cloudcroft 2007

Just look at these smiles! Sydni, Summer and Kalyn have been attending our Annual Labor Day Warriors Trip FOREVER. Well, actually, Sydni and Summer since birth, Kalyn since the age of 2. This year marked number 12 for us. And it was seriously one of the most fun trips EVER! We didn't have the normal crowd we usually do. I think we counted 29 total, and some years we've pushed 50! But it was so nice to get together with friends and just enjoy each other's presence. I had a great weekend, and despite having no cell phone coverage, nor the use of computers and internet, I stayed sane and even manged to get a bit of work done.


2005
2006

We stay at a place called Waterfall Lodge. It's perfect. Well, not really, but gollly, swans and mountains in the back ground? It's close. We sure could have used better breakfasts for a "bed and breakfast" lodge, but hey, we had each other, so that was enough.

My personal favorite thing to do each and every day. DRINK COFFEE! Devin was such a sweetie and brought me coffee each and every morning. I ended up on the deck most mornings just a sipping away.


The kids are the greatest! Each and every beautiful face here is a BEDNARZ. They look after, play with and basically take care of each other and have a blast doing so!


Summer and Sydni have grown up knowing each other and I just love this picture of the two of them. Cousins to the core. LOL

Keri Bednarz and Annette Jones enjoying the morning along with me.


This is Miss Mayci.

Kalyn Marie sitting on top of the Polaris. She's ready to ride.




My annual photo of Roy and Annette. I do this every year I think. I really need to expand it and photograph everyone there, but some how that doesn't totally feel like a "vacation" to me.

Kalyn and me.

Me and Keri.

Me and Summer Zoe.

This was the BEST! Every year we ride our girls. Devin rides one, me the other and we let the "drive" some of the trails, but for the most part we are there right behind them to help out and save our butts from driving off a mountain. LOL THIS year, Roy brought an extra 4 wheeler. (Jenae was back home, his daughter, winning VOLLEYBALL and we missed you so much!) So, my girls got to RIDE solo. Yep. And I was so proud of them! They didn't hot rod, not that you could on this ride, and they were very cautious, but they did so good!







Roy and his youngest, Jace.


Some of the kids dirt bike and Sydni is no exception. Very tough girl! Love this shot of her chilling on her ride.




Blaine is one of the oldest of the bunch. He's about 2 years older than Kalyn and I got some AWESOME shots of his jumping at the pit. (scroll down) We were going for a serious look here.



TROUBLE with a capital T. Check this little guy out. This is Brady, Sydni's baby brother and "K-K" worshipper. Yep, he loves everything about his older cousin, Kotton Koal Bednarz. He's on the left in this picture below.









The campfire was desperately missed last year's trip, due to all the rain. So, this year we spent TONS of time there. Everyone forgot the stuff to make smores, so the kids basically burned anything they could find instead.


Okay, very cool shot of one of the Bednarz's boys, gear. It reminds me of Robo Cop. LOL

The macbook made several appearances this weekend, with everyone playing with photo booth. I'll share the shots later and they are so funny, we laughed like 7th grade girls on a school bus! My tummy still hurts! Check back tomorrow for those shots.






This is Mayci and her baby cousin, Benjamin. (I think?)




The clan, minus Stephanie, who stayed back with Levi, who I know refer to as "Copper". He's got the cutes copper colored hair and eyes! (in the shot with all the girls and the paci)


Jase Jones and Bryce Ehlers

Okay, this is ANTM. Just check these photogenic girls out! Covered in mud and on the trail, but working that camera!




What do you get when you add 3 guys, 16 beers and a naviagational trail map?

Uh, we never found out.

This is Craig. A new addition to our group and such a great guy!


Robin and her husband Dave. Robin is Craig's sister.






Me! Yep! I was jumping the jelly! (what I refer to as my midsection.) Keri took this shot and I swear I caught some air!




I love this shot! It makes me happy!




Such a great weekend! I had so much fun with everyone and can't wait until next year!

On a "techi note"? All images shown here were with my 24 1.4. Great all purpose lens.

the aspens

I love Aspen Trees.

