12
Sep, 13

5 Year Wedding Anni: Turks + Caicos

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It’s hard to believe that five wonderful years of marriage have already gone by.  Where does the time go?  As you know by now, when Ron and I travel, we usually try to squeeze in as much adventure and excitement as time allows.  We can’t help it, we want to see everything!  This time, however, we decided to see what a lazy and relaxing beach vacation was really like.  So, we decided on Turks + Caicos.  If you’ve never been, I highly recommend it.  It’s warm with clear blue water and white sandy beaches.  Things run at a much slower pace and it’s extremely romantic.

I have to warn you, this post is extremely photo-heavy.  Are you ready?!

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My mom armed me with plenty of magazines for the flights, so I was thrilled to sit back and relax.  Also, knowing that my dad was watching our fur-babies, made it even easier to let go of any stress as we took off for Miami.

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On the way to T+C we had a 5 hour layover in Miami, so I made the most of it by painting my nails pink!  I have to admit, out of all of the airports that we’ve been through, Miami has to be our least favorite.  It’s always so chaotic and we seem to always come across the rudest people.  So once we ate, we found a quiet corner near the gate and kept to ourselves as much as possible.  That seemed to work out perfectly.

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The view from our room was breathtaking!  Our balcony overlooked the pool, garden and ocean.

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One of my favorite parts of the resort were all of the little lizards running around.  I got way more photos of them then Ron saw necessary.

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I just fell in love with these two pups.  They never let each other out of sight as they ran along the beach as the sun was setting.  I wanted to take them home so bad!

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One night we went to grab a bite at Jimmy’s Dive Bar in hopes of finding some more local food.  We have to admit that we weren’t too impressed.  It was just that – a dive bar with greasy bar food.  At least we tried.

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We found some little crabs on the pier…

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… then we saw several schools of baby puffer fish.  Adorable!  They were so quick, too.

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The pool water was so warm!  I loved it!

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We rented bikes everyday and rode into town for ice cream, food, shopping and sight seeing.  There were two parrots that we would ride by multiple times a day and we said “hello!” each time.  After few times, we would hear each one repeat it back.  How cute is that?!

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This is some sort of crab that reminded me of my hermit crabs growing up.  Then shortly after taking this photo, my face and hand was pooped on by some crazy birds!!!  Urgh.

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This was a little snorkeling spot that we found.  Ron came really close – too close – to a barracuda and we saw so many fish, sea urchin and coral.  Beautiful!

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Now, the quality of this photo is poor, but we chased three dolphins for a good 1-2 miles up the beach and this is the only photo that came out.  We would like to believe that one of the dolphins was the infamous Jo Jo the Dolphin.

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We have so many more photos to share, like snorkeling and underwater ones.  We also have some photos from Iguana Island and a boat tour that we went on.  I’ll share those in another post real soon.  We had such a wonderful time and we can’t wait to go back and visit!  Until next time T+C!

21
Jun, 13

We Went Caaamping

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This past weekend we went camping at Green Mountain Reservior, near Silverthorn, CO and it sure does live up to it’s name.  We camped, fished and took the boat out on the lake.
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I loved that this stream came right through our campsite.  I have to admit, Ron and I both had nightmares the first night of us getting flooded out, but all was good after that.  The sound of the stream constantly flowing made me so happy.
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Ron caught a 12 inch trout the first day, but glady released it back into the wild lake because he knows my love for animals.  I grew up fishing, but can’t do it anymore.  I cry when they are caught and swollow the hook.  This little fellow was hooked in his lip, so it was easy to let him go.  Ron only keeps them if they can’t be saved.  I’m so happy that this little guy could be released – isn’t he the cutest?!
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I stuck to the caterpillers and butterflies…
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I had to share this picture.  I was using my iPhone as a mirror (like any modern gal would), when Ron quickly snapped a photo.  I love it!  We returned on Sunday to spend Father’s Day with my pops.  It was a lovely weekend and we hope to take the pups next time.  How about you, any summer camping trips planned?

17
Sep, 12

The Leaves are Changing

This Saturday will mark the official first day of Fall (even though Starbucks and I have been celebrating since September 1st), haha.  This past weekend Ron and I drove up through Kenosha Pass on our way to a fundraiser in Como, Colorado.  The drive was breathtaking, as usual.  If you’ve never been to the mountains in Colorado while the leaves are changing, you should definitely add it to you Bucket List.  The Aspens change from a bright green to a shimmery-golden color that seems to engulf the hills and mountains.  Lovely.

You have to love the photo that Ron took of me (above)… what a face, huh?!  I’m sharing this photo because I started out smiling, all cute-like, of course (wink), when just as he snapped it, I spotted a hawk!  I was trying to figure out if it was a red-tailed hawk or a brown hawk.  So, I guess that’s what my thinking face looks like… and I think it was a brown hawk.

