Murder Mystery

Back in December Angie and I received an invitation for a murder mystery weekend from friends/neighbors of ours, Tom and Amy. I've known Tom for several years, serving on the HOA board together. He and Amy recently got married. Angie and I were very excited for the murder mystery weekend since neither one of us had ever done anything like this before. The mystery weekend was being held at Crags Lodge in Estes Park, so it also offered a romantic weekend getaway for us.

We received our parts in the mail a few weeks before the event and were informed it was a 1920's theme. Fortunately we had dressed up in similar parts for Halloween so we were all set for costumes.

The mystery plot surrounded a great dinner and mingling with several people to try to figure out who the murderer was. I think Angie and I spent most of the night confused as to what was going on, mainly due to the feeling that there was an inner circle in the game. Overall we had a great time and enjoyed a great weekend together before Angie dropped me off at the airport to head off for my trip.

Neal's Early 39th Birthday

Wow, I can't believe how much time has passed since my last update. I guess that is what happens when you spend most of the month in Mexico City working. Oh well, back to posting more regularly. I have quite a few to catch up on first.

Thursday night before I left for Mexico City, Angie planned a small early birthday party for me at McKinners Pizza Bar. Angie, Sidney, and I met Danielle, DJ, and Trent for dinner at this cool little specialty pizza bar in downtown Littleton. We really liked the place and it had some interesting types of pizza. As an example, DJ and I shared a Chili Dog pizza. It was actually pretty good. Not that I ever thought about making a pizza like this.

It was great to be able to get out and celebrate my birthday early considering I was going to be spending it alone in Mexico City. Thanks Angie for planning it and thanks to Danielle and DJ for sharing the "event" with us.

Another year closer to the big 40.

Sid's First Hockey Game

A person Angie works with (office supply vendor I think) was nice enough to give her a couple hockey tickets to the Avalanche vs. Flames game. Angie, knowing I love the Avs, gave them to Sidney and I. So I got to pick Sid up from her dad's house and take her to see her first hockey game. And what a game it was!

The Avs are not doing so great this year, but we were blessed with seeing not only a win, but a blowout win, and history. The Avs won the game 6-2, but it wasn't even that close in reality. The real treat was getting to see Milan Hejduk and Ryan Smyth each score their 300th career NHL goals in the same game, only the 2nd time it had been done by teammates in the same game. The other time this was accomplished was on February 26, 1983, by our nemesis and rivals, the Detroit Red Wings. Now I know many of our readers or Red Wing fans, so I'll keep quiet, besides they are doing better than the Avs are this year.

All in all Sidney had a great time...and so did I. It was a treat to be able to take her to her first hockey experience. I apologize for the dark photo, but my phone camera doesn't have a flash.

And by request, here's a shout out to Aunt Cathy, a devoted reader. I hope I made you smile!

January Picnic!!!

Our weather has again turned unseasonably warm. We have been blessed with gorgeous days in the mid 60's, almost unheard of for January in Denver, especially during the Stock Show.

Sidney and I both had today off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Today was another beautiful day so we took Howie and a couple of Sid's friends up to the playground at Lenski Elementary School for a picnic and playing on the jungle gym. Poor Titan hurt his neck a couple weeks back. Although he thinks he is ready to take on the world, he still needs to rest up to ensure he doesn't hurt it again, so he was unable to make the trek to the school which is a short 10 minute walk from our house along Little Dry Creek trail.



We enjoyed being able to get out to enjoy the wonderful day but missed Titan and Angie, who was working. Sidney and I then treated to Angie by letting her relax when she got home by making BBQ Chicken for dinner.

Alex's 17th

I find it hard to believe my girl is 17 years old! Time flies! Alex's birthday was Thursday (1/15) so we celebrated this weekend when the girls visited. Alex put in a request for crab legs, I think partly because she was left out on the New Year's Eve feast. Of course we obliged. Who are we to reject the birthday girl's request, besides, it's crab legs and we get to eat them too.


I went to Greeley on Friday evening for the Northridge High School girl's basketball games because Alex is on the team. She has a lingering shoulder injury which prevented her from playing this night, but she hopes to be back on the court soon. Following the game we returned to Denver and spent part of the evening at DJ and Danielle's visiting. My sister Nancy took Alex out for a birthday lunch at Gunther Toody's. Saturday evening's dinner was the requested crab legs and birthday present opening. Since Alex is such a huge CU Buff fan, she got yet another t-shirt and some pajamas.

Happy Birthday Alex!

Happy Birthday BFF!

Last night Angie and I went to her BFF's (Danielle) 31st Birthday party. Danielle also lives in the same neighborhood near the pool. Angie and BFF have become very good friends over the past year and do many things together. For example, you may recall the Ugly Sweater Party. Danielle is also Trent's mom, and Trent is the boy Sidney sometimes babysits.

It was snowing lightly for some of the day so Angie and Danielle decided we should all ride together. This turned out to be much more fun as well. Danielle and DJ stopped by our house for one of the now famous chocolate martinis before we continued with the birthday plans. We met up with 4 other couples (don't ask me all their names, I failed that test) at a Japanese steakhouse called Miyama where we enjoyed a great dinner with the chefs preparing the food in front of our eyes...a la Benihana. The staff here was very friendly with the manager even bringing out a small silk purse as a gift for the birthday girl!

After stuffing ourselves we continued on to bowling. We lost a few of the couples as it was beginning to get late, but all of us that did go had a great time, although real bowling is still a bit more difficult than Wii Bowling!

We all had a great time at the party! Happy Birthday Danielle!

Happy New Year!!!

2008 flew by, but what a great year it was. We worked on projects around the house, spent countless hours at the gym (but admittedly need to get back into that habit), went on an Idaho summer trip, and many many other things. Obviously the big event of the year was Angie and Sidney moving in and all of us making a home together. Yes, it was a great year.

Sidney and Taylor wanted to stay up for New Years and there was no way they were going to let us say no. So we celebrated the ringing in of 2009 as a family. Angie and I had Chocolate Martinis from a recipe she found on sipping chocolate and the girls had their version of Margaritas. We played the new family game we received at Christmas and also played some cards. At midnight we we went outside with our noise makers and joined some neighbors in a champagne toast.

Happy New Year, here's to wishing 2009 is even better than last year!