Ouray, the Switzerland of America

This Valentines day weekend, Ace planned a little get away for us. I feel bad because he always plans some sort of activity for EVERY special occasion and I just get to sit back and enjoy the show. I tried to offer to plan Valentines day but I think Ace knows just as well as I do that he is a much better party planner than I am. He enjoys doing all the research and is much more comfortable parting with our money for a good time. I'm ok to part with it once I'm in the moment but I have a hard time planning something and seeing the potential damage it could do to our checking account. Clearly in order for us both to have a good time, Ace will have to continue to plan every adventure we have. Glad I thought that through; now I don't feel as bad.

So onto our trip.


Our hotel: The Ouray Chalet. Has a nice ring to it don't you think?


The most expensive chocolates I've ever had. But we picked out the chocolates ourselves so I guess we paid extra to know exactly what was inside the mystery chocolates. Sometimes it can be quite a gamble if you don't know.

Hiking to Cascade Falls

Right after I dropped his camera in the snow. Luckily Mars and Kaitlin called shortly after and told us they were engaged. This helped Ace forget about the camera mishap. Congratulations Mars and Kaitlin!

Sledding down the trail
Before& After

Next stop: Ouray Hot Springs

I just love his sense of style:-P

Checking out the fish pond after our swim.

So one of the things we do really well when we vacation is eat out. Ace loves trying new places and if I even mention skipping a meal or getting a regular sandwich from the store it ruins his trip. So we eat out and we eat extremely well. By the end of our trip we were both pretty sick to our stomachs; but we still had one dinner left. So we went to a local joint and got a pizza to go. We ate through the pain, but felt grateful we could lay around in our hotel and feel sick comfortably for the rest of the night.

Friday night to Sunday morning. It was a shorter trip but a great one none the less. We really had a great time (thanks to Ace) and look forward to our next adventure.

The Lord giveth...

...and you know the rest.

Sorry it's taken a few days to write this post. It's been a busy week (and one with mixed emotions) at the Beck/Stryker home.

The biggest news is that Puppy No. 2, the one we called Sully, didn't make it. He gave one last big sigh and left us last Tuesday. He was buried out at the Fassett's ranch the next day. It was pretty hard on all of us, but I suppose there was a purpose. All I can come up with is how sometimes we need to be taught that things don't work out, that the happy ending isn't possible, so we can learn to cope with it when real challenges come along. If you've got a better explanation, let me know.

Anyway, Pup No. 1, who we're now calling Sully both in honor of the pilot and Pup. No 2, is doing fine. He's turning into a monster, in fact. A tiny, squeaky, fat monster who lays around and drinks his momma's milk all day. We're hoping he'll open his eyes any day now. I wonder if they'll be brown, like his mom's, or blue, like his dad's.

Guess we'll see.

Late delivery

Double the pleasure, double the fun.

We had a surprise visitor to the house yesterday... not sure what to call him yet, but he's cute as a button. Lacy's leaning toward "Sully," after Capt. Chesley Sullenberger, who miraculously landed a commercial airliner in the Hudson River a year ago.

And it is pretty miraculous: Jamie's water breaks Saturday night. When nothing has come out by noon on Sunday, we think maybe it's a pseudopregnancy and there's no pups at all. Then, just when I leave to go to the bathroom at about 12:55 p.m., she delivers Pup 1 (right). He's a pale, chunky fellow with an appetite that just won't quit. He and Jamie spent the night irritating each other: the pup because he apparently needs milk like he needs oxygen, and Jamie because she's only got one baby to lick and nudge around the kitchen floor.

So we get all excited. A puppy! Sure, it's only one, but he's healthy! Besides, her other litters were one and two, respectively. She's not, as Lacy's mom says, Fertile Myrtle. The end of a great story, right?

Wrong.

Jamie spends much of Monday morning apparently in pain, scooting around the house and yard as if trying to force out a big poo. Wisely, Lacy and her mom decide to take her to the vet. The verdict? Drumroll... another puppy is in there! It was mixed news. We're certain that if Jamie hasn't delivered it yet, it's likely dead. But the vet gives us some shots to start labor and at least get it out of her.

Surprise, surprise. Pup 2 (left) joins us Monday afternoon. He's smaller, darker and notably less active than his one-day-old brother, but he's doing OK so far. He has trouble nursing -- we've gotten him to take a good suck only a couple of times -- but he seems to be growing stronger with time. Obviously, we're keeping a close eye on him.

So now we need advice on not just one, but two, names. Any suggestions?