The One Where Stan's Family Visits

We had visitors!!! Stan's family came out to see us...Lois, Lisa, Dave, Ashlynne & Morganne arrived on St. Patty's Day. Tracy picked up the Wever's in Buena Vista, about an hour and a half South of Dillon. Lois flew in that night and got to experience Stan's weekly ride home on the Colorado Mountain Express shuttle.

Saturday afternoon we headed to Keystone. While Lois & Morganne sat in the warm & toasty lodge, the rest of us hit the slopes. This was Ashlynne's first year ever skiing...she did fantastic. Lisa did great too.

Sunday we took a quick walk in cool and windy weather to the playground by the lake. Afterwards we went to The Boatyard in Frisco for lunch after a scenic drive around Summit.

Sunday evening we had to drive the Wever's to the Denver aiport for the redeye back home. Unfortunately weather was not working in our favor. There was a major snow storm in the foothills (in between Summit County and Denver). I-70 East was a "yard sale"...with semis and cars stuck all over the road. Luckily the Suburban is big and tough and made it through. The Wevers did end up making it back to Virginia safely. We made it back to Dillon safely too.

Lois is here for the week...here to keep Tracy company! Looking forward to Stan coming home a day early to hang out with us too.

Lois with her kids on the gondola at Keystone.

Dave, Ashlynne and Stan enjoying a ride on the chairlift.

Dave and Ashlynne on the covered magic carpet.

"Got my hands in my pocket, I'm ready for the cold."

The One of Stan the Birthday Boy

We spent Stan's Birthday weekend (33 years old on March 4th) at Steamboat Springs, about 1 1/2 hours north of Dillon. A total of 7 people, Me & Stan, Mark, Phillip, Bryan, Bryce and Kristi, and 3 dogs, stayed in an authentic log cabin at a local performing arts camp, "Perry Mansfield."

We arrived late Friday night and after dinner in town, we partied into the morning...celebrating Stan's b-day of course.

Saturday half the group went snowboarding, while the other half went to the Natural Hot Springs. The group that went snowboarding (Stan, Mark, Bryan & Bryce), went on 1 run that lasted more than a couple hours. After taking the lift to the top, they decided to duck the "out of bounds" rope and ended up getting completely lost. After lots and lots of hiking up, down and around the mountain, Bryce digging himself out of a tree hole, and left turn, after left turn, they finally made it back in bounds and to the bottom of the mountain. The Hot Springs group met up with them at the mountain to enjoy apres-ski. Another well needed trip to the Hot Springs that night with the snowboarders/hikers, followed by dinner and 90's trivial pursuit questions.

Sunday the whole group went snowboarding (with exception of the injured Tracy) and then headed for home. Got home just in time for Burger Night at Arapahoe Cafe...

All in all, a very fun weekend!! Thanks Mark!

The group in front of the house...(clockwise from Stan) Stan, Bryce, Phillip, Bryan, Tracy, Frisco, Kristi, Mark.

The 3 bedroom Colombine cabin we stayed in at Perry Mansfield Performing Arts Camp.

A little fuzzy, but our friend Mark as the 3-man...hat compliments of Stan!!

The One When We Went Home

Tracy went home for a couple days in February to visit and most important to settle on Craig & Jessica's house.

Tuesday we spent the evening at Tracy's parents. Marcy and Lily came over to visit too. Wednesday, while Stan was "bringing home the bacon" Tracy went to lunch with Dyani. Thursday was Craig & Jessica's settlement in the morning...Congrats!!!, then a late lunch with Jim & Dayna to catch up on the latest real estate gossip. Friday was a day of shopping with Gail, Marcy & Lily.

We flew back home together Friday night. Stan got to get some snowboarding in over the weekend...Keystone and Breck. A little slushy, since there hasn't been much snow lately. We also took Frisco hiking off the Dam Rd.

Lil' playing with Grandma's weeble wobbles.

Stan & Frisco hiking through the deep snow...

The Ward family...too bad the view isn't so great.

The One Where Tracy Broke Her Wrist

February 1st was a sad day for Tracy.

After snowboarding at Copper in the morning, I headed to Keystone to meet up with a friend, Eric. After a fantastic day of boarding, we decided to hit the terrain park on the last run down.

Unfortunately, I went over the first jump on the back rim of my board...ended up landing in sitting position, sitting slightly on my right hand/wrist. After boarding down the mountain and pulling off my glove, we realized there was something majorly wrong.

I drove to the hospital in Frisco and found out I had a fractured right distal radius.

The fracture is on the right side, the long bone on the bottom...the fracture is the black squiggly line.

Pre-Surgery, soft cast covering a splint...

Surgery was on February 8th. Stan came home for the week to take care of me. The process began with knocking me out, numbing my entire right arm with a shot in the pit and then inserting a permanent titanium T plate and 9 screws. I went home that night with a numb arm and lots of drugs. The next 2 days were rough...lots of pain.

The plate...

Like the screws?

Post-Surgery with a soft cast. Thanks Andrew for the glasses!!

A week later, Terri Butz, Andra and her new baby girl, Aly came to visit. We went to lunch in Frisco and then they took me to my week after surgery appointment. Thanks guys. The Doc took the soft cast off, and gave me a removable wrist brace that kind of looks like something you'd wear bowling.

No stiches..."super-glued" and "taped" together...

So, I'm out for 6-8 weeks. No snowboarding, lifiting or carrying things. A week after surgery I could already move my wrist back and forth a little, and in small circles. Hope healing is quick. Thank you everyone for your gifts, thoughts and prayers.

The One at Mile High

Thanks to a very good friend, we got to go to the AFC Championship game on January 22, 2006, at Invesco Field. Steelers vs Broncos. Our first real venture into Denver. The tickets were absolutely amazing, 47 yard line, 2nd row, behind the Broncos bench. Stan is a Steelers fan, so it was a fantastic game. Good times...

Tracy arrives at Invesco field.

Stan showing off our great seats.

The Bus looking our way.

Mountain Man Plummer.

The One of Ullr Fest

The week of January 6-13 was Ullr Festival in Breckenridge. Not knowing exactly what that meant, it was an excuse to get out of the house.

In Norse mythology, Ullr (pronounced Oool-er) was the winter god. Ullr loved the cold, and would travel the country on his skis and skates. Each winter he covered the earth with snow to protect it from harm during the winter. On one of Ullr's many travels, he found himself in Breckenridge and decided it was a good place to settle down. To repay Ullr for his gift of snow, Breckenridge holds a week long Festival to honor the God of Winter.

Tracy and friend, Mark headed out on Thursday night to meet up with some Ullr Fest veterans. Though we had missed the crazy parade earlier that afternoon, there were plenty of people dressed in Norse garb, including large horned hats...mostly homemade. Definitely an interesting time. We also got to see the Goo Goo Dolls play in an outdoor concert while the snow fell.

Stan got into town Friday and Satuday we met up with Andrew Strauss and his girlfriend Kim at Beaver Creek. On the way home, we decided to stop off at Vail for the Honda Sessions Slope Style Contest...which included Shaun White. After a major detour, where we came across the random, but cool looking bridge below, we finally made our way to Vail.

The random bridge...

Stan?

Stan and Frisco hanging out in the front yard.

Oh Boobidy Boo...