Adaptation - Becoming Parents

It's been some time since I've been on here, but this is usually the season I begin to have more time in my schedule.
We're expecting a baby girl in August.  This whole process of wanting a child, waiting patiently, and now realizing it's all happening very soon has been a wild ride.  I can only imagine how we will adapt ourselves and our lives to raise this girl.
I'm so psyched to see Katie as a mom.  She'll be so great.  She already loves changing our niece and nephew's diapers, so that's a plus :)  Me on the other hand...I still think that stuff is gross.  However, I'm sure that'll last a day then I'll adapt.  I can't imagine the feelings that will overcome me as I cross over to fatherhood.  I feel unprepared and inadequate as I'm sure many first time parents feel.  It's like venturing into the great unknown.  No matter how many times you've watched others become parents or listened to their advice, it all just happens in a moment.  Ready...set...here's a kid.  Don't screw it up.

Grand Cayman!

There is no better way to kick off summer than to spend a week in Grand Cayman with great people.  Katie and I flew from Denver to Grand Cayman via Miami to stay with her friend Eric whose family has a condo right on the beach.  As soon as we got there it was immediate relaxation as we hung out by the pool for most the afternoon.  The group was Katie and I, Eric and his girlfriend Kim, and their good friends from Michigan also Katie and Brian.
We spent the week mostly relaxing by the pool, riding bikes, going out for boat rides to different snorkeling spots, hanging on the beach, and going out for some great meals!  One day we rented a car and cruised up and down the island snorkeling, getting delicious mango smoothies from a roadside stand, and shopping.  That same night we kayaked at night in a bioluminescence cove.  It was really cool.  Each time you put your paddle or hand in the water it would light up.  Katie said it was like magic! 

We also got to go on an excursion to Stingray City!  They take you out 30 minutes into the middle of the ocean where there is a sandbar that’s like 4 feet deep.  When you get out of the boat you are greeted by dozens of Stingrays that want to be fed.  We got to hold them, get our pictures taken with them on our heads (seriously), and feed them frozen squid.  It was truly an unreal experience.

This is Katie feeding a Stingray!

All in all this was one amazing trip, and we were so glad to share it with great people.  Thanks to the Ieturs for letting us stay in their condo.  We’ll never forget the amazing water, and the phenomenal sunsets!

Countdown: 3...2...1...FUN!

So...it's been a while since we've blogged and updated the internet with info and stories about ourselves.  It's May 23rd and summer is here in Colorado!  There has been a bunch of rain which is extremely uncharacteristic for Colorado, but it reminds both Katie and I of the places where we are from in the great Midwest.  It was an eventful Winter and Spring for both of us.  We tried to ski as much as we could in the earlier part of the season.  We spent New Years Eve with the Mikitas and Taylors up in Breckenridge.  Katie kept herself busy with running group while I was busy in my first year as a varsity lacrosse coach.  Now I'm wrapping up my fifth year as a high school math teacher (hard to believe it's already been 5 years) and we have a really fun summer planned out.  On Friday we leave for Grand Cayman.  Katie's best friend Eric has a condo there and we're really excited about having a relaxing week on the beach!  Then, we'll be heading to Rhode Island where my dad lives for the week of 4th of July!  And our last trip of the summer will be the last week in July when we head up to Northern Michigan where Katie's dad lives.  So...three weeks of vacation isn't bad!  Between that I'll be busy coaching lacrosse and Katie will be running like the rock star that she is.  That's it for now and we'll try to be good about updating everyone on our adventures!   

Happy holidays! AND I graduated!

Happy Holidays everyone!  I am happy to announce that I graduated from Colorado Christian University with a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction.  It took me exactly two years to complete the program.  I am happy to be done, especially since the lacrosse season is coming up and I'll be starting my first season as a Varsity coach.  Katie and I look forward to spending some quality time in Vail w/ her mom and the Merens family and Steamboat with my sister's family and my mom.  Should be a nice vacation, and we're excited to get some good skiing in. 

4th Annual Fall Fest

Fall Fest 2010 was an instant classic!  For the fourth year in a row we've gone to Anderson Farms to participate in a variety of Fall activities.  From guys vs. girls competing in the Corn Maize, to taking a tractor ride to pet cows and play pumpkin bocce ball, and a new tradition of slingshotting gourds at each other.  We had an AWESOME time.  We ended the day with a delicous meal and a scary movie over at the Taylor's house. 

A little warmer than we would have hoped. 

Love Fall: Summer Flashback

It's been a while.  We're still here.  It's Fall and still HOT in Co, but hopefully cooling off soon.  Looking forward to cool weather, seasonal beers, weddings, and a whole lot more.  We had such a great summer, and wanted to flashback on some of the highlights!

Summer Highlights:

• Spent three weeks traveling through Europe.  We absolutely loved that trip.  Great times, amazing memories.

• Katie joined running group and started training for her 3rd Marathon coming up Oct. 17th in Denver.

• Went to Maine for Mike's grandfather's 90th birthday.

• Katie's friend Erik came to visit, and we climbed 14'ers

• Spent a week babysitting Cody.

• Katie and her friend Katie ran the Muddy Buddy in Boulder!

• Mike went w/Eric to Mile High Music Festival in Denver.

• Went to OH for Mike's 10 year reunion and Drew and Molly's wedding shower.

• Mike started playing in a volleyball league

• Grady got snipped.

