Breckenridge, CO

While my mom and aunt were here, we took a trip up to Breckenridge, Colorado for one night. It happened to be an all-school reunion for the DODDS high school my mom and aunt attended, so Al and I were simply along for the ride. Of course, it's off-season for Breckenridge, so it was mostly just pretty mountain views, good drinks, and great company. I'd love to see it during ski season - I'm sure it's magnificent. 

I plan to give you an update on my new job (loving every second of it) and a few posts on the house (many projects completed over the past few weeks) but in the mean time, here's a photo dump from the Breckenridge trip. 

Las Vegas Weekend Recap & Photo Blast

I think I have finally recovered from my weekend in Vegas. It only took a few nights of sleep and getting back into my normal schedule to feel rested. I can't help but remember my time in college when we would celebrate for an entire weekend, like Homecoming, and get right back to class on Monday, without skipping a beat. That was 6 years ago and I just can't do it anymore.

Nevertheless, the weekend was wonderful. It was relaxing and celebratory (and no one did anything stupid!) I got to see my sister and the bride-to-be and make some new friends. 

The weekend basically went like this (starting around 6am on Friday):
Airport; Hotel check-in; bikinis and whiskey-drinks; walking the strip; early to bed. 

Breakfast buffet and blended coffees; more pool fun; Derby and Blackjack. 

Primping girls; steak dinner; Thunder(ous) abs (aka. beautiful men, scantily clad, with greased-up bodies - Thunder from Downunder); The Bank VIP; late to bed. 

Birthday mimosa; lounging time; pasta dinner; Elton John (aka. the best concert ever!)

 Zero-dark-thirty wake-up; airport; home-sweet-home.

Basically, it was 60 hours of go-go-go and tons of fun and memories. 
Between the bachelorette/bachelor party and my birthday, it was certainly a vacation for the books! I only the hope everyone else had as much fun as I did.

Temporarily Incapacitated

I'm back and I'm alive, but I am ex-haust-ed. My plane landed back in Colorado at 10am yesterday and I ran home long enough to check on the pup, drop off my travel bags, and respond to a few emails before I ran to the gym for coaching. 

Anyway, everything from my brain to my fingers have pretty much given up on life today, which really only means one thing:

I am too damn old to party in Vegas for three days straight. 

I'll give you a recap later this week (when I recover) but until then I'm going back to bed.

A Weekend In Vegas

As you read this, I am on a plane somewhere between Colorado and Las Vegas on my way to my bestie's Bachelorette Party weekend. We have been planning for months and this weekend it finally comes together. We are co-partying with the groom and his bachelor party tonight and then breaking off into the individual parties tomorrow. Sunday is my 29th birthday and in order to forget that I am one-holy-crap-only-one year from being 30, I am going to park my butt at the pool with a margarita in each hand. My sister is treating me to the Elton John show on Sunday night, about which I am completely stoked. (yes, stoked. It's Elton frickin' John!) Then, I jump on a plane much-too-early on Monday morning in time for a quick nap before coaching that night. 

I'm probably going to hate the fact that my flight is so early, but it saved me significant money on the flight and allows me to work that evening. Ultimately, it is worth it to have a blast in Vegas with my favorite people even if it means I have to get back to being a grown-up sooner then I might like.

Holy crap this is going to be a crazy-awesome mess of a weekend!

Vegas Playlist

I am a mere two mornings away from getting on a plane to Vegas. Since we're expecting snow today, and the forecast for Las Vegas is over 80 degrees, I'm desperate for this vacation. 

I know the rest of the girls are antsy too, but none more so than the bachelorette herself. With a full-time job, her last set of finals for her Masters degree, and planning a wedding, she's a busy lady (and a total rockstar!)  And, since last week was her birthday, I took the opportunity to put something special together for her.

