Last summer my friend Aime had invited Bridget and I join her and her mother on a weekend trip to Telluride. Her aunt has an amazing house off of Main Street just waiting to be visited. On the way home from that trip we decided that we should create a Cheap Wine Club so that we could get to know the other fire fighter's wives and possibly make new friends. Well, over the past year that mission was accomplished and the ladies get together once a month to drink wine and be silly.
This summer Aime invited the founding members of our Cheap Wine Club to go to Telluride again, which included another Amy and our friend Tally. Unfortunately, Tally's dogs decided to break and enter her neighbors house while she was at work and she had to stay behind and repair the damage. We felt awful leaving without her and are looking forward to having Tally join us next year.
Let's give a moment of silence for Tally and her loss.....
And on to the trip.
Upon arrival, of course, we had to give the grand tour of the beautiful house to Amy (Far left) since she had never been there before. But as soon as that formality was completed we headed straight for the gondola so that we could watch the sun set and take our annual gondola picture.
At the top of the gondola is a resort that houses many restaurants and hotels that we could never manage to afford in our life times. So, instead we played in the phone booths and pretended to call Harry Potter.
After we rode the gondola we passed the tent for "Taste of Telluride" a wine tasting event that we went to last year. This year we were unable to make it in time and decided to take a tour of our own. Somewhere in the town of Telluride we met a brain surgeon from Miami who wanted to show us the house he had built that was up for sale not far from where the gondola drops us off. Aime's mother is a master at meeting random people and is actually the one that met him in the first place. At first we thought he was probably some creepy guy who was feeding us a line but were surprised upon arriving at the said house. He and his wife had renevated it and it was beyond beautiful. It was so beautiful in fact we decided to take a picture inside of it...
and then we decided to take another picture inside of the elevator. Yes. It had an elevator. But we got stuck so we didn't think it was so cool after that.
The next day we woke up early, walked to the coffee shop and then went for our annual hike to the waterfalls.
I LOVE this hike. By the time you get to the falls you have worked so hard that the mist that rolls out to greet you is pure heaven. Last year I bribed Bridget with 5 marichino cherries so that she wouldn't whine while we walked and we made the same deal this year. Though, her legs have gotten longer so it wasn't as hard for her as it was before.
Last year we quit at the waterfall and then turned back around. This time we made it all the way up to the house at the top. (It's actually an electric plant or something of that sort.)
After we were done with our hiking we all went home, cleaned up and got ready for our VIP wine tasting. I know what you are thinking. Why did you bring your kid to a wine tasting? Brent was actually supposed to stay home with Bridget but had to get a certification for work and was unable to keep her. She actually went with us last year and is extremely well behaved so we just toted her along with us.
Before we actually got to the wine tasting Bridget and I went to the Sweet Life and got her the well deserved icecream with 5 cherries. Then we headed for the tasting that took place under tents. It was a good thing we had tents too because the weather was awful. The rain was pouring down and people were squished together trying not to get wet. It was actually pretty miserable for the first 30 minutes. But low and behold the sun broke through the clouds and people were able to spread out more making it a much more enjoyable experience.
As we went from table to table tasting different wines we came upon a table that was serving cocktails. The bartender was so kind as to offer to make Bridget a non-alcoholic drink. He made the people wait in line so that he could retrieve sparkling water for her drink. He squeezed fresh lemon and grapefruit juice and poured agave necter in it to make it sweet. He even shook it up for her like he did all of the other drinks. I was afraid that the grapefruit juice would be too bitter for her but she loved it.
When I told my dad about this later he said, "Oh that's great! You might as well have given her candy cigarettes while you're at it." And I can see his point, but I figured that I grew up listening to my mother sing in bars and I would drink Shirely Temples while she did it. I think I turned out okay, so I'm not too worried about it.
After the wine tasting there was a concert that was to take place. As the band set up for the concert they played Jackson Five songs as a tribute to Michael. Bridget and I decided to do what we do best...Dance like nobody was watching.
But it turns out they were watching. We didn't care though, we were having so much fun. We actually got lots of other people to join us.
We met the brain surgeons wife at the tasting and let me tell you, she could bust a move!
During the concert we met a cinematographer who agreed to take our picture. The pictures Amy and I tried to take ourselves weren't quite working.
