The day I learned to snowboard....

I've been skiing before, but I let Kellen talk me into snowboarding on Sunday 12/26. It was a gorgeous day and to roads were great. I-70 was actually very clear- most likely because people were still away for the holidays. After a short drive from Denver, a stop at a lil' ski/snowboard rental place- and we were on our way to Loveland.

And we are off...

Merry Christmas to All!

We totally got spoiled :)


Yeap- that is our "Christmas Tree"- we left our three artificial ones in Michigan!

Is that snow that I see?

Maybe. Not yet anyhow. 

This bear is probably my favorite thing downtown Denver. At least my favorite so far- I haven't explored the whole place yet. Isn't he cute?

Downtown Denver 16th Street Mall

Adventures in Denver continue on the 16th Street Mall....

Partially outdoor shopping mall in the heart of Denver
(With a two story Forever 21 :))

After seeing the two story Forever 21...
Isn't Kel just tooo excited?

Christmas Carolers!

Random Cow- sure it has some meaning besides taking pictures with...

These pianos are all over the "mall". They remind me like the ones at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, MI. I wonder if it is the same artist?

Not going to lie, it was really nice to walk around in a dress during the middle of December at night. We enjoyed the shops, the beautiful Christmas decorations and the Christmas tunes. A quick bite to eat at the Paramount Cafe and it was a pretty relaxing- but fun- night in downtown. 

2 years ago...

Wow. It has almost been two years since it was a record breaking cold day in Michigan on the 21st of December. It also happens to be the day Kel and I got married. Time sure flies...

To celebrate we went to go see Blue Man Group in downtown Denver on Sunday. The show was pretty cool! Definitely very neat to see.

We took a quick pic, no one caught us :)

Oh 60 Degree Weather in December!

Denver, you and I are on good terms today. Thank you!

The "pond" across the street

Enjoying the warm weather with a run around the neighborhood. Although I miss the mitten, not too envious of all the snow it has gotten lately. Although Denver's may be coming!

Hi Monkey Face.

A free adventure day at the Denver Zoo! Enjoying a crisp afternoon with my hubby.

Lil' Green Steps: Warm Up

Keeping you and your home warm in the winter and your pockets a little heavier!

Quick and easy steps :)

1. Turn down the thermostat during the night and when you are away all day. A little chilly? Throw on a sweater :)

2. Line your windows to add a little extra insulation, keeping that warm air in. A kit can easily be found at a home improvement store.

3. Make a "rice pal" or "oatmeal packet". Fill an old sock with rice or oatmeal, and tie each end off. Warm it for a few minutes in the microwave and 'ta da'- an instant bed warmer to slip between the covers. I also like to make fancier one by taking a few squares of fabric, sewing them together and add a little scent: like lavender! These make wonderful homemade gifts! My husband calls them heat pals.

             * Don't leave unattended in the microwave as these have been known to catch on fire. We have  never had a problem, but just a heads up!

Av's Game

This game and its free tickets caused a quiet the dilemma:

Happy Halloween!

A spooky celebration indeed! Tons of fun at the party the Ruby's ...one of our numerous sets of Ruby friends. haha. :) invited us to, can you tell what we are supposed to be? I made Kellen and my costume.

Lil' Green Steps: Agua

Green Challenge: Water Conservation!

Ways to cut back on household water use that are simple and take very little effort.

Lil' Green Steps: Use the Whole Thing!

So often we run out to buy a new product because we are almost done with the old one.

Think toothpaste, makeup, that last little bit of barbeque sauce

This is great, because it is good to be prepared. Yet, when the new container comes home and sits so nicely on the bathroom shelf in all its glory- that old, almost empty, seen better days tube of toothpaste gets neglected. Or even worse it gets thrown away!!!

Yep, that's garbage in a river near the Vatican

Viva Las Vegas

So there is a surprise party being planned for my Uncle Johnny in Las Vegas. Las Vegas just so happens to be a few hours from Denver via plane. At the time, I didn't have a full-time job due to just moving out here and I knew we weren't going to be able to make it home for Christmas. So Kel and I figured there was no reason for me not to join up with my family- and surprise my Meme at the MGM Grand. The visit and surprise (all of them!) were a success.

Just a Few of Us: Meme, Me, Mom and Dad. It was a very sunny day!

Lil' Green Steps: Reusing Magazines

Turn old magazines or flyers into shredded paper, and ta da:

1. Instant gift bag stuffing

2. A filler for items being shipped

3.Easter basket filler

4. Hamster bedding

5. Christmas ornament storage cushion

Can you think of any other uses for this shredded paper?

Lil' Green Steps: Recycle Old Crayons

Reuse old crayon bits to make new cute, chunky crayons. Great for little hands that are prone to break skinny crayons.

I won't get all OT and talk about grasp patterns here and how those tiny stumpy crayons are actually really good for development!

Rocky Mountain National Park

Although these pictures are few months old- the adventure still needs to be mentioned! Back when we first moved to the fine state of Colorado, we went on an adventure to Rocky Mountain National Park up in Estes Park. Here is a quick picture tour.

A lil' Ben and Jerry's in Boulder before heading up!

Lil' Green Steps: Recycle

Lil' Green Steps are my posts to encourage you to take tiny steps towards living a greener life. They are not intended to have you spend a ton of extra money (especially because as I have learned, being green and being frugal kinda go hand-in-hand). Not that I am discouraging you from going out and buying energy star appliances! 

Side note, do your research when you go and buy a new appliance. Energy star is not as highly regulated as we'd like to think, at least at this time, so make sure to do your research.

These tips are just designs to help you take small steps in the right direction towards living a greener life!

Grape Jelly-Chili Sauce Meatballs

Don't knock this until you try it. 

It is delicious. 

Quarter Century Club

A few months late but...

We are both in the same club now! The prestigious 25 years old club. Quarter crisis? I think not... Potential crisis aside, we decided to celebrate - with something a little more youthful in nature: A Corn Maze! That's right, we sought out a corn maze to celebrate my 25th birthday in style. We found one north of Denver, in Thorton, CO that fit the bill, complete with a pre-picked pumpkin patch. Now, it should be known that we are completely spoiled when it comes to fall, having both lived in Michigan our whole lives with the vast assortment of cider mills. Disappointment could have set in when we say the sight for the alleged "Corn Maze" in Colorado, but we brushed by that to enjoy beautiful 80 degree day in the maize. 

ha.

There once was a girl who fell in love...

There once was a girl who meet a very nice boy at a very young age. They knew it was destine to be from the start and began their lives together early, celebrating in high style with all of their closest friends and family. Adventures began near and far, to cities abroad and quaint little towns closer to home.