On the Loose

April showers bring May Flowers

2010-05-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

Happy May! It's been fairly busy here. I've gone back to work pretty much full time again. I'd like to say I enjoy it, but I miss the time with Skyler. Mother's Day was great. I got crepes for breakfast! I had to rush off to work after :/ but otherwise it was a pretty good day. Mr. Jabbermouth has been talking up a storm lately. He sure does have an enormous amount of things to say. He is also rolling over from tummy to back (hates being on his stomach), and is giggling all the time. It is the cutest thing! I have video of all of it, but I can't figure out how to rotate them so they are facing the right way....any thoughts? I have pictures of what we've been up to though. Enjoy!

My first race! it was only a 5 k, but hey, you have to start somewhere! With life getting pretty crazy lately, our running schedule has taken a toll. We've had to put it on hold, but don't worry, the 1/2 marathon is still in the agenda!

Skyler's feet were cold, so I put on my booties. Haha, he didn't much care for them.

Montana on top of Gibralter Rock on a nice warm day.

Our family self portrait!

Skyler sucking on his hands (like he does almost constantly now) on top of Gibralter.

So the next few pictures are from the Wilderness in Wis. Dells. The weather has been nasty lately so we met up with some friends and went swimming in the indoor water park! Skyler loved it!

Sky and I drying off.

Us in the lazy river.

The swing was still a little big for him....

The sign said for children under 42'....I thought I was pretty close :)

Hanging out in the kiddie section.

More summer fun to follow!

Whistle while you work...

2010-04-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

Happy April to all! And Happy Easter as well!

All is well here in Wisconsin. Skyler's kidney test results came back with good news....his kidneys are working great! The funniest part was that Sky didn't seem to mind the test, he actually smiled at the doc.

I went back to work at Erehwon for a few days, just to help out for the holiday. I don't go back officially until after April 19th. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was hard to be away from Skyler for 10 hours, but it just made coming home to him that much better! While I was working, the Jackson family took Skyler on his first climbing outing! Of course he is still a bit small to get on the rock himself, he had fun with everyone there, especially his buddy Harper! Here are some pictures of the special day!

Skyler at Railroad Ampitherater.

Nick belaying from the hamock, and doing a great job :)

Kaytie climbing up the pillar.

Todd giving Jack the Ripper an honest effort while Nick takes notes for his gander :)

Chillaxin'

Todd and Harper, probably giving him his first "A'game" speech :)

Justin tieing in for Pine Tree Step Across while Sara K waits to belay with Montana.

Kaytie and Skyler

Jordan and Skyler

Justin and Skyler :)

Aunt Laura comes back to Wisconsin from Florida next week! It will be here first time meeting Skyler and we are all really excited. She will be here for a week and then on to Arizona to start the next job. With her being home and Justin's birthday, we have alot to look forward to in the next few weeks!

As always, check in for more updates!

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish!

2010-03-28T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hey there all. No new news on the kidneys other than it's a "mild" case. The docter still wants us to do the x-ray test to make sure that the kidney is functioning normally, which is April 1st, no foolin'. We should know everything there is to know about Skylers' kidneys after that.

The other day, Justin and I took Skyler to the Shed Aquarium in Chicago. It was AWESOME! Skyler watched all the fish and was just mesmerized! He loved it. He was even awake for practically 9 hours (little cat naps of about 5-10 min here and there). Unfortunately for us, the over-stimulation, although worth it at the time, did some damage to Skyler's sleep schedule. It took him all weekend to back on track!

The fun doesn't stop there. Apex Adventure Alliance had a great weekend to kick off the season! Although it wasn't as warm as it was about a week ago (about a 15-20 degree difference, actually haha), it was great to get out on the rock! I found out I'm a little rusty on the climbing skills, but it was encouraging to be back after only 2 months after having Skyler.

As always, here are some pictures from the aquarium for your enjoyment.

Skyler just started smiling 2 weeks ago and he just doesn't want to stop, which is alright by us! It makes all the screaming worth it :)

Justin and Skyler enjoying the brightly colored fish.

Skyler LOVED the jellyfish! (sorry for the blurriness)

Momma and baby Beluga whale (baby is blurry and hard to see, but there, trust me)

The sea horses are always my favorite!

Justin and Jordan showing Skyler the fish.

That's it for now. On to spring!

Moving right along...

2010-03-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

Well we are moving into Skyler's second month and it's been amazing! He is in a nightly routine of being crabby from 7 until 11-12 (still), feeding at 3, and again at 6. I was hoping that we would be moving toward longer periods of sleep, but at least he is consistent. I'm sure it will happen soon. I know this 3 hour stretch of sleep will not be on my "missing it" list.

