Western Stock Show Parade

Bulls, cows, horses strolling down the streets of downtown Denver leaving the musty smell of farm animals in their wake....as well as poop. That's nature for ya!

I remember the first time I saw this parade. I was walking to the bank and all of a sudden I see cowboys riding horseback while hundreds of onlookers clapped and took pictures. Where in the world did I move to? Denver is not like most cities...then again maybe other western cities do this?

Regardless, I enjoyed it and since that day I literally ran into a crowd of people watching horses parade down 17th street in downtown Denver, I look forward to this event.

This year, I had thought I was going to miss it since the parade is in the middle of a workday at noon. My boss came up to me and said, "A bunch of us are going to watch the Stock Show Parade if you want to join." I've never been more excited in my life. Ok, I probably have but you get the idea here.

So about six of us from the office went to go see it. I didn't realize it started at Union Station which is about a five-minute walk. About halfway through, everyone left to go eat so I got to roam around to find different vantage points for taking pictures.

While watching, I was reminded of my days at horse camp. Minus the bullying and the annoying little kid who kept smacking me blaming the "mosquitoes," I enjoyed being around horses. I think almost every 12-year-old girl's dream is to own a horse. Doubtful it will be in my near future but maybe when I retire or am able to live off of the royalties from my published work, I'll buy that ranch in New Mexico with horses roaming around the expansive fields. Who knows?

Dental Lifeline Network

I finished a week at my new full-time job as a Content Marketing Coordinator! Feels so surreal that I finally got the job I've been looking for! Is this even real? Is this happening? Thank you, Lord! I am beyond thankful and I pray I don't do anything to mess this up.

Decorating my desk is on my to-do list. I haven't been able to find anything at Target that I wanted, which is weird. Target is typically my go-to store for everything! Walmart is too far and cumbersome via public transportation. So, I only go when my roommate is going.

So far, I've been enjoying getting to know the people at Dental Lifeline Network. It seems that many people have been there for years. That says a lot about a company. It is customary for the newbie to have a meeting with the VP of each department. It's a chance to get to know what they do and also for them to get to know me and my background. I think it's a pretty cool tradition and I hope they keep that up. Granted, being introduced to the whole team in one was a bit much -- that happened on my second day. I still can't tell you what half their names were. I might know what department they work in though...so I did learn something. :)

I love that I get to write, instead of inputting data! My creative brain is doing a happy dance every time I sit down at my computer. I am so blessed!

Thank you to all those who encouraged me and looked at my resume for the umpteenth time.

Another adventure in Denver begins!

First-day outfit! 

The Rents Take Over Denver

A couple weeks ago, my parents came to visit me in Denver! Funny, how when you're fresh out of college, you can't wait to get away and live on your own. Now, I look forward to phone calls and visits. Weird, right?

I couldn't go home for Thanksgiving this year and probably won't for Christmas either. Oh well. I spent Thanksgiving with some friends from church and will most likely go down to Colorado Springs for Christmas. New Year's Eve/Day is still up in the air.

Back to the rents. So, they flew in on Thursday before Thanksgiving and my grandparents were able to pick them up. So sweet of them, especially since they live far north and don't drive at night. They dropped my parents off at their hotel and I went to go meet them for dinner after I was finished teaching down at Fusion Academy. Thank goodness this time around I was able to get time off. Last time my mom came to visit, my boss at the time was quite stingy and unwilling to let me take more than a day off while my mom was visiting. Plain wrong.

Anyway, we had a lot of fun! I practically dragged them around the city, haha but they enjoyed it. We went to the History Colorado Museum downtown and then for dinner, Torchy's Tacos. This is one of my favorite taco places, hands down! Some people think it's "hipster." I don't think so, but that's just me.

We also explored 16th St Mall and they got to look around the two retail stores I worked at before getting the new job at Dental Lifeline Network. I actually did my Christmas shopping with them, since they were there. I just asked them what they wanted and I bought it. I should do that more often. Takes the stress out of the whole thing.

