Rockin' a Rocky Mountain 40th birthday

Hello.  My name is Evelyn Becker and I am 40  years old.

And now lets move on.

Fine, if you insist, first I'll give you a quick recap of the festivities surrounding the allegedly big day ...

I spent the entire day before my birthday wearing nothing but a white fluffy bathrobe at the Keystone Spa and enjoying having my "head in the clouds."  I started in the relaxation room (picture: soothing colors; fireplace; cozy chairs; bowls of dried fruit & nuts; tea; magazines) with my feet soaking in a tub filled with warm water and rose petals (swear to god).  Then, a Yanko body scrub, back to the relaxation room, a massage, back to the relaxation room, a facial, back to the relaxation room and a fruit and cheese platter with a glass of champagne, and, finally, a manicure and pedicure.  Oh, then back to the relaxation room.  

So I was feeling fairly tranquil on January 23rd when I woke up to handmade cards from two very sweet, very cute kids;  a gift certificate for a ski lesson from the same; and a loving husband who had taken the day off from work so we could be together.  Lucky, lucky, lucky me.  Larry and I got the kids ready and took them to school, and then, oh, well then we headed over to the University of Colorado Hospital so I could meet with an orthopedic hand surgeon.

You were expecting a different locale, yes?  Of course.  We'd planned on heading to the art museum.  But the week before my birthday I fell skiing and tore a ligament in my right thumb.  The doctor could see me at 9:30 am on Monday, January 23rd.  Which is how, by noon that day, I was sporting a rather bright, hot pink casted right hand and wrist.

I felt sorry for myself for about a nanosecond, and then decided to bask in the coolness that is me learning a new sport at age forty.  I  had been going too fast.  Thats actually, well, a kind of fabulous opportunity for learning a life lesson.  Hmm, I think I feel, great.  And besides, Larry was sitting by my side the whole time.

We had a delicious lunch at Sushi Den, and then Larry drove me home so I could take a nap (did I mention I had a cold too that day?) and went to get the kids.  I spent the rest of the day and evening chilling out at home with my husband and my kids, catching up with good friends and family on the phone, and smiling as facebook enabled a sweet, sentimental view of "these are the people in your neighborhood" and "this is your life."

Then I started waiting for my friends from Ohio to arrive!

Oh to see them walking through the terminal.

The first night of "Bexley comes to Denver" we ate dinner in Larimer Square at Corridor 44.  The next morning, we had breakfast at Zaidy's.  Then we grabbed cupcakes from Big Fat Cupcake and with everyone properly nourished, headed to Keystone.  We spent the afternoon and evening strolling and shopping in Breckenridge.  And everyone was (I think) (at least pretty much) happy.

The next morning, three members of the group headed into Dillon to do pilates, while the other three - plus me - hit the slopes.  I am so proud of the beginner who took a lesson and conquered Discovery.  I am so thrilled for the two more experienced skiers who had such an exhilarating day.  And I am quite pleased with myself, thank you very much, for getting back out there with a casted right hand.  (please, no worries, I took it easy on green hills.)

All seven of us met for a late lunch in River Run.  Then, a bottle of wine and a half hour in the hot tub later, it was time to put on our pajamas.  At 5pm.  Reason #144 why these women are my friends.  A fire; some of my favorite women cuddled together on my sofas in the Rocky Mountains; a highly competitive game of Trivial Pursuit; S'mores; and another bottle of red wine.  Absolute, total 40th birthday perfection.

Sunday morning we took a hike around Keystone, and then headed to Cherry Creek North for more shopping.  Lunch at Hapa.  Then time to say "goodbye."

Thank you friends for coming to Denver!  Thank you Larry, Caleb and Adina for fulfilling my most important dreams.   And thank you to everyone who has been part of my life and wished me well as I enter this next chapter.

And now, I mean seriously, its really time to move on.

Thanks again,

-E