Skyler has a doctor's appointment next week to check out his kidneys because they vary in size. It is not a major concern. If it had been, it would have been checked out in a more timely fashion. They just want to make sure everything is working as it should. I will post shortly after we get the results.

Other news on the homefront is that Justin, Laura, and I have started our training! We plan on running a 1/2 marathon sometime after September. We haven't chosen one yet, so if you have any ideas on a good one to start with, let us know! Preferably, one with a desired vacation spot near by (wink). Hey, sometimes you just have to kill two birds with one stone!

Spring is in the air here in Wisconsin, and we are loving it! Soon, Skyler, Montana and I will be out at Devil's Lake, rocking it with Apex Adventure Alliance! Very stoked to introduce my little man to the awesomeness his life will entail. In the meantime, we will continue to hike daily and grow with eachother.

Skyler taking a nap, which he does oh so often.

Skyler and Harper (Skyler's bff) enjoying eachothers' company on the floor.

Sky and I visiting friends in Milwaukee.

Ice falls at Parfey's Glen

Green fern in Parfey's Glen

Sky and I hiking with Kelly at Parfey's Glen.

Very Brigadoon-like atmosphere with the fog. It was eerily beautiful.

Kelly telling Montana what's what.

Sweet tree

Hiking into the fog

That's the update. Hope all is well everywhere else!

There's a Wocket in my Pocket

2010-02-14T15:29:00.000-08:00

There really isn't a wocket in my pocket, but it is one of the many books that Skyler has been read over the weeks. Things are coming along in Skyler's world. His feeding is better and on some-what of a schedule (though still only 3 hours of sleep at a time for us at best) and he is very alert and aware of his surroundings. He didn't much like his first bath time, but the many we've had after have been more enjoyable for him. Since I don't want to embarrass him too much in life, we'll keep those pictures for his future wedding (maybe the girlfriends if he's lucky haha). He is now into that "fussy" stage at 3, going on 4 weeks and man is it fun! Wailing from 7pm to around 11pm is the best! (sarcasm) Although, I have to count my blessings because at least it is only about 4 hours long, not the whole day and not through the night. That and he's so darn cute when he's not wailing in your ear. So he's still a keeper. :)

A friend of mine from high school came over and took some professional pictures of Skyler and I. He obviously was the main focus, I just happen to be there. This is just one of many. You can go to her website to check out more... photographybykait.photoreflect.com .... in the albert file... shoot me an email for the password if you are interested in checking them out. She did an amazing job!!

Some people have been asking how Montana has been handling the new baby in the family and I think this picture sums it up. If Montana could have puppies, she would be an excellent mother! She took to Skyler immediately when we brought him home with the smallest, cutest kiss and has been in love with him ever since. She even keeps the cats away (or maybe she thought it was just a good reason to chase them more). Either way, she is amazingly good with Skyler, the newest member of the "pack".

We took Sklyer out on his first hike on Super Bowl Sunday. At 20 days old, he took it like a champ! We didn't go terribly far, seeing as the healing process takes ridiculously long with c-sections, but it was far enough to make me sore the next day. It was well worth it for Skylers' first hike though because it was so pretty. We went to Baxter's Hallow and the snow was beautifully coming down in huge flakes (the ones you stick your tongue out for). We all had a blast!

Stay tuned for more updates......

Cute as a button

2010-01-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

Well we are finally home! We were released from the hospital Saturday afternoon and it was a blessing!

Although it feels great to be home instead of the hospital, I'm still fighting off infections. I was on high risk for infection because my immune system was low when we were released, and sure enough, Sunday evening I spiked a fever. Now on anitbiotics (again) I'm working real hard to just be healthy, let alone recover from the c-section surgery. The road to recovery has been a long and bumpy one. We haven't hit pavement yet, but we are working on it.

Skyler is doing great. Healthy as a horse and eating like a champ. His sucking skills are yet to be determined, and he is still hesitant to come to me directly for food, but he is getting the food he needs and meeting is daily "output" requirements :).

Here are some more pictures for you all to enjoy.

Skyler rockin' it in Mom's baby blanket..ya vintage!

Grandma getting excited about going home.

Skyler's first time in the car seat.

First car ride :)

Sky testing out the vibrating seat from Grandma Jackson.

One happy little family :)

Sky working on his facials

Just being his cute little self...

...and working really hard at it too :)

Skyler Edgar Albert

2010-01-20T19:08:00.001-08:00

There he is! The newest member of the family! We don't have a whole lot of pictures just yet, we've been sort of busy. The whole birth process has been a long and bumpy road. The plan was to give birth to Skyler the the Madison Birthing Center the all natural way. We started off doing just that. Early labor, with small contractions starting Thursday. These annoying little buggers stuck around, getting progressively stronger until Sunday night, around 11:35 pm, when my water broke. The real contractions weren't far behinde, and they were strong! We lived through each beautiful contration until 11:45 am when we found out that things weren't progressing fast enough, so off we went to St. Mary's Hospital. Things got interesting after that. Epidurals, monitors, and routine vital check-ups became the norm as we found out that I had a fever, which indicated infection. This was hard to handle, but we were still hoping a c-section wasn't going to be needed. Unfortunately, for the safety of both Skyler and myself, the c-section was the only option. But he came out smiling! Beautiful 8'13oz Skyler 21 inches long! He is perfect!

