Check out this link: http://www.2thedeuce.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=6c237984-d44c-41ed-84eb-ca96311de587

My excitement for roller derby has been dwindling as the months have grown colder. Right now its time for snowboarding and I haven't had much time to make it to practice in the past month. I have fully made up my mind about continuing to play yet, but seeing things like the video above of my league definitely gets me pumped up. Last month they made it to National's and took 4th place in the nation which is very exciting, but has made practices pretty tough because it seems like all the girls are ready to tear one another to pieces. I even caught myself joining in on some very unsportswomanlike like behavior by preying on some of the weaker players and knocking them down. The game is all about agility and strategy, but I couldn't help myself and felt pretty guilty for some of my take downs. When I apologized to one girl I took out, she looked at me and said "There's no apologizing in derby!!!" I laughed but still felt like I had been a jerk. I'll keep you posted on any new developments and whether or not I decided to keep playing, I did have a really good derby named picked out; Cheerleader Beater! For now, I am focusing on the Colfax marathon in May!

Last night was First Friday at the gallery. That is the night where all the galleries stay open late and roll out the red carpet for the thousands of people who cruise the streets look at all kinds of Art.

Yesterday I hung 3 pictures in the gallery and it was fun to be a fly on the wall and listen in on conversations about my artwork. I was nervous I would hear some rough criticism but everything I heard was pretty positive!

The highlight of the night was when a woman approached me and said she could not afford to buy a print, but she wanted to buy my cards and got teary eyed as she asked to autograph them. I got so excited I got teary eyed too!It was such a compliment and I feel so grateful to be able share my stuff with people and actually have them like it! Its very fulfilling!

Halloween!

We had such a fantastic Halloween. Sloane was dressed as a "princess ballet witch" and I was Sally from the Nightmare Before Christmas, and unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of my costume, but I got some great images of Sloane! We worked really hard and had a lot of fun the night before making goodies for the party. Check out our little marshmallow witches and goblin cake! Angie decked her house out it all sorts of decorations and we have decided to make it a yearly tradition to have a party for the kids and adults alike!

Sloane has a new name she likes to call herself now too. Its Princess Ariel Daphne of Genovia. It beats the heck out of the name I tried to rename myself to in the 3rd grade; Shimmeree. I thought that was the perfect name until I had to practice writing it in cursive, there were just way too many m's!

Homecoming!

Can you believe that Olivia is old enough to go to homecoming?! Check out the pictures Dad took - not too shabby! She is absolutely beautiful and is turning into such an amazing young woman. Every time I see or even speak to her she blows my mind with her grace, knowledge and caring! There is a very bright future unfolding in front of this little lady and I am so glad to be a part of it!

Henry

Our Great Dane is 6 months old! He is such a good dog for being so young. We don't have to crate him while were gone which is a big surprise. We think Penelope keeps him in line and out of trouble when we're gone. Its amazing how much he's grown in just a few short months! He is almost as big as Penelope and we expect him to be much bigger! Even though I love my Danes there are two things I can't stand about them 1.) The ginormous deposits they leave behind and 2.) Having them follow me everywhere I go. It makes things really hard when I am in a hurry! Especially because Henry always wants to be touching me. He's even tried climbing in the shower a few times and gets made fun of or being a "mama's boy!"

Mercy Me

I never thought I would see the day that there were christian bands like this one and can hardly wait for them to make a trip to Denver. It will be so much fun, and yes I'll probably cry A LOT! Every time I listen to their music I find it so beautiful I get teary eyed.

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Mike Freeman

Tomorrow we will memorialize Manuel's friend Mike Freeman after he lost his battle with cancer last week on 9/9/09. Mike had GBM, the most aggresive type of brain cancer. With his fiance Jennifer at his side, Mike underwent various aggressive traditional and experimental treatements but eventually his body just gave in to the disease.