They also were able to meet my church family on Sunday morning. I wish they didn't insist on Sunday School as well, but they got to meet more people that way. It was my dad's first time, so he stood up and introduced himself. Everyone was super excited to meet them and I was kind of enjoying seeing everyone getting to know my parents. Maybe now they understand me better. haha Or not.

On our last day, we took a trip to Fusion Academy where I teach ASL. My students weren't there, however, my boss and some coworkers were. Barb was the most excited to meet them. She's been dying to meet them since I started talking about them, especially my mom. I always roll my eyes when I talk about her.

Overall, it was a great time. Who knows how much longer I will be in Denver, but I look forward to the next time I'm back in Connecticut.

Cider Days

When I found out that there was going to be a festival all about apple cider, I quickly wrote it on my calendar. I was not about to miss this! 

Fall is my favorite time of year. The bees are dying, the leaves are changing colors, and everywhere you go, you see apples and pumpkins! What's not to love?

My friend Allie and her daughter, LP, came too. We had a blast catching up and watching people make apple cider the old fashioned way. The festival had food trucks, a miniature animal farm with donkeys and llamas, an apple stand filled with apple butter, apple cider and of course a plethora of apples to buy. 

The sad thing was by the time we got there, the food trucks were out of apple-related items. I wanted to try the apple fries, but that truck was out of apples! How are you out of apples when there is an apple stand on the other side of the festival? AND there are at least two grocery stores within a 5-minute drive. SIGH! That was disappointing, but we did get to have apple cider and kettle corn (a festival staple).

There was also a tractor pull...which I still don't understand the point of. Basically, it looked like a tractor pulling something heavy. Was there a timer or were they supposed to go a certain distance? I have NO CLUE. 

Overall, it was a fun day, minus the bees that kept bothering us. Allie is allergic and I HATE THEM WITH A VENGENCE. So the both of us did our best to stay out of their way, but when you're surrounded by apples and drinking apple cider...they tend to follow you. 

Maybe next year, we will get there earlier and eat all the apple-related things to our heart's content. 

Dina's Birthday Vacation

Last weekend, I had the most fun I've had in months! Looking for a job while working two part-time jobs is grueling! I'm so glad I was able to make the trip to Silt, CO with my friend Dina! Side question, does anyone else feel like most of their friends' birthdays are in September? Every single weekend, I've celebrated someone's birthday, besides my own. Not complaining, just noticing.

The weekend was filled with good food, yummy wine, and great company! Many of us didn't know each other so we would up making new friends too. Dina had friends from Florida, Brooklyn and Denver come a celebrate with us. Clearly, this is a woman I need to be friends with! She has an amazing love for God and a desire to surround herself with encouraging, sweet people. I wish we could do the whole weekend over again.

One thing in Colorado you can't get enough of is the mountains. Silt is in the thick of it, so you could see them all around you. God's creation right on your nose. It was amazing!

Friday night, we had tacos!!!!! Then we chatted some before going to bed at 1am haha.

Saturday was a busy day for we ate breakfast around 9 (Scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon) then headed to Palisade to visit some wineries. The first one was my favorite -- they had all sweet wines. Cause I'm so sweet. They had peach, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, and even chocolate wines. So good! The next one had mostly tart wines, so I didn't try any of those. We had a picnic lunch there as well -- homemade sandwiches with chips. When we got back to the Air BnB, I took a nap while others watched a movie or went into the hot tub. Then, it was time to get all dolled up. Now, if you know me, you know my idea of dolled up takes 30 minutes topped! The other girls....an hour or more. SMH We went to a rather fancy restaurant. The food was really good but expensive. We sang happy birthday, of course, to Dina when the waitress brought out her cake.

Then the story gets crazy. So, the whole restaurant stopped and watched us sing because it wasn't the traditional happy birthday song. After we finished, we were asked TWICE to sing it to other people who were also celebrating their birthdays. Apparently, we are now famous in Silt, Colorado.

Sunday, we got up early and packed up to leave. We took our final pictures of each other and the mountains then headed home.

The end to a fabulous girl weekend. Until next time!