• We went to Seattle/Gorge (for Dave Matthews Band show and to see the Platte's and Katie's Mom)

There was more, but that was some of the really good stuff.  Our Fall is really busy but we look forward to what it will bring, and we will try to be better about posting.

A picture from October Fest in Breck w/friends.

DMB @ The Gorge

We had an amazing time celebrating the end of summer by going to see DMB at the Gorge with Mindy and Tyler.  We flew into Seattle late on Friday night, packed up the Suburban early on Saturday, and drove a couple hours to the most beautiful concert venue I've ever seen.  We had the hook up while we were there too!  We had premium camping, pit tickets one night, and met lots of fun people.  It's too bad the band is taking some time off because I would definitely go back next year.  They'll be back though.  Here is the setlist from Saturday night

Squirm *
Granny
Big Eyed Fish *
The Stone *
Funny The Way It Is *
Stay Or Leave *
Fool To Think *
Warehouse *
Rye Whiskey +
#41 *
So Right *
Lie In Our Graves *
Digging a Ditch *
Don’t Drink the Water *
So Damn Lucky *
Why I Am *
All Along The Watchtower *~
_______________
Needle And The Damage Done +
Two Step *

"You gotta babe"/DOMINATE

"You gotta babe" is just one of the amazing quotes I hear from our good friend Faustino or "Richie" as many people call him.  Today I went and visited in his new home.  He has been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma which is an incurable blood cancer.  He's undergone extensive amounts of chemo-therapy and more recently recovering from a broken hip.  The thing about this guy is he's the most ALIVE person I know.  His smile will light up a room , and although he might not admit it he is so wise and wonderful in so many ways.  Today, in his thick New York accent, he told me stories of his childhood, his kids, his parents, his days working construction in New York, and of his beautiful wife Jennie.  He showed me pictures, and spoke candidly on his feelings about his cancer.  "It never quits Mikey, it hides and lurks and adapts to the drugs the docs give me."  Through all of it, and for as long as I've known him he's been able to remain positive.  He even gave me advice about being married, some good advice his father passed on to him.  Every time I visit I leave with a renewed spirit of what it really means to live!

A high school friend of Katie's, Phil Brabbs, also has Multiple Myeloma.  He is also an inspiration to me and so many others.  He started a foundation; CancerKicker.org

The Cancer Kicker Foundation is the vision of a former University of Michigan placekicker, Phil Brabbs, who was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma on 8/8/08; just one day after his 28th Birthday. 

Check it out and find out how you can help DOMINATE!

Richie dancing at our wedding!

Mt. Evans! 14,258 feet above sea level

Katie's good friend Erik Ieuter from Midland, MI is visiting us for the week.  One of Erik's goals in life is to climb every 14'er in Colorado.  A 14'er is a peak above 14,000 feet.  So he flew in Tuesday, and first thing Wednesday morning he and I set out for Mt. Evans.  We got off the Georgetown exit and began making our way over Guanella pass.  We got most of the way before getting turned around due to a rock slide.  This changed things for us.  Now we were going to have to head to a different trailhead to complete the hike.  Instead of the hike being 9 miles round trip, it would be 14 miles with about 4200 feet of elevation gain.  No biggie.  So we drove back to Idaho Springs and took the road up to Echo Lake.  We hiked from Echo Lake all the way past Summit Lake to nearly the peak of Mt. Spaulding before a huge storm rolled in and we were forced to turn around.  Erik was getting shocked through his metal hiking poles, and the wire in pinky (from surgery) was making buzzing sounds.  It began to snow harder as we made our way down to the parking lot at Summit Lake.  I asked a couple who was getting in their car if they wouldn't mind driving us down to our car since they were going that way, and they agreed.  We were bummed we didn't make the summit.  We decided that we would go back the next day and attempt it again from Summit Lake.  So Thursday morning we set out again from Summit Lake, and made it to the summit of Mt. Evans about two hours later!  It took two days, but we did it.  It was a beautiful hike, and we made it to the top right before some weather was rolling in.  Good times, but I am sore.  Erik, however, woke up at 3:30 a.m. this morning (Friday) to go climb Huron Peak.  He's crazy.

Trip to Maine

We travelled to Maine over the 4th of July weekend to celebrate Mike's Grandfather's 90th birthday!  We had a great time meeting, and reuniting with family and friends.  We took the red-eye on Thursday at midnight and made it to Portland, Maine by 10:30 on Friday.  Mike's mom, brother, and brother's fiance Ashley picked us up and we took the scenic route to Belfast.  We stopped in New Harbor for lunch at Shaw's.  Mike got a lobster, and Katie got a lobster roll!  We also stopped at Pemaquid lighthouse, and Round Pond where Mike spent many summers as a kid.  We arrived in Belfast at Pop and Ann's condo, and needless to say he was very surprised to see all of us.  The weekend was full of surprises for Pop.  We went to where we were staying in a nice cottage on the water for dinner and hanging out.  Saturday the two of us woke up and went for an hour and a half jog through the woods.  Then everyone met up and we went for a lobster lunch on a pier by the water.  Saturday night was a very nice cocktail party at a very nice house on a pond.  On Sunday morning we decided to take the sea kayaks out for a spin.  Sunday afternoon was Pop's big birthday celebration.  It started around noon and went late where we were staying.  We had burgers and there were games for the young and old alike.  Pop gave a short speech, and stated that he hadn't been this surprised since the Atomic Bomb was dropped on August 6th, 1945.  We had a really nice weekend!

Pop and Miss Nan

Glow stick fun (our last night)

Katie took this from our front porch the morning we left.