The beginning.....

Seriously?

Sometimes I like boulder. Things like this--- I don't. This is redicilous

Chocolate mornings

Im taking a very awesome chocolate class right now. We are working on hand tempering. (it has to do with different forms of crystal when the chocolate melts. For example, this chocolate has to be melted to 120, then cooled to 82, then back up to 88). While most modern facilities have ac, this 1948 house does not. It has been a frustrating week to say the least. My results have been horrible despite working early in the mornings after leaving the door open all night. (ideal conditions are 68 deg). This morning I stuck frozen butter underneath my stone slab. It worked slightly better. Stupid chocolate. Anyone wanting to drink chocolate for breakfast is welcome to come over in the mornings for the next 2 yrs until I get this figured out.

When what before my eyes did appear? A welder and roll cage were very near! (as in our garage).

The jeep is starting to look like a jeep now. D got a rollcage and welded all weekend. And then I drove it.

Yeah! Finalized flavors!!!

So much going on this week: retail sale tax class, marketing events, actually sold some chocolate, working on getting box die cut, etc. it's been busy but so fun! This weekend we were supposed to go hiking and camping. I got a corporate acct wanting chocolates Monday so we are at home. I'm covered in chocolate and making boxes.

Have a business? Stick your label on my boxes! It's great for employee appreciation, customer appreciation, anything! Give 2 or 4 chocolates with my different sized boxes!

At the pound we had to lie and say we didn't have a car. Gretta was sure to be a kitty cat killer. Fritz kills her with kindness.

dallas' photography

unaltered sunrise

 

here, let's take a picture of you taking a picture of us

 dallas takes some cool pics.  and obviously they are altered but still cool.

The fat marmot told you what?!?

Whirlwind

This weekend we set off to hike 3 14ers from Friday-Sunday.

Friday 11:30a: leave denver. Travel for 4.5 painful hrs up cinnamon pass by lake city. Let me just say this--- if you own a motor home, please tow it with a vehicle that is capable of taking it thru the mountains at the speed limit. We are taking about going 65 in a 65, not 45. I was about ready to slit some tires.

4:00: park car, hop out and start packing in. We hit a nice spot at 12200 and camped.

Saturday 4:00a: wake up and climb in the light of the full moon. We hit redcloud and then got over to sunshine by sunrise. We left fairly quickly as I was freezing. I always forget how chilly it is up there in the fall (there were aspens sporting yellow leaves on our way up).

looking back at redcloud

headed down

8:00 return to camp and tear it down

10:00: arrive back at car. Decide what to do until we home handies tomorrow. Decide to hike handies today. Drive to trailhead.

10:30 start hiking

12:30 summit handies

2:00 back in car, begin driving home. eat at eddy line in Buena vista.

9:00 Arrive home

We got home and sat on the couches and couldn't believe we were only gone one day. Holy smokes!

Approx 6100 calls burned. :)

the view from our camping spot

capturing the sunrise from sunshine

6:00a on the top of redcloud.  frozen fingers don't operate iphones very well

handies peak from afar (the one in the middle)

atop handies.  we tried to redcloud directly between us.  sunshine to the left (somehow my phone flipped the picture.....sunshine really is to the south)

WOW!

talk about a whirlwind!  my chocolates are taking off and it's so, so exciting.  i'm not projected to sell until Sept 1, but orders keep coming in and it's so great.  i am learning so much and it's a remarkable feeling to know i'm actually building something!

right now my website is coming up--- we're still working on it but you can take a sneak peak (click on the chocolates on the first page to go further).