Ghost Ranch

In June, Ian and I drove to New Mexico to spend a week at Ghost Ranch.

We took the Outdoor Adventure Course.

One of our activities was the High Ropes Course.

Suspension Bridge

Spiderwoman

Suspension Bridge

Rock Wall Champion

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Ian on the Eagle Walk!

Outdoor Adventure - Hike Box Canyon

Our Outdoor Adventure Group

View Inside Box Canyon

Looking Up from Box Canyon

Outdoor Adventure - River Rafting Trip Down the Chama River

Jen chose the raft, while Ian chose the funyak!

Double Rainbow

Outdoor Adventure - Hike Kitchen Mesa

The trail goes behind Kitchen Mesa before it ascends to the top.

This more difficult hike includes a 15-foot chimney through a cleft in the cliff.

Happy Hikers - We made it to the top of Kitchen Mesa

View from the top of Kitchen Mesa

Ian at the top of Pack Point

Outdoor Adventure - Bandalier National Monument

Tyuonyi Pueblo Ruins

Cavates or Cave Rooms

Macaw Petroglyph

The Alcove House can be reached by 4 wooden ladders and a number of stone stairs.

The view from 140 feet above the floor of Frijoles Canyon.

In the Alcove House, there is a reconstructed kiva and the viga holes and the niches of former homes.

Jen making the 140 foot descent from Alcove House.

Ian making the 140 foot descent from Alcove House.

Outdoor Adventure - Waterfront
Ian and I spent the morning canoeing.

Abiquiu Lake

Chimney Rock

We had a wonderful vacation!
We spent an entire week free from cell phones, computers, television, and air conditioning.
Now that we are home, we hope to tackle a few DIY projects around the house!

Happy Bronze Anniversary

This year marks eight years of marriage for us!  We are supposed to give each other bronze gifts.  Rather than giving each other gifts, we decided to find a lot of bronze statues throughout Kansas City and Independence and have our picture taken with them.

We started here with breakfast.  Yum!

Some of our favorite bronze statues were in Independence here is Girl with Dove.

Stella at the Spring. Another one also in Independence.

In Independence

This one is in the middle of Paseo.  You can see I-70 behind us.  This is Rev. John Wesley Williams.

The great Charlie Parker.

Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad.

Andrew Jackson and me riding?

This is one of my favorites.  It is called Modern Communication.

Ilus Winfield Davis.  Ian trying to do his best imitation.

Muse of the Missouri

Core of Discovery

James Pendergast

We don't remember the name of this statue, but it is at Barney Allis Plaza.  Jen wanted to pet the dog.

Bronco Buster.   Jen is still trying to tame Ian too.

Our 1st President.

Put your hands up!  Us hanging out with the Spirits of Commerce and Industry.

The Hiker

Pioneer Mother

The Scout

Memorial for Fallen Firefighters

Citizen Soilder

The Pioneers in Westport

Visions of children.  During school time we have visions of children all the time.

Lunch at Winstead's.  Jen had her one bite and was finished.

I'm just getting started.

Massasoit close to Winstead's on the Plaza

The Crying Giant.  I guess Jen is the giant here.

Us about to meet our fate at the Spider outside of the Kemper Museum.

We don't remember the title, but it was someone taming Pegasus.

Nelson-Atkins Museum Rush Hour.

Two of these things are not like the others.

Ian not getting the Thinker pose correct.

The Boar.  It is supposed to be good luck if you rub his snout.

Out to Lunch

Jen should have given him a shoulder massage he looks a bit stiff.

Ian doing his penguin in the Court of the Penguins.

Pamona Fountain on the Plaza.

Monkey Business

Ian getting a little too into making the statue try to smile.  Chinese Warriors...there is another one to the left, but to get him in the picture we would have to place the camera in the street.

Harry Truman on the Square in Independence.

Jim Bridger. Last stop on our way home to change.

Cafe Verona for dinner that evening.  You will notice that I am a few shades bronzer than when I started the day off.

You might be thinking what does this have to do with DIY.  It doesn't technically fall into the DIY category, but we are always working at our marriage to make it better.  We also just wanted to share a great day of celebration for the both of us.  Eight years isn't close to any record, but we feel like what we have with each other is perfect.