Becky

We lived in Boulder at the same time. Becky left in 2005 to wander all over the world, sometimes living in a tent, and ended up in Gunnison as a teacher at Western State College. I left the 20-square-miles-surrounded-by-reality and immigrated to Texas in 2006. She's probably the most welcoming and approachable person I've ever met, and I am blessed to call her my friend and her house my 8th home on this Colorado adventure.

Good Morning, Lake Dillon!

On my way to Salida to see Hilary and Gunnison to hang out with Becky, I couldn't resist stopping to take a picture as I was passing by Lake Dillon, just before Frisco.

Not in Texas anymore...

"I did it!"

Hannah & her puzzle

Yes, my day, again, was spent with Mary Grace & Hannah, so it seemed appropriate to post a picture of one of the fun things that we did. Playing with toys, snack time, naps, cartoons, story books and sippy cups...preschoolers and toddlers have the life!

Happy Girl

Dolly? Check!

PJ's all day? Check!

Boppy (pacifier)? Check!

Goldfish Crackers? Check!

Sippy cup with milk? Check!

Not being strapped into the high chair? Check!

A little blurry...but still super cute :)

If you ski or snowboard, you'll understand how wonderful this is...

Keystone...making snow on River Run

Breck...with the snow coming!

The Lunch Room

I haven't been in an elementary school lunch room in about a decade. And even then, after I laughed so hard that chocolate milk came out my nose in the first grade and this mean girl made fun of me, I avoided the scary, basement lunchroom and lunch monitors at Hawthorne Grade School as much as possible. 


Today, I visited the lunch room at Dillon Valley Elementary. It's where Jack is in kindergarten. It was pretty adorable, the lunch monitors were not at all mean and scary and no milk came out of anyone's nose.

Hannah, Jack & Haley

The short cart

Orange Smiles

Jack's Class

NavPres Book Review: An Undivided Heart

I like to read, and I like to write even more...so several weeks ago, I signed up for NavPress' book review program. They send me a book. I write a review on my blog. Pretty simple. Enjoy!

An Undivided Heart: Experiencing the Intimacy of Jesus' Touch by Rita J. Platt (NavPress) is an 8-week Bible study series that challenges women to be honest with themselves and where their heart is focused - and with others if done in community! - when it comes to issues surrounding God's love for you, your love for God, surrendering, worship, what it means to be satisfied and joyful, trusting the Lord and living from your true identity. 

It's an authetnic look at where you are at and how you connect with the God that passionately loves you more than you can even begin to fathom. Each chapter provides and introduction that gets you thinking about the topic, questions to start you reflecting on the situation, Scripture to ponder and more questions that bring the topic home to your own situation. Space to jot notes and pray is provided, allowing a participant to respond to what’s written and suggested. Personal stories and examples make the text accessible and meaningful, adding to the value of this study.

The book reminds us that when our foundation of our life is a relationship with Christ, we are freed to live courageously, loved and loving others. How’s your heart?

Boulder

I used to call this 20-square miles surrounded by reality my home. Yes, Boulder. love Boulder. It's the strangest, weirdest place I've ever lived. And I love Boulder. It's not my home anymore, and I can't really see myself ever living there again. While it lasted, though, I loved it.

Julie and I spent a sunny Saturday morning in Boulder, wandering around Pearl Street, the Creek Path and through the Farmer's Market with no agenda.

Only in Boulder would there be a spontaneous bike ride protest

Buried in Color

Boulder Creek

It wouldn't be Julie & Heather without a self-portrait. Sadly, this was the best one out of the bunch.

Farmers' Market: Mmmm...samples...

I matched the curtains.

Madonna. Michael Jackson. Debbie Gibson.

I found myself painting the kitchen in Jessica's new house chocolate brown.

Jessica was a college roommate at the University of Missouri during my senior year and moved to Denver shortly after I left. She just bought a house, and tonight, I went over to see it. She invited me to a party - an '80s Prom Party. She had a fabulous blue dress complete with the top covered in sequence and a ol' bow on the backside.

Seeing as I only found out about it at the last minute, I was content going in "normal" clothes. She said that'd be fine and we headed out for the night.

But upon arriving, I was told "that one pink dress" that no one else was wearing was still available, was shuffled into a back room and was handed a dress that was at least two sizes too big and large, plastic earrings with instructions to put my hair in a side pony tail. The icing on the cake was the blue ribbon.

Celebrating Julia

Julia and I met in 1997 at the University of Missouri in Columbia. Our friendship started in her car - she had one, and I didn't. She was my ride to work with a middle school ministry on Tuesday nights. She picked me up to go to church on Sunday mornings. And she was always there when I needed to go to Wal-Mart. Since then, we've hung out all over in Colorado, Seattle, Vancouver and Vegas. We both called Colorado home at the same time. She's been here since '99, and my four-year stint has been since then. Being here for all the wedding festivities this weekend and then for the big event in two weeks is one of the highlights of my month-long road trip. Here's to Julia!

Washington Park

I've clocked hundreds of miles walking, running and processing life on these trails. Julia, Carolyn and others have accompanied me around the lakes, through the rain, crunching the leaves and enjoying Colorado sun. It was one of my favorite places to workout while I called Denver home and has continued to be one of my most favorite places in the whole wide world to go for an afternoon run. Wash Park...oh, how I've missed you!

On this gloriously sunny and beautiful afternoon, I ventured out with my camera after a fabulous run. Apparently, I'm really into taking pictures of leaves these days.

The old boathouse

Autumn Kisses

Ballerina Hannah Jane

I went with my friends to watch their 3-year-old daughter's dance class. It was like herding cats backwards and reminded me a little of middle school ministry. Except that middle school ministry is like herding cats backwards, and these precious girls are much cuter.

Downtown Breckenridge

Yes, it snowed today.

Snapshots of Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Keystone in the Fall

Preseason:

Over the river and through the woods...

Sabbath