You see, in Jr. High we made mixed tapes of songs off the radio and traded them back and forth. Most of them were top-40 songs (her) or country (me), but it gave us a variety of music to listen to. In high-school we switched over to CD's and by the second year of college we had developed quite the collection of mixed CD's and quite an eclectic music taste. We enjoyed finding new music to share and often came running into each other's room at odd hours uttering the phrase "you've got to listen to this!" 

These mixed CD's became a staple in our lives and would often serve as gifts for various occasions or to cheer one another up. With titles like "Battle of the Sexes" and "Road-Trippin' Mix" they served as a memory-maker for many life-events. 

I don't think we've made mixed CD's for each since 2008, but I still create playlists on  my iPod in the same way I did back then. So, when this trip came up, I saw the perfect opportunity to do something special. 

I even polled the other party attendees and asked them if they wanted to add a song with a special message or memory attached (since most of us have known her since college or earlier.) They responded emphatically and had great suggestions for song additions. The playlist also included clues to our bachelorette itinerary and other weekend events. And some, well, are just too fun not to include. 

So, here it is. The Las Vegas Bachelorette Playlist: 

Sin City - AC/DC

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) - Beyonce

Corona and Lime - Shwayze

Poker Face - Lady GaGa

Gold Digger - Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx

Party in the USA - Miley Cyrus

Girls in the USA - Nick Carter

It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls

Saturday Night Divas - Spice Girls

Show Me How You Burlesque - Christina Aguilera

99 Problems - Jay Z

Circus - Britney Spears

Buttons - Pussycat Dolls

Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

Cyclone - Baby Bash ft. T-Pain

Cheers (Drink to That) - Rihanna

Get Naked - Methods of Mayhem

Waking up in Vegas - Katy Perry

Leaving Las Vegas - Sheryl Crow

Do you have any songs that perfectly fit with your past memories? Or perhaps a song that you always play on a special occasion? Please share...

I'll be home for Christmas

This photo of Minnesota is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Early this morning Al and I get on a plane headed for Minnesota to spend the Christmas holiday with family and friends. Neither of us have been home in quite a few months and are looking forward to a relaxing 9 days. 

On a side note: Al and I have never flown together. We have both traveled extensively to visit one another or meet in a common locale, but we have never gotten on a plane, together, bound for the same destination. It's so weird to think that 5 years of travel in our relationship and this is the first time that is happening...

As typical of the holidays, we have a whole lot of fun packed into a short time. Most importantly, I get to see my momma and my sister, have a wine night with my bestie, and spend some time with my new godson (nephew.) It is doubtful I will have too much time to post during the hustle and bustle, so just sit back and enjoy a little tech-free reading instead! (I want to do much of the same!) Hopefully I can work in some time to just relax and enjoy the time away and come back to Colorado refreshed! 

I Live in Colorado

I don't know if you've heard the news, but I live in Colorado. Seriously.

I'm not just visiting, it's not just an extended stay for the summer...

I live here.

It's unreal to think that this day is finally here. I feel as though every thing I've been doing for months, hell, years is for this. This, right here.

I'm still getting settled in and tomorrow is my birthday (28 - eek!) so I'm still too busy to write a real post. After this weekend, I will be back with a more complete update and to tell you just how fantastic my new home is.

Did I mention that home is in Colorado?


(Enter my giveaway before it ends!)

On the Road Again...

Today, I am off to Colorado, with my car stuffed to the gills. I am bringing one of my favorite ladies with me, so there will be the perfect blend of snacks, tunes and snarking and I have someone to help keep me awake. We may use the time to teach her how to drive a stick so I have a little break from the pedals. 

Really, though, I'm just hoping I don't get pulled over (like the last time...and the time before that.)


Please check back here tomorrow, when I will launch another great giveaway.

Washington D.C. Recap

We got up early on Friday morning and flew to D.C. We arrived around lunch time and checked into our hotel before hitting the city to check out the capitol and the Supreme Court building. That night was the Welcome Dinner at AU Washington College of Law. It was great to meet the other schools with competitors and hear the speakers who started the program.