As the music played Bridget made some friends to dance around with. They ended up tackling this hippy. It was quite funny actually. We had met him earlier during the fest but I still kept my eye on him. There's something about grown men playing with children that bothers me. (It must have been the Michael Jackson music that was making me paranoid.)
The little girl that Bridget met actually lives five minutes from us so we exchanged information so that the girls could get together for play dates. I'm telling you that kid makes friends every where she goes.
The music at the concert was perfect the band was called Citizen Cope and the music they played magically made the whole crowd happy. (Bridget thought that the lead singer looked like one of the dwarfs from the Narnia movie, which I thought was pretty funny.)
When the concert ended they played some more Jackson Five and every single person in the crowd danced this time. I have never in my life seen so many happy people together in one spot dancing in unison. It was like stepping into a musical where everyone breaks into choreography at the same time with the same cheesy smiles on their faces. It was priceless.
When we got home we ate chicken stir fry and giggled like girls at a slumber party. We woke up the next day had our morning coffee and said good bye to our beloved Telluride...
I'm pretty sure my internal monologue has never really developed past the age of 13. I just never got past that awkward phase. I'm not gonna lie, it can get weird sometimes being a 29 year old who still thinks like a 13 year old.
Another fall semester has begun and with a lot of spare time between classes I am left alone to roam the city. I've been going to UC Denver for about a year and a half now but I have never been afforded the opportunity to wonder off of campus and explore. The funny thing about being a mom is that your life centers around your children and its hard not to lose yourself through that devotion. But this semester I am being forced to spend time alone in the city and it has been more refreshing than I could have ever imagined. 
I am the PTA mommy who reads parenting magazines, does laundry and fixes dinner for everyone at home. I'm always consumed with caring for my family but here in the streets of Denver I am allowed to be someone else. I call this person... Coco Robicheaux.
Driving to MO from Colorado is not the most fun drive ever seeing as how we have to cross through Kansas. The only interesting part about that drive is the billboard advertizing a detour to Dorothy's House from the Wizard of Oz's and the creepy painting of Jesus peering out at you through a wheat field. So we were happy to have finally arrived to our condo on Thursday with enough time to go swimming.
We were the first ones there upon arrival. We were expecting Brent's parents, Tommy and Janice, his brother Bryce, his wife Carrie and their daughter Ruby and his other brother Ben with his friend Stacie. But mostly we were looking forward to seeing our little niece Ruby. Doesn't she have cute cheeks???
After gorging ourselves on pizza we all decided to go for a late night swim. This is Bridget with her Uncle Brycie.
We spent a lot of time lying in the sun and swimming in the pool that over looked the lake.
Here is a picture of Bridget making cake balls with her Uncle Ben.
Brent lounging with his girls before we went to rent our jet skis.
We also took Bridget to a beach where Brent told her that turtles would grab her by her toes and pull her to the bottom. She insisted on wearing her life jacket even when she was wading through water that barely covered her feet. It was funny when we actually did see a turtle popping its head out of the water. 
Tommy and his not so mini-me.
Back at the condo we spent every morning and evening on the balcony that over looked the pool and the lake. It was the perfect place to watch the sun set.
Bridget and Ruby got to spend some quality time together. This is Bridget changing her first diaper.
When Brent was little he had a sock monkey a lot like this one so we had to by it for Ruby when we saw it sitting at the Cracker Barrell on the drive there.
After a few days we headed back to Grenville IL where Brent's parents live. Of course Bridget had to catch fire flies the first night we were there. (We don't have them in CO.)
Brent and I left on Tuesday while Bridget stayed to spend more time with her grand parents. She went to Vacation Bible School at Tommy's church and got to stay and have the princess treatment.
Brent and I drove back to Colorado and celebrated our five year wedding anniversary a month early. Basically we got to hang out with out having to tend to our parental duties. It was a nice change but it didn't take long for us to want Bridget to come back home.
Here is a picture of Bridget and her friend Cadence. We were all shocked when we entered the theater to find the place completely packed. We thought there was no way that we were going to find good seats.
Everyone started to get grumpy until I finagled my way in the middle and found seats for us all.
Before the movie started there was a concert and Bridget couldn't help herself. She had to show off her mad skills.
Once the movie started the excitement began. The crowd was so into the film. Everyone repeated the catch phrases.. "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." And every time Wesley defeated one of the bad guys everyone cheered! I think the next film we will be attending is Indiana Jones. I'm hoping they'll play the Goonies at some point.
