I'm Thankful For....

It snowed and for Thanksgiving there were two inches of snow on the ground. We took Gandalf out to walk around in it but he didn't really appreciate it!



We spent Thanksgiving here in Denver - just us and Gandalf! I ran in the Mile High Turkey Trot in the morning and the "mile high" part of it kicked my butt. I couldn't breathe in deeply to get any oxygen in because I am not used to this altitude. I felt like I had either never run before or been running for 45 miles (it was only 4). It took me a couple hours to be back to normal but even though I was sick you better believe I waited in line for the freebies!

Because I was so beat up from trotting like a turkey we didn't do much else during the afternoon - we had planned on going hiking. We ate dinner at this place called Chinook in a nearby neighborhood. It was super yummy and although they did have a turkey dinner on the menu we both opted to instead get the prime rib! How do you like that? It was good, but we had rather been with you all eating turkey and mashed potatoes!

War Dance

http://www.wardancethemovie.com/
Go here and watch the trailer.

I have heard great things about this movie - it is similar to the movement of The Invisible Children, but centered around music. Derek and I have to wait until it comes to Denver the end of January, but I am going to go!!

You are so sweet.

Click here

This really breaks down the amount of sugar in sodas. I must admit that lately I have been drinking root beer again - and not just as a dessert!!! I haven't started buying it, but have been getting it at restaurants and looking at this reminds me just how not worth it it is. I would rather eat some ice cream or chocolate or chocolate ice cream.

This comes from Good magazine (they sell it at Starbucks and the link is to the right) which donates 100% of your subscription cost to the charity of your choice - pretty cool idea I think. Maybe consider it for gifts this Christmas?

Invisible Christmas Gifts

A lot of you have probably heard of Invisible Children before - if not the click the link on this page because they are worth learning about. It is a really cool organization started by young people with a vision for change in Africa. They help young boys and girls who are forced to become either soldiers or sex slaves in Uganda.

Anyways - last year Derek and I bought a few of our gifts from them because they were pretty neat and unique and made by the kids all the money goes to help. This year they have added a hoodie to there gift options so if you are stuck on a gift for someone remember: everyone loves a hoodie! And what better gift can you give then to honor someone by spending the money you wanted to spend making them feel special this holiday by supporting the efforts to save abused children in Africa?

Here is the link to the hoodie!

There are a ton of other amazing organizations that are selling things this season you can give as gifts while supporting a great cause in the honor of your recipient.

Eli and Anna Rose at Halloween

We had already left for Denver so we didn't get to see them in person, but here they are....

I Love You For What's on the Inside!

From inside the kitchen looking out (the back entrance is to my left)

Derek's area - he needs to get everything set up still. We haven't hung any of his art yet either

This is the book shelf opposite our bed.

This is the living room you enter into from the front. I got that coffee table (you can only see the corner) for $15 at a furniture store because it is all scuffed up. We are going to refinish it!

Another view of the living room and the fireplace and Derek in his pajamas!

This is a view looking into the kitchen - please ignore the trash in the corner!

Gandalf's bootie - he is fat!

And now for some virtual tours!

They are nothing exciting so don't bother unless you really, really care! I just realized I could do this so I went a little crazy.

1) The one and only closet - it was hard to show how far back it goes since it is a dark (and scary) place!

2) Our little, tiny bathroom!

3) Come on in.....

I smell a Wedding...

and you all know I LOVE weddings.

Brooke and Jason are officially engaged!

I kinda feel like he waited until I left the state to ask her - I mean what was the hold up before? And did he have to wait until RIGHT after I leave? I would like an answer from Jason as soon as possible. Jason! Answer me!

Hopefully their spider (who now has an egg sac - OMG) won't be a part of the ceremony.

Regardless, Congratulations to Brooke and Jason! We love you!

Side note: If you look at the pictures from the past couple weeks I am always wearing green. I really like green as of late I guess!

Our New Home

Almost no damage was down to our stuff, probably because our little pod was packed so very tight - there was no room for shifting. All thanks go to Derek and his dad!

This is our new home! We are renting the bottom apartment.

So we didn't get the place in the picture below (we are living in the one above) because the current tenants are no longer moving out, but we did find a place one block away in another house. We moved into it last Friday and Saturday and really love it. Right now as I type Derek is staining a bookshelf for his area (he won't have his own room like he did in Nashville). This is a picture from the outside and once it is all set up I will post pictures of the inside. It has a bigger kitchen then ours in Nashville, but only one closet!!!! It is a huge, huge, huge one, but still only one. We are having to get creative and there is a basement we can also use as storage. There are hardwood floors throughout and a fireplace with a very nice mantel, but we aren't allowed to use it - something with the insurance. Derek was very disappointed, but it still looks neat. It is a short drive, bike or ride to school (assuming we need to go there if we are accepted) and a mile and a half from downtown. Although we are not right down town like we are use to there are still a lot of nearby coffee shops, bars and restaurants we can walk to and a big park very close by.

We haven't done too much since moving in besides getting everything set up and then on Monday night my dad came to town for work so he stayed with us for the night and went exploring with us the next day before he headed back. He was the first to sleep on our new couch (not counting Derek's nap). Also on Sunday we had dinner at our new friend's house. My friend Beth from Nashville had some good friends (Becky and Brad) recently move out here from Virginia and she hooked me up with them so we could be friends! They were very nice and not just because they fed us brownies!

Hopefully this weekend or the beginning of next week we will begin waiting tables as we continue to wait to here from DU and look around for something more productive to do during the days. I have chosen a place downtown called Rock Bottom Brewery (yep - another brewery!) We also hope to go hiking this weekend or maybe Friday before it gets too cold. The weather really hasn't been too terrible though. Today it was above 60.

Our new address is:

1337 Lafayette Street #1
Denver, CO 80218

Send us love mail - we are lonely!!!!