The Brocks Blog

Two Become Three

2012-01-20T13:20:00.001-05:00

I think I can be forgiven this time for being so delayed in updating the blog! By now, you all know how life has changed and how busy it has become for both me and Tim. The birth of sweet Sadie has afforded me very little "down time" but has rewarded me in ways I never imagined! Even as I type, I hear her stirring from her nap and look forward to seeing the sweet face that has become completely ingrained into my memory already!
Sadie is officially a month old (well, a month and a couple of weeks...) and it seems as if life before her is as distant as a college memory. We have had so much fun watching her experience the world around her--her first car ride, bath, photo shoot, smile. Every tiny moment that fills each day seems so much more than what I did with my time before her arrival! Here are a few moments from the past 6 weeks (FYI: Click on the collage in order to see it fully):

Sadie in the Hospital

Her First Few Days at Home

Sadie's First Photo Shoot

Sadie at 1 Month Old

In a just two short weeks, Sadie will go to daycare for the first time. I can't believe how quickly time is already passing! Tim and I feel so blessed by her existence. Check back in a few weeks to see how month two went!

Nursery Pics

2011-11-13T20:40:00.000-05:00

I realize that several of you guys have not been able to see BB's nursery so I decided I would post a few for you!

Oh October!

2011-10-27T21:06:00.004-04:00

My favorite month of the year started with celebration and will end with celebration and has managed (as always) to keep us busy the entire time in between! The first Saturday of the month was made better by B.B.'s first baby shower hosted by dear friends, Resa Watson, Autumn Golob, and Carly Phillips. It was a beautiful shower, a wonderful time, and a great reminder of the blessings in my life! The very next weekend, I experienced those blessings all over again with a wonderful (and even bigger) second shower for our little one courtesy of Michelle and Debbie Brock and Celia Anderson. I enjoyed seeing so many of our friends and family...many of whom I haven't seen in quite a while...and was humbled once again by the celebration of our newest addition.
Also during this busy month, the father-to-be celebrated his 33rd birthday! I wish I could say he did something super exciting for his last kid-free birthday, but I think his mind was on all the projects he hoped to get completed before this little one arrives--Project for October: replace the carpeted floor in the hall with hardwood! He has gotten to enjoy a new camera as the bigger celebration of his birthday and the fact that his beloved St. Louis Cardinals have made it to the World Series this year. I think that was probably present enough for him (and his brother Matt, who we celebrated on October 13th!)
Tim finished the hall just.in.the.nick.time. before our 4th Annual Hallowine Party. It was a bit smaller than previous years, though I have to say I was still happy with the outcome...given my current physical state!
Speaking of...I hit the 34 week mark on Tuesday and was measured today at the doctor's office at more like 35 weeks. The aches and pains are definitely there, but the joy of feeling B.B. move around in his/her increasingly cramped quarters is worth it. On a daily basis, I hear that I just won't make it to December, which probably means I'll be a week late (at least!) Regardless, the most recent "bump" is pictured below with the many other photos from the month. We will celebrate Tim's mother's birthday on the 30th and I will be 31 on the 31st---that's got to be lucky right? At least it's a great way to end the best month of the year!
Love to you all from our whole crew: Tim, Hillary, Rocky, Tillie (also an October baby-2 on the 26th), and BB

Baby Shower hosted by Resa Watson, Autumn Golob, and Carly Phillips

Tim turns 33!!!

Baby Shower hosted by Michelle Brock, Debbie Brock, and Celia Anderson

The Hallway Project and Hallowine

BB and me hanging in there at 34 weeks

Projects, Pinterest, and Punching Bag

2011-09-07T18:11:00.000-04:00

Labor Day provided ample time to accomplish some much needed catching up around the house, as I'm sure it did for many of you. Tim has been on a mission all summer to get every piece of trim and doors painted from the difficult-to-work-with taupe to a nice crisp white. While this has not been fully completed, the light is at the end of the tunnel. He was momentarily side railed by his now third trimester ridden wife to get nursery furniture painted. We are reusing a book case and chest of drawers that have been around since the beginning of, well, me. The chest of drawers has been a few different colors but my wonderful husband sanded and puttied and beautifully restored it to the sweet off-white of my childhood. Here is the finished product along with the beginnings of some nursery decor:

You may reasonably ask , "Well, what are you doing during all of this?" To that, I will answer simply, "Home improvement!" Either by way of shopping or craft projects of my own. I'm sure many of you are as obsessed with the website Pinterest as I am and know that you can quickly become inspired and sucked into all the good intentions you have for your home/life/vacations/etc. While collecting ideas and decor for the nursery, I have also been searching the just-the-right-thing to decorate the rest of the house. The holidays always stump me because I struggle in my picky-ness to find things like wreathes and such to hang on the front door. I was recently inspired by something on Pinterest and created one for our front door this weekend as well. Tim has very little interest in these things so you now will have to endure any craft projects this nesting mama insists taking on!

In other, much bigger (literally and figuratively) news, I am now officially in the third and LAST trimester of B.B.'s gestation! So far, the greatest excitement has been the changing of my internal organs from life-supporting organs to boxing bags and/or trampolines for our LO to enjoy. He/She really put on a show Monday night at around 1:30 am. Training...I know!

Small Beginnings For Big Things To Come

2011-09-04T13:20:00.000-04:00

Many have asked about the nursery for B.B. There is no real theme and we're still in the beginning stages, but here are few pics of projects in the works. We are reusing a few pieces that have been around since my toddler room and we've purchased a few new things in anticipation of our newest addition.

Tiger in Training

2011-09-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

Just a few more days left in our second trimester! 93 days to go!

Baby Brock--Only 15 weeks away!

2011-08-22T19:31:00.000-04:00

Yes, I have a hard time believing I could have grown as much as I have in a mere 4-5 weeks too! B.B. has been super busy getting bigger and more active since I last blogged. Since last blogging, we have had another monthly visit to the doctor. After B.B. so sweetly kicked at the sensor as the nurse attempted to find the heartbeat, we discovered he or she is still measuring at a strong 158/159! This was also the date set for my one-hour glucose test that almost didn't happen. Thankfully, after the doctor took one look at a very hungry patient, he went through with the test...only for me to fail it! Happily, I can report that I successfully passed my three-hour glucose test today with flying colors! Just so you know...Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding has no bearing on passing a fasting glucose test :p

B.B. is most active at night, but has become increasingly mobile throughout the day. Kicks can be strong enough to actually see through my clothing now. However, if you try to feel for one, he/she is aware he's/she's being watched and stops immediately. My dad and I concluded that B.B. (like the rest of the Potters) believes that one person does not an audience make. Definitely a performer in there, but he/she needs a stage and not my belly to confine him/her! Just a short 15 weeks from this little one will make the grand debut...yet another hard thing to believe!

Anatomy Scan

2011-07-25T17:01:00.000-04:00

We are happy to report that B.B. checked out well at the anatomy scan today! We have extremely low odds of any birth defects and everything seems to be working as it should--our kid might be more normal than either of us! :) Heartbeat is still up there measuring at 158. Here are some of the latest pics:

Profile 1

Profile 2

B.B.'s foot

And just for fun-what B.B. looks like from the outside!

Bumps, Bedding, & Busy Bees

2011-07-02T12:34:00.000-04:00

The month of June has proven to be quite a busy month for the Brocks. We started with a packed trip culminating in the nuptials of my dear sweet cousin, Lindsey, and her handsome groom, Andrew. We began our trip with a night in Asheville. One of our favorite groups, Mumford & Sons, was playing at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Based on the excellence of this concert, we knew we were in for a great trip!
Not a great pic, but worth posting just to pay homage:

After Asheville, we headed up to Pittsburgh for a Pirates game. While there, we sampled some popular Pittsburgh fare including Iron City, tater-tots and the "Pittsburgh Wrap"-steak, cheese, cole slaw, and french fries wrapped in a tortilla...one of Michael Jordan's favorites. The only one of the three I sampled were the tater-tots--Tim was much more ambitious!

The next day, we road-tripped across the state to Lancaster, PA to take in Amish Country. This was a truly unique experience. It amazed us how they still manage life with limited conveniences, though we did learn that they have rock star parking at the local Target and part-take of Ci-Ci's pizza buffet once a week!

From there, we headed south to Gettysburg, PA to give our trip some historical significance. On the way, I learned the inevitable relationship between comfy clothes and the pregnant woman. As we stopped at the York Co. Visitor's Center (contained within a Harley Davidson factory) to pick up Gettysburg info, I desperately switched from just-too-uncomfortable-shorts to the skirt-from-Heaven. After the quick wardrobe change and odd Visitor's Center, we were back on the road and arrived at Gettysburg with a few hours to spend. A few of the better picks are below:

From there, we trekked to West Virginia for Lindsey and Andrew's wedding where we spent the rest of the weekend enjoying a great time with amazing family!

