Happy Birthday Kristen!

August 6th is Kristen's Birthday!  Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Kristen, Happy birthday to you!  Wish I was in Denver to bake you a little lamb cake - I think it was your favorite!

1st Birthday

2nd B irthday

3rd Birthday!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

My mom, Charlene, and my daughter, Kristen

What is Flat Track Roller Derby?

Flat track roller derby is a fast-paced contact team sport that requires speed, strategy, and athleticism. The flat track version of the sport evolved in 2001, and has quickly grown to encompass more than 400 leagues worldwide. This is in large part due to the ease of setting up a flat track--it can be done on any flat surface that is suitable for skating, such as skating rinks, basketball courts, parking lots, and even airplane hangars. This greatly reduces the capital needed to start up a roller derby league, and allows small groups of people to get a fledgling league off the ground. The DIY spirit that drives the sport allows roller derby leagues to create their own unique identities and adapt their structures to reflect their local communities.

About the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls

The Rocky Mountain Rollergirls are a group of vibrant, diverse, and fearless athletes. Their mission is to promote the strength, athleticism, and independence of women through the sport of flat-track roller derby, and to provide the skills training necessary for participation in regional, national, and inter-league competition.

Kristen is in training and hopes to join one of the Denver Roller Derby Teams.   The newbies will be in a mini-bout during the regular bout's halftime on March 6th.  Wish I could be there!  Go Kristen  uh, Awesome Possum #1968!

It's No Bull

Oh, wait, actually, it is a bull! And my daughter, Kristen seems to be riding it! She recently went to the National Western Stock Show, which is held every January in Denver, Colorado, and sent me this photo of her and Max, the Brahma Bull. She said that Max was very soft and warm.




The National Western Stock Show has been going on in Denver since 1906 and is a very big deal in Colorado, drawing attendees and participants from all over the west. You'll find just about any kind of animal that's being raised on ranches and farms throughout the western US. There are rodeos, horse shows, performing animals, parades, roping, judging of animals, farm and ranch exhibits, art, and it goes on for about 2 weeks! And there are hundreds of thousands of people!!!!

Had to include this photo of Jim Shoulders, "All Around National Western Cowboy and Rodeo Legend". Jim won 5 All Around Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association Championships, 7 Bull Riding Championships, and 4 Bareback Riding Crowns. And broke nearly every bone in his body. He's from my home town of Henryetta, Oklahoma. This photo was taken in 1958.

You'll see bison

Alpacas,

working dogs (and sheep)

Mules and donkeys,

And of course horses, cattle, pigs, goats, etc. etc.

And it's got to be cold! I mean really cold, during the stock show. Everyone expects it!

All of the photos, with the exception of the first one, were taken from the National Western Stock Show website.

A Walk Along Moonstone Beach

We enjoyed a walk on the boardwalk along Moonstone Beach in Cambria the other day. Mom rode her scooter and was snug and warm in her new leopard "Snuggie". Cambria is one of our favorite places to visit when Kristen is here!

It was cloudy, but not too cold,

The boardwalk goes for about a mile or so along the beach,

and there are several places where you can walk down to the beach to check out the tide pools or just walk on the beach.

Time to head for the car and some lunch!