April 2025

Look back at April...

This year's "Opening Day" for the Rockies had us in our winter gear.

My lazy Saturday mornings were usurped by this crew as our baby started her first season of basketball.

Song: Let's Hear it for the Boy
Artist: Deneice Williams

When I was about 8 years old, I had a thing for buying cassette tapes from the thrift store. CDs were already a thing, but for some reason I loved buying the 50 cent cassettes. On one thrifty day, I found the "Footloose" soundtrack buried in the stacks and you would have thought I found gold as that movie was one of my repeat offenders of my VHS days.  This song is the best song on the soundtrack, and I think it perfectly montage the best part of the movie...Kevin Bacon teaching the cowboy how to dance. 

April gifted us with some much needed snow.

The trees are in full bloom, and both my allergies and the views are kicking.

A family outing to Disney on Ice. The babies loved it, and as an adult who hasn't been in 20+ years, I was pretty awestruck with the talent and costuming.

Me: Calculating the cost to create the costumes for the "Be Our Guest" ensemble.

Day One of my Orthodontic Journey

I booked my free consultation with the orthodontist with a lot of naivety. I did not realize I would be signing up for basically my first modeling gig. They took photos of my teeth, face structure, and profile for close to thirty minutes.

Then, I was ushered into a room where my photos were on full display as I leaned back in the dentist chair that felt like a leather recliner. As I waited for the doctor, I snapped this photo and texted my mother..."Wow, look at my gorgeous teeth!". lol

Well, that moment was short lived as my fabulous doctor came in pointing out the imperfections of my smile and solutions to fix it. She said that not only my baby tooth would need to go (the main reason I am pursuing braces), but also my four wisdom teeth and possibly two more teeth close to my incisors.

Ma'am, I came here to get my teeth straightened, not to become a toothless gummy bear.

I left there feeling a bit alarmed and turned off all together...as I am not pursuing a perfect smile, but only trying to correct the gap that will occur when my beloved baby tooth is extracted (You can see her in the last photo frame on the far right).

Therefore, I decided to pursue a second opinion and this next doctor said that all those additional extractions were not necessary and they can pull my baby tooth and set me on a course to pull my adult tooth forward to fill and straighten the gap. Alleluia.

So, the plan is in motion. My baby tooth will be extracted in early May. I'll be having a "Hot Hillbilly Summer" as I rock a semi-toothless smile and then invisalign. We'll see how this goes lol.

Daily Carpool Date: Looking at the clouds with her homemade binoculars and classy leg-cross.

Song: Kiss of Life
Artist: Sade

This song was on repeat as I painted a new mural in my kitchen. I have loved Sade since my childhood, but something about her perfectly fits this moment in my early 30s. 

An aerial view of the mess that is my vanity.

A mother and her first child on their 4th easter egg hunt together.

Serving up Easter Pastels and a Tater Tot casserole on this Easter Morning.

Cousins chatting about the life cycle of Mushrooms.

Trash Hikes

During one of my runs on the South Platte, I came across a group of souls picking up trash with the 5 gallon buckets and crab-like trash grabbing tools. I stopped to thank them and one of the men said, "Feel free to join us. We have supplies around the corner". So, I paused my run, picked up my supplies and filled a 5 gallon bucket before resuming my run home.

I was so excited to meet about 20 other like-minded souls who were taking care of the trail. Picking up trash along my long walks has been something I have done since my Covid days, but it has always been a solo excursion. Therefore, I am so glad to have found this group and to help out by keeping my beloved Denver clean.

Here is the info if you would like to join us!

My view from a Sunday Morning Yoga Session at my home.

Turquoise, a blend of blue and green, generally symbolizes tranquility, communication, and emotional balance. It is also associated with healing, protection, and clear thinking. In some cultures, it represents growth, renewal, and spiritual connection.

My beautiful cousin Moranda hosted book club this month. We finished up Chelsea Handler's latest book and all left those pages having a HUGE girl-crush on the woman.

The first blooms in my wildflower garden!

Song: Baby, Baby, Baby
Artist: TLC

When 60 degree weather starts hitting, my music rotation drops back a few decades. 

Rivers: I would steal him if I could.

I spent a lot of hours on the South Platte trail this month as a I train for my first half-marathon in May. Here is a snippet of one of it's many glorious views.

Random Rant / Hot Take: I've truly never understood why taking care of the yard is considered a "man's job" in the classic patriarchial sense. Mowing the lawn might be the easiest chore in all of my household-keeping duties. It literally takes no muscle. I'd argue that mopping requires more physical exertion.