As if that trip didn't keep us busy enough in June, B.B. was very busy encouraging the growth of my waistline! Second trimester is a wonderful thing...until it's time to find clothing that feels good! Luckily, I am blessed with wonderful friends who generously donated to the cause! Below is the first of many "bump" pics to come:

With the close of the month, I FINALLY decided on baby bedding that was both gender neutral and something I could live with. It arrived yesterday so I'll share a pic from the internet. The process of getting the nursery decked out is in full swing, so I am sure I'll have plenty more pics in the coming months!

He/She's a Peach!

2011-06-01T10:58:00.000-04:00

We are happy to report we are currently the proud parents of a peach! Translation: I am currently 13 weeks and 1 day along. Now that I am entering the beloved second trimester, we are able to relax a little more, I'm feeling a little better and have more energy than I have the last several weeks (hence the new blog post!) The ultrasound picture you are viewing is B.B. (Baby Brock) at 10 weeks (when we were having a prune.) We were able to hear the heart beat at this time and it was a strong 176! The hard part now will be my patience as I try to pick out nursery decor for either a boy or girl. That's right, we are NOT going to find out until B.B. makes his/her appearance this winter! I know many of you think this is going to be an impossible task for the control-freak, planner you all know so well. I guess all I can say to that is that I do always enjoy a challenge!

A few things I have learned in just the last week:
1-Sun bathing is not nearly as enjoyable as it used to be. This will be a different kind of summer for me!
2-Dancing in heels at a wedding stops at Joseph and Leah's! Been there, done that, bought a cute pair of wedges for Lindsey and Andrew's!
3-The "Ancient Chinese Prediction Calendar" says "It's a Girl!"
4-Gender-neutral baby bedding is depressing!

5-Snap-N-Go is apparently the way to go!

Belated Brock Blog

2011-05-03T21:47:00.002-04:00

In like a lion, out like a lamb;

and don't you forget to pay Uncle Sam!

Summer is near and the Sun's getting stronger.

We've got some news that can't wait any longer!

We can't simply tell you...

but we'll give you some clues.

It could come as one,

or maybe as two,

swaddled in pink,

or pale baby blue.

December the 6th is the big day

When Baby Brock is on his or her way!

Baby Brock at 6.5 weeks. Baby Brock is currently 9 weeks and the size of a grape! We have seen the heart beat on an early viability ultrasound and hopefully will hear the heartbeat on May 12th when he/she will be just past 10 weeks.

To All the REAL Teachers:

2011-05-03T08:39:00.002-04:00

REAL TEACHERS

Real teachers grade papers in the car, during commercials, in faculty meetings, in the bathroom, and (at the end of the nine weeks) have been seen grading in church.

Real teachers cheer when they hear April 1 does not fall on a school day.

Real teachers can't walk past a crowd of kids without straightening up the line.

Real teachers never sit down without first checking the seat of the chair.

Real teachers have disjointed necks from writing on boards without turning their backs on the class.

Real teachers are written up in medical journals for the size and elasticity of kidneys and bladders.

Real teachers have been timed gulping down a full lunch in 2 minutes, 18 seconds. Master teachers can eat faster than that.

Real teachers can "sense" gum.

Real teachers will eat anything that is put in the workroom/teacher's lounge.

Real teachers hear the heartbeats of crisis; always have time to listen; know they teach students, not subjects; and are absolutely non-expendable.

-Author unknown

Playing Catch Up (once again...)

2011-01-10T15:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I have a good excuse this time-our computer crashed in late September and my access to pictures, blogging, and slide.com was impeded by malware and a crummy hard drive. Some time in December, Tim was able to get everything in working order again so here I am on my first snow day of 2011 playing catch-up on the last third of 2010!
I'll start with what I never got to in September, our trip to New Hampshire in mid-September. Tim, being the nature enthusiast he is got more pics of the scenery than he did of Mary and Andy's celebration. The weather was a welcome change from the warm September we were having in the south and the sights were gorgeous.
North Conway, New Hampshire:

The whirlwind of October quickly swept in and we were absolutely terrible about taking pictures. Both Tim's 32nd birthday and the 3rd annual Hallowine snuck by without a single picture being taken. Great fun was still had but until Tillie's first birthday we have nothing documented. Tillie has quickly managed (with the help of her brother to de-stuff any stuffed toys she received and I managed to survive turning 30! It probably helped to have have a wonderful husband who gave me gifts that acted as a trip down memory lane to all the wonderful places we've been together. Some highlights were the bar-b-que from Fiorella's and the deep dish pizza from Giordano's...YUM! Camellia's in bloom and a beautiful day in the park made my 30th a wonderful day!

November ushered in yet another milestone as Tim celebrated his 10 year college reunion at The Citadel. We also hosted Thanksgiving with ALL of the family once again. Good times were had all month long!

Somewhere between November and December, I finally convinced Tim to get started on the fence...or he finally convinced me to let HIM do it...one way or another, here are few of the pictures documenting the progress. Now, if it only had a gate...

With the holiday season fully underway, we were able to host once again. First, Tim's grandmother and aunt stayed with us for Christmas. We enjoyed having them here from St. Louis...especially since they brought a white Christmas with them! We almost thought we would not be able to host the Potter gathering the next day. However, much like the Potter way, a party of 8 turned back into a party of 30+ once word got out that the roads were safe!

One of the many wonderful things about South Carolina is that we can be blessed with a white Christmas and less than a week later have beautiful weather at the beach. We were lucky enough to head to Hilton Head, SC for the New Year. Starting the year at such a beautiful place, I have every reason to believe 2011 has many more wonderful moments to offer for us and I pray for all of you as well.

Happy Holidays from the Brocks (meaning Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year...along with any others occurring during this summary!) Here's to 2011!

October 3, 1978

2010-10-03T13:58:00.000-04:00

Happy 32nd Birthday to Tim!
Click HERE to find out what happened the year you were born.
And the number one song on your birthday...

Down Dog

2010-09-22T20:14:00.002-04:00

An excerpt from a journal entry I did for yoga training, written June 6th: This was written in a moment when I was having a hard time focusing on what was important and not being so hard on myself...yes, believe it or not, I am hard on myself!

"...To add to the distraction there is a 7 month old in my house named Tille. She is 6 pounds of fluff and has strategically timed her play time right when I go in yoga poses such as wheel or plank. She starts by licking my legs, and then moves on to more vulnerable areas like my feet and face. At first, I was annoyed. I mean, here I am trying to quiet my mind and she's tickling me and bringing soggy toys to play fetch! Today, it occurred that I should focus on the moment and not the distraction. In that moment I was being loved by my pet. Are there really any more pure forms of love than that? She doesn't care about my thighs or how many calories I'm trying to burn today. She only cares that her human is on the floor where she can kiss and play. In that moment she chooses to be content and so should I. I'm sad that I didn't embrace her distractions earlier on. Little moments of love like this make extending my yoga practice a little longer worth it."

Vacations, Visitors, and the Pursuit of Consciousness

2010-09-19T22:13:00.002-04:00

Oh my goodness! It has taken me quite a while to get back to this blogging thing! I'll admit, I became a little preoccupied in March with other things and checked out of the blogging business for a while. After that, LIFE happened and that's just about all the excuses I have for this post!

I guess starting where I left off is the best place to begin catching everyone up...

APRIL-Hillary begins her yoga certification. What an exciting experience this has been already! The program I am participating in is a one-weekend-a-month kind of thing where I learn what yoga is really about, how I can apply it to my life and how I can help those around me (who are interested) as well. This really couldn't have fallen into my lap at a better time. The month of April was already proving to be less than desirable, and the months that followed gave me many opportunities to practice "living in the moment" AND "breathing deeply." So far, I have relearned human anatomy and Ayurveda (the science of nutrition); have discovered I am a "Pita-Kapha"; and found a new level of patience. I've always enjoyed yoga and now I get to potentially DO something with this passion and learn much more about the art and science of a centuries old approach to life.

MAY-The school year ended and hope for a backyard fence began.

JUNE-Matt, Michelle, Tim, and I wend on a cruise to the Western Caribbean. We traveled to Grand Cayman Island, Cozumel, Roatan, and Belize. What a wonderful trip and such a blessing to experience! It was great to travel with Matt and Michelle (we miss them so much now that we are back in the south.) Check out some of the highlights:

When we returned from the cruise, we were met with the unfortunate news that Tim's father would need some surgery that propelled us into a long summer of going back and forth between Spartanburg, Greenville, and Traveler's Rest. The good news here is that through all of it, Dan is doing much better and is currently on the mend.
JULY-Grandfather Mountain Highland Games really started off the month for us. We camped a few nights and got a taste of tartans, bagpipes and the infamous Marshmellow War. Somehow...(we must have been distracted...)there were no pictures captured of this weekend! Will post from next year's event! Shortly after this weekend, our dear friend from Colorado, Jenny, came to visit for a week! I was so excited to have her here! I had been very homesick for Colorado and she was the perfect antidote! While here, we gave her a taste of southern cuisine, southern drawl, and southern heat...and then we took her to Charleston!

Our door is always open to our dear friend Jenny! Just as she was leaving, Michelle and Carson made a quick visit before my mother and I headed back to the beach with them, but this time it was to Edisto Island:

What a great time! Even through the power outage, my mother and I enjoyed and were appreciative of such a great chance to hang out with Michelle and her family!

