As most of you can probably tell by the large piece of water in Blake and I's most recent pictures, we are BACK BACK IN CALI CALI!! During our last three months of soul-searching and family time I wasn't sure we'd be officially living back in Southern California...but here I sit at my favorite coffee shop up the street from the same apartment Blake and I have been renting for the last YEAR! I'll catch up on the latest California adventures after this incredibly difficult-to-sum-up blog on our time in COLORADO...
Monument, CO... August 6th-October 29th
I have to sum up a lot of what happened because 1. I could write a book on how grateful I am for all the little and big moments that I was able to be a part of 2. I have way too many pictures (here's my advanced apology) and 3. We were in Colorado for soooooo long.
The times I know I won't forget:
1. Meeting Blake's neice for the first time
2. Smiling so much at Danielle and Travis' wedding my cheeks hurt
3. Celebrating Mary's birthday with dinner and guns
4. Celebrating my Mom's birthday with a homecooked meal
5. Running in the rain at Red Rocks with D&T for Raggae on the Rocks 2013
6. Bringing in the Bronco's season in Colorado with blue and orange sunsets
7. Being able to work at two old jobs, La Casa Fiesta and O'Malley's
8. Making new friends and seeing old ones
9. Being a part of the process of putting together Kelsie and Cory's wedding AND being a part of it
10. Celebrating Maddy and Josh's engagement
11. Celebrating my sister's 8th birthday with our bothers
12. Laughing with Cash and Marley Mae
13. Seeing Pepper AND Tribal Seeds at the Ogden Theater
14. Donuts on the 4-wheeler
15. Harley days in the rain, downtown, and in the mountains
16. Selling Pearl, the Honda Ruckus I rode down the coast on
17. Celebrating my Dad's birthday
18. Beer + snowboards + gondolas + sunshine + A Basin + D&T = epic shred session
19. Celebrating Caitlin and Andy's engagement
20. Learning peace and difference by teaching myself headstands and handstands in the quiet outdoors
21. Celebrating Blake and I agreeing to have one more year in Dana Point
22. Spending time with out sweet Raeni cat
23. Playing on bikes with the guys in the dirt
24. Adrenaline rush with go-carts and brothers
25. Being able to finally see my grandparents during their visit from the opposite coast
26. Staying long enough to see Mary come back from Italy
27. Watching my family go through change, become strong together, and move forward in their lives
28. Develop deeper friendships
29. Become excited for a new phase in California
30. Getting Blake's Jeep packed up and adventuring back to California
Colorado sunset.
Baby Marley Mae, how we fell so hard for you.
Danielle's mom and Blake standing up while Danielle and Travis get hitched.
Mary and Cash at the wedding, so many smiles.
The party taking the limo to the wedding at the Sunbird.
Matisyahu at Red Rocks in Denver.
Elle and Kelsie before the rehersal for Kelsie and Cory's wedding.
Fun at Kelsie's wedding.
I fell for these girls this summer.
Many hikes to Palmer Lake Reservior by myself and with friends.
Blake and Travis.
Awesome bike park in Colorado Springs.
We did the zoo, the Golden Bee at the Broadmoor, and Bristol Brewery's new location in one day.
(blurry, but a good one) We made dinner and caught up with my mom at her new place.
We joined Mary and Shawn for their anniversary at The Mona Lisa in Manatou Springs.
Go-cart racing with my brothers and my Dad in Denver.
It was fun cruising Colorado on a bike.
Broncos!
Blake and I's Raeni cat (she prefers Colorado's seasons over California's heat.)
Back where it all started, six (!!!) years ago working at La Casa Fiesta in Monument.
I had such an incredible time going back to work for O'Malley's and all it's craziness and great people!
Maddy lives in AZ, I live in CA, and we met in our home state to celebrate her engagement to her long-time love, Josh.
Having known Caitlin since I was four, we HAD to celebrate her engagement to Andy.
Blake and I had a good time going to a few of my brother, Anthony's, soccer games at LP.
My youth remains in tact because I have such an incredibly fun sister.
I found out I was allergic to my 'environment', basically meaning Colorado.
We saw two shows in one week at the Ogden in Denver; Tribal Seeds and Pepper.
A little snowboarding in October at Arapahoe Basin.
My brothers Anthony and Matt on a cloudy hike in Palmer Lake.
My Grandpa and Grandma came for a visit from Florida.
Those BLUE and ORANGE Colorado sunsets.
Dinner at O'Malley's with my dad, sister, and brothers.
Snow on Pikes Peak.
Blake's Jeep packed with three bikes, two snowboards, camping, and clothes.
Pikes Peak on our final day in Colorado.
The three months Blake and I spent in Colorado with family and friends filled my cup over the brim! Looking back at all these pictures and the memories that poor in from them are over-whelming. I am so blessed to have been able to be there for those moments, big and small. And we are so furtunate to have the family and friends we have.
After we finally chose a date to pack up the Jeep, the days flew by even faster. I've learned not to say goodbye (I am way too emotional about it) and to just keep looking forward and knowing I'll see each and every one of those faces soon. After all, who knows what other adventurous decisions Blake and I can come up with in the next year!
Dream Big. Ride Far.
Top photo: from summer 2012 riding down the West Coast. Bottom photo: summer 2013 cruising mountain towns of Colorado.