Saturday was the first day of competition and both of out students did very well. Mainesha actually did extremely well and made it to the semi-finals, which is saying an awful lot since so many students were excellent! On Sunday, she competed in the semi-final round and again did well. She hadn't been feeling well and did not make it to the finals, but again the competition was fierce. I was so proud of both of them for their hard work and courage! 

Sunday, we spent the rest of the day running around the city checking out the sites and monuments. David insisted we stop at a place called Ben's Chili Bowl, which has "the best chili dogs in D.C." According to a sign on the door: "People who eat free: President Obama & Family and Bill Cosby. And no one else!" Let's just say that even though I had to pay for it, it was delicious! David was so happy to find it - actually, he was basically beaming the whole weekend. He had never been outside of Minnesota so everything from the airplane to the subway to the gas prices were a brand new experience and he had his camera going the entire time. 

All in all, it was a great weekend and even though I was exhausted and I hurt my foot, I had a wonderful time. The students were excellent, my co-coach was a great buddy and travel companion and, well, D.C. is always a fun place to be! 

Now it's back to the grind. Less than 30 days to go!

And now for some pictures...

The Capitol

China Town

MLK Memorial (Brand new!)

I got to meet up for lunch with Reina - We had so much fun!

Supreme Court

Ben's Chili Bowl - the best chili dog in the city! Even the President says so!

Tuesday: TriCare and Tendonitis

I am compiling all my photos from my D.C. trip to share with y'all, but first I wanted to tell you about my day yesterday. After a long day Saturday, I took a barefoot step in my hotel room, which sent pain shooting through my right foot. This was a normal step, mind you. I didn't hit my foot on anything, I didn't step funny, and I even wore sensible shoes when we were walking around outside or in the subway.

When I woke up Sunday morning, the pain was worse, so I put on tennis shoes (with my nice courthouse outfit) and proceeded through my day. We ended up walking around the mall as well, so it was a long day on my feet. I sat down as much as possible, but if you know anything about D.C. it's not really a "sitting" kind of town. 

We flew home Sunday night, I iced my foot, took some ibuprofen and went to bed. Monday, I had another long day at school, on my feet (but still in comfortable tennis shoes), and by the end of the day, my foot looked like this: 

 So, on Tuesday morning, I called TriCare. I couldn't remember who my PCM (primary care manager) was and knew that in order to go to Urgent Care, I would need a referral from my PCM. TriCare was delightfully and surprisingly helpful! I have heard many-a horror story about TriCare and their customer service but not only were they sympathetic to my situation, they were instantly helpful. 

You see, the PCM on record was in fact an Urgent Care doctor - which presents an obvious dilemma. So, I needed to change my PCM, but couldn't wait to see a doctor for my foot. The TriCare rep put an authorization on file for me to go to Urgent Care (like a fill-in referral) and told me to just call and change my PCM as soon as I could. 

I went to the Urgent Care clinic, waited less than 10 minutes, got 3 x-rays and discovered that I have tendonitis in my right foot. Basically, I hyper-extended my tendon which caused the bruising and swelling. Of course, there is really nothing the doctor can do for tendonitis, so I was prescribed an ankle brace, ibuprofen for the pain and ice and elevation whenever swelling occurs. Oh, and I'm supposed to "take it easy." 

Which I have all the time in the world for...

The Road Trip: A Facebook Perspective

For those of you who follow me personally on Facebook, this will be repetitious. Although, you may still enjoy seeing this all in one spot, since I updated my FB pretty frequently while on the road. I personally think this is more exciting than for me to hash out all the mundane details of a drive through the plains of Kansas and Iowa.