AUGUST-This month was full of preparations...going back to school; Dan coming home from the hospital; Michelle and Carson making yet another return, but this time to help out with the family. What a fast and busy month this was!

SEPTEMBER-And here it is mid-September. My 30th and Tim's 32nd are quickly approaching. We have just returned from yet another vacation to New Hampshire for Mary and Andy's wedding and I've learned through Ayuveda that if I truly want to honor my dosha, I need to give up TOMATOES! Not sure if that last one will ever happen. What will happen are more posts from me...starting with pictures from the New Hampshire trip. I've just got to get them loaded on the computer! To all out there reading this who are close, we value your presence in our lives. It has certainly been full with you in it! For those of you reading this who are far away, we feel the void and cherish the moments we get. Jai Bhagwan and Love to you all!

Invitation Only...

2010-02-06T12:25:00.000-05:00

Well, we had to go private with the blog. We started getting some odd comments from annonymous posters. In general, this won't effect most of you, but in case there is difficulty in viewing, let me know and I'll try to correct the problem! Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Snow Time Fun

2010-01-31T17:43:00.000-05:00

When we first bought our place, we were informed by the neighbors behind us that our backyard and been the site of many an adventure for the neighborhood kids. Last winter (March, I believe) the Upstate was hit with a hefty snow and our back yard's slope was a perfect location for sledding. Well, winter hit Friday night and by Saturday morning, the Upstate was covered in snow that was covered in ice. Without missing a beat, the kids behind us pulled out their sleds are were sliding into our backyard before we had finished our morning cup of coffee. It took about 10 minutes more before Tim, and eventually I, joined them. Here are a few pics of the winter fun followed by a picture of three "kids" worn out from the excitement:

The Bounty of Blogging

2010-01-24T19:57:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, a lazy Sunday morning really pays off and you can experience the goodness of God in a way unlike the experiences had in church. It was quite cold and rainy this morning (as many locals know) and Tim and I had a difficult time getting motivated for the 11:00 am service. Instead, we turned on "The Barefoot Contessa" (a first for Mr. Brock) and enjoyed watching her create roasted fingerling potatoes with dill. Tim enjoyed this episode so much that it inspired tonight's meal. We had the Fresh Market on the docket for the day, so we checked for fingerling potatoes and didn't have any luck. We did find small red potatoes and decided these would suffice. Deciding on a protein to compliment took only a few seconds. We remembered the delicious flank steak recipe found on one of our favorite food blogs, Simply Recipes. Being the brussel sprout lovers that we are, we decided this would finish the meal off nicely. Andy and Mary had recommended a new way of making brussel sprouts where the sprouts are roasted with garlic. When we returned home, I found a blog that highly recommended a wonderful roasted brussel sprout recipe. Minus the balsamic vinegar, these were delightful! To replicate the Contessa's potatoes, I searched Google and found yet another blog with raving reviews of Ina's dish. The culmination of all of this blogging looked like this:

Obviously, the fact that I am taking time in the fleeting hours of my weekend to blog about this meal, we thoroughly enjoyed it. If there were any doubts, the proof is on the plate:

Though we did skip out on church this morning, we were reminded of the wonderful ways in which our God takes care of his people and spoils them in ways they do not realize. Thankfully, blogs make these experiences more easily accessible! If you don't blog or pay attention to them, you may be missing out! Everyone have a blessed week and remember to be thankful you are in a position to take advantage of the bounty of God's grace.

What's Happening at 516

2010-01-20T19:18:00.001-05:00

Our newest addition, Tillie, has proven to be quite the fiesty one! She has quickly put Rocky in his place, let us all know how loud her bark can be, and discovered that she does NOT like Children's Benedryl! She has also gone to the groomer once and the vet twice. She's been quite the busy 12 week old! Here a few photos of the dogs doing their thing...

The Newest Brock

2009-12-30T09:16:00.000-05:00

IT'S A GIRL!

After much thought, Tim and I decided to add to our small family...before you get too excited take a look below:

She's a Malshi just like her brother and we call her Tillie.

Holidays at 516

2009-12-30T09:07:00.000-05:00

The holidays were quite an event for us this year! We hosted a Potter/Anderson/Brock Thanksgiving and then took another round with having all of the families back for Christmas! After a few seasons of traveling over the holidays, we were very excited to have all the family near. Lots of good food, singing, dancing and laughing made this season a very memorable one.

The Beauty of Charleston

2009-12-30T08:50:00.000-05:00

It's taken a VERY long time to get the pictures posted, but they are worth the wait! These were taken when Tim and I traveled to Charleston, SC for a wedding he piped at on my birthday weekend. Please enjoy, and if you've never been to C-town, you'll want to go now...

Oktoberfest/Hallowine

2009-10-25T10:34:00.000-04:00

Wow, October has been busy--and it isn't over yet! We still have a wedding next weekend in Charleston. The month began with a visit from Michelle and Carson. It was so great to see them. We miss them and Matt so much (as well as everyone else in Colorado.) With both Tim's and my birthdays in October, we attempted two major bashes in one month. The first was the 1st Annual Oktoberfest to celebrate Tim's birthday. I will admit we did not take enough pictures. Lesson learned for next year. The second event was the 2nd Annual Hallowine party. Both parties were great and we look forward to doing this again next year. Below is a slide show of pictures from the busy month so far.

516 Kennet

2009-09-05T18:25:00.002-04:00

Ok, ok. I have a very good reason for taking so long to blog this time! Tim and I have only been busy moving back across the country, house shopping, house buying, starting new jobs, and working in the new house so that it becomes our home. Finally, we got to a place were I felt like it was ok to take pictures and post them for all of you who have asked. You know me, if it's not perfect, I have issues! It still isn't perfect, but it is perfect for us. We are nursing homesickness for Colorado by shopping, mulching, and rediscovering the Upstate. I figured the easiest way to display pictures of the house would be through a slideshow. That way you can skip to whatever you care about! Hope everyone out there (far and near) is doing well. Now that we've gotten a little more settled, we would love to have visitors! (P.S. For anyone who visited this before I discovered some song was attached to the slideshow, please ignore that...I am not "so much better without you!")

My New Favorite Flower

2009-09-05T17:56:00.000-04:00

The Dahlia...one of the great buys Tim and I got at the Hub City Farmer's Market this morning. My new favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning...immediately following my dose of caffeine via a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. I love the fall!

It's official...

2009-05-25T19:12:00.001-04:00

We're moving back!

Long time, no BLOG

2009-04-30T18:48:00.009-04:00

Well, I know I should be ashamed of myself for not blogging more often in the past few months, but when you see how busy we've been you'll understand why! This is my feeble attempt to recapture the months of February, March, and April as May takes over. Most of February was a blur with the exception of another great brunch at the Brown Palace for Valentine's Day with Matt and Michelle and the birth of Carly May Stevenson (born to our friends Kristy and Ben.) Congratulations again, guys!

In March, I slowly planned for the triathlon, training as much as possible but allowing the weather to get in the way of most of that. We had several snow storms, but never anything to encourage a snow day or even a delay! Oh well, with spring break approaching, I had Mexico to look toward and snow to forget! The last full week in March, Tim, myself, Jenny, and Greg, headed south to San Jose del Cabo. There are only a few pictures posted here because the majority of this trip was spent by the pool! I have to say my three travel mates were much more active than I was! Tim played beach/pool volleyball each day, Greg went on dives, and Jenny even left a day or two to explore. My two main events were a horseback ride on the beach and a sunset cruise in Cabo San Lucas the night before we left (see pictures below.) Outside of that, I enjoyed my book, the sun, the entertainment around the pool and the fact that I didn't have anything I was required to do! It was a great trip! We've all missed it and want to go back. My dear friends, Autumn and Daniel, welcomed Eli Golob into the world this same week...proof that it was a good one!

The beginning of April ushered in a visit from Tim's mom, fun with Carson, and Easter. We had a great experience as we finally made it to Red Rocks for the "sunrise" service. True to Colorado spring, it was pretty unpredictable and stayed gray and rainy all day. Regardless, the service was nice (the dove release was so special) and we got a few good pictures from the morning:

Not very long after that...we got snow...just enough to make commute home on Friday horrible and force us to stay inside most of the weekend!

That same weekend, our friend Melissa had her birthday, where we got to eat yummy sushi and enjoy wonderful desserts! Happy Birthday Melissa!

Right after the snow, the Nuggets (our beloved) made it to the first round of the NBA playoffs and Tim made it onto the Jumbotron! Take a look:

The following weekend was the (much avoided??) weekend of the triathlon. For those of you who do not know how I got into this (since I'm neither a swimmer, runner, nor biker), it was Jenny. She is from Nebraska and she knew of one that the special education team could do for "fun." Well, in all honesty, it did turn out to be a lot of fun. I got to know the people I work with better and I felt pretty darn proud as I crossed the finish line! Here are a few pics:

Now, it's a few short hours away from being May. I anticipate another few busy months ahead. I vow to be a better blogger (since I really didn't have a very good excuse for not keeping up with the past few months!) Check back and see what's new!

