Be still my heart… I LOVE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!

This morning, as we were driving into work, we stopped at a red light and Joey very nearly turned the car off before I looked at him like “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” and he realized he was maybe a little out of it still.  But if Oreo crumbles on your kitchen floor, sore legs, tired eyes, a fridge full of BBQ leftovers and forgetting what to do at a red light are all signs of an amazing (albeit exhausting) weekend, then I think it’s safe to say we had the best Memorial Day Weekend.

Way back on Friday — it feels soooo long ago! — we headed to the Rockies game.  I wore two pairs of socks and still couldn’t feel my feet by the end of the night, but we won so I guess I can’t complain too much.  Cold or not, that blue sky sure looks dreamy!  Post-game, we went home and threw on 10 Things I Hate About You and ohmygosh, how perfect is that movie?  I think I could watch Heath Ledger dance around in the bleachers on loop for the rest of forever.

Had aspirations to have a really relaxing Saturday, and it definitely started out that way with pancakes and iced coffee in the backyard, but then Joey and I got so excited about the idea of building garden boxes that we jumped straight into that project.  In other news, Saturday breakfast has me SO EXCITED for lots of al fresco dining this summer.

We went to Lowe’s together and gathered all the supplies, then Joey spent the rest of the day working on our garden box.  Meanwhile, I threw all the windows and doors in the house open, cleaned the house and started some cold brew coffee.  As much as I love sunshine and warm weather and summertime, I’m kind of a domestic being.  But!  As long as I can invite some of that sunshine in and Joey and I can do our own thing but still only be a shout away, then I feel fulfilled and happy at the end of the day.

Later on, we cleaned ourselves up and walked to dinner with my family.  Avanti was packed with Denverites itching to enjoy some patio weather, so we ended up sitting inside but all the windows were open and the sunlight was streaming in so whatever.  Bamboo Sushi just opened inside and I couldn’t wait to get a steamed bun and what turned out to be the best damn veggie sushi I’ve ever eaten.  More please!

Look, I know an every weekend ice cream treat might not be #1 on the guide to getting a summer beach body, but Little Man was just a few block away, it was a nice night and no one could (or wanted) to resist.  I debated getting a scoop but then chocolate chip cookie dough was on the menu and I’ve been chasing that flavor for years (it’s seriously never on the menu when I go) so I HAD TO.  It was gooood, but Joey’s blackberry ice cream with brownie chunks and MARSHMALLOW CREAM won, hands down.

All ice cream euphoria aside, walking through our neighborhood, pointing out the prettiest gardens and cutest houses with my family in tow made my heart so so happy.

Sunday started with breakfast at Bacon.  Service was such a miss, but our food was phenomenal so I’ll try to move past the fact that our server was moving so slowly.  I saw a table of four behind us get two plates of food then wait 10 minutes for the other two plates, so I guess things could have been worse.  I’ll root for any restaurant in our neighborhood and I love the atmosphere and menu at this place, but let’s get it together service-wise, shall we?  Especially because I’d like to enjoy that crab cake benedict again!

After breakfast, I hit the grocery store, then got food together for Saturday/Sunday BBQs while Joey finished our GORGEOUS garden box and I’m seriously in love with it!  He did SUCH a good job.  Between building that box and the fence you can make out behind it this week, I think he wins the Best Husband award.  I’m so nervous/excited to plant to veggies in that thing!  Is there any fail-proof produce you’d suggest?  Please say kale 🙂

We spent the evening BBQ hopping — one with friends, one with family — and I was like THIS IS WHERE IT’S AT.  Bring on all the summer BBQs please!

Memorial Day morning we were off bright and early for my favorite 10K, the Bolder Boulder, and the sky was so blue and the mountains were so stunning and CU Campus was so beautiful, that I could hardly believe I was lucky enough to go to school there.  I know I’m biased, but I can hardly imagine a college campus being more lovely.  The race was a blast (per usual!) and we put together an epic SnapChat story of all the fun things along the course.  Shout out to the lady running in front of us who was taking jello shots and doing cartwheels!  I aspire.

Last year, I was hell-bent on breaking 60 minutes and crushed it by coming in two minutes faster than that.  This year, I didn’t have any timing goals in mind and despite running at a casual pace, we managed to come in at just 60 minutes 39 seconds!  Slip n Slide participating, bacon eating and marshmallow catching included (for Joey, at least…).

The rest of the day involved a hammock nap (MUCH NEEDED), BBQ prep, lawn mowing, beer stocking, ALL THE GUAC, grilling up some chicken thighs and enjoying some backyard time with my family.  Actually, it was basically snowing cotton during the beginning of the BBQ and started raining just as everyone was sitting down to eat but after the storm blew threw, we enjoyed some perfect “Walking Race” weather.  I was in a happy food and family coma afterwards and Joey straight up fell asleep on the couch at 7:30 so I think it was a successful BBQ.

Last week, my TimeHop had been showing snippets of Memorial Day Weekends past and I realized just how much fun they always are and how much I look forward to this “Unofficial Kickoff to Summer” every year, but I have a bad habit of setting my expectations too high and ending up disappointed when things aren’t “just as perfect as last year,” so I just let go and let this weekend happen without putting too much thought into it and the result was another PERFECT holiday weekend.  Today, I am feeling tired and insanely happy in the way only summer can make you feel and for that, I am grateful.

What did you do this weekend?!