As Jennifer wrote on their caringbrideg site " I was with him at the time (of his passing), and his parents were in the next bedroom. Mike's passing was peaceful for him. He fought so hard, but in the end his body just gave out... Mike knew how much he was loved, guys. Each one of you should find so much peace in that, because you all had part in it. Love, Jenn "

The strength and love the Jennifer has shown for Mike throughout this entire time has been quite a lesson in altruism to me. She stuck by his side through it all and even when she was hurting Jenn still found the srength to reach out to all of his friends and family. She is an angel in her own right.

For those of you who don't know, Manuel and Mike have been freinds since highschool. Mike is the person who most encouraged Manuel to play music and when he was feeling down about his abilities he would encourage him to keep pursuing his dream. There were many times that Mike came to Manuel's rescue and even mine. One example is when I was hugely pregnant and not able to work anymore, Mike found Manuel a job at the brewery he ran so Manuel could make some extra money. The hours were long and heinous, but it made it possible for us to survive!

Tomorrow is also our four year wedding anniversary. It has been no small feat for us to make it this far, but we have did it! I think it is symbolic that 4 years to the day after Mike stood up for Manuel at our wedding, Manuel will stand up for Mike at his memorial service. Mike was a very big part of Manuel's life and part of what brought us together. How many women get to say "My husband plays in a band called Gina Go Faster?" I also believe that what we have seen from Jennifer is a lesson for treating one another with a tenderness and love that knows no boundaties will help build and strenghten our marriage. What Jennifer did for Mike reminds of the poem inside of our wedding program:

Across the years I will walk with you in the deep green forests and shores of sand and when our time on earth is through in heaven too you will have my hand.

-The Promise, Robert Sexton

Home improvements!

I have been quite the busy worker bee trying to organize the house. In fact, I finally finished a project I started over a year ago. I painted our bedroom ceiling a soft pearlized blue and added crown molding. It was no easy feat for me to do with just a hacksaw. One of the molding pieces I had to take down and rehang three times. I even sliced my finger open with the saw, which told me it was time to take a break. I get so excited about my projects that I forget to eat and take breaks. I call it being in THE ZONE.
It's not perfect, but, it's finally done. I have to make some paint touch ups because I got a little overzealous with the hammer when I was frustrated, but I still got it done.

When I was finally done, Sloane made my day when she said "It looks so pretty mama! Now clean up this mess!"

I can hardly believe that one year ago at this time I was laying in a hospital bed at Denver Health with a collapsed lung, and a large chest tube sticking out of my ribcage and a Morphine IV dripping pain medicine into my body. At this point a year ago (day 2) I was still in isolation fading in and out of consciousness. So much has happened since that fateful day and it baffles me that I am still battling it out with my chiropractor and his malpractice insurer. Even still, I use my journals as my way to reflect and always try to put a positive spin on things. I believe you get back what you put out into the world, and I don't need any more experiences like that.

In any event, I've decided instead of being angry at my Chiropractor I am instead grateful for the last 365 days of being a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter and everything in between. I'm also going to try my best to remember that the nasty and still painful scar from the chest tube is a reminder of my will for survival. I still have to wear a pad between my clothes and the scar tissue any time I exercise or else it chafes, but chaffing is better than the alternative!

Race day is getting closer! August 2nd, Angie and I will be participating in our second triathlon. We are competing in our age category this year, so I hope we have the experience from last year to make us faster and more efficient this year.

Now I know if I get stuck next to a Debbie Downer (like last year), I can tell her to pipe down, but more importantly I now have the ability to swim in the lake without getting nervous! Last year I freaked out being in the water with 3,000 squawking women.

I've spent a lot of time in the water this year because for a long time after my chiropractor collapsed my lung last year I could not run or bike, because it hurt too much. Between the pocket of air that remained under my right collar bone and the scar on my chest, I struggled quite a bit (and still do). Swimming was the only thing I could do, so I swam a lot which in turn became very therapeutic for me. I've always had my best conversations with myself when exercising and seem to always be able to solve all my dilemma's because my brain goes onto autopilot. My new swim mantra with every stroke is "I am strong and I can do this." After a couple minutes, I don't notice I am even swimming. It's more like gliding and I love it!

