I'm Going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I Come

About 2 weeks ago, I got to stroll down memory lane a bit when I headed to KC to see my college running partner, salsa eater, and great friend Sam get married. BW and I were in the wedding party, so it was a chance for our threesome to catch up again and pretend we were young.

...we're looking older aren't we?

The wedding pictures were taken at the Nelson, and I loved the huge badminton birdies. Being back in KC evoked lots of nostalgia ... and I did my best to eat all of the great KC BBQ and Midwest home cooking as possible.

I'm glad that Sam found Steph (and vice versa)...and even though she is a Cardinals fan like Sam, she's a great match and is a great compliment to my great friend!

Unfortunately, Eva couldn't join me in KC, but we decided to bring a bit of Germany to the new couple: we presented the wedding party and guests with a Germany style wedding homework: I prepared a few canvasses and brought paint, and all the guests had to paint a heart.

I wish the both of you all the best in your journey together. May your passion for each other, the romance, the friendship, and the fun get better with each year of marriage! Thank you for having me there at your wedding!

True Friends are Friends Forever

As the cliche goes: neither time nor distance can break the bonds of friendship. Being in Germany for over 5 years now, I've definitely put this theory to test. Thankfully, this maxim does hold true for true friendships.

Last weekend, I was in the mountains of Colorado for BW's wedding, and on Sunday after the wedding, I met up with some of the other Pi Kapps from college that still live in Denver. While I don't get to see these very close friends of mine very often, every time we get together, it's like we saw each other just yesterday...we are just a bit fatter and have more grey hair.
As I awoke in Keystone the day before BW's wedding, there was snow on the ground. I can only imagine the look of fear and disappointment on Melissa's face: as they planned a wedding in the mountains of Colorado in September, I'm sure she wasn't dreaming about snow.
We were planning on a group hike on Friday, but had to cut it a bit short due to the snow. Many of the friends and family arrived on Thursday, so it gave us more time to get to know each other before the wedding.

Simply breathtaking. Everytime I'm in the mountains, I realize how much I love the mountains. Another cliche is that people are either mountain people or beach people. I'm a mountain person. Definitely.
...but at almost 12,000 feet, I'm breathing a bit harder.
The day of the wedding, in true BW fashion, we went for a ride. It was about a 90 minute ride, but the scenery was great, and it was nice to get out and get some exercise before the wedding.
The groomsmen preparing BW for married life.
It was an outdoor wedding. In true Colorado fashion, the snow from Friday cleared out for blue Colorado skies. It was probably in the high 70's (~25C); one couldn't ask for better weather for a wedding.

A close up of the altar.
The bride from the window...
...the signatures...now the marriage is official.
...now the picture taking begins...
Sam and I. We haven't seen each other much these last years, but it is still a blast to be around him, and I think and hope that we'll get to visit more these next years.

...the wedding party looking casual...
...and the groomsmen (trying) to look cool...
I think this is a great pic of Sam.

...and this time with me...
What a wonderful backdrop for a wedding.
For Eva, I had to take a pic of the wedding cake(s). The place is known for their cakes...I remember only having a slice or two (maybe three), and they were absolutely wonderful!We brought a bit of our German wedding traditions with us, and we gave BW and Melissa 'hearts': each guest got to paint their own heart in a square for BW and Melissa to hang in their new home to remember their wedding day. Thanks tons to Scup and his girlfriend Steph (pictured below) who did most all of the work gather canvasses and paints.
All in all, it was a super wedding, with great friends and great weather with the backdrop of the mountains. The location was superb, and all of the staff at the Ski Tip Lodge provided not only great service, but great food and comfort. If you get a chance, I'd highly recommend going there.On Sunday, since I had a late flight, I headed to Denver to meet up with some of the other guys: Justin, Hunter, CY, Krier, and Darin....with of course the spouses and children. It was great to take the few hours to catch up with everyone and was unfortunate that I had to go and catch my flight.

@ Hunter: you've got great content: Blog.

Above: a pic of the taps in the MacLean's kitchen. This was the compromise to Justin building a pantry: he got a kegerator and taps into the kitchen. Very cool.

What blog post is complete without a few pics of Quinn. Below...wearing my boots. Like father like son. The other editor of this blog reminded that a few of these pictures are reposts, and that I might have plagiarized some of the content: it was so good, that it deserves to be posted again!

Finally, the huge stuffed bear at Oma and Opa's place. Don't know how Quinn could lift and carry it, but when he wants something, he finds the strength.
Doesn't it look like the bear is leaning down to look at Quinn?
Oma and Opa.
...and playing in the yard.