Feb 29 @ 8:12am: Signing out, fueling up and heading back to Minnesota @ Ft. Carson Army Post

Feb 29 @ 10:18am: We just drove over the Republican River. It's completely dry. Is that a sign for something? Near Arriba, CO

(time change)

Feb 29 @ 12:34am: Flipping through the only 5 radio stations we can find. They're all country. Near Goodland, KS

Feb 29 @ 2:07pm: Road Trip Challenge #1: Finding the balance between staying hydrated and spacing out your bathroom breaks. Near Quinter, KS

Feb 29 @ 2:50pm: Is talking to Al about the pros and cons of wind turbine power...because that is ALL there is in Kansas. Near Russell, KS

Feb 29 @ 3:20pm: Road Trip Challenge #2: Convincing Al that for every Johnny Cash song, I should get one Katy Perry. Near Kanopolis, KS

Feb 29 @ 3:48pm: I'm waving to my Ft. Riley peeps as we drive by. Ciao! @ Ft. Riley, KS


Feb 29 @ 4:03pm: I just discovered that the Oz Museum also has a winery. Coolest thing ever? I think so.


Feb 29 @ 4:28pm: I was going to check in as we drove through Topeka, but I found this instead @ Hell, KS (obviously some Topeka residents are not fond of their lovely city.)


Feb 29 @ 4:30pm: I am such a law nerd. Check-in at Brown v. Board of Education Museum (drive-by only, unfortunately)


Feb 29 @ 4:51pm: Shoutout to my favorite KU graduate Near Lawrence, KS


Feb 29 @ 5:04pm: Road Trip Challenge #3: Forgetting about the toll on the KS Turnpike and searching the car for change. We came up with $1.93. We needed $2.50.


Feb 29 @ 7:00pm: Quick stop to see family. What a great meal! @ The Yard House, Kansas City, KS


Feb 29 @ 7:43pm: On the road again... Near Kansas City, KS


Feb 29 @ 10:30pm: Missed the transition into Iowa because Al and I were having an interesting discussion about everything from abortion to the failures of our legal system. 


March 1 @ 1:15am: In Minnesota. Hello, my love.


March 1 @ 2:16am: Imagined a deer on the road on two different occasions, followed by an actual deer family that made us slam on the breaks. Deep breaths...20 miles from home. Near Sleepy Eye, MN


March 1 @ 2:40am: Home sweet home. Well, my second home on the farm. Near Fairfax, MN


Whew! What a trip! 

Our Colorado PCS

The last two weeks have been a complete whirlwind of moving, decorating, sight-seeing and traveling back to Minnesota. We spent the weekend at the farm with family and are now back in the cities so I can get to school. Al leaves this week to head back to Colorado and we are less than two months from me moving to CO permanently. Whew! 

Sometimes I really love this crazy, chaotic life.

Before I give you the official update and bombard you with pictures, I want to thank my guest bloggers. If you missed their posts, please look back and read them. I really enjoyed the fact that they all shared drastically different things - from crafts to going to school to personal insights. Thank you, thank you!

Now on to the photo overhaul...

(Tomorrow, I'm going to do the road trip back to Minnesota and our weekend. Today is just the Colorado portion of the trip.)

My first morning view!

Getting unpacked and settled in. I was in decorating & organizing heaven...

A drive up the mountain to our dinner destination

The sweet mountain town of Green Mountain Falls

Fancy dinner at the Mucky Duck. We shared a crab-stuffed avocado appetizer and a bottle of wine. For entrees, I had the flounder oscar and Al had the lamb. Everything was fabulously delicious!

The Pioneers Museum - Home of the original county courthouse

100-year-old elevator

No big deal, just breaking into the courthouse safe.

A not-to-scale height-chart. Apparently, I am taller than Pike's Peak.

 We found Al's heaven on earth! He's been living in El Paso with no JJ's for 3 1/2 years now. Every time he is home in Minnesota we stop for their delicious sandwiches. Now that he is in Colorado, a wonderful little JJ's is 1 mile from him!

If you're in need of a job...Rendevous night club is hiring a cocktail waitress. But, you must have a clue!

And a few more gorgeous mountain shots...