I am so excited for this movie!


I've been having so much fun at roller derby! And just so you know, it is NOT legal to deck someone, pull their hair or elbow them. Youwill be kicked out of the game... That's for movie purposes only. I did get a concussion last week but it was because I wasn't paying attention to what was going on around me and got taken down! I am good now and had a fantastic night at practice tonight and am looking forward to the day I can bout!

Colorado has had so much rain this year, that apparently the state record has been broken for the first time in history. There was a couple weeks where it was really starting to get me down, but now the thunderstorms are back to their normal schedule and not forming until late afternoon instead pouring of all day.

The rain has really benefited our garden and last night Manuel and I destroyed the kitchen experimenting with food mostly picked from our own property! I think it's the first time Manuel has ever eaten an entirely vegetarian meal and did not complain that there needed to be some sort of "protein" as he calls it mixed in.

I was so proud of one of my experiments I had to take a picture. It was a roasted pear salad with mixed greens and homemade blue cheese dressing that was delicious! We got really fancy and and also made a corn and cheese souffle. I am excited to try more new recipes as things come in because we have so many vegetables to choose from. We planted 5 types of peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, corn, 3 types of tomatoes, green beans, butter lettuce, spinach, zucchini snap peas and and a ton of herbs.

It is such a wonderful feeling knowing that if we needed to, we could sustain ourselves for quite awhile from what's grown in our garden... That is if the squirrels stay out of it! I am armed with my bb gun and ready to shoot!

More fun with film!

I have been having so much fun taking pictures again! I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it, but being back at the gallery I am constantly reminded that I love photography and I love to take pictures! Angie and I have been training for the Tri For The Cure again and on one of our long bike rides we rode past this field of thistle flowers. I knew I had to go back and take photos before the flowers were all gone!

Camera Fun

I had forgotten how much fun it is to use a real SLR camera with film. I am going to make it point to take real photos more often! Sloane loves to play in her kiddie pool, well any pool for that matter. She is a little fish! The best part is that all Denver Rec Centers pool s are free for kids all summer and we have one three short blocks away. We are certain to be tan by then end of of summer.

My First Mini -Bout

Today was my first Roller Derby Bout and I was a nervous wreck! The jitters were almost as bad as our wedding day, where I paced non-stop worrying about all the little details. I did the same thing today. All of my time spent snowboarding, running, swimming, surfing, biking and hiking never made me as nervous as I was for today. Every time I would start to relax I would think of one more thing that could go wrong and start stressing out again. Turns out, just like our wedding I was worried about nothing! The bout was a blast, my team won and it was amazing! I never played team sports when I was younger, so this was a really big deal for me and I am glad I did it! Manuel came to support me and I was so glad he did. I needed his support for my restless nerves. Now I am hooked and will be bothering everyone to come and see me play!

Today Sloane and I were at Hobby Lobby, and believe me when I say this - that girl can shop! She takes longer to move throughout that store than I do! Just inside the front doors there was a big 4th of July display that immediately caught her eye. She found a little tin bucket with a heart and an American Flag and asked me to buy it for her. I read the price tag and told her no, it was too expensive. She looked at me with her big brown eyes and said "But why Mom? It's only $4.00?" The crazy thing is that she was right! I was so floored that my 3 year old could read the price, I went a head and bought it anyway and am thinking that little tin can will probably end up in her keepsake box for me to re-tell the story for years to come.

This isn't the first time she has surprised us with her knowledge of numbers. A couple weeks ago we were visiting my friend Nesa who lives in a fancy building downtown. We couldn't remember which unit number was hers, so we called Nesa to ask which one it was so we could be buzzed in and before Nesa could answer Sloane shouts "It's 4A!" We were so shocked that she knew what unit she lives in when neither Manuel or I could. She's one smart cookie!

