Category: Holiday

Labor Day Weekend Things

Lauren5 Comments

Hi!  Is it just me or did this weekend feel SO LONG?  Not complaining, just saying.  I, for one, am all for a weekend that feels like it just keeps dragging on, because I cannot believe it’s already September.  I just want this year to slow down already.  Anyone else?

In true Labor Day fashion, this weekend was all about savoring the last bit of summer, which for me translates into beer, baseball, family and relaxing.  All of which started on Friday, with a Rockies game.

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Here’s everyone on their feet for Todd Helton who was attempting his 2500th hit.  I’m still harboring negative feelings towards Todd after this summer’s DUI charge (not cool!) but when the whole crowd is standing up and cheering, it’s hard to not join in.  For the record, he didn’t end up getting that hit.

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More Rockies on Saturday night.  We met out friends Bobby and Becca at the “Brew Fest and Food Truck Round Up” beforehand and I was severely disappointed.  We went to this event last year and there were at least 7 local food trucks.  This year they had TWO and neither were serving very “local” stuff.  My food took forever to come out and it was a huge mess.  And I drank a beer that literally tasted like cold stale coffee.  Unacceptable!  In other news, these little kids looked so tiny out on the field.  Too cute.

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For the record, Helton still didn’t get his 2500th hit at this game and also for the record, Joey thought he “looked good” in this picture, so don’t feel bad for him that I’ve posted it on the internet.  He asked for it, guys!  I’m sitting here trying to remember what I did all day before we went to the game and I’ve got nothing.

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Sunday started with this!  And look, I’m even following through on my no caffeine rule.  Joey, my sister, both our mothers and I all hit up Ikea for some house inspiration and my mom was nice enough to pick us all up some Starbucks for the road.  My favorite part was when my mom accidentally threw away her reusable cup and had to go back and pick it out of the trash.  Oh, Mom.

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No joke, we spent 5 hours at Ikea and spent $1.38 between the 5 of us.  We told my mom beforehand that we were just going there to get some ideas and she still kept trying to offer to buy us stuff.  You gotta love her determination though.  Don’t worry Mom, we’ll be going back once we’re actually moved into the house and then we’ll take you up on all those offers 🙂

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We also took a lunch break for some Swedish meatballs.  I had to be different from everyone else and get a salmon wrap that I seriously regretted after eating it.  I’m a sushi lover, but that cured salmon rubbed me the wrong way for some reason.  May this be a warning to myself to just go with the tried and true Swedish (horse) meatballs next time.

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I made it up to myself later with a delicious kale and mushroom quesadilla, alongside beer (naturally), the Rocky Mountain Showdown and Big Brother.  If you’re thinking that’s too much TV and too much going on in general, you are correct.  We were only half watching the CU vs. CSU game though.  Our Buffs pulled out the win this year!  I don’t even care about football but a good old college rivalry is always fun.  Especially when your alma mater wins.

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Today, we labored.  5 miles done before 8:30 AM.  Then ran a billion errands.  To the mall, to the grocery store, to Home Depot (do you even know how many shades of gray there are??) and to Beauty Brands.

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Hempz lotion on sale!  Half off.  I couldn’t resist and bought three.  In between all that, there has been lots of Six Feet Under and playing on this Ikea 3D room planner thing.  IT IS ADDICTING.  We also managed to sell the two glass tables we’ve had for the past few years.  New tables are in our future.

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Sunday Monday (whoa!) ended at my parents’ with a fabulous dinner and Huni Bunny for dessert.  Actually, we had strawberry rhubarb pie and gelato.  No offense to ice cream, but how much easier is gelato to scoop?!

I was in bed reading by 9 PM and lights out by 10, so I’m feeling well rested and ready to get through this short week.

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How did you celebrate Labor Day?

Are you ready for summer to end?

Have you ever been to Ikea?

A Movie in the Park

Lauren5 Comments

It’s my mom’s birthday on Saturday, making this “Birthday Week!”  As in, I fully support and encourage all family and friends to celebrate their birthdays all.week.long.  I mean, it only seems natural that we do so as adults, since birthdays don’t get as much attention as they did when we were kids.  Seems like a fair trade off to me.

I’m always excited for my mom’s birthday as I’m partial to July celebrations (wonder why!…) and especially excited this year because the festivities are right up my alley and because I have some really good birthday surprises up my sleeve (Mom, are you reading this?).  And guess what?  We kicked the celebration off last night with a movie in the park.

IMG_4207I should have known it was going to be a good night when I met my family in Louisville and everyone was on time.  That never happens.  Seriously.  It gave me hope that I can put my dad and my sister back on the guest list for my future wedding (cough they are the family’s biggest punctuality offenders cough).  Also…a line of food trucks!  Be still my heart!

IMG_4205I was kind of taken aback by the amount of trucks that were there — nine I think?? — but finally settled on the street taco truck, Comida.  I have a serious taco weakness.  I kind of underestimated how small these tacos were, hence me only ordering one (chorizo!) plus a side of rice and beans, but that just means more room for sangria and ice cream, right?

IMG_4203My mom and my sister grabbed brisket sandwiches and some amazingly delicious French fries — thick cut and salty, just how I like em — at the BBQ truck and then we all camped out on our picnic blanket with some homemade sangria my mom brought with her.  P.S. Can you see my mom’s new diamond earrings?  She had one fall out of her ear earlier this year, so my dad took her for a replacement and white gold upgrade.  Way to go, Dad!  I swear he was also at the movie, despite the lack of evidence.

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IMG_4209Wine-soaked cherries and peaches, yes please!  Oh look, there’s my dad (kind of…).  Told you he was there too.  We hung out with our sangria while we waited for the sun to set and the movie to start.  They were showing Jurassic Park, which yes, I did just see in the theater, but Jeff Goldblum is so worth re-watching it.  My dad concurred that he is the best part of that movie.

IMG_4206How cool is the inflatable screen?  I had just enough to time grab a double scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough from the Sweet Cow truck to share with the girls just before the movie started…perfection.  About halfway through the movie, we started to feel a few raindrops and the wind picked up and that park cleared out so fast.  We stuck it out though.  We had to see who was going to save them all from the Velociraptors, obviously.

Seriously, a perfect night (albeit kind of chilly, especially for the end of July) with my family.  All that was missing was Joey (he was at his softball game) and maybe a second street taco 😛  The best part?  We get to do it all again on Saturday when we celebrate my mom’s actual birthday with tapas and dinner at the Med (always the Med!) and another movie in another park.

Is it Saturday yet?

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Do your birthday celebrations last longer now than they did when you were a kid?

Have you ever been to a movie in the park?

The food truck craze: yay or nay?