Before the parade everything was pure chaos. Kids and dogs were running every where while every one tried to figure out where they were supposed to go.
Finally, when all of the kids were thrown into fire trucks and all of the fire fighters were lined up the parade began.
I ran up and down the street so that I could get pictures of Brent and Bridget as they made their way down the street. Both of them were so proud. Brent is one of the guys in the middle of this photo holding a flag. I'm pretty sure he was the third one from the left.
I looked like a maniac while I ran into the street to take my pictures. 
Bridget was even laughing at me as I took this picture.
After the parade she told Brent that she was famous because people were clapping for her.
She has her mouth full of candy in almost every shot I took. I think she ate more candy than she threw. (Click on this picture to make it bigger and you'll see the funny face she's making.)
Some of the kids decided not to be in the parade so that they could get the candy that was thrown in the street. Little did they know the trucks were first in the parade and Bridget was soon able to come back and watch the rest of it. Here's another photo of her and her friend Riley. Riley's dad works on the same shift as Brent.
After the parade we all met up at an Irish Pub called Burke and Riley's for lunch. The police and fire fighters bag pipe band played there as well. Bridget and Riley couldn't help but dance to the music.
Brent's batalion chief "Rosie" plays the drums in the band and he let Bridget give it a shot.
Here is a picture of Rosie doing his thing. After we ate at Burke and Riley's we went to Fairplay to hang out at the Goossen's house. The kids popped some fire crackers, we ate some more hamburgers and finally went home. Bridget passed out as soon as we got into the car. It was such a fun day.
Upon arrival, of course, we had to give the grand tour of the beautiful house to Amy (Far left) since she had never been there before. But as soon as that formality was completed we headed straight for the gondola so that we could watch the sun set and take our annual gondola picture.
After we rode the gondola we passed the tent for "Taste of Telluride" a wine tasting event that we went to last year. This year we were unable to make it in time and decided to take a tour of our own. Somewhere in the town of Telluride we met a brain surgeon from Miami who wanted to show us the house he had built that was up for sale not far from where the gondola drops us off. Aime's mother is a master at meeting random people and is actually the one that met him in the first place. At first we thought he was probably some creepy guy who was feeding us a line but were surprised upon arriving at the said house. He and his wife had renevated it and it was beyond beautiful. It was so beautiful in fact we decided to take a picture inside of it...
and then we decided to take another picture inside of the elevator. Yes. It had an elevator. But we got stuck so we didn't think it was so cool after that.
The next day we woke up early, walked to the coffee shop and then went for our annual hike to the waterfalls.
I LOVE this hike. By the time you get to the falls you have worked so hard that the mist that rolls out to greet you is pure heaven. Last year I bribed Bridget with 5 marichino cherries so that she wouldn't whine while we walked and we made the same deal this year. Though, her legs have gotten longer so it wasn't as hard for her as it was before.
Last year we quit at the waterfall and then turned back around. This time we made it all the way up to the house at the top. (It's actually an electric plant or something of that sort.)
After the wine tasting there was a concert that was to take place. As the band set up for the concert they played Jackson Five songs as a tribute to Michael. Bridget and I decided to do what we do best...Dance like nobody was watching.
But it turns out they were watching. We didn't care though, we were having so much fun. We actually got lots of other people to join us.
We met the brain surgeons wife at the tasting and let me tell you, she could bust a move!
During the concert we met a cinematographer who agreed to take our picture. The pictures Amy and I tried to take ourselves weren't quite working.
As the music played Bridget made some friends to dance around with. They ended up tackling this hippy. It was quite funny actually. We had met him earlier during the fest but I still kept my eye on him. There's something about grown men playing with children that bothers me. (It must have been the Michael Jackson music that was making me paranoid.)
The music at the concert was perfect the band was called Citizen Cope and the music they played magically made the whole crowd happy. (Bridget thought that the lead singer looked like one of the dwarfs from the Narnia movie, which I thought was pretty funny.)
When the concert ended they played some more Jackson Five and every single person in the crowd danced this time. I have never in my life seen so many happy people together in one spot dancing in unison. It was like stepping into a musical where everyone breaks into choreography at the same time with the same cheesy smiles on their faces. It was priceless.
When we got home we ate chicken stir fry and giggled like girls at a slumber party. We woke up the next day had our morning coffee and said good bye to our beloved Telluride...