Winter Wonderland

2009-01-25T22:47:00.004-05:00

In honor of my sister-in-law's birthday, Matt and Michelle were able to get a great deal on a ski resort in Beaver Creek, CO. They so graciously invited several of us up for a weekend of skiing. The first day was spent skiing in Vail (the neighboring village) and the second day was in Beaver Creek. We had a blast and have the hurting muscles and joints to prove it! I'm slowly gaining ski-confidence and am thankful to Melissa and Matt for their patience! Each day, I inadvertently encountered a "blue" (which from what I hear, is more like a "black" back east.) All I can say is that I made it down without a broken bone! One day, maybe I'll actually go down one voluntarily! Tim also conquered his first "black diamond." In any case, Tim was able to grab a few cool shots from the slopes. Nothing can fully describe how pretty the slopes and villages were, but his pics turned out pretty great! The one pictured above is one of the Aspens (his muse) in fresh snow.

Words to live by...

2009-01-18T16:55:00.003-05:00

Lots of people responded favorably to this when I sent it out as an email. I figured I would post it online for anyone who did not get it the first time through. I'm accomplishing some of what's on this list but I guess that's why it's designed for a whole year!

A GREAT RECIPE FOR THE NEW YEAR!
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God (or a friend) about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________'
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, Issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this really matter?'
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
20. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!
21. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
22. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.
23. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
24. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

Photo Tag

2009-01-13T23:10:00.005-05:00

Ok, so if you read Carly's blog, I'm copying this verbatim...but it's a cute idea. Read below:

Here are the rules:

1. Go to your 4th picture folder

2. Use the 4th picture in the folder

3. Tell us about your picture!

4. Pass it on!

This is a picture of the view from mine and Tim's window on our long weekend trip to Chicago. Chicago is a city I highly recommend you visit for fun (and food-earlier blog in September, 08) if you ever get the chance. I am determined to get a Girl's Weekend going! Hello Magnificent Mile!

Out with the old, in with the new...

2008-11-17T20:51:00.003-05:00

There comes a time in every young 20-something's life where they must decide to let go of things of the past for better things in the future. My time came today as I traded in my first sign of financial freedom as a single young woman for my first major purchase with my husband. We got a new car! While the Acura has been a wonderful car, there is not room for it (or not enough room in it) for the Brocks. Eventually, there will be more of us and we figured why not get the new car while we're in a good place? Though I was tearful as I drove the Acura for one last time, the moment I sat in my nice new car, I was smitten!

Hallowine and Football Time!

2008-11-16T22:10:00.004-05:00

Two weeks ago, I turned 28. Yes...I know, it's hard to believe. I am now officially in my late twenties. 27 was a toss up between mid to late twenties, but now, I'm officially there! How did I spend my birthday weekend? Check below:

With a little monster, good friends and family, and good wine, we celebrated Halloween a little differently, dubbing it HalloWINE instead. We hosted a wine tasting party (cheese and all). This was a great idea and one of the few birthdays I have ever spent where no one was required to dress in costume! Ok...so Carson was still subjected to the costume, but it was his first and isn't he the cutest little monster? That same weekend, my brother-in-law, Matt, had the chance to finish celebrating his birthday with a Miami Dolphins/Denver Broncos game. We were invited to attend as well. This was my first pro football game ever and it was quite exciting! We had great weather and a fun time. The weekend was great!

10 years? Already?

2008-10-25T18:19:00.004-04:00

Just this past weekend, Tim and I flew back to South Carolina to attend my 10 year high school reunion...like there wasn't enough celebrating already going on in October! It was great to see everyone and spend time with friends. I, of course, returned to Colorado feeling homesick (along with another kind of sick) but was looking forward to a CALM, UNEVENTFUL week to follow! October sure knows how to fly by for such a wonderful month!

Fall Family Fun

2008-10-25T17:57:00.003-04:00

As the month of birthdays continued, Tim, Matt, Michelle, Carson, and I all trecked up to Estes Park for a weekend away. The trip was to celebrate Matt's birthday and continue our tradition of trips to the mountains in the fall. We chose a spectacular weekend for cold weather, beautiful Aspens and elk. Carson experienced his first snow this weekend and Tim experienced his first baby feeding! The trip was wonderful (even though it was cold) and Tim took more pictures of Aspen and elk than our last three trips combined. Please enjoy the slideshow:

Tim Turns Thirty

2008-10-25T17:39:00.002-04:00

October 3rd marked the 30th birthday for Tim. Yes, I am well aware that we are entering the last week of October and I am FINALLY blogging about what happened in the first week. That should explain to you how busy this month has been. By the time you read this blog, there will most likely be two other blogs added above it! In any case, enjoy the pictures of Tim's (low key) birthday celebration:

All That Jazz--Chicago!!!

2008-10-02T22:13:00.007-04:00

As most of you know, Tim and I traveled to Chicago as an early celebration of his turning the big 3-0. I get pretty excited any time we travel together, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. Courtesy of our good friend and tour guide, Meg, we were able to take in all the important sites. The first day was spent at the Lake Michigan Beach and in Wrigleyville--the home of the Cubs. We were able to take in a Cubs-Cardinals game. This was a memorable experience for Tim to say the least. It did not hurt that the Cardinals beat the Cubs 12 to 6! We toured around the local spots and enjoyed the taunting Tim received from disgruntled fans. That evening we had, by far, the best pizza I have ever tasted. There is a reason it's called "Chicago-style"...cause it's that good! The three of us devoured it and added tirrimisu to finish the evening. Travel Tip # 1: If you go to Chicago, eat at Giordano's!
The next day was all about seeing the city. We started with Starbucks and shopping. The Magnificent Mile is simply magnificent! I seemed to be the MOST excited...since I spent the most money, but what's new there? In any case, we walked off all of the pizza and tirrimisu shopping and snapping pictures all over the city. Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain (unfortunately not pictured) and The Sears Tower were just a few of the sites to behold. We had the best caramel and cheddar cheese popcorn I have had since I was 9. Travel Tip #2: Go to Garrett's for a great snack!
That evening we had reservations at Shaw's Crab House for a celebration birthday dinner for Tim. The food was wonderful...especially the desserts. The restaurant gave us the feeling we were in a 1930s hot spot. Just as exciting was the cab ride to the restaurant--If you've seen Batman Begins or The Dark Knight, you might remember the tunnel scenes. It really exists in Chicago and our cabbie drove through it--at a pretty high speed too! That evening, we enjoyed a few drinks from the roof-top bar at our hotel, and said 'good-bye' to Meg.
Unfortunately, our trip was not as long as we would have liked, but it was a great one just the same. We are already discussing the next time we will be in Chicago and are looking forward to it. Tim's Travel Tip: If you ever go to Chicago, trust Meg's opinion.
Please enjoy some of the clips from such a great weekend!

Friends, Family, Fireworks, and Fun

2008-07-29T22:02:00.003-04:00

The month of July has offered very little time to update everyone on all that has been going on. Besides the fact that I doubled up on my master's degree classes, we had many guests and opportunities for fun. July has really flown by (which also means I'll be back at work soon!) Here is an update of how the month flew by:

The end of June ushered our first guests since this past April when Mary and her boyfriend, Andy, came in to town. With the birth of ADORABLE, Lovable, and Huggable Carson, the Brock family has quickly purchased plane tickets to behold his greatness. Tim and I were able to host Mary and Andy while they explored Colorado and got to know the baby.

Just about the time that Mary and Andy came in to town, Debbie (my mother-in-law and proud grandma) also flew in. She was a blessing for Michelle and welcome company for the rest of us. Mary and Andy left on Friday. This gave us two days to clean the whole apartment before our next round of guests, Autumn and Daniel, came in town. Well...actually, they caught a pinch of my flying luck and didn't make it to Denver until Tuesday morning. Below are some pictures from the fun had while they were here:

Daniel's cousin works as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets. He was able to get us behind the scenes and into the Nuggets locker room. Tim was in heaven!

The next day, we took them (along with friends, Chris and Lisa) to a Rockies fireworks game. This picture illustrates how high up we were.

Yep...we were the very TOP row.

Being that high up did allow us to get a pretty awesome skyline picture of the city. Later there were fireworks (pictured at beginning), the height did not work to our advantage there!

On the 4th we took Autumn and Daniel out to Red Rocks...it was nice and hot for that hike!

These rocks still amaze me!

We also took them up to Dinosaur Ridge to see some real dinosaur tracks! Later we went to Matt and Michelle's for a 4th of July cookout (yes, cookout...not barbecue.) Carson was looking handsome as ever!

The end of the month brought our last guest for a while, a cute blond named Satchmo. We watched Satchmo for Chris and Lisa. He and Rocky became fast friends. They enjoyed taking naps together and fighting over the same toys.