Our new baby!

This is the latest addition to our family. His name is Henry, after a stuffed toy Manuel had when he was a baby. Apparently he he carried his stuffed "Henwy" until it fell apart and his mom threw him away. He's going to be a big boy. He's 8 weeks and already weighs 26 pounds! The photo of him in the sink is probably his first and only time he will fit.

These are just a few photos from all the fun we had in May. Manuel played Punk on the Rocks - what is "Every musicians dream" and did fantastic. His band was Also nominated for best in Denver! We shall see how that unfolds!

Friends & Family Fundraiser!

Hi Everyone! I want to invite you to the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls Fundraiser event. We are having a bout at the warehouse and Angie and I will actually be skating at half time. So please attend and watch us get out butts kicked!

For $25 you will get to take the party bus from Skylark Lounge (140 S. Broadway) at 7pm to our warehouse to watch us bout and hang out with us after we play! The bus will take you back to Skylark around 10:30pm, arriving by 11:00pm. All while enjoying FREE BEER!

Buy tickets here!
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/60976

Check out Liv! She's doing so good in her classes!

Here's another shot from the Westword of Manuel and is best friend Jeff and Michelle for Denver's Hottest Hospitality staff.

Logo Designs

Last week I had the annoying task of getting a copy of Sloane's birth certificate. Normally something like that will take all day and I was not looking forward to it. While waiting my turn, I started people watching and Sloane did too. One woman came in with her long-haired son and Sloane kept loudly asking "Is that a girl mom?" I tried to quiet her down, but my shooshing only annoyed her and made her repeatedly ask louder. Then, as soon as Sloane had dropped the subject, a woman sat next to us with a teeny tiny baby in tow. We started talking and she said he'd been a preemie and was born two months early and his due date actually wasn't for another week. Watching him gurgle and squirm I started thinking how maybe another baby someday might be something to consider.

This is a far stretch for me, because I don't think all babies are adorable like the large majority of women. I also don't particularly like a lot of kids, and get kind of creeped out by them. In used to but, after one too many experiences with rotten children when I worked as a nanny I'm not programmed that way anymore. Well, Sloane must have sensed something because right at the moment I was romanticising another baby in my mind, she lifted her dress and yelled "Mom, there's something in my butt!" When I turned to look at her, I saw she didn't have on any panties and was flashing the entire room! Sloane has a thing about panties - she hates them and is constantly taking them off without my knowledge. I dropped everything, jumped and yelled "Sloane! Put your dress down. You don't have any panties on!" I was mortified! I wrestled her out of the room, down the hallway and into the restroom where I found a tiny leaf stuck to her little butt cheek. When we got back to the waiting room, people were still snickering. I believe that was Sloane's way of letting me know that she is the queen bee and I had better not be considering a sibling! So, for now, I will be sticking with dogs.

Here's a shot of Miss P. exerecising with me at Red Rocks. She can't hang like she used to, but she still gives it her best!

Sloane LOVES to dress up in her ballerina clothes. Depending on her mood, she also loves to have her photo taken. We took these over the weekend while she insisted "Take more mom! I'm pretty!" Notice how she has her straps pulled down over her shoulders... She said she has to wear them that way to be a pretty princess. It reminds me of the stories my mom and dad have told me of how I behaved after seeing the movie Grease. Apparently the very next day I started stretching out the collars of all my shirts and wearing them down like Sloane is and would tell them "Danny likes my shoulders!"

Liv's mom took these photo's of her the other night before her 8th grade dance. I can hardly believe how much she has grown since she first came into my life! She is such a pretty little girl and growing so fast into a lovely young woman! Every time Manuel comes home from seeing her, he can hardly believe it and exclaims "I can't believe she's my little girl." When he saw these photos, they took his breath away. She looks just like a brunette version of her mom!