peppers, asparagus, and green beans fried in butter comprised our fabulous meal.  Yum!  

My sister is turning 25 next week, so we celebrated with buttermilk chocolate cake with cinnamon chocolate filling and Joy of Cooking butter cream frosting (and candles, of course).  I topped it all with a sprinkle of cinnamon for good measure.  

It was the first real attempt to bake in my new oven.  I would give said appliance a mediocre grade.  I can tell we're going to need to get used to each other.  

Today I slept through most of the morning after my family headed back to Iowa.  What a full but blessed week!