Simple Pleasure: I love drinking my coffee during my morning shower.

Call Me MacGyver

In the month of April, I got two flat tires. First one was on my way to the Rockies's opening day and it was the first time I ever had to change my tire "out in the wild". My dad has trained me all of my life for that moment, and it came. I was on the side of the busy street jacking my car up with the dinky scissor jack and spinning lug nuts. I truly felt so proud of myself.

My second flat tire came at an even less opportune time. I was leaving work to go pick up my niece from school and I found my opposite back tire completely flat. I debated jacking my car up and doing another pit crew tire swap, but determined I did not have time for that as she needed to be picked up in 15 mins. So, I rolled my car over to my local gas station praying for an air pump and that I wouldn't bend my rim rolling on a completely flat tire. Fortunately, my prayers were answered and I filled up my tire and found the hissing nail that had punctured it.

It was then that I decided that my best solution was to create my own patch via the supplies in my pencil case. I went into full MacGyver mode by using an Elmer's glue stick and some bandaids. The quick assembled innovation stopped the flood of hissing and I rolled on to pick up my niece. Once I signed her out, I let her know about the emergency and she asked to see the tire. She took a moment to look it over and she said, “I think that will work”. With the compliments from my 4 year old niece, I banked on her hope and continued to hurry to my parent’s house so we could patch my tire.

We made it home. I was relieved. My dad was impressed. And, Wesley got her first lesson on how to change a tire. Life truly is fascinating full cycle.

Song: Boys
Artist: Lizzo - Pink Panda Remix

Me, anxiously awaiting river season.

A Northside Denver Staple

I spent many family dinners here eating the Spanoli plate with homemade noodles. Patsy was always your server when you came here; so it was only right we gave her a toast as we enjoyed her meal.

I truly do not know if she is still alive so I said, "To Patsy, whether she be down the street at Mount Carmel Catholic Church or up above watching us eat our canolis."

My fellow-fashionista: When we get home from school we promptly drop our school unifrom and "get fabulous". This day's outfit was an Oktoberfest dress, all the jewlery she owns, winter gloves, Elsa crocks, and a hair full of clips.

As I helped her dress all she would say was, "I am so so so fabulous" over and over again. And I'd say, "Yes you are, babygirl!".

I love helping to raise a confident Queen!

We did a backyard hibachi experience for my Auntie Gina's 50th birthday party!

And he came equipped with a Sake filled Super Soaker!

Song: Hot Sugar
Artist: Glass Animals

This song is the perfect mix of R&B and psychedelic vibes. The lyrics make no-sense, but perfect sense. Give it a listen and ride the wave of "hot sugar in the afternoon".

My Handsome: those auburn curls and big dark eyes!

I like to tell him, "You're so gorgeous!"'; to which he replies, "No, I'm handsome!".

Views from the third row. 12 people in one car ain't nothing new to this crew.

Add this to my Wish List

My color palette and design for my kitchen mural.

Before

During

After

After School Slurpees

My flowers were cracking soil and braving the final frosts of April.

My view from a downtown run.

Song: Funkytown
Artist: Lipps 

I don't know why...but this song has been on heavy rotation this month. It never gets old and it always gets me dancing. 

Got to see my girl TRIXIE MATTEL live!

We danced for hours and fell in love with Rebecca Black.

Solid Pink Disco was the name, so I brought out my pinks and my little blonde bob.

The women's bathroom at Trixie's show was the place to be.

Brining the girls out for Trixie's show. Never do I ever expose the décolletage...but Trixie Mattel scares away the hetro-males and brings out the gays and gals...so I knew I'd be safe lol.

I felt fabulous and free.

When they ask me what I want to be when I grow up...

Chelsea Handler's "I'll Have What She's Having": I went into reading this book with a benign opinion of Chelsea. I grew up watching her late-night Tv show and found her funny, but I was never in love. This book changed that for me. Through her book I found her to be generous, smart, well-read, family-oriented, and reflective. 

Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home: Heather, whose trail name is "Anish," conveys not only her athleticism and wilderness adventures, but also shares her distinct message of courage--her willingness to turn away from the predictability of a more traditional life in an effort to seek out what most fulfills her. 

The Sports Gene: David Epstein tackles the great nature vs. nurture debate and traces how far science has come in solving it. Through on-the-ground reporting from below the equator and above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the very nature of athleticism.​

Braiding Sweetgrass: Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings―asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass―offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. This is our book for the next round of book club and I am loving it!