Christmas in Denver.

This year we're hanging out with Ben's family in Denver for Christmas, so we packed our bags last Friday and flew out early, early Saturday morning. No one should ever have to get up at 3:30 am on a Saturday. ;) Needless to say, we both slept the whole 2 1/2 hour long flight instead of watching a movie on the iPad or reading.

Since being here in Denver, we've been playing this game nonstop, eating yummy foods, and finishing up Christmas shopping and wrapping. Saturday night Ben's parents took us to the Denver Botanic Garden to see the fun Christmas lights and oh, how pretty they were! We've watched a few football games, been to a few makeup stores, and had the chance to visit Cafe Rio last night. :) 

Vacations sure are the best!

christmas break {denver edition}.

Ben and I are really fortunate to be at a university that gives employees and grad students several weeks of vacation time each year.  We had the opportunity to spend a week with Ben's family in Denver and a week with my family in Salt Lake City over the holidays, and we sure enjoyed every single minute of our break!  It's always nice to get away from home for a bit and be around family. :)

We spent Christmas Eve over at Ben's cousins' house where we had a dinner, played some Christmas songs on chimes, watched this movie for the first time, and had a Christmas program.  It sure provided entertainment (I think my favorite part may have been the electric guitar accompaniment to "Carol of the Bells")!  Later that evening, a few of us decided to go to a candlelight ceremony at a Presbyterian church because Ben's aunt and uncle were singing in the choir.  The arrangements were beautiful (lots of them were arranged by Mack Wilberg, who is amazing) and the accompanying orchestra was talented beyond belief.

Between playing this and watching movies all week, we did some shopping, reading, sleeping in, and more shopping!  It was just a terrific week, and I'm so happy that I get to call these wonderful people family.

vacations fly by too fast.

Our week long trip to Denver was such a breath of fresh air--literally and figuratively.  It was great to get away from work and school, and to spend time near the mountains.  (We've really been missing those tall, majestic beauties.)  Our week was full of family time (including a wedding!), hikes, good food, shopping, the Colorado History Museum, a temple trip, meeting up with an old friend, yard work, and more family time.  It was such a fun trip, which made going back to Missouri a little painful.  ;)

i think i would enjoy living in Colorado.

This guy and I are having a jolly good time here in Denver this week.  (Is it weird that I said "jolly  good time?"  I suppose things like that happen when one is on vacation.)  We've been having so much fun spending time with family and enjoying the mountains, and I can't wait to document all of it.  Later.  :)

our first Christmas.

(That's half of a dollar bill... a "half dollar.")

Hope you all had the merriest of Christmases!  We have sure been enjoying our time with our families and friends--those we love and have been missing.  The first part of our break was spent in Utah with my family, and we're currently in Colorado staying with Ben's family.  :)

a week late.

We were lucky enough to be able to drive out to Denver to have Thanksgiving with Ben's family this year, and found that the 13 hour drive wasn't as bad as we thought it would be!  We are so grateful for our healthy bodies, schooling/work, a place to live, our families, and more importantly, our religion.

We spent Thursday getting ready for Thanksgiving, getting together with extended family, playing games, and eating yummy food.  Friday, we headed out to brave the Black Friday crowds and shopped for over 5 hours, napped, ate Cafe Rio (I about died and went to food heaven), and saw Wreck-It Ralph.  Saturday included another trip to the mall, more naps, some yummy Chinese food, and games with the cousins.  We spent Sunday in the car driving home and thinking of what we'd spend our money on if we were millionaires.  :)  It was a fun trip and both of us were grateful to get away for a little bit.

Recently, things have been gettin' a little Christmasy over here in our apartment...

and we are loving it.  I can see some Christmas cookies and Christmas movies in our future...

Happy December 1st!

where the columbines grow.

Our trip to Denver was successful, to say the least.  We (B, the car, and I) all arrived in one piece, played as long and as hard as we could, and then said adios! to the beautiful green hills and mountains (B, that part's for you!) to head back to real life.

We shopped the sales, partied until our feet hurt, took a trip to the Denver temple, burned at an amusement park, roasted marshmallows, gained a Sam's Club membership, played an intense round of Scrabble, and loved not being at school or work!

cookies and car rides.

Today a 7-year old in my Sunday School class asked me if I'm 40.

I'm not.  I'm actually 19. 

But I guess being married automatically equals 40?

(p.s. - I totally broke the rules and gave them all chocolate chip cookies.  I have to buy my friends.)

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On another note:  I'm not a gigantic fan of long road trips, but I have to suffer through get to spend 16 hours in the car this weekend as B and I drive to Denver for our Open House.  Any suggestions on books (to read or listen to on cd), songs to listen to, games to play, crafts to do, or ways to not bug B?  

Our trip back from California a few weeks ago resulted in me counting the number of bugs smashed on the windshield.

Just kidding, it was rockin'.  I read Hunger Games and Catching Fire outloud to B while he drove the whole way.  He's the greatest.  :)