He got exactly what he asked for, among the dinosaurs and did I mention spring?…

We have successfully accomplished (survived) another two great weeks! The weeks have gone by as fast as most do but this time we were prepping for hosting a special guest!! Our special guest is (another) dear friend from Indonesia. He is a native Indonesian and he has had the amazing opportunity to attend school in Florida for Hospitality Management. We were so excited to see him and he was equally excited to see us and especially the notorious Rocky Mountains.

His flight was scheduled for a 2:00 am arrival so Mike slept a little and I woke him up to head to the airport. Apparently while on the flight our friend was mentioning to another passenger how he wanted to see snow. He has never seen snow and well, he got exactly what he asked for. In fact a low grade blizzard was on it's way and just for him, it seemed!

He and Mike arrived home safely and went straight to bed. The next morning I came downstairs to see him sitting in front of our large picture window and was showing his wife (via Facetime) the fluffy white goodness -- I couldn't help but smile and I was thankful for the storm.

That day we braved the snow and drove up one of the many canyon roads and he got to see the jagged hillsides of the Rocky Mountains with gorgeous pine trees covered in snow. We then drove to the very famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre:

Red Rocks is a geologically formed, open-air Amphitheatre that is not duplicated anywhere in the world. With Mother Nature as the architect, the design of the Amphitheatre consists of two, three hundred-foot monoliths (Ship Rock and Creation Rock) that provide acoustic perfection for any performance. The dramatic sandstone monoliths serve as a history book of animal and plant life in the area for the past 250 million years. As spectators gaze at the towering red sandstone rocks, they view the ancient tales of prehistoric times. 

If you think of Red Rocks Park as just a beautiful place to see a concert, think again! Around you are 868 acres of deer, dinosaurs, pines and prairie, geological wonders and spectacular vistas. At 6,450 feet above sea level, Red Rocks Park is a unique transitional zone where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains. The diverse environment allows visitors to see plants, birds and animals of both regions.  

Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a geological phenomenon – the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheatre in the world. From Sting and The Beatles, to opera stars and U2, every artist aspires to play on this magical, spiritual and emotional stage (http://redrocksonline.com/about/history-geology).     

Red Rocks is an amazing playground for every outdoor enthusiast and is particularly stunning blanketed in snow -- we all enjoyed the (cold) impressive view!

The rest of the weekend we played in the snow, ate until our bellies were full and our friend, peacefully, fell asleep beside our crackling fireplace. It was wonderful to see him and I got choked up when it was time to say goodbye -- ugh, I hate goodbyes! But he was ready to go home as he is closer now to seeing his family back in Indonesia and I think, I hope, he has some wonderful stories to tell!

After we said our goodbyes another busy week ensued. Hannah had another gymnastics competition where her beam routine was her strongest event and, again, she did very well but is humbly learning the competition ropes. Mike, Mason and I were able to attend the Boy Scouts Scout Show where all the Colorado packs come together to share, learn and showcase each packs' individuality and what scouting is and can be!

I know I mentioned spring -- the birds chirping and flowers budding but the snow is hanging on and the temperatures are low and cold (making me miss the warm Bali beaches that we once frequented). But life on the on the farm must go on and soon enough I will be yearning for cooler weather. Speaking of farm, our little chicks are thriving and continue to grow bigger and bigger!! They are living up to their sassy sister nickname. They certainly have encouraged some responsibility and accountability, especially in Hannah. Can't wait to get our first eggs!!

Tunnel to the top of Red Rocks:

View from the top of the amphitheatre: 

The amphitheatre in the summer: 

http://redrocksonline.com/about/history-geology

The Sassy Sisters and my heart just melted...

This last week has been fun on our little farm. The snow from the blizzard has thawed and bulbs are sprouting and birds are starting to sing -- ah spring!!!

As the newbie (prissy) chick mom, I have learned even more this week. Our little chicks are not that little anymore. They are still tiny but have grown tremendously from the little cheeping. fuzzy, fluff balls that they once were, just last week. In addition to growing, their personalities have bloomed as well and I have dubbed them the Sassy Sisters. They are each developing their own attitudes and they are ADORABLE! The Sassy Sisters have also learned to jump out of their baby pool and when they get caught they jump back in and act as if nothing happened -- hence the Sassy Sisters idiom. And, as of late last night, they now have a wire wall of protection until their coop is ready!

We have also had some pretty cool educational experiences and celebrations this week. Both Hannah and Mason were featured in the school's art show (an attribute definitely not inherited from me). Hannah's piece was a castle designed out of metal and Mason's was a creative portrait (which I wonder if my morning bedhead inspired?). Their art and the art show in all was inspiring and super impressive. Absolutely a talented bunch of kiddos.

Another educational experience was one I got to see first hand and that was volunteering with Hannah's class at Young Ameritowne:

Young AmeriTowne is an award-winning educational program offered to 4th and 5th grade teachers to help teach students about business, economics and free enterprise in a fun and hands-on way. https://yacenter.org/young-ameritowne/

Young Ameritowne is a mock-town that is comprised of a Towne Hall, bank, newspaper, auto body shop, a college, medical center and grocery store, just to name a few. Each student leading up to going to Young Ameritowne must apply and interview for a job of their choice throughout town. After their interviews they were assigned their roles. Hannah was assigned the Towne Hall accountant (even though she really wanted to be the town judge). To say the least the little townsfolk ran the town very smoothly, all the while, contributing to the economy and balancing their checkbooks. It was a really neat experience to be a part of.  

The workweek quickly concluded and Saturday was upon us, Hannah's first gymnastics competition. I was in utter shock in the morning when she said "I am not even nervous!" -- I was TOTALLY nervous!!! That little girl was beaming from excitement and wore a smile from ear to ear the entire time! My heart just melted -- what a grounded, connected and balanced little person she has become! She did fantastic on every event and placed very well considering there was another gym there that was really, really good!!

That same day Mason had the district race for the Pinewood Derby for Boy Scouts. Mike said it went ok but those top cars are designed to go really, really fast!! It was an experience for him and, nonetheless, I am proud that Mason was the one who made and designed his car himself and sat alongside Mike when he needed help. Definitely the point!

It has been a great and fun-filled week full of blessings! The upcoming week is proving to be just that as we are thrilled to be hosting another dear friend from Indonesia. And he's never seen snow -- this is going to be good!!