Thanksgiving/Hockey Weekend In Denver

Kelly, Barrett, and Nolan enjoying the D.U. vs. Air Force hockey game at Magness Arena on the campus of D.U.

We just finished up a great trip to Denver today, after driving down there on Thanksgiving Day. After making great time (8.5 hrs) heading south last Thursday, we were able to watch a PeeWee hockey team from Montana play in a holiday weekend tournament in Centennial, Colorado (Nolan's IP Hockey coach is also the coach of this PeeWee team). Then we headed up the mountain to Evergreen where my Uncle Jack and Aunt Darlene live. It was a balmy 73 degrees in Denver for Turkey-day and just as nice in the mountains (albeit a few degrees cooler).

Friday brought some time on the playground, Thanksgiving Dinner with my cousins and their children and friends. Many of us then travelled to a new mall east of Denver to watch Marcus (my cousin Tom's son) sing Christmas carols with his Middle School choir group. We then got a dose of On The Border (none in Montana) and headed to the University of Denver for their hockey game against the Air Force Academy. A few former Billings Bulls Junior players are currently cadets at the Academy, so it was fun for us to see them play at the D-I level. D.U. won the game 2-1. Nolan's IP coach brought his PeeWee team to the game and they had arranged to go to the D.U. locker room after the game. Thanks to Jason (Nolan's coach), Nolan was able to go with the PeeWee kids and meet the D.U. players and coaches after the game!!! The D.U. goalie even noticed that Nolan didn't have anything for autographs so he gave him a program to have signed by many of the players. As we were leaving after Nolan returned from the locker room, Nolan's coach pointed out that Colorado Avalanche defenseman John-Micheal Liles was in the room with us too, so Nolan and Barrett got to meet him and get his autograph too!!

Nolan and Barrett (foreground) as John-Michael Liles autographs their program.

Saturday, we spent the morning with Jack and Dar again and greatly enjoyed and appreciated their hospitality. Around the time we could check into our hotel in Thornton (N of Denver), we headed down the mountain so the boys could play in the pool for part of the afternoon. After that, we went for our visit to Chili's (again none in Montana) for dinner. Then Kelly and Barrett dropped Nolan and I off at the D.U. arena and they went shopping at the Cherry Creek Mall and surrounding Super Target, etc., etc. Nolan and I found our seats and then moved down to where Uncle Jack and cousin Tom have Saturday season tickets. Luckily not many folks wanted to see D.U. play Robert Morris so we were able to sit right with Jack and Tom for the whole game. Nolan really enjoyed seeing another game, especially after meeting the D.U. players the night before. D.U. won this game as well. After the game, we said good-bye to Uncle Jack and Tom, and Kelly and Barrett picked us up right outside the arena as the game ended.

This morning we started our trip back to Montana and were blessed with great travelling weather. We even cut about a 1/2 hour off our time, and we were back in Billings by 4pm.

We could not be more thankful to have great family and friends in Colorado, and only wish we had more time to visit with all those we did not see on this trip.

More in a few days...but this week Kelly is back to teaching, music classes and hockey get going again, and Scott heads back to work on Wednesday.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend too!!!!!

Scott