Rena Jane Weekend!

This weekend was Rena weekend!

Rachel and Darren came to visit with their cutie of a daughter, Rena Jane. We have known Rachel since we lived in Taiwan back in 1990, and Darren since they started dating 7 or 8 years ago. Rachel had never been to Crested Butte before and Darren had been just a couple of times for the Art Fair. Rena is five months old and is so much fun. She gurgles and chuckles away and is perfectly happy being handed off to Uncle Nick and Aunt Julie! Here she is in July this year.

Some of our photos this weekend weren't so good, but this one Rachel took at home in Denver came out great.

Here she is on Saturday here in Crested Butte. She still managed to smile and be pleasant even though she was sick and having a hard time breathing properly...judging by our sore throats, I think she also managed to get Nick and I sick! Hope we are both smiling as much as she was tomorrow!









One thing we decided to do was hike over from where we live to the ski mountain for some lunch. Rena had just got her new back pack and was all ready for her first long distance hike!! Here she is getting situated.










And here she is on route with Dad, Darren. She is just styling here isn't she?

Gotta love those sun glasses - she looked like a little old Chinese lady...

I think this one will be kept to share with friends and family on her wedding day!!!





The weekend was a lot of fun, and we managed to eat and drink lots in amongst our hikes ...surprise surprise. But we never did find that perfect plate of nachos...we will have to try again next time they come up!

A storm passed over on Saturday and I was able to snap a photo of a rainbow hanging over Crested Butte mountain...









And earlier in the week, I got a photo of Nick bear hunting...Crested Butte has been having a lot of problems with bears this summer. They have been smart and realized that they can get an easy supply of food from all the dumpsters in town.

We live across from the Golf Club and seem to have a resident bear. Last week we were on the front deck and heard it in the dumpsters...having had a couple of glasses of wine, we decided to try and get a photo of it for the blog....fortunately it was gone when we got there!!!!

And then they resurfaced the parking lot at the Lodge this last Friday. I was waiting for Darren and Rachel to arrive when I heard him on Friday night at the Club. I decided it was a good time to wait for them in the lobby!!! On Saturday morning, there were bear footprints padding across the new surface all the way to the dumpsters! Good job I came inside when I heard him - wouldn't want to get that close!!! On Saturday night, he was apparently very hungry. Darren said he woke him up in the middle of the night, trying to heft the dumpster over! It will be interesting to see how many more bears we have when the new ordinance comes in in Crested Butte on September 1st. All trash containers have to be bear proofed by then - just as the bears are at their hungriest as they prepare for hibernation...not out here in Skyland though...I have a feeling we will be hearing more form them in the next month or so!!! Keep checking to see if we actually manage to get a photo of one or not...!!!