July has gone by too quickly! We are now about to venture back to South Carolina for an extended week of visiting and then it's back to work...for both of us! :(

Sunless Seattle

2008-06-24T11:38:00.007-04:00

What is gray, cold, and below sea level? Seattle...and that is where we chose to spend our first anniversary! Despite the fact that we were there during the coldest first week of June in over a hundred years, we had a great time. We stayed at the Pan Pacific Hotel, who upgraded us to a Junior Suite when they learned we were celebrating our anniversary. The room had an awesome bathroom (especially the tub) and a huge bed. There was also a Starbucks attached to the hotel (go figure) and a Whole Foods Market on the bottom floor. I would have been content to stay at the hotel...but that would have defeated the purpose of the visit.

One of the first things we did the first full day of vacation was head to the famous Pike's Place Market. This is where the fish are thrown. Beyond that, there was an overflow of produce and flowers. I was amazed at all of the beautiful colors...especially against a backdrop of gray! We had great clam chowder and a view of the Puget Sound for lunch. We also dropped by the Flagship Starbucks store which is right across from the market. Very crowded and the coffee didn't taste any different, but it was neat to see where the mega-coffee shop got its start.

We had a great view of the Space Needle from our room. We made reservation to eat there for our "anniversary dinner." The restaurant rotates around the Space Needle as you eat. We got an excellent view of the entire city. Afterward, we went out onto the observation deck and took several pictures...it was pretty cold up there!

The next day, we took a ferry across the Puget to drive out to the Olympic National Forest. Everything was so lush and green and the weather was beautiful. It was a perfect day for hiking.

Our last day in Seattle, we took a tour of the Underground City...Seattle that we know today is actually built on top of the original due to being below sea level. I highly recommend this tour. We had a Norm McDonald clone for our tour guide...it was very entertaining. We also took in a Seattle Mariners game. Not as entertaining...they played the Nationals so we basically watched the two worst teams play each other. Tim and I enjoyed the game from inside the warm club house.

Seattle was a great place to visit, though with the gray, we would never be able to live there. We had great food and lots of exercise from all of the walking. Hope you enjoy the slide show below:

In a year

2008-06-09T13:16:00.008-04:00

A year ago, I was getting ready with all of my girlfriends and sisters in The Garden Room at the Inn on Main. I was only a few hours away from becoming Mrs. Brock. Where has this year gone? It has been filled with a roller coaster of emotion, mostly good with sadness only because I felt homesick. Marriage has been so much more than what I expected and has given me so much more to look forward to.

In a year, I have moved across the country, gotten a new dog, started a new (and often difficult) job, received National Board certification, and traveled to South Dakota, Vail, South Carolina, San Francisco, Seattle (tomorrow), and Mexico.

In a year, I've been to more baseball and basketball games than I ever could have imagined.

In a year, I have eaten more bar-b-que, chicken, and broccoli than I ever thought I would.

In a year, I've become a member of both a book club and a wine club.

In a year, I found out I have a "brain tail."

In a year, I began to play video games.

In a year, I started my master's degree.

In a year, I cut off 7 inches of hair.

In a year, I became a daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt and godmother.

In a year, I have introduced more people to grandmama's chicken pie, Aunt Ruth's cheesy potatoes, and my own special blend of SWEET tea.

In a year, I experienced snow on a weekly basis and never got a snow day.

In a year, I learned how to ski (thanks again, Melissa!)

In a year, I have become more organic and environmentally conscious.

In a year, I have learned that I'm not as good with plants as I was in South Carolina.

In a year, I have laughed a lot.

In a year, I have cried a lot.

In a year, I have felt more loved than ever.

In a year, I have felt happier than ever.

In another year, I hope to have many more adventures to post, more excitement to share, funny moments to laugh about, and people to share them with.

It's hard to believe a year has already flown by. Without getting too sentimental, I have to say I couldn't have picked a better man to go through this year with than Tim. I look forward to another year, and another year, and many more after those. Thank you to everyone who have supported us (from all areas of the country). We are blessed to have each other and all of you. Keep checking in to see how year two goes!

Pre-Anniversary Celebration

2008-06-08T12:26:00.004-04:00

One of the things that Tim and I have grown to enjoy are good dinners at home together. Cooking and maturing our palette for wine are two hobbies we have found as a married couple that we have a desire for. In honor of our first anniversary, we celebrated with a pre-anniversary dinner. We had never attempted shrimp scampi. It turned out so well I had to take a picture for the blog. We had our favorites; homemade mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli along with our favorite wine, The Smoking Loon Syrah. I just thought I'd share the yumminess of yesterday's meal with all of you.

Long time, lots of news...

2008-06-04T11:17:00.008-04:00

There are no excuses, except to say that May was an extremely busy, exciting, and eventful month. I will attempt to summarize all of the excitement in a few short paragraphs.

To begin, the weekend of April 26th, I flew back to South Carolina to throw my former roommate a baby shower. Carly had several weeks (so we thought) before her baby was to be born. By May 3rd, Davis Benny Phillips had entered the world. I guess we got the shower done just in the nick of time! Here are few pictures from the shower:

Me with the mommy and other hostesses (L-R: Hillary, Autumn, Carly, and Resa)

"Carly's Cravings"--a table full of all the food Carly could imagine to request!

Be it a boy or a girl, this baby was well stocked!

Sarah McAndrew and I--this is Emily's sweet little girl.

All of my friends (L-R: Hillary, Autumn, Carly, Emily, and Resa)

Shortly after returning from South Carolina, we got yet another snow (see blog entry for May 1st) and then I threw another baby shower for my sister-in-law, Michelle. May 3rd (the day Davis was born) Melissa and I hosted a wonderful Italian-food-themed shower for Michelle. Unfortunately, no one took pictures! The only picture from that day was taken later on by Tim, as the last few guests played Dance, Dance Revolution on the Nintendo Wii. Tim took a picture of my dance skills...it is definitely harder than it looks!

The following week was the week of the Cardinals. We went to Cardinal vs. Rockies games on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings. Tim and Matt even took in an afternoon game on Thursday. Here are few of the pictures from all of the fun:

Everyone at the Monday night game (L-R: Matt, Michelle, Hillary, and Tim)
Everyone's favorite Cardinal--Albert Pujols

Another important event that occurred in the early days of May was Rocky's first birthday. Here's a picture of him playing with one of his new toys:

The next week began a course of many days of work for Tim. He eventually ended up working 18 days straight! None of us were too excited about this, but Rocky took it the hardest. One of the Saturdays Tim had to go into work, Rocky sulked under the couch for a good solid two hours. He was very disappointed to spend another day without "Dad time."
Aside from all of the early excitement of May, I am now on VACATION! This means I get a lot more time at home. From being at home, I have found a new hobby of Rocky's. He now likes to sit on the bed in our bedroom and watch dogs and people pass by.
When he gets really excited about some creature on the other side of the window, he sits up tall and barks a very quiet, yet threatening bark. It's quite funny to watch!
Last, but certainly not least, the beginning of June ushered in the birth of Matt and Michelle's little boy (and our godson), Carson William Brock. He was born this past Monday at 9:29 am. He was 6 lbs. 10 oz.--very small for a full-term baby and he is just adorable. We have been to the hospital each night. Here are a few of the pictures we have gotten thus far:

The happy godparents with Carson

Matt's first diaper change...he learned a lot! :)

Uncle Tim bonding with the baby

Still adjusting to the light, Carson winked at me!

Day two--before another diaper change

Wide-eyed and ready for the world--Precious!

Now that it is June, summer holds much excitement with plenty to do. Besides playing with our new nephew, Tim and I begin the summer celebrating our one year anniversary. We will go to Seattle to celebrate this milestone. I will make sure to QUICKLY post pictures from that adventure. Shortly after that, we will have many friends and family visit. We are excited about it all and look forward to keeping you all updated. We miss you and love you. Happy Summer!!! (Yay! No more snow!!!!!!)

Weather forecast

2008-05-01T14:42:00.002-04:00

"It's raining, it's snowing.

My irritation is growing!

It just turned May,

and it has snowed all day!

Who knows what we'll have in the morning!"

My Backyard

2008-04-19T19:41:00.004-04:00

So, when I moved to Colorado, I didn't expect to love everything about the state. I am a person quite partial to my home state of South Carolina. I also didn't expect to be as annoyed as I am by certain components of life here. Many of you enjoyed my commentary on the favorite things I have in Colorado, but I noticed no one from SC commented on them. I'm balancing the blog by now sharing the things that annoy the heck out of me.

To begin with...there is one good season, Summer. Every other season is a smattering of good days mixed with snow and cold! For example, it is close to 70 degrees today. I can't really complain. However, last Wednesday/Thursday, this picture shows what my backyard looked like.

It's not that this southern girl can't handle the occasional cold front, but COME ON! This is not predicted to be our last snow. The saying out here is "If you don't like the weather, wait an hour." That statement couldn't be more true, but my sinuses have had it! It is time for spring, sunshine, and tans! I don't want to still wear socks and corduroy in late April! Tim's input here: No one out here can drive in the rain, but drive like demons in the snow!

Another thing that annoys me is that there are no dentist offices that are free standing...at least none I've seen. They are all in strip malls. Those of you back south...do you feel comfortable having your teeth pulled at a strip mall? Don't get me wrong, I love my dentist out here. However, I would have never tried her out had she not been highly recommended!

