The Best Things in Life Aren't Things

We got to take a really fun (and much needed) trip to CO to see our friends!

We always have the best time with them...but the time passes way too quickly! It's always so hard to say goodbye when we leave.

We took a drive up to Helen Hunt Falls while we were there. We went there on our very first trip to CO six years ago. It was totally different (but still very beautiful) to experience it in the snow!

(Have I mentioned how much I love their kiddos? This was only my second time getting to see their youngest and she is just so precious. Their oldest was born when they still lived in CA and she is just the sweetest)

We played a lot of games with John and Em, and with their kids. It always makes me so happy to play games, as I grew up playing a lot of games with my family.

We started watching Stranger Things while we were there! Quite a few people had told us we would probably love it but we just hadn't taken the time to watch it. We finished it after we got home, but it was really good! I'm really looking forward to the second season next year.

These two are so sweet to each other

We also went to a distillery while we were there, and went to a couple of fun places to get drinks. We also went to a few places to eat that we don't have here (or at least local to us).

And, we saw Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them with John and Em, and Em's sister and her husband! I was so excited when I realized it was coming out the same weekend we were gonna be there. My CO bestie discovered her love for all things HP about three years ago, soon after we started our BCB group, and her sister read and fell in love with the series shortly after that. I love being able to watch movies about the things I love so much with people who love those things just as much as I do!

We also had some really great conversations. We always do every time we go out there, but it's something I cherish so much. I always feel so encouraged and challenged after our conversations.

I wish with all my heart that we lived closer to each other again, but I'm so thankful for the time that we do get to spend together.

Blizzards, Besties, and Baby Animals

I spent some time this past week in CO with our friends there.

We had originally planned to go out together in May of this year, but we had to change our plans. I missed my CO bestie a lot, so I text her a couple of months ago to ask what November looked like for her. It just so happened that she had a lot of free time, so I was able to plan a trip to see her!

I definitely didn't feel like the trip was long enough by any means, but I am so thankful I was able to go out there and spend time with them. Their kiddos are so big now and they have another one on the way!

I just love how beautiful it is there 

We went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, which was really cool. The zoo was built on the side of the mountain, and they had a lot of animals there. The kids were most excited to show me the lion cubs and the baby orangutan.

It might be hard to tell, but that's the baby orangutan in the midst of all that hay-looking stuff. She's already a year old but she's still so tiny

The kids were feeding the giraffes. This was right before Em and I got sneezed on by this very giraffe!

We also went up to see Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. My lungs were burning because of the altitude when we got to the top, but the shrine and the view were so worth it!

View from the shrine

Emily and I had tea with her sister at a place called Monteague's. I tried a Spiced Apricot tea there and it was delicious! It was so fun being able to visit with her sister.

She also took me to her favorite Mexican food place, Costa Vida, which was delicious! I highly recommend the fish tacos.

We had some great conversations while I was there, spent a lot of time with their kiddos, started on an Aladdin Thomas Kinkade puzzle, ate Emily's delicious cooking, watched a couple of movies, went to church and heard John lead worship, and just enjoyed each other's company. I almost didn't make it home the day I left, as a crazy storm came in right before I left, but after sitting on the runway for an hour, the plane was able to take off.

This was also at the zoo. It was super bright so we took this picture quick

I am so glad I was able to go out there and spend time with them, but I miss them so much already. I can't wait to go back!

A Plane Ride and a Full Heart

A few weeks ago, we got to take a really fun trip to spend time with some of our favorite people.

On the plane, so excited to see our friends!

Reunited with my CO bestie!

We went to the Ivywild School building, which houses Bristol Brewery and Pub and some other businesses in this former schoolhouse. It's such a cool concept of taking a building with that much history and turning it into a successful part of the community. On the left, a Bristol Brewing Beehive. On the right, an Old Fashioned. Both were delicious.

It had been almost two years since we'd been in Colorado, so it felt so amazing to be there again.

Oh how I love those mountains

At the park with the kiddos

John and Josh

We went to a few restaurants we hadn't been to before, spent a lot of time laughing, watched a couple of really good movies (including Catching Fire!!), ate a lot of Emily's fantastic cooking, had some really great conversations, got to play with their kiddos, went mini golfing, went to the movies (we saw Non-Stop), had a girls dancing night to celebrate Emily's birthday, went to their church and got to hear John lead worship again, got to experience a whole day of snow, drove through Garden of the Gods, and just reveled in our time together.

We went and bought Catching Fire the morning it came out on BluRay, because we are kinda obsessed.

 The hubby taking a selfie in the snow

The only picture I took in Cheddar's, which was delicious. It was snowing when we were there.

So glad I was able to celebrate this beautiful friend's birthday. I love her so much.

From our dancing adventures. We went to the Ritz first and had some really yummy martinis. We then headed to Blondie's. King's Chef Diner was our final stop. We had a really fun night.

We also met up with Josh's dad, who is working in the area now. He took us out to lunch and then to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings.

 Josh and his dad in front of the Cliff Dwellings.

Unfortunately, as always seems to be the case, our time went by way too fast and I'm already wanting to buy another plane ticket. It's so hard to have people that I love living so far away, but I'm so thankful for the time that we do spend together. And thank God for texting and social media and all the other ways that we are able to connect when we are apart!

Two of our favorite kiddos! We had so much fun with them. 

 Garden of the Gods

God always teaches me a lot when we take trips out there. I always come back very thoughtful and pondering a lot of different things. I think the biggest thing from this trip was how important it is to surround ourselves with good friends, people we can trust, and people we can have true community with. We spent a lot of time on our trip just hanging out and it was perfect. My heart was so full sitting on the couch, drinking a beer with one of my best friends, appreciating our friendship. We talked about some heavy things and some very lighthearted things, and I cherished every single moment. It was probably my favorite trip thus far.

Snow!!

This is going to be short...



It's SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!! :)