Halloween 2008

Here are some photos of my nieces in their Halloween Best!! Elizabeth was a princess bride, Riley was a princess peacock, and Sammy was in her Star Trek Onesie. Beam me up!!






Later in the evening I attended a party hosted by my friend Daniel Dodd (aka Bindi the jungle girl). There were quite a few good costumes, including a hillbilly couple, a missionary, and a Wheaties Box.


My friend Jim came as a Luchador, which was by far the best costume of the evening.




My boyfriend Matt & I took the most cost effective way to Halloween, utilizing items we already owned, and went as a Priest and a Catholic school girl.

Manitou Springs, CO

Doug and I woke up Sunday morning and headed off to breakfast at this awesome little cafe called the Omelette Parlor, which was amazing. After enjoying down an omelette, half an order of biscuits & gravy, OJ, and several cups of coffee, we headed out for Woodland Park and the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. The museum had a ton of displays for dinosaurs, ancient reptiles, fish, and birds. It is a working museum, and it helps to fund different digging projects throughout the U.S.

After the museum we went down into Manitou Springs, a quaint town with all sorts of shops, toy shops, antique shops, cafes, and art shops.






There were even a few old arcades!!


All in all, an enjoyable Sunday.

Colorado Springs-Garden of the Gods

I visited my friend Doug in Colorado Springs a few weekends back, and we toured around Garden of the Gods. I am from Arizona and have seen the red rocks in Sedona, but this park was gorgeous, since Pike's Peak was in the background. The weather was perfect, in the 70s, and it was a great way to spend the morning.



We did a little bit of scrambling (climbing on the rock formations), and unfortunately found a sign that we were not supposed to be participating in this activity. Oops. :)



Nevertheless, we had a great time wandering the park, taking in the scenery and the wildlife. The pictures of the deer didn't turn out all that well, but it was amazing to come around a corner and see two deer just down the ravine.

Garden of the Gods 2

Doug and I went to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, CO. The garden has amazing red rock formations. However, we somehow managed to find ourselves off the main path and decided to document our journey out in case we were eaten by rabid wolves. That way there would at least be a record of our final moments. Enjoy. . .

Presidential Debate and Upcoming Election

Tonight I watched the final Presidential Debate between the Democratic and Republican Candidates, Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain. I received my mail-in ballot two weeks ago and was surprised to see 5 candidates listed on the ballot.

My hope is that every American who is eligible registers to vote and casts their ballot for the candidate that they feel will best lead the country. There are many good web-sites available, including The Voting Database by the Washington Post, and Project Vote Smart. Please take the time to vote, whether on election day, through early voting, or absentee voting. The more people who vote and take part in the process, the more we present our opinion to the politicians and can dictate what goes on in the government. Please take the time to research the candidates, research the issues, and make your voice heard!!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in the 2004 presidential election, 72% of voting age citizens were registered to vote, and 89% of registered voters voted in the election. Let's get both of those numbers as close to 100% as possible!!

Jill's Birthday in Vegas!!

One of my oldest (not age-wise!!) and dearest friends just celebrated her 30th birthday, and to celebrate properly she invited friends and family to Vegas to celebrate with her. My mom, my sisters Danielle and Meghan, and Meghan's wife Stacie all went and we had an excellent time. We arrived on Friday and started the evening by walking from Bally's where we were staying to the NY NY Casino to gamble for a bit, and hopefully get into one of my favorite pubs, the Nine Fine Irishmen. Unfortunately it was a bit late, and a bit crowded, so we just gambled until 2am.

The next day we walked up and down the strip, and went through The Forum at Caesar's where Pete Rose, the all-time MLB leader in hits, games played, and at-bats. I stopped by to get a baseball signed for my boyfriend, Matt, who is also an avid baseball fan. Pete Rose still hasn't had his lifetime ban from baseball lifted, but maybe someday the commission will allow him into the hall of fame and recognize his achievements behind the plate.

That night my mom treated Pete & Jill, and all of us girls to Mystere at Treasure Island. Treasure Island was remodeled a few years ago, and is a very nice casino.


On the final day, we rode the roller coaster at NY NY, I watched the Cardinals beat the Cowboys, and I won $110 on the Game of Life slot machines at the Venetian!! All in all, a fun family weekend.