A third thing that annoys me is how every street, road, avenue, place, way, and boulevard have the same freakin' name! There's Euclid Ave., Euclid St., Euclid Way...you get my point. If it weren't for Google Maps and a couple uniquely numbered highways, I'd constantly be lost!

Many of you have heard me complain about this, but it needs to be said again. The educational funding out here is laughable. More money goes into the upkeep of the stadiums that house all the professional teams than to the schools. Justification is that people don't move here for the education. However, most of these people move here, settle, have kids, and then send them to schools that still have chalk boards, orange carpet (that was ripped out of my first dorm room before I moved in), and asbestos! But, please keep making the Pepsi Center state of the art instead! I'm down off of my soap box now.

The last thing is a little thing but annoying to both Tim and I. People out here don't Barbecue...at least not in the true sense of the word. Yes, I know the Australian term "shrimp on the barbie," but do you REALLY think about burgers and hot dogs when you hear the term "barbecue?" No, you think of some selection of meat, that is slow roasted or GRILLED, and then has a yummy goodness of sauce (KC Masterpiece, mustard, vinegar, whatever your liking) spread over it. What our good friends in Colorado kindly refer to as a barbecue is known elsewhere in the world as "cooking/grilling out." Imagine showing up for a barbecue and getting a Sam's Club burger and some Doritos...These are just a few of my less than favorite things in Colorado.

I do enjoy my time here. Like I said, summer is humidity-free and much less buggy. We have a much better public transportation system. People are generally healthier and more active and we have great parks for Rocky to meet new dogs. We are far away from friends and family, but have met some wonderful people out here. Hey, if I could pick anywhere I could live, it wouldn't be Colorado or South Carolina. I'd be independently rich and on a beach in Hawaii.

"I left my heart in San Francisco..."

2008-04-19T19:21:00.001-04:00

Not really. I just really, really loved the trip Tim and I took for spring break! The weather is what spring should be like in late March. The flowers were in bloom and the sun was warm. There was fog and mist...not very common in Colorado. By far, our favorite part was visiting Sonoma and Napa. We took a bay cruise, a trolley ride to Chinatown, toured Ghiardelli square, and ate tons of wonderful food! Restaurants we recommend are R & G Lounge (Chinese food at it's best) and Scoma's Seafood (one of the oldest seafood restaurants in the city.) The ride down Lombard St. was much more fun for Tim than me, but neat just the same! The hike through Muir woods was amazing and cold! Click on the picture below to see all the pictures we took. Tim took over 200, but I've cut the list to 86.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2008-03-22T20:02:00.008-04:00

I know many of you out there don't want to hear me talk about things I like out here in Colorado, for fear that we may never return to the south. Many of you have heard my complaints (dentist offices in strip malls, lack of snow days--even in treacherous road conditions by Colorado standards, the funding for schools, etc.) but there are some definite good things too. Given that we are anticipating many visitors in the coming spring, summer, and fall, I thought I'd share a few of my Colorado addictions. As I began finding pictures to illustrate this blog, I found that most of the things that give me bliss are shopping and food...I guess we all have our priorities! There are a few that were not Internet accessible; like Le Belle Nails...a salon that gives the BEST mani/pedi I have ever had! Or, the stories my students give me. I thought I had some good ones coming out of South Carolina...but wow. I could also mention the sunsets over the Rocky Mountains or the ability to look east and see city lights for miles.

Aspen Grove is a shopper's dream...and it keeps me occupied sufficiently. Best part is it's only a mile up the road. In the spring and summer there is a farmer's market every Saturday morning. Restoration Hardware is found in other parts of our country, but Colorado introduced this elevated home-decor store to me. My beloved blanket came from here along with our Christmas stockings. The only bad thing I can say about this store is that it is just too expensive for me to decorate my entire home. RH still inspires me...my favorite color from there is eucalyptus.

The above named restaurants are the usual spots you can find Tim and me. Tokyo Joe's is the healthiest fast food I've found and it's Asian-style cuisine...which you know I love. Wahoo's is by far my favorite dining experience on a dime. A delicious coastal twist on Mexican food in a boarder-meets-surfer-meets-skater atmosphere...Wahoo's knows tacos. Oddly enough, neither Tim nor I have ever had the taco. There are just too many other great things to try! My favorite is the Wahoo sandwich...though, I haven't heard anyone complain about any of the food. Rib City is a place many of you have heard of before, from my first summer in Colorado. It was my "south" in the middle of the plains. Rib City serves fried okra, BBQ sandwiches, and sweet tea. With country music playing in the background, you'll feel like you're at Sonny's or Mutt's in no time. Obviously, Tim and I have made ourselves regulars...we get our fix at least once a week. Noodles is the place we are planning to eat at tonight...my favorite is the Pan Asian Noodles (go figure.) This place offers a quality pasta dish with salad for $6.95. Definitely worth a visit if you ever come across one. Qdoba is the west's version of Moe's. We also frequent this place regularly (it can be found along with Noodles at Aspen Grove.) Our favorite here is the naked chicken burrito with black beans...all I can say is Y-U-M. After all of that, you can see that I am well fed in Colorado. If you come to visit, you will be too! On to sports...
I hope I don't get stoned for saying this, but Colorado doesn't really offer the college sports the south does. My heart will first and foremost always reside with the ACC, though they severely disappointed me today (and last night.) Since there isn't really a college team to follow, I have fallen prey to professional sports. The Nuggets are, by far, mine and Tim's favorite form of entertainment. Though they don't always win, they are our team...and the first professional basketball team I have ever cared about. A-I (Allen Iverson) is my favorite player, and yes, I do have a t-shirt with his jersey number. The Nuggets would definitely be the thing Tim and I would miss most about Colorado. Troy Tulowitzki (pictured below) is the new golden boy for the Colorado Rockies. After an exciting end to baseball season last October, we are all geared up for baseball this spring. Opening day has already sold out. I don't know that this has ever happened in Colorado. Tulo is a big reason everyone is so pumped. He's got the hustle Eckstein has, but is about ten years younger. If you make it out to visit us (hint, hint) we might let you see him in action!
Ok, so my diatribe on Colorado is almost over. There are many things I am still learning about this area (like how every street/road/avenue has the same name) and there are many things I painfully miss about South Carolina. Just know that while we are here, we would love to have you visit. Until then, you can click on the pics to explore the websites of all the places you're missing out on! :) To wrap this up, and quote a show that was filmed in Boulder, CO before most of us were born...Na-no, na-no.

My brain...sort of...

2008-03-20T16:14:00.003-04:00

I found this chart on another Chiarian's website. This illustrates the difference and degrees of Chiari. I am labled as a person with Chiari 1...that means I'm the one in the middle. If you look at the base of the brain, the little bit of brain working it's way into the neck is called the cerebellar tonsils. Thankfully, it's not an important part of the brain...concerning just the same. These tonsils along with the brain stem descend into the spinal cavity. Only one of those parts should be in the spinal cavity and that is where all the pressure I feel is being created. A recent visit with the headache specialist confirmed that my brain even baffles the experts. He thinks I'm having four types of headaches: sinus, tension, migraine, and the chiari kind. Because he can't specifically point to the ones that are chiari created, we're going to experiment for a while. My current regime is a muscle relaxer each night (for the neck pain), a migraine pill most days (for headaches that seem to be migraines), physical therapy (again, for my neck), and then possibly switching to a gluten-free diet...just in case it's diet that is throwing me out of whack! In about a month, I'll meet back with the specialist. We will reevaluate my headaches and see what is being stopped through current procedures and what still needs attention. Eventually, we will get to the bottom of all of these headaches and be able to recognize which headaches are chiari related. From there, who knows? There could be surgery, but maybe not. I'll keep you posted. I'll also keep working on posting one of my brain scans for all who are curious...right now our scanner isn't cooperating, so I hope the chart at least makes a good visual. Thank you for all of your concern! Keep us in your prayers as we keep you in ours!

Have a wonderful and Happy Easter from The Brocks.

Feeling Green

2008-03-19T22:06:00.003-04:00

St. Paty's Day was celebrated in style this year. We enjoyed Irish food (and drinks) and some good music too! We also (sort of ) watched the parade...did you know there are Irish Hare Krishnas in Denver? Neither did I! In any case, here's some of the fun:

Meg, Lisa, and I
Car bombs (I wisely didn't take part in) later in the day

(L-R: Tim, Chris, Amanda, Stacey, Lisa, and Meg).
Stacey, Lisa, and Meg
Tim...a little happy after the Irish festivities!
Happy Saint Patrick's Day from the Brocks!

In like a lion?

2008-03-19T21:57:00.005-04:00

I think that statement has proven itself very accurate for the beginning of this spring! Here are a couple of pics to illustrate what I mean:

The strongest, and most unexpected storm of the season (a few days after 70 degree temps)...there were winds up to 40 miles per hour! This was the first time I had ever seen what a "white out" looks like.
As March ushered in spring, it also brought a pretty terrible sinus infection I am still nursing! This is how Rocky took care of me while I was sick. Isn't he a doll?