They are able to survive intense forest fires as the roots are below the heat of the fire, with new sprouts growing after the fire is out. However, aspens do not thrive very well in the shade, and it is difficult for aspen seedlings to grow in an already mature aspen stand. Fire indirectly benefits aspen trees, as it allows the saplings to flourish in open sunlight on account of the burned landscape. Lately aspen has increased its popularity in forestry, mostly because of its fast growth rate and ability to regenerate from sprouts, which makes the regeneration of the forest after harvesting much cheaper, as no planting or sowing is required.

That was copied straight from Wikepedia.com, which I love, but this time let me down. We were talking about what elevation the aspen tree grows at and I know it ain't "west texas elevation". does anyone know? If so, please leave a comment so I can know and record it in my "journal of Labor Day Warriors".

It's my favorite tree. I love the white bark, and the "quaking leaves". I just think it is a symbol of "pure air" to me.

We were in New Mexico this weekend for our 12 Annual Labor Day Warriors Trip. I'll post pictures next, but first.... I had to post the Aspens.

I've been tagged!

Scott Neumyer tagged me. I have to list 8 things you may not know about me. Which is going to be extremely hard since I gab constantly on this blog and my website. Hmm....

1. I bite my nails. Nasty, horrible habit that I'm so ashamed of, and have tried to quit and once did for several years, but started once again. I love pretty nails and those that have them I envy like the dickens. I want them, too. But natural. I did the "fake nail" scene and would sit at the computer and bite those off too. Geez...

2. I hate having a bum ankle and the fact that I can't take back the accident. It would be nice to be able to wear heels. And not that I would, but knowing I can't sucks terribly. My ankle is hugely unattractive and it's just a crying shame. I'm happy I have my foot, don't get me wrong, but at weddings, when all the girls are dancing in those cute heels and the legs look cut from the wearing of the cute heels, I get all crazy and quietly, silently get mad. grrr...

3. I was a preschool teacher and a damn good one. I know how to play all kinds of rhymes and finger games on my fingers and can keep a group of threes occupied for a good part of the day. I love kids! Even my own.

4. I'm a MOVIE FREAK, and would do nothing but sit on my couch and watch movies ALL day, but I'm secretly afraid to nurse my couch potato gene, due to feeling incredible amounts of guilt at all the things that need to be done. AND I own a VIDEO STORE! How stupid is this? I have tons of movies available to me to watch, FREE OF CHARGE. Geez...once a week I should sit down and watch a movie! I mean I buy 100's for the store each month, yet I feel guilty if I ake the time. It must be the Catholic in me. LOL

5. I get tired of floral patterns or any patterns for that matter very easily. And because of this, you will hardly ever see me in a printed shirt or outfit. I'm mostly a solid color girl. I detest wall paper and almost all of the walls in my house are white. I see pretty homes and papers and love what my friends/clients have done, but just can't do it in my own. I'm the same way with logos for my business and website/blog colors and fonts. Like you didn't know that one! LOL

6. I have a "thing" for handbags. A horrible, "I really can't afford that, my girls are starting college soon", kind of thing. I don't buy them all the time, but once a year or so, I will fork over some dough for something I don't need nor will carry very long. And every time I see the Garnet Hill Catalog, I have to throw it away or I will order a bag I don't need. They have the cutest BAGS!

7. I'm addicted to blogs and reading about other peoples lives and what they are doing. And not just a "few blogs" either. I have over 100 on my google reader list and I'm adding new ones all the time. It's an addiction and I'm not in denial, so don't worry. LOL

8. I can play a mean game of four square. I learned when I attended school in sunny CA. It was a good way to meet friends as playing the square was the only thing we did. I was very good at it and still to this day, think I can play. I haven't tried in ages, but who knows. Maybe I'll show up on a playground this week somewhere.

Okay, now I have to tag 8 people. I'm choosing my Cyber Sisters cuz these girls are so good at blogging and I read all their blogs and this will feed my obsession even MORE. LOL so, the following girls, YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED!

Kenda Davies
Kim
Emily Houchin
Stephanie Ehlers
Allyson Wall
Avery Lewis
Amy Smith
Lindsay Lewis

There, my 8 tags. I'll be reading girls, so have at it! Oh, and the pic at the top? Yep. New laptop and we were playin with photobooth over the weekend. Too funny! I will share many, many images soon!