First Swim Firefall & Fireworks.

We have been up to a lot lately...starting on Tuesday...Oliver was able to finally get his first swim strokes in.  Well, it was more like floating his fatness around, but none-the-less very enjoyable.  He loved splashing & kicking...I think he has a good instinct of what to do in a giant body of water, so that's good.  We travelled back to Redstone to try out the Redstone Inn Pool.  It did deliver wonderful views of the mountains, but the pool was small & had no zero entry.  And then again, after about an hour, the darkness & the rain clouds rolled in (note the hail storm that graced us on our first attempt).  So, unfortunately, we packed up sooner than we would've liked, but still had a very enjoyable first swimming experience.

The boys checking out the weather moving in...

Classic swimming boogers.

On our drive back home, Michael stopped by the road to admire this new vehicle he of course wanted to make an offer for, the weather & the river.

On Thursday...we attended the Snowmass Village concert series located up on Fanny Hill.  Every Thursday, they host a new band for a free concert.  It was a perfect setting only about 10 minutes from our home!  Firefall was our entertainment for the evening...& you may remember this Boulder native band if you were around in 1974, I personally did not...but after some Googling, I did recognize ONE song.  And it has been stuck in my head since by the way.  Fanny Hill is one of Snowmasses ski slopes & conveniently, as most of the evenings have gone around here, it poured rain just before the concert was supposed to start.  We were prepared with a tarp & our blanket but the slope was now a muddy slip & slide.  After the shower, the sun came back out & once we settled in a spot on the muddy mountain-side, it was so relaxing to take in.  I mean...

Once the music started...we thought Oliver was gonig to be fine...jamming to the musical greatness of Firefall...but sometime shortly after they started playing, they jacked up the volume & Oliver was NOT going to stand for it. We ended up having to move our fannies up Fanny Hill to get away from the blaring tunes. Once we relocated, it was smooth sailing & he sat in front of me bouncing around.

The next morning, we were up early (but of course running late), to get on the road to Denver.  My best friend Kim was getting married Saturday & we were heading there to join other friends & family for the celebration.  This was the first time since we moved out in February for me to see my friends...so, I was really excited!  I will do a separate post, as I want to finish up with our lame fireworks here in Basalt.  After we returned from Denver on Sunday, July 4th...we were running on low, but I told Mike that I only get to use my fireworks setting on my camera once a year...so we HAD to go check them out.  Being newcomers to the area, we weren't sure what went on here in Basalt, so we received some general information of where to go & this is what happened...

On our way to the fireworks viewing destination, we weren't sure about our directions, so we noticed some locals heading up some trail with blankets & chairs, so we quickly parked our car & followed them.  Mind you...the weather had switched right before our adventure from beautiful sunny warm weather to 40 degree windyness...& on our drive into Basalt...this...

Following some locals...hoping them to lead us to the place to watch the fireworks...

...as we climbed up & up & up the trail we realized that we were now walking through a cemetery.  We spotted a skydiver above us.

...& at the edge of the cemetery was a great lookout for the fireworks show.  So we laid down our blanket, bubbled up our boy & sat & waited...& then...the rain came.  Soon after, the sky began to light up & we sat in the miserable rain & watched the worse firework show I have ever been present for.  They were over in like 3 1/2 minutes...Mike gave them 10 minutes, but I begged to differ.  I felt robbed of a great experience & with me & my fireworks setting feeling very deprived, our Fourth of July story does NOT recieve it's own post.  But, because it was Oliver's very first firework show, it was worth noting.  He did great.  His little eyes got bigger & bigger as the show went on.  So judging by this, I believe he enjoyed it. 

Boo...hiss...not impressed.  Next year, I'll be on a mission.  

Happy Independence Day!