The little town of Como is so quiet and sweet.  There couldn’t have been more than 20 homes – most are empty.  They did get the road re-paved and they do have a cute little Mountain Man Gallery, so maybe they are growing?  I could see Ron and I with a little cabin there, just for mini vacations. heeheehee

The fundraiser was a lot of fun, too, and we ate way too much!  The strawberry cheesecake was may favorite part… other than all of the money raised of course!  Hahaha

For just being a mini road trip, it turned out to be a great one!  I just love Colorado and all that it has to offer.  Do you have any mini Fall trips scheduled? ♥R

 

04
Sep, 12

Labor Day Weekend

We played it pretty easy this last Labor Day weekend by hanging around the house, going out to eat, watching movies and spending a day up in Estes Park, CO with the pups.  It was so much fun and here are a few photos of our lovely holiday.



Tucker’s howling for the stick to be thrown…

He ended up bringing back a tree…

Frankie’s a bit scared of the water.



I hope you had a lovely weekend.  Welcome back to the working world. ♥R

26
Jul, 12

back in the swing of things

I just got back from Mexico, so I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things.  Our 6 day vacation consisted of zip-lining, cave snorkeling, cave propelling, 4-wheeling, ruin seeing, and eating as well as swimming with dolphins, wild sea turtles and wild sting ray.  We also saw lots of wild iguana, Coati, bats and catfish!  We stayed in Play Del Carmen, but we traveled around to Akumal Bay, Chichen Itza, Tulum, Xel-Ha and The Jungle Maya.  It was so fun to participate in so many activities which even included a Mayan Ceremony!  Lucky us!  We met so many fantastic people along the way and can’t wait to do it again!  Here are a few photos of what we did and what we saw…


Day One consisted of traveling to Mexico, enjoying a fabulous Mayan dinner and finding this place (above).  I came here three separate times for some chocolate goodies.  The Spicy Maya Chocolate Ice Cream was my favorite!  If anyone knows of a place in the US to get some, please let me know.  Also, does anyone know if I can get Mexican Sweet Coffee in the States?!




Day Two started off with a tour of the Tulum Mayan Ruins just off the Gulf Coast.  There were so many Iguana crawling around and the history was quite fascinating.  We also had a chance to swim at the beach there just before we headed to The Jungle Maya.



We finished off day two at The Jungle Maya where we zip-lined through trees and into caves, snorkeled in caves with bats (the above photos is full of bats, but they’re difficult to see.  The bottom arrow points to the albino bat), propelled into a cave, and 4-wheeled through the jungle.  We also were invited to a Mayan Ceremony and meal.  We purchased photos of this part of the day, so I hope to have those soon to share.





Day Three was spent at the Xel-Ha Natural Water Park (pronounced shel-ha).  There we swam with dolphins, snorkeled, zip-lined, rope walked, hiked, saw manatee, and saw wild Iguana and Coati all over!  Two full days would have been perfect to see and experience everything, but we managed to squeeze in a lot.  Oh, and it was all you can eat all day!!!  Needless to say, I need to hit the salad bar now that I’m back home…  I’ll share the dolphin photos as soon as soon as I get them off of the disc.






Day four we traveled up to Akumal Bay where we swam with wild sea turtles and sting ray.  It was so amazing and magical.  The sea turtles have to be the sweetest creatures.  We got stuck in a couple of small rain storms, but they passed so quickly that by the time you swam to shore, it was over.  It was such a beautiful day.






Day five we were sweating up a storm at the Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins.  It was seriously the hottest day of my entire life!  The humidity is nothing like Colorado, so I had a hard time breathing at times.  The temples were worth it though!  So large and breathtaking.  Oh, side note… the Mayan calendar was misinterpreted, so the world is not ending on December 21st.  Mayans believe in a cycle and with that, reincarnation.  December 21st is just the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.  Yay!  You can sleep easy again.  After visiting the Ruins, we were taken to eat another Mayan meal and then we got to swim in a huge Cenote, called Ik Kil!  It was about 82 feet below ground and another 82 feet deep!  Inside Ron got to cliff jump and we swam with mini catfish!  Such a cool experience!

Then day six we had breakfast, packed and headed home.  We took about 2,000+ photos between our 2 cameras and each of our cell phones.  We would be here all day if I shared them all, so you’re welcome for summing it up, hahahaha!  If you ever plan to travel to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico and its surrounding areas and have questions, feel free to ask!  Thanks for taking a peek at our little adventure, and I can’t wait to share the next one! ♥r

16
Jul, 12

{a list of…} to do


It’s Monday and that means that I have a lot of things to do before vacation.  I’m not sure if I’ll have good internet access or not while on vacation, but if I do, I’ll post some updates.  Here is just a little peek at what needs to get done…  eek!

