They Finally Arrived!

It seems like I've been anticipating Jen and Riley's visit forever, but they're finally here! So far we've pretty much just hung around the house. Today we did head into Montrose for lunch and some shopping... looked at lots of gardening items for ideas for the wedding :) We also went to the hot springs!!! It was Riley's first time being in water besides a bath. She was super cute and seemed to enjoy it.

Playing with building blocks with Uncle Jeremy.

Being mischievous.

Happy Riley!

First time on the swings!

The cutest thing on earth.


And swimming, swimming, swimming...

Happy Easter!

Jeremy's mom and I dyed a few Easter eggs on Friday evening... here are my favorites:


Then the Easter Bunny brought Jeremy and I all sorts of furniture to put together in our offices! A new desk for Jeremy, a bookshelf for the entry way (to replace Jeremy's old one that he wanted to put back in his office with it's match), and three new bookshelves for my "office." We moved grampy's desk to our bedroom in what used to be the "reading nook" (it was really just a chair that ended up being a laundry catcher). The desks fits PERFECTLY in there and has created a much more usable space. It turned my "office" into more of a library/workout room. My elliptical fits better now, and the new book shelves made lots more room for all of my books and space for my collection to grow!

This first week of spring break has been wonderful... some reading, the first Card's game of the season, and a short trip to Santa Fe to explore! In three days Jeremy, his mom, and I managed to hit a historical landmark (a chapel), three museums, and two national monuments. We were also able to squeeze in some time sitting by the pool in the sun, one short soak in the hot tub, and a trip to Trader Joe's (a organic grocery store that Jeremy loves, but we don't have in Colorado).

A natural hot spring just south of us as you head into Durango.

Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico. Six to Seven million years ago, volcanic eruptions a few miles away allowed harder "cap stones" to form over softer rock. As erosion occurred, the harder stone sheltered the softer stone beneath it, forming these "tent" shaped rocks.

A few sights in Santa Fe...

The "miracle staircase" in Loretto Chapel...

Bandelier National Monument...
This group of Ancestral Puebloans lived in this valley. One group in the cliff dwellings and one group on the valley floor. This park is much like Mesa Verde, but nicer because there were far fewer people and no one constantly looking over your shoulder to make sure you didn't do something wrong. Very pleasant!


There were lots of small spots in the cliff wall we could see into with a short climb up a ladder or steps, but then we went to Alcove House... It was a 140 foot ascent up several 30 foot ladders! At the top was a "cave" dwelling with a kiva that had been excavated.

A reservoir we passed on the way home...