this weekend // around town

^ the trees are blooming all around town!

^ morning walk for breakfast

^ house hunting! we are taking it slow this time

this weekend we spent around town. and the next two closest towns. it was the best! we've been on an eating out kick, and walked to dos gringos for dinner on friday night for some of the yummiest nachos then walked to the village smithy for breakfast on saturday for deep fried french toast + hash browns. love this part of living in a small town: being able to walk or bike everywhere! we've also been trying to decide whether to buy another house (which we change our mind on every other day), and we realized we'd be the happiest to own instead of renting for the next several years. there is just something about living in your own home and doing house projects on the weekends, am i right?!? property is crazy expensive here so it is going to be waiting game to find something affordable that fits our style. who knows what will happen! 

we also went to glenwood springs to buy supplies to make a desk and decided that we need to put a little more thought into what type of desk we want to make. then we did a little window shopping and i found the cutest ceramic owl on sale that i couldn't pass up, like one i've been wanting from anthropologie. and after dropping off our recycling we went on a whole foods date (is it possible to enjoy grocery shopping there so much?!) because we believe in splurging on higher quality foods, especially produce. once we got back home i got to work in the kitchen, making homemade ranch dressing, cherry garcia ice cream, and bbq chicken quesadillas. on sunday we biked to church and gave talks in sacrament meeting, freshened up the house, admired our garden, spit cherry seeds into the stream, played a quick game of frolf and went on a couple dog walks.

so that was our weekend... we also watched a couple movies, some how i met your mother and the office season finale. jam packed but still relaxing. and i'm super excited for my in-laws to come into town this week! should be fun!

snapshots of the week

happy friday! we decided to stick around town this weekend, go out for breakfast, go on a day hike, and get ready for his family to come in next week. 

^ i spotted this mo-ped at the frolf park last night and really want one of my own! it is so cute + simple and perfect for getting to work.

 roasted beet salad // biking the rio grande trail

 first time to the denver temple // beautiful view in aspen

 hot now krispy kreme doughnuts // dinner at steuben's in denver

picked + planted seeds for our garden // made homemade pita bread

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family update

last month we found our molly girl a new home with a cute little family looking to adopt. it was one of the hardest things we have experienced (anyone who has loved a pup as much as we loved her would understand - dogs are part of the family too); involving the saddest days with lots + lots of tears. there were so many reasons we came to this decision, wanting the happiest life for her as she had not seemed to be adjusting to our move and new work schedules like we hoped.

we would not like any comments on this as we are still grieving and sorting through our heartache. she will always be in our hearts and we miss her terribly. but it helps knowing she is getting lots of love + attention from her new family, with two boys to chase around!

our other wheaten terrier, fynn, is still with us and has been doing great since. he was always trying to steal all the attention from molly anyway, and we think he likes being the sole pup around the house.

life + privacy + forgiveness + healing

why is it that we want to keep our struggles private, when sharing them can be such a great way to heal? especially in blogging, we don't want to bother others with our problems + complaints. we want to seem happy + optimistic. but i am a realist.

i read something around the time i moved to colorado that mentioned that when you share more of the intimate parts of your life you will make stronger bonds. as i was determined to make good friends (unlike i had really tried to do in illinois, unfortunately), i let my guard down a bit and tried this out. i talked with a new friend about something i was struggling with, something private that no one else really knew besides my husband. and while part of me wished i just would have kept it inside (privacy is in my nature), i don't regret it. we have become pretty great friends since. and while i am grateful it does not come up often in our conversations,  i feel a stronger bond with her knowing that someone knows of that small struggle of mine. 

no, this is not a post about my deepest secrets. i have been on a journey the past few years and feel like i am coming up on top, which is a great feeling. a good friend once said "self, well done. you tried your best today and came out on top." -bg

i am probably with the millions of people who say their childhood was rough or not ideal. i'm sure all kids have complained at one point or another about how they were raised. but thankfully most of us grow out of adolescence and that way of thinking and realize how silly those thoughts were. to all the parents out there: if you can say you tried your best than that is good enough! i am not a parent but i can only imagine what a tough "job" it is. i want to hug all of you for doing you best. 

my childhood was full of fear. 

fear of what mood someone was in. fear of doing something "wrong" and having to pay the "consequence." fear of coming home. fear of lectures into all hours of the night. fear of so many things lining the walls of our home. fear of abuse. so many things it is not fun to talk, or even think, about. luckily it's in my nature to block out many of the really bad times. 

i have had time to recover. but only recently do i feel the happiest since. it seems that distance will do that for you. several years ago i was able to feel confident that i had been able to forgive those who hurt me. but that wasn't what the adversary wanted, and he has tried his hardest to get me to take that forgiveness back. so i have made choices that enable me to feel okay with being able to forgive for past mistakes. (and then the adversary comes back at you and you just have to shut him down over and over. he's relentless.)

but forgiving someone does not mean you're automatically healed inside.

the past almost four years of marriage to my husband have been full of adventure, but they have also been full of learning to adjust. they have been full of stupid fights over nothing worth remembering. and they have been exactly what i needed to begin to grow into someone i'm proud of (not quite there yet, but getting there!). 

it's funny what you think you want, but the lord knows what you really need. and he provides. he knew i needed time to heal. he knows what is coming next for me and wants me to be ready. he knows i don't want to repeat the cycle and he is teaching me to be appreciative of life so i won't.

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this is just part of my story. my real-life life. this is just me saying we can forgive. and we will heal. but in some cases you just have to let go.

vegetation of the utah desert

my favorite part of the desert are the lovely cactus. i want to take them all home with me, seriously. but last weekend while camping in moab i noticed many beautiful varieties of vegetation. i love this time of year when all the blooms are out!

ps: last chance to enter the firmoo giveaway! just click here.