This weekend...

I tried Flamin' Hot Cheetos for the first time. I have felt compelled to eat them for a while now...all the kids I work with LOVE them and I've been curious about their fluorescent red tint. Brandon picked them up when he bought snacks for our hike on Saturday.

I do want to clarify that they were the Flamin' Hot Cheetos con Limon variation. That whole Flamin' Hot franchise wouldn't be worth eating at all if they didn't have the con Limon option. That citrus-y kick at the end eases the burning which then makes me less worried about their overall toxicity.

I was impressed with how truly flamin' hot they were as well as how badly they stain your fingertips. When you eat them, you have to look into the bag to find the exact one you want and then delicately pick it out. If you don't, you're entire hand will be this powdery red mess that could destroy anything and everything.

The first one I ate made me grimace and swear to never eat another, although within about two minutes I felt brave enough to try another and then another...then on the way home from the mountains I ate several more, almost enjoying them.

The jury is still out as to whether or not I will eat them again. I have a feeling that if they are in front of me I'll have a handful but doubt I will ever intentionally seek them out. Any Flamin' Hot experiences to share?

Once

My dad has been gushing about this movie, Once. Every time we talk he asks if I've seen it yet and when I say I haven't, he says, "Put it in your queue Alison, I promise--you will love it. Watch it." We finally watched it last weekend and I quickly understood why he loved it so...it's mostly about music and a little about love. For those of you that do not know my dad, he is about the sweetest and most loving person out there---AND---he secretly wishes he could be a famous musician.

My dad was right, I loved it. The story is really simple and Brandon thought it was a glorified music video (it kind of was). But at the bottom of the simplicity and behind the great music is a sweet story.

The movie is over a year old so I am way behind the times, but I just had to write about it because hopefully it will get me to stop thinking about it. I have that personality...I fall in love with something, become slightly obsessed with it, and run it into the ground. The film is rated R for a lot of f-bombs, so there are several of you who won't ever see it. Here is a scene so you can at least get a taste of the sweetness. I think I've watched it on youtube every morning this week as I ate breakfast. The scene really is just a music video, but the producer's reponse as well as the song make it worth it to me every time.

Graduation

I know this is late, but Alison's graduation was a major event for us. She's now a/the Master of Social Work. She's actually my favorite one ever. I'm very proud of her and all her hard work. Enjoy a couple pictures of the glorious occasion.

2.7 Miles High

Alison's parents and brother were in town last weekend for her graduation which was awesome. After all of the ceremonies, we all decided to get high. No-not on drugs. That's actually impossible now because one of Alison's many degrees is from D.A.R.E. We actually hiked to the top of one of Colorado's famed "14ers" named Mt. Evans. It was an easy hike for us because we're all in really good shape. It only took 10-15 minutes to hike to the top.

Mt. Evans is the tallest mountain in the world. As a consequence, the top was very cold and windy. I was nearly blown off of a very steep cliff. I would have gone Gandalf on everyone and become a white wizard, but that fire-whip didn't come up and grab me. While I was holding on for my life, Alison decided to snap a photo. I'm glad she didn't have to scream "Nooooooo!" like Frodo did.

It all turned out cool in the end for everyone....

...except Gandalf.

It would be irresponsible to talk about Gandalf without mentioning this one--a classic.

One Year!

It is true. We've been married for 365 days. Actually, this year was a leap year, so I guess it has been 366 days.

It hasn't been perfect...I completed my master's degree and was quite a bear as deadlines approached and there was that one time we thought we had bed bugs (we didn't) and we did have a really really rainy trip to Yellowstone...but all in all, it has been a GREAT year for both of us. As we move into new chapters of life, it is a joy to do it with each other. Believe it or not, I think I am developing a lovely appreciation for the way Brandon always makes people laugh and Brandon has learned a trick or two about me along the way. We have a comfy home, high aspirations for our future, a growing list of things we've proudly accomplished together, and at the end of the day, we still get a kick out of snuggling on the couch to watch youtube videos or LOST together.

I can't wait for all the things that are to come. Here's to one year ago....