Living in the Moment!

This has been the first summer since I graduated high school that I haven't had a full time job. With that being said, I took full advantage of my time and all that this summer had to offer. So here's the highlights....

This June, Luke and I celebrated out 5 year anniversary! Not only was this a major milestone, but it was the first anniversary that we had disposable income. We decided that we deserved a trip; someplace close enough to drive, but far enough away to where we actually felt like we escaped for a bit. With that, we agreed on Glenwood Springs. This was my first trip to Glenwood, but certainly not my last. We had an amazing time!

The first day there we walked the river and then went to dinner at the best steak house I have ever been to...Juicy Lucy's!

 On the bridge over looking the hot springs and the Colorado River.

Juicy Lucy's

The next day we went on a mild hike up to Glenwood's most popular graveyard, which included Doc Holiday's grave.

Check out the grave in the background. 

That evening we took a dip in the famous hot springs, and then went to visit our friend Steph for dinner, which I proceeded to order deep fried french toast and onion rings. What are vacations for, right?!

Our final day in Glenwood we decided to hike up to Hanging Lake. The hike was fairly difficult, but so worth the work. The hike follows the river up the mountain, and at the top are three gorgeous waterfalls that lead into a crystal blue lagoon. It had to be one of the most awe inspiring places I have ever been. 

The trip was such a perfect way to celebrate being married for 5 years to the love of my life!!!

When we came back to reality, I delved head first into my summer job, being the acting coach for the Stampede Troupe's children's theatre workshop. I had a wonderful time directing scenes and getting to work with such dedicated and talented kids. The final product turned out great! 

My next trip was up to Vail to watch my brother compete in the GoPro Games in angling (fly fishing)! I got some quality time with my mom and sister-in-law; as well as watching some really unique events, such as slack lining. 

The three of us and baby Eussen!

Our next big trip was to Devil's tower in Wyoming. Luke and I joined my parents in camping out at the KOA right next to Devil's Tower. Our first day there we took the first trail up to the tower. It was a pretty easy hike but with some outstanding views! 

At night we had a blast enjoying extremely LARGE ice cream cones and watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which was filmed at the tower.

My dad, super excited about the giant ice cream cone!

The next day on the trip we took a drive into South Dakota and went for a visit to Deadwood. What a neat town. We took a bus tour, which included the graveyard that was so big, it had street signs to help you find your way around. 

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Wild Bill's gravesite

Calamity Jane's grave

On our final day, we decided to take a little road trip. We stopped in Hewlitt, WY. Here we found a hidden museum that housed some of the best Native American artifacts and items of the wild west. We also stopped at an Amish stand that picked up some delicious baked goods. After that we decided to hit a third state and drove into Montana, not much there, but we went! 

The kick ass museum we came across!

Our final adventure was taking the long hike around Devil's tower. It took awhile, but worth the work!

I was glad to sleep in my own bed when it was all over, but I certainly enjoyed the go with the flow atmosphere, and certainly enjoyed going off the grid!

The summer is practically over for this teacher, but before I called it quits, I wanted to squeeze in one good hike. I joined my parents and we went up to Rocky Mountain National Park and took a 5 mile hike up to Fern Falls. 

In the end, this was a summer that I will never forget. Things are about to change real quick, with Luke starting law school and me venturing into my professional life, so I am grateful to have had the time to live in the moment this summer. 

The Final Frontier

“He loved mountains, or he had loved the thought of them marching on the edge of stories brought from far away; but now he was borne down by the insupportable weight of Middle-earth. He longed to shut out the immensity in a quiet room by a fire.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

I have two places of solace, one being the mountains and the second being my bed, which usually includes twenty pillows, two cats, a Luke and a good book. These places bring me comfort because of their representation of who I am.

I was born in the mountains, in fact I was born at over 10,000 feet above sea level. Sometimes I think that's why I'm so small...like the trees past the tree line. In any case, my roots are so deep into those mountains that whenever I get the opportunity to just be there, I always walk away feeling centered and grounded. I stop questioning my choices, I stop stressing over little things, I stop being focused on those people who simply don't matter. I become realized in what I'm doing and ever so sure of who I am; but even more than that, the mountains represent my ancestors and those alike. The brave individuals who decided to become pioneers and discover places that were completely foreign. I really envy those individuals. I had a discussion with my brilliant husband in the middle of the night, about how our generation is denied opportunities to discover distant lands. In the future, our next frontier will be space; however, by the time we get there, Luke and I will be way into our geriatric years. Perhaps our children will be those pioneers, but for now, we can only imagine what those lives would have been like and continue to visit those places that evoke the stories of far away lands.

Of course, to feed the still quenching urge to experience adventure and excitement, I will forever snuggle with my family and immerse myself in a book.