1. laundry
2. pack: swimsuits, sundresses, sunglasses, sandals
3. situate pets
4. buy travel snacks
5. charge cameras: Nikon, Kodak, and water cameras
6. charge iPad + iPhone
7. pack all chargers!
8. pack snorkels
9. print list of activities
10. pack magazines
11. take out trash
12. etc…

The list will grow, but that’s all I can think of right now… ♥r

02
Jul, 12

Summer Horseshoe Market 2012

I’m so excited for this months vintage + handmade market!  My mom and I have been busy making all sorts of goodies for Saturday July 14th here in Denver, CO.  So, if you’re around, definitely stop by and say hello!  It runs from 9am-4pm at 4345 W. 46th Ave. Denver, CO 80212, in the parking lot behind Olinger Moore Chapel. It’s an outdoor market featuring over 115 Colorado artists, crafters and vintage collectors — with food trucks, interactive crafting and so much more!  For more information go to http://www.horseshoemarket.com

I’ll have some new items there and some sales, so I hope to see you there! ♥rl

01
Jul, 12

{Featured Sponsor} July

Happy July 1st!  July 4th is right around the corner for us here in the USA so things are getting pretty exciting!  This month I wanted to feature one of my Sponsors, Daina.  You might know her from  New York State of Mind, where she shares all of her adventures in New York.  She is such a sweet and kind person and you can get to know a little more about her right now, so enjoy!

Here’s a little blurb about my blog: 

Hi! I’m Daina. I moved to New York City in 2003 to attend NYU and instantly fell in love with my new home. Years later, I still pinch myself as I walk through the city to make sure I am not dreaming. The energy, people, and sights are unlike anywhere else. I feel very lucky to be a New Yorker!

1. What is your favorite hobby?

One of my favorite hobbies is photography. I have had a passion for photography since I took my first class in junior high. I went on to take a second class in high school, and then a semester course while I studied abroad in Italy during college. Much of what I learned in those classes has been forgotten over the years, but the desire to capture my life and experiences from behind a camera has remained. After starting my blog a few years ago, my passion for photography grew. I was incredibly inspired by the blogs I read, and wanted to take my point and shoot style of picture taking to the next level. I invested in my first digital SLR camera, researched and purchased a few lenses, and started seeing my life and New York City in a whole new light through my camera. What I love about photography is that it has allowed me to appreciate things in my life that I might not have noticed without my camera in hand. New York City is such an amazing place, and I feel so lucky to get to capture it with my camera and share it on my blog

2. What is a current goal that you have made?

One of my most recent goals I set was to travel abroad. I have had the travel itch since my last big trip abroad, which was to Brazil in 2007. When my friend Joanna emailed me a few months about her Habitat Global Village build in Malawi, I knew I had to go! I am so excited to explore Africa this summer and build a home for a family in need in Mzuzu, Malawi. It will be an adventure unlike any other I have taken. 

3. What are you most thankful for? Why?

I am thankful for so many things in my life, it is hard to choose just one! I am so incredibly thankful to have a career that I wholeheartedly love. I started teaching second grade at a charter school in Brooklyn four years ago, and feel so fortunate to absolutely love where I work and what I do. My school strives to teach children to see the connections between school and the world. Our curriculum is social studies based, and each grade focuses on a few studies throughout the school year. In second grade, we study urban parks, transportation, and the history of the Brooklyn Bridge. I love taking my kids out into the city to teach them about their community. I wake up every day excited to go to work and teach! I am constantly inspired by the people I work with and my students. 

I am also thankful for the love in my life. I would not be the person I am today without the love and support from my family, friends, and boyfriend Brian. I am a very lucky girl! 

4. Any links that you would like to share: 

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Thank you so much, Daina, for not only allowing me to feature you, but also so being such a sweet and amazing Sponsor!  You have such a kind heart and I’m so excited to see that you’re living a happy and inspired life.  I can’t wait to hear all about your trip, so be safe and take some amazing photos!  Thanks again! ♥rl

08
Aug, 11

Happy Monday!

Awww… I was looking through my image bank and found this sweet little photo.  This was taken earlier this summer in Estes Park, CO.  If you have never been there, you should make it a point to visit.  It is such a sweet, natural and innocent town.  It’s full of charm and beautiful wildlife!

As you know, I’m a sucker for animals in general, so I just had to share this sweet little photo.  I hope your Monday is treating you well and I better get back to sewing!

07
Aug, 09

Cave of The Winds | Manitou Springs, CO

blogpost_caveofthewindsYesterday was my brother, Aaron’s, 16th Birthday and we went to The Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs, Colorado.  We had such a blast on the Lantern Tour, because we actually had flame-lit lanterns as we walked through the pitch black caves.  It was so dark in fact, that when we blow out all of our lanterns and put all electronic devices away, we couldn’t even see our own hands right in front of our faces!  We saw so many great things together, like the endangered cave spider known as the Lampshade Spider, because it builds its web in the shape of a 3-D lampshade!  We also saw some Stalagmites (from the ground up), Stalactites (from the ceiling down), and of course some Cave Bacon!  Caves aren’t just holes in the Earth, they are living Eco-Systems just like a pond or field.  They are very much alive with flowing water, bats, spiders, and other insects.animals depending on the cave.  When cave-visiting, