I call the day successful when I don't get a sunburn!

Last year I posted about an Alpine Slide adventure, and our desire to find and ride every one of them in Colorado.  Well folks, I'm here to tell you we Workmans live up to our promises (unless we've promised to help you move, then we will most likely also schedule "surgery" for that same weekend).

A on the TRAM coming down the mountain.

Our next trip was to Glenwood Springs.  A busy little town that is set in the mountains and has a ton of stuff to do-I would highly recommend a trip there if you drive through the state.  This slide was a little bit more formal, and a lot more expensive, so I was setting my expectations pretty high.  This destination took you up the mountain in a TRAM to an ADVENTURE PARK!  The slide is so high you have to take a TRAM to get there!!!! (note-the word TRAM must be capitalized due to excitement)

However, as we were waiting in line to board, the TRAM employee told us the wind was to high and there were stupid safety concerns, so we had to take a bus to the top instead.  We were disappointed (wouldn't the wind just make it more awesome) until the bus ride started.  The bus driver was freaking amazing and took us up the switch back one way dirt road like a member of the Top Gear staff!  That woman could drive, and the views were spectacular all the way up. We got to ride the TRAM on the way down, however I missed our chance to have a white knuckle ride down on the bus!

We reached the top and immediately bought tickets to go on the Slide.  My sister recently suggested that slides are for babies.

The only thing this slide has in common with babies is that I screamed like a newborn as I was careening down radical curves, and flying at unknown speeds.

Breaks and Accelerator were on the sides.  You control the speed.

Kurt and I dared each other to never put on the brakes...he won that dare.

The Alpine Coaster, super fast and awesome scary.  More to my sister's liking!

K and H riding in the TRAM on the way down the mountain.

I love this crazy state and it's crazy adventures!

I can't wait for the next one!

The Zen of Art

When trying to find things to do with the kiddos without spending money Moms generally turn to art projects.  It is usually easy, fun, and good old fashioned entertainment for all ages.  Not to mention it shuts them up for a minute while you finish that marathon of Hoarders (why do we watch it? because it makes us fell better about ourselves).   I am no different.  However, I wanted to find projects that focused on art and were created from emotion versus the typical glue and sticker and glitter ideas provided by the Family Fun magazine that is stolen from my doctor's office mysteriously appears.

So during Spring break I was determined to find something we could create together, that both my 12 year old and my 8 year old would enjoy, and let's face it, me too.  For we are important!  We tried to do an art project everyday from origami to coloring to fairy houses.  However, it wasn't until we revisited the art of Zentangle that we really felt like artists.

My friend at work (whose name is Harper-crazy!) is a certified Zentangle teacher.  She invited us over for dinner and then taught us how to Zentangle.  I was skeptical, and really came over for a free meal, but then fell in love!  She bought me a kit.  I pledged to do one everyday, then put it in a closet and forgot about it.  Because I'm classy and never flaky.

Fast forward to 5 months later and I brought out this treasure chest for Spring break.  How can I explain it...it's doodling extreme.  It seriously is Zen like.  Now I do it when I'm stressed, mostly because liquor is expensive.  And the super cool thing is, you really can feel like an artist when you are done.  The kids dig it, and we are learning more patterns.  The first time we all did the same patterns...each one of us created something with the same theme, but it turned out very personal.  This was our first try all using the patterns:  Static, Cresent Moon, Holibaugh, & Static.

 Now we are making our own patterns and getting pretty good.

Amanda using patterns:  Mist, Tipple, Kekko, Flux

Ainslee using patterns:  Mist, Tipple, Kekko, Zander

We also did it on our Easter Eggs before we dyed them!

But we ate them before taking pictures.

Saturday Night at a nerd's house...

I am a very competitive person.  This might be putting it lightly.  Whether it's a simple board game, a video game, a basketball game, typing game, karaoke contest, etc I REALLY hate to lose.

A game of Carcassonne.

I think this all comes from living with 6 extremely smart, creative, talented siblings with whom I had to constantly battle to claim notoriety.  Or maybe, I'm not a loser.
For some reason this competitive nature really started to rear it's ugly head the last 15 years.  I don't remember being this competitive in high school.

The worst incidents include yelling at a dear friend while she held my newborn son for not pulling her weight in a serious Pictionary game, and throwing a Wii controller during a heated Mario Party battle...with my children.  Yes, I threw the controller as my children looked on, mouths open.  I know, I'm an amazing role model.  Just yesterday I cursed the Zelda: Skyward Sword game for I am having difficulty beating a stupid skeleton warrior with FOUR ARMS!  Why FOUR ARMS, what is it trying to prove?  Thank goodness my children were not there to hear the obscenities coming out of my pie hole.

I have decided that 2012 was the year I grew up.  Financially, professionally, physically, etc just make more grown up decisions.  This has also included getting a hold of my insane competitiveness.  However, as you can see from the sentences above this is going to be a long year of resolution breaking.

Ainslee in front of The Wizard's Chest.

As part of this new Grown-up Amanda Regime Kurt and I are on a strict budget to get our finances at a more grown up state.  Henceforth for entertainment we have been playing a ton of board games at home. Hours of cheap entertainment that all of us can enjoy.   We found some fantastic game stores that sell great board games.  The Wizard's Chest is one of our favorites.  I especially love the back room, where devotees play role playing games and D&D.  What I really love about games like Settlers of Catan or Carcassonne is that you can get expansions.  So if you are bored with the original just get an expansion to make the game new and fresh again.

Three of our favorite games.

With all this board game playing came the crazy competitive Amanda.  At first I hated losing (except when Ainslee pulled out a win-I'm not that heartless), I would get so mad.  Mostly because Kurt and Harper are annoyingly smart at strategy and beating me.  This was causing some unwanted side affects (aka threatening to sell one of the pets, or someone may be sleeping on the couch).  So inspired by Operation Grow-up I have been being more Zen like at losing (and winning).  Now I play to just enjoy time with my family, enjoy the game.  It has been hard, which is why when I'm alone...playing video games...I let it all out.  It's therapy.

To be honest I actually have been enjoying playing much more.  There is no pressure, just fun. Maybe in time that friend I mentioned earlier during the Pictionary game, will someday play with me again-if she takes drawing lessons.