Moving Day!!!!

2008-03-19T21:50:00.005-04:00

Not for Tim and I, but for our in laws. Matt and Michelle recently purchased a new home and enlisted the help of many friends. Requests for pictures have been made, so here they are...I apologize that they aren't any better...I got caught up in the move and forgot to take better pics!

Tim and Rocky on the way to help! The livingroom/kitchen pre-boxes.
A great back yard...something hard to come by in Colorado!
The other half of the living room and foyer.
The living room/kitchen post-boxes.

Have you seen my brain lately?

2008-02-21T19:21:00.002-05:00

You might not have, but I did for the first time today! I want to begin by apologizing to you all for the informality of posting health information online. The seriousness of it isn't great, but the quantity of information is so much that hopefully this blog will answer all preliminary questions and convey information to you all. I promised I would keep you all in the loop about life in Colorado, so here goes...
Many of you who have known me for a while, know that I've always had headaches. I've thought they could be sinus related, then there was the possibility they could be migraines. From about age 12, I've stayed well medicated to say the least! I've had a CT scan, seen chiropractors, downed oceans of water, sought massage therapists, and prayed, but have never kicked the headaches. They are more severe in times of stress or seasonal changes (which gives good reason to blame it on a number ailments!) They progressively got worse when I moved out to Colorado. I thought, it might be the job, or the altitude, or the arid climate. The difference was that the headaches occurred more frequently and in different places (basically all over my head!) The month of November brought roughly 30 days of headache...some days dull pain; some days sharp stabbing pain. So I once again sought a doctor's advice. Luckily, this doctor ordered an MRI.
On MLK day, I had my first MRI, thinking nothing would be found. Three days later, I found out I have Type I Chiari (Kee-ar-ee) Malformation. He gave me the name of a neurological surgeon and said I should set up a visit. Today, Tim and I met Dr. Sean Markey (voted in Top Doctors in Denver 2007.) He delivered good news, so for those of you who stopped breathing a while ago, you can start again.
Basically, Chiari is a condition where a part of the brain (that we don't use for anything) is pushing down through this little hole we all have at the base of our skulls that allows the brain stem to pass into the spinal cord. I'm about 10mm below where I should be. Chiari is much more common in females and often goes undiagnosed because it disguises itself so well. The best way to detect it is to have an MRI (yay for Dr. Boyle!) Surgery is the best way to fix it, but in my case, not necessary (yet.) Dr. Markey has advised that I first speak with a neurological headache specialist (Potters reading this...the NEUROlogical specialist's name is McNutt...yes, McNutt...he first wanted to be a psychiatrist!) He believes McNutt will be able to help me "manage" my headaches. He doesn't feel I will need surgery for a couple of reasons. 1-I've learned to live with pain a lot of people aren't used to. (Tim just has to learn to live with the complaining!) 2-The surgery is invasive, painful, and about a 6-week recovery--not something he recommends I do unless I get worse (more than 10mm of brain leakage.) He does want me to come back in 6 months for a check to make sure it hasn't gotten worse. So that's what we need to focus on...that it doesn't get worse (and there is a very good chance it won't.) The only other thing he advised was to discontinue going to the chiropractor...NO MORE NECK CRACKING!
All in all, I've got more brains than I've got head (not a bad problem to have.) I'm including a link from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chiari/detail_chiari.htm#102923087) that gives you all the medical mumbo jumbo and probably a better explanation to specific questions you might have. After all the specialist have seen my brain, I'll try to upload one of my films so that you too, can say you've seen my brain!

Snow, School, Skiing, Super Bowl, Shaving, and June?

2008-02-10T20:17:00.000-05:00

What you see above are pictures of life as we have known it since we lasst blogged. Snow is a normal part of any week, and yet I still haven't gotten out of work! I am adjusting, but I ache for spring! We actually had unseasonably warm weather this weekend. I would have enjoyed the lovely weather except for the fact that school keeps me in front of a computer and I'm sick!

Though it's only been a month and a half since I last entered details about life in Colorado, it seems a lot has happened! Most exciting and time consuming is that I have finally begun my Master's degree. This is the reason for less frequent postings and emails in general. The program requires lots of reading and lots of writing, but hopefully (as long as credits transfer correctly) I'll be done in December. I vow to be more diligent than I have been with blogging. I really didn't know school would turn getting on the computer into such a chore!

Another exciting thing that has happened since I last blogged, was that we took a trip to Keystone to go skiing! This was my first skiing experience, ever. I had a good friend (thanks, Melissa) who was very patient in teaching me the ins and outs of survival on the slopes. Slopes that peaked at around 10,000 feet (yes, the greens too.) The slope I skied was School Marm, and she was tall, but not steep. To make up for the lack of steepness, she had length (3 plus miles to the bottom!) By the end of a morning in training and a 3-mile run, I enjoyed Bailey's and coffee in a local coffee shop in the ski village. I couldn't walk for the next week!!!! Here's a picture of the slopes and surrounding mountains:

The beginning of February brought about our first Super Bowl party as a married couple. Nothing too crazy, but tons of food. Here are some pics from the gang at the party...Tim is being his usual self in one of these!

We were all happy with the outcome of the game! I don't think I've met a single Patriot supporter out here!

Ok, so I've covered snow, school, skiing, and the Super Bowl. That leaves shaving and June. Well, just yesterday, we took Rocky to be shaved (groomed) at PetsMart. After many failed attempts at keeping him brushed (which he hates) we decided to start fresh (see below).

Meredith, you're right. He really does look like Falcor from The Neverending Story!

Finally, JUNE. This is simply put in the blog due to all the new little lives becoming part of this great planet that month! Tim and I will be uncle and aunt (respectively) at the beginning of June for the first time thanks to Matt and Michelle's little boy who will be born. I'm not quite sure what I'll be mid-June when Craig and Carly's little "something" is born. I'll be happy with Hil-po-bro. And, finally, at the end of June, I (and I guess Tim via marriage) will be counsin to the newest generation of Potters thanks to the wonderful bundle Richard and Rebekah will deliver! We are so excited for all of you!

As I said before, I will be better about blogging. Now that I've finally got a handle on the schedule, I should be able to work it in. Hopefully, I'll have more exciting news to share! With Valentine's Day just this week, we send our love and know that we think of all you daily. We miss you!

ahhh...Christmas

2007-12-16T12:23:00.000-05:00

Christmas is quickly approaching, as is our trip back to South Carolina. It will be so nice to escape the FRIGID temperatures of below 10 degrees! I love bundling up, but there are only so many clothes a girl can put on to stay warm and still look presentable! While it definitely feels more like Christmas out here than it does in the south, Christmas will be enjoyed much more with family and friends we haven't seen in a while.

Since we are flying home before Christmas, Tim and I exchanged gifts with each other last night. Tim, understanding how cold I have been gave me some great gifts to keep me warm. I got lots of cozy lounge pants and pjs. He also gave me this luscious blanket from Restoration Hardware:

All of that coupled with some bath stuff, Chico's necklaces, chocolate, and a Barnes and Noble gift card makes Hillary a spoiled girl!

As many of you know, Matt and Michelle "blessed" us with a Nintendo Wii as a wedding gift. Tim is a huge fan (I am too, though I don't have as much time to play.) His one gift request this Christmas was Guitar Hero for the Wii, so I got it.
Tim is like a 12 year old boy. I have to admit that it is fun to watch as he shows off his "talents" with the guitar. So far, I've had Cream, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Rage Against The Machine, The Killers, AFI, Sonic Youth, Alice Cooper, and many, many more perform in my living room as I sit on the couch, under my new cozy blanket, drinking coffee and keeping warm in the frigid weather of Colorado. To all our family and friends in South Carolina, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Colorado...Merry Christmas to all and YOU ROCK!

6 months of marriage

2007-12-12T21:10:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday marked a small, but notable, milestone in our marriage. We have now been married 6 months! Time has really flown by, but I guess that's what they say happens when you're having fun, right? Tim was a sweetheart and made reservations for brunch at a very elegant hotel in downtown Denver called the Brown Palace. Below are pictures of the hotel and the brunch we enjoyed. The brunch included made to order omelets, roast of buffalo, unlimited champagne (yes, you read that correctly), creme brulee, chocolate mouse, sushi, fresh seafood, cornucopia of fresh fruit...I could go on and on. Needless to say, it was wonderful (and so is my husband!)

Winter in Colorado

2007-12-09T12:04:00.000-05:00

While South Carolina offers many wonderful things, it doesn't offer snow like what we've gotten in the last few weeks. I'm sitting on the couch staring out the window at a field covered in snow (the fluffy kind) and I LOVE it! I might eat my words in January, February, and March, but right now a cup of coffee and cozy sweats make this morning complete! Here are some pics of when my family came to visit and were blessed with the first big snow. These were taken while exploring Red Rocks Amphitheater:

Tim

2007-12-09T11:55:00.001-05:00

You Are An ESFJ

The Caregiver
You are sympathetic and caring, putting friends and family first.A creature of habit, you prefer routines and have trouble with change.You love being in groups - whether you're helping people or working on a project.You are good at listening, laughing, and bringing out the best in people.
In love, you value harmony and mutual understanding.You will apologize or give someone the benefit of the doubt, if it means getting over a fight sooner.
At work, you are good at building relationships and connecting with people.You would make a great nurse, social worker, or teacher. How you see yourself: Organized, dependable, co-operative
When other people don't get you, they see you as: Opinionated, critical, and know-it-all

What's" Your Personality Type?

Me

2007-12-09T11:36:00.000-05:00

You Are An INFJ

The Protector
You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity.Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is.You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience.You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them.
In love, you truly see relationships as an opportunity to connect and grow.You enjoy relationships as long as they are improving and changing. You can't stand stagnation.
At work, you stay motivated and happy... as long as you are working toward a dream you support.You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher. How you see yourself: Hardworking, ethical, and helpful
When other people don't get you, they see you as: Manipulative, weak, and unstable

What's" Your Personality Type?

7 inches

2007-11-24T18:09:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I got brave today and chopped it all off! This was at least 5 years worth of having long hair...all on the floor of the salon!

As promised...Halloween pictures!

2007-11-01T22:10:00.001-04:00

It's Elvis Presley and Lucille Ball!!!!

Clearly, I'm not a red head! But check out the hair on both of us!

August, September, and Rocktober

2007-10-28T21:28:00.000-04:00

Well, this blog started with every good intention of being an on-going chronicle of The Brocks in Colorado...then I went back to work! Both Tim and I have stayed very busy with the fun (and not-so-fun) elements of life. I apologize for not being as diligent in keeping you all updated with life out here. Now that life is beginning to slow down (just in time for the holiday season) I'm taking a moment to include you in life as we've known it for the past three months!

As August thrust itself upon us, as it always seems to do, we took time to take a small family trip back to South Dakota with Matt and Michelle. We visited Mt. Rushmore again, but we also went to the Badlands. It's so hard to believe that there is such diversity in a two-hour drive through one state! The pictures below are some from that camping trip:

As August progressed, the strange weather this arid community had experienced all summer (rain, and lots of it) continued which resulted in lots of double rainbows. A nice thing about living in the plains is that you get a chance to see full rainbows. There were lots of these after the thunderstorms of August. Our camera couldn't do the colors justice:

We had some interesting guests in our backyard early in the morning when the weather was right:

All the while, Rocky grew, got more adorable, and developed some pretty interesting habits. Below are some pictures of him as he's gotten bigger. Pay careful attention to his reflection in the glass door...he is terribly intimidated by that "other dog!"

August (finally) came to an end and September rushed in! I took some time to fly back for a girls weekend via Autumn's bachelorette party:

Amazingly, in Colorado, you can taste fall when you're actually supposed to! We took advantage of the cool weather and trekked up to Vail, CO with Matt and Michelle.

Now it's almost the end of October, I'm officially entering my "late-twenties", and the Rockies have made it to the World Series! Who'd have thought? And better yet, Tim was able to score tickets! Here's the catch: We're sitting in the apartment right now, watching Game 4 and praying that they win this game because our tickets are for Game 5! For such a baseball fan as Tim, it will be a difficult pill to swallow if we get this close to a World Series game, but don't make it. October has always been my favorite month for the obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. With my new found interest in baseball, it seems fitting that the season culminate in my new town, in my favorite month. Besides, what other team can coin a term like "Rocktober?"

As much fun as it is out here, we still miss everyone back home. We look forward to seeing you all over the holidays. I vow to be more dedicated to this blog...what better way to multi-task while catching up on DVR? So until we see each other again, check back. I should have some great Halloween pictures/Autumn's wedding pictures/and tales of the Potter Thanksgiving Invasion of Colorado!

Love to you all,
Hillary

Wedding Pictures

2007-07-29T18:41:00.000-04:00

Our wedding photos from the photographer were finally sent yesterday! I haven't stopped printing, and looking, and framing since then! All the pictures (all 400 of them!) are available for viewing at the following two web albums:

http://picasaweb.google.com/hpbrock47/BrockWedding

http://picasaweb.google.com/hpbrock47/BrockReception

My Two Guys

2007-07-13T10:34:00.000-04:00

Rocky's First Bath

2007-07-13T10:20:00.001-04:00

The first bath was interesting...he doesn't like to be clean! However, look how fluffy he was afterward! He has almost doubled in size since we first got him!

He has become so much more energetic! He runs around in circles for no reason. He loves eating leaves, grass, and weeds. He also loves to chew...but especially on hair! He goes crazy playing with my hair!

He is so much fun to have around. If we can get him to sleep past 6:30, he'll be a great dog! :)

The Emissions Test

2007-06-29T21:03:00.000-04:00

It all started with good intentions. Tim had the day off from work. We made the list of things that needed to be done. First on the list was to head to the DMV to make me and my car legal. Upon research, we found that before I could register in Colorado, I would need to pass an emissions test. (For those of you in SC, this something we used to do when we had the little stickers in the bottom left corner of the windshields.) About 12:30, Tim and I were finally ready to head to the Emissions Testing Facility. We give the keys to the people working there and go into the waiting room. About five minutes later they come in asking if there is some special alarm on my car. Somehow, in the time it took for them to get our keys and drive it to the first test spot (about 10 feet forward) the car decided it would not start. They ensured us that they had not done anything, and when asked what went wrong, they simply said that they "weren't mechanics." They did kindly push us out of the way so that they could continue working.

We checked the battery and the positive terminal was completely corroded. After calling Geico to get a tow-truck (that we were told would take up to 90 minutes) I suggested we try to clean off the battery and get someone to jump us off. Luckily this worked. We no longer had to wait to be towed. We took my car up to a repair shop where they checked and found that the battery was pretty weak. We quickly drove to "Checkers Automotive"...similar to AutoZone. Tim decided to buy a new battery and terminal and replace them. He did a very good job at this. (I'm quickly realizing all the benefits of having a husband!)

After Tim had almost finished, one of the helpful people at Checkers came to see how we were progressing. When we started my car up, he noticed that my "check engine" light was on. This has been on for over year. I had been told not to worry about it. However, in the wonderful state of Colorado, this can pose a problem. In any case, Gary quickly decided to help us figure out a way to turn the light off. An hour later, with five guys on the case, they found that the hook up for diagnostic tests is behind my ashtray. Gary runs the test and finds that my Oxygen-something wasn't functioning properly. He also said that it could set off a signal at the emissions place and we might not pass our test if it doesn't get fixed. To fix this, the part would cost $200, so he suggested trying to pass the test first. If we didn't pass, we could then come back and he'd help us get the parts we needed.

By this time, several hours have passed, we have had no lunch, and nothing has been accomplished that was on our list. Begrudgingly, we hop back into the car and head back to the Emissions Testing Facility. We pull back up in line and they automatically notice us. One friendly guy inquires about what turned out to be the problem and then quickly instructs us to go into the waiting area while they run the test. Tim and I are both exhausted, but we patiently wait while they begin to run the tests. About 10 minutes later, we see them push our car off the ramp and they call us out of the waiting area to let us know...(did we pass the emissions test???)

NO...the entire facility went down and we were told that we would need to come back later!!!!

Starving, we get into the car, checked the time in the car which said 2:30. This surprised me because of how long the day had seemed. We decided to get something to eat and at least accomplish setting up bank accounts. After eating we went to the bank, thinking it was mid-afternoon (plenty of time for our other chores.) I check the time on my cell phone which said it was going on 6:00. Confusing, seeing that my clock in my car said something completely different. We checked with the people at the bank and they confirmed that it was almost 6:00. After several confused looks passed between two very tired married people, I remembered...DUH! My battery had died...as with any electric clock that loses power, the time in the car was now wrong. In all, our fun adventure in Colorado took 6 hours. I am so glad to be home!

Wedding Pictures

2007-06-29T12:57:00.001-04:00

These are some great pictures from the wedding...courtesy of Resa. The professional ones will be up soon. Hope you enjoy these for now!

Rocky "Rockstar" Brock

2007-06-27T14:50:00.000-04:00

The newest addition to our family is our new puppy, Rocky. He has already become quite a celebrity, hence the nickname "Rockstar". He has been so much fun to have around while adjusting to life in a new town. He's been a great therapist as I work through my homesickness...seriously, how could anyone be sad with him around? We've only had him a little over a week and he has developed so much. He found his bark and is so independent, but he is still a great cuddle-bug when he is sleepy.

The Honeymoon-Rivera Maya, Mexico

2007-06-27T14:44:00.001-04:00

Being Mrs. Brock

2007-06-27T14:24:00.000-04:00

I feel like there is so much to say to catch up with the last two weeks! What a whirl wind! We are now going on our third week of marriage and we have managed to go to Rivera Maya, Mexico, get a puppy, and drive from South Carolina to Colorado! We can't believe how fast everything has happened! It is definitely exciting to be here setting up the apartment, being married, and getting familiar with my new home. We hope that keeping this blog will be a good way to keep everyone updated on our life out here. We hope you enjoy the pictures we've gotten so far.

Love,

Hillary