Vacation!

The Montoya men have been making an annual trip to Las Vegas together for about the past five years.  I joined them in 2011 and tagged along again this year.  We left in the evening from Denver on the 10th.   This year we stayed at Excalibur.  We walked up and down the strip, stopped in different places to play a few slots (pops and Scot played the table games) and my favorite, shopping!  Scot, Adam and I went and saw the show Jubilee! one evening too.  As usual it was a good time.  We flew home early on the 13th.  Adam and I spent the day being lazy in an effort to recuperate for the rest of the week!

 

On Thursday morning I went to pick up Emily S.G. from her friend Allison's house here in Colorado Springs.  We spent the day busy running errands and preparing to leave for Buena Vista, CO on Friday morning for Snowball 2013!  We got to meet up with Joe, Henry and Sophie for dinner at the Hogan.  Erin and Jesse arrived at the Colorado Springs airport on Thursday night and even later on Thursday night/Friday morning Amanda, Brandt and Joel flew into Denver and drove to Colorado Springs to sleep at our house.
Friday morning we hit up neighborhood favorite spot The North End Diner for breakfast with the group.  Nathan was also able to join us there.  After that we loaded the truck and took off for the cabin.  We gathered at the cabin with many college friends for Snowball 2013.  Snowball is a tradition that began when Joel and Emily were living in Kansas City and hosted a winter formal.  They had a few Snowballs at their house and the last was in Woodland Park, CO in 2008, hosted by Jay and Emily.  This year twenty of us gathered and had a fun weekend eating, hiking, going to the hot springs, skyping with missing persons Rachel and Shawn and Snowballing!

      

Special Guest Appearance

About three hours before arriving in Colorado Springs I got a call from Bethel College friend Andy Gingerich.  He was headed our direction and needed a place to crash a couple nights.  We didn't have anything in particular going on so we welcomed him to come and stay.  He was coming to Colorado Springs for a conference starting on Saturday, but was able to get a ride Thursday evening so he took advantage of that.  I took him over to band camp and he stayed behind when the guys were done to play some music with Nathan and Adam.  The next evening after Adam and I were off work he joined us at Nathan and Marika's for our weekly Friday tradition, pizza night.  Come Saturday morning Andy was supposed to go to the conference he was in town for.  Due to bad weather North of us the conference was cancelled all together.  So Andy and I spent the day together on Saturday.  He helped me run some errands in preparation for Adam and my vacation in the coming days.  He also joined us for church on Sunday.  Andy and I have never spent too much time one on one, but have been friends for many years.  (He was actually in the same cabin at camp with Adam so many years ago when Adam and I met.)  Having the opportunity to spend time talking with Andy was a pretty cool thing.  He is a smart, interesting guy and kind hearted guy.   I was reminded once again of what a unique and special college experience I had and how many lifelong friends I made during that time.  It was a pleasure to have you in our home, Andy.  You're welcome any time!