More pictures and updates are on the way, so stay tuned!

We should be both on our way home by Saturday, so keep us in your thoughts!

Let it snow!!!

2009-12-10T06:31:00.001-08:00

Well Fall just cruised right on through, here in Wisconsin. In October, we thought we may be getting winter early. We had some flurries and cold weather, which made guiding for Apex Adventure Alliance chilly. Rock climbing on cold rock isn't the most pleasant. But then November rolled around and, well, it was like a whole new fall, only without all the pretty leaves. Indian summer was right! We had September weather for the rest of the month! My last "who-raw" day of climbing was around 28 weeks (7months), and it was a good day to end on. Beautiful weather, great company, and great climbing. I probably would have kept going until the end if I had a harness that would fit!

The September-like weather stuck around until Dec 9th. We had the first major snow and it was wonderful! Full on blizzard warnings and everything! Wisconsin is now a winter wonderland, just like it should be. It's beauty reminds me why Wisconsin is so special in the first part of winter. Although, I can honestly say I miss the mountains. The windy, bitter cold after a huge storm like this is uncomfortable at best. But I am glad that there is finally snow on the ground and that winter is finally here.

Bring it on winter!

Here are some pictures from the last few months....enjoy!

Me climbing Mouses' wall (the 5.10a) at 28 weeks.

Montana looking up at me taking a break before the crux.

Looking out at the fall colors.

Sara K. and I.

First snow; in the back yard.

Mom getting snow off of Montana's nose while out cross country skiing.

Looking out over the Wisconsin River at Ferry Bluff.

Yep, me at 8 months....

A family of eagles went out for a joy ride right above our heads. They were simply majestic.

Mom and Ferry Bluff.

Mom trying to get up after losing her balance.

Montana being awesome.

Montana under the snow burdened lilac bushes.

YAY SNOW!!!!

Stay tuned for updates..............one more month to go.......!

Summer Breeze

2009-08-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Well, Montana and I are back in Wisconsin and have busy since day 1. Guiding for Apex Adventure Alliance started as soon as we got back in April and has kept us on our toes ever since. We are out at Devil's Lake State Park at least once a week if not more either guiding rock climbing or just climbing for pure enjoyment. Here are some pictures to illistrate...

Kelly working through Gargatua at Old Sandstone.

Sarah A. projecting the so called 5.10a Congratulations.

Sarah K. coming down from Brintons Crack.

Montana, doing what she does best...relaxing!

Sarah A. heading up her favorite climb, Cheeta.

Anthony starting off smooth.

Kelly taking on the roof.

Kelly and Anthony setting up.

Montana the mountain dog.

So as you can see, the dog and I have been keeping ourselves busy for the summer. On top of that, I am now the proud employee of Erehwon Outlet in Madison, WI. Soon, Justin and I will be moving into the Madison area, which will be nice for both of us to not have to commute to work every day. Between guiding with Apex, climbing for fun, and working at Erehwon, I've been having a great summer...

Stay tuned for more adventures!

Spring Maddness

2009-03-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

Looks like spring doesn't it? Maybe back in Wisconsin, but here in Montana, we are getting the best snow this year! This storm happened the night before the downtown chaos of the explosion, giving us 10". The next day, 10" more. You know I was out there enjoying that! It was amazing!

Bozeman Creek

Montana running through the snow.

Sunday came along and my friend, Daniel, and I went to the Boiling River in Yellowstone bright and early. We called Bridger at 7am when we left, and they had 3" of fresh snow, so we still decided to go to Yellowstone. One hour later, we called again, just to be sure. In that hour, Bridger Bowl got 8" more! Now at 11" (which turned into 26" by the end of the day), Bridger got the most snow it's gotten all season. We still had a great soak in the Boiling river, but needless to say, we both knew we were in the wrong spot for the day! But don't worry, we indulged in that 26" on Monday. One word = Epic.

The Boiling River coming out of the ground. (Mammoth, Yellowstone)

Boiling River flowing into the Gallatin River...where you soak.

Daniel and I leaving the River after our soak.

Job Update = Finding out tomorrow (Friday, March 13) whether or not I have a second interview here in Bozeman.

Future Update = Still unknown :)

Snowboard, Ski & Soak...What a Weekend!

2009-03-01T16:36:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been a busy one which started on Thursday. It started snowing Wednesday night, so I went up to Bridger Bowl to do some snowboarding Thursday. The morning was fun, though not as much new snow as I thought. I was starting to think it wasn't worth it when it started snowing at noon.......and kept snowing until Friday! If I was excited before for 8" of new snow, you can imagine how exciting +12" of powder was! So, snowboarding Thursday and Friday were amazing. On top of that, I had a job interview Friday morning, which may keep me in Bozeman for a bit. Tune in soon for more details!

Then Saturday was a ladies day. Four of us girls drove down to Yellowstone National Park to enjoy a day of cross counrty skiing and a nice soak in the Boiling River. Unfortunatley, we had a slight delay as the Yakima rack on top of my car broke and sent our skis flying off the car and into the road!!! Luckily, there was no one driving behind us, and no serious damage to the skis, so we could all still enjoy the rest of the day. We ended up skiing about 8 miles, half in groomed trails, half in the backcounrty and it was beautiful. All together, we saw bison, elk, and a lone wolf (all from a (safe) distance). After a nice long ski (and a hitch hike back to the car), we enjoyed a well deserved two hour soak in the Boiling River before our drive home.

Sunday...........REST DAY!

PS->Sorry for the lack of pictures, but my camera battery conveniently died...and recharging was forgotten for future use. Next time!

Hoo-freakin-Hah!

2009-02-19T20:11:00.001-08:00

Hey there folks,

Arizona was a blast! And Ella Reese Day is just cute as a button! She needed some warming up to me (seeing as it was the first time we have ever met), but eventually, we got along just fine. I think she liked the curly hair and the funny faces we exchanged back and forth. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, but Tim and Nadia got a few pictures, so check out Ella's blog. On top of that, the bike race went well. Both Bozeman teams did awesome and had fun. All and all, Valentines day was amazing.

Today, I FINALLY got on my snowboard. I know, it's hard to believe it's taken me this long, but for those who know me, I like my powder. Bridger got 8" last night (not alot, but more than it's gotten since I've gotten out here) and Nicole and I took full advantage of it. She was testing out her tellies, while I reminded my body what mountain Moguls were all about. The snow was soft and I found a few spots here and there that weren't tracked out to bad. Especially when I started dipping in and out of the trees! Hoo-hah my calves and quads are sore! Not a whole lot of pictures to enjoy this time, but it's proof I was finally out riding.

For your enjoyment...

2009-02-11T15:57:00.000-08:00

Here's some more picture for you all to enjoy. We're heading down to Tuscan, Arizona this weekend for the Old Pueblo 24-hour bike race. Stopping by Tim, Nadia, and Ella's house for lunch on our way down. Can't wait to meet the new addition to the family!

Sunset in Highlight...

Pete not realizing there's a twig on his head...

Nicole and Ashkee.

Crazy dog or ostrich?....

.....Crazy dog.

Cross country skiing in Highlight Canyon on a blue bird day.

Looking across the canyon with the telephoto lense...check out that falls!

Montana having just as much fun as we are... :)

Eric at Genesis.

First night climbing experience at Fat Chance.

Pete on Hangover

Nicole on Hangover

Night: The New Day

2009-02-10T22:40:00.000-08:00

(check out Oryan chillin like a villin in the sky with the ice wall and the mountains all around. Pretty sweet.)

So as some of you may know, one of my new favorite winter sports is ice climbing. Snowboarding is still number one in my book, but ice climbing is climbing up in the ranking. We've been going nearly two times a week.

We all went night ice climbing Sunday night because the full moon was out. We all had a blast!

Who needs sunlight when you can have MOONLIGHT!

Check it out....

Luke rappelling with the moonlight in the background.

Nicole and Pete

Luke climbing (right)

Nicole rocking it...or icing it?

Sarah (left) dertermined to get to the top of the WI4.

The moon rising over the ridge.

Living Simply

2009-02-09T23:06:00.000-08:00

So Ive joined the wonderful world of blogs. Ive realized its a great way to keep everyone informed of my endeavors.

Living in Bozeman, Montana is great. Ive been having a blast so far. Everything is amazing: the scenery, the atmosphere, the people...
Even with the unusually warm weather and the lack of snow, Ive found it easy to enjoy every day. Believe it or not, I still have yet to take my snowboards out of their bag!

Lately, Montana and I have been living simply in our new home. The dwindling job market has taken a toll here in Bozeman, and I, like so many others here, continue to look for work. In the meantime, we've been staying busy using the good old fashion fun....playing in the great outdoors. Here are some pictures of the last few weeks. Enjoy.

Fireman belaying Nicole as she takes some snapshots.

Drinking some hot tea and enjoying the puffy.

Eric in a chandelier spire.

"Base camp". Nicole belaying me as I take some snap shots.