{weekender} pitkin days

A and i went to pitkin this weekend for pitkin days: every year the pitkin historical society puts on a series of fundraising events to celebrate our favorite little mountain town. there's a melodrama, a fun run, a horseshoe tournament, a potluck dinner, and lots of other activities for all ages. it seems like the whole town gets involved - my father-in-law was in the melodrama, my mother-in-law announced the raffle winners, and A and i got to help make popcorn and sell concessions. i even got first place in the two-mile fun run {check out my fancy trophy!}...i didn't fare quite as well in the water balloon toss or the egg toss...maybe next year...

{local love} denver lately

this month in denver...

we went to see the sandlot at mile high stadium. it was our first time to visit the stadium so we were pretty excited! it was grey and drizzly and we tailgated in the back of our subaru {yup, we're that colorado} before the show. the rain continued as the night went on and lightning finally forced us inside where we waited till after 10pm and then gave up and went home. but it was a good idea anyway. we got to see the stadium and eat free nachos.

we went on a pedal-hopper party bike tour for our friends' birthdays: three bars, one sarcastic tour guide, and many bruises on my shins {a success!}. the two birthday girls got to sample brennivin we brought all the way from iceland just for the occasion. shenanigans continued into the wee hours of the morning and we even got to see an old friend from texas who was in town for the weekend! oh, and i got more bruises.

we went to the yves saint laurent retrospective at the denver art museum. not sure why they picked denver as their ONE AND ONLY stop in the united states (!) but i surely wasn't going to miss it. it was rather spectacular - i think A even liked it!

{pinteresting} love letters

nine years ago on this very day, A took me out on our first date.  nine years in and i still feel like the luckiest girl in the whole wide world, like i won the prize. nine years in and i still miss him when we're apart for more than a couple of hours. the smell of his skin is still my greatest comfort, the sound of his laugh my greatest joy. he is my best friend and the father of my fur-children, my hero and my biggest fan. i don't know where i'd be without him, and i never want to find out.

{weekender} pitkin family fun time

we just got back from a loooong weekend in pitkin {which i know is probably not a shocker but this time my niece J, my brother-in-law C, and his girlfriend H came with}! 


on friday we picked our texan visitors up from the airport and headed for pitkin {with a brief stop at a giant hot dog for lunch, bubbles, and chipmunk-viewing}. we got to my in-laws' cabin in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day relaxing and catching up {and wondering when little J was going to get sleepy}...

saturday was my niece's third birthday {they grow up so fast!} and also the pitkin volunteer fire department's annual fundraiser {we may or may not have led J to believe that it was her giant birthday party...}. A and i had the honor of driving the family jeep in the parade while C and H drove the four-wheeler {why yes, we are very famous and fancy, thank you}. after the parade there was dinner and dancing and staying up much too late with our pitkin friends...

we spent sunday in crested butte, wandering up and down main street and eating popsicles mostly. we had a disgustingly huge dinner at slogar {it's a mcdaniel family tradition} before going back to pitkin...

monday morning we slept in {as much as we could, considering the bright sun pouring in through the windows at six a.m.}. when we finally got going, A and i headed out in ol' red {she's as old as me and i love her}. we drove up to cumberland pass and hiked around for a bit, but ominous thunder clouds threatened to ruin our day so we headed down the mountain again. when we were about halfway back, we spotted the perfect place for a picnic! we sat on our jackets in the middle of a meadow and got sprinkled on while we ate our lunch. our soda exploded all over us when we opened it, but we were able to rinse off most of the sticky in a nearby stream before hopping back into the truck.

that night we played basketball with our friends. when the game was over we all sat on the court and talked for hours, and when it got really dark we walked up to the kids' fishing pond and talked for a few more hours. the moon was so bright that we cast shadows on the ground as we walked. it was maybe the most perfect night that pitkin has ever seen.


tuesday was our last morning {for this trip} and i enjoyed it the way i enjoy most mornings in pitkin: sipping my coffee on the front porch with the dog and anyone else who cares to join me {usually A and/or his dad}, listening to the wind in the trees and the occasional hummingbird, and marveling at just how warm forty degrees can feel.

{holidays} happy fourth of july!

{wishing you a safe and happy independence day!}