~*Race Day*~

Heath got to help me set up my transition area, which usually they don't allow.  We set up my stuff and then he got a photo of the swim start!  Open water, wetsuit legal!  Nothing like the chill of a fresh mountain water lake.  My Daddy drove to Steamboat to watch me race today!  So special.  After the race, Dad took us to my all time favorite cafe called Creekside!  Check out the BEAUTIFUL flowers in all of their gardens along the river.

Creekside Cafe Flower Garden

Daddy and Me

Heath and Me

We found a surprise when we got home!  We got adopted by Little Miss.  She started coming around while Garry and Barb were watching our dogs while we were out of town.  She is so sweet.  Heath said not to name her because we were not going to get to keep her.  Turns out, he named her Harley.  :)  (I think that is a good sign!)

She is super sweet and our dogs like her.  She just wants loving.  She has been trained to some degree...sit.
She is definitely all puppy as her paws are HUGE!  All black, with a little white, she looks like a lab mix.

Our newest addition photo by the garden!

Our dogs were absolutely exhausted from their weekend with their grandparents and then coming home to us and a new dog.  Cat thrilled to have everyone home.  Family together again!  :)  = LOVE!

Columbine Cabins ~ Steamboat, Springs

Imagine with me for a moment....getting off work, driving all evening, and getting in late (and in the dark)....THEN....waking up to this in the morning!!  Stunning, absolutely, STUNNING!

NOT TO MENTION THESE!  God's BEAUTY!  :)

I did some yoga on the front porch of our little cabin.  So peaceful!

Speaking of which, here are some photos of the inside of our cabin.

There are some several different options for cabins.  I chose one with electricity and running water.  They have a very nice bath house just up the mountain from us.  See trail below.

Trails to the bathhouse!

After we got all settled in our little cabin, I rode my bike to Steamboat Lake, the place of the triathlon.  I used it as my "pre-race warm-up."  I wasn't very far at all and downhill.  Overcast and a bit chilly as I was speeding down the mountain.  Heath met me there to pick up my race packet.  It was fun once I got there because they were having a pre-race Q/A session and I got to feel the water temperature.  Definitely a wetsuit kind of race!  After I got my packet, Heath drove me back toward the cabin and we stopped at a little "off-the-beaten-path" restaurant.  It was soo much fun!  As the breeze blew in, so did some heavy clouds that looked like rain.

Happy Friday!!

Steamboat Springs ~ HERE we come!

I am so excited about celebrating Heath's birthday and racing in Steamboat Springs, Colorado this weekend!!!!  It is such a naturally beautiful place to share a romantic/adventurous getaway with the mountains and the wildflowers!  It is truly magical!  I loaded up the car early this morning with all of my gear so that when I got off work, I'd be ready to go.

A new subsurface drip irrigation filter station.

Meanwhile, back at the office, I was designated to create some color with flowers in the front of our building.  I was given the opportunity to create a statement.  We did a good job purchasing the flowers as they were in 4 and 6-packs.  By the time I got both my pots full, I soon realized I had purchased way too many flowers.  What better thing to do than to share them as they are the gift that will keep on giving all summer long.

Our company marketing director had just moved into his new home.  He has beautiful twin little girls who love flowers so I was blessed to be able to share with them a flower potting session!

As soon as this wonderful day at work was over, I headed home to meet up with Heath.  We had to squish the doggies into our Neon to take them to Grandma and Grandpa's house.  So blessed to have them close and I know their other Grandpa would have come from Colorado Springs to babysit if their other side wasn't available.  (Briggs got the backseat while Mya was in the front in between my legs!)

A Day at the Office

Working in a male-dominated world, I have learned that I can still add a little bit of a feminine touch occasionally.  So.....I put *BIG,* beautiful, bright flowers on all of our pens at the front parts counter so they wouldn't accidentally get misplaced!  ;)

The steel for a new pivot has arrived and it's ready to be taken to the field for our crew to erect!

Beauty Everywhere

These are some of the wonderfully beautiful flowers I saw today on my river walk!

Happy Birthday Travie!

My hubby sure knows how to throw a great party!  What a celebration!

Enjoying God's creation and Heath's hard work on *this* beautiful summer day!

Looks like it is time for the
birthday boy to light the candles!

I'm sure glad that he had his grandkids to help him blow them out!

It was teamwork!  Such a precious moment!!

Present opening *t*i*m*e*!

"It's a surprise Grandpa, don't look yet!"

"We love because He first loved us."  ~ 1 John 4:19 ~

Meanwhile, Back at the Farm

**READERS, check the dates on my blogs as I am going to backdate them and try to run through some more of our beautiful days in Nebraska in 2015 leading up to our blessed move to Texas in 2016.**

Meanwhile, back on the farm.....

Yesterday, when we returned to Nebraska, we found that Garry needed some help with his wheat.  So, we stopped there before we headed home to see what we could do for him.  

Pa checking his wheat.

You can see his long, narrow wheat strips from miles away.  So pretty and golden in color.

 The dogs got out to play and, of course, Briggs had to go swimming.  That dog can smell water and will be in it before you can ask him to, "Please stay dry!"

Contemplating his swim...oh, wait...his decision has already been made....
the ride in the way back of the pickup will be worth it!

Make it work Big Dog.....

The reunion with P.T. and the dogs was priceless.  Everyone resumed their positions on the beds and fell fast asleep very quickly after all the fresh air this weekend!

Cabin 2015

We had a great trip to the cabin with our dogs!  We were definitely in God's country this weekend!  A blessing and breath of fresh air for us all!  All that beautiful nature, exercise, wildflowers, wood fire cookin' and disconnecting from technology is good for the soul!  LOVE and GROWTH!

Oh, Life!

The pots I planted at work are looking good!  Really growing!  I had to share some of the flowers
with a coworker because I put way too many in each pot.  He just purchased a new home
and his daughters each brought some soil and a pot, so they each got to plant something
beautiful for their new home!  SO fun!  Lookin' good!
The river was sure pretty today on my walk, I even got to see sunflowers!

Back Country Acres picked up some of our Wild at Heart items.

Super cute store with homemade jams, jellies, honey, soaps, crafts, African baskets, our photography,

our horseshoe crafts, and more!

Headed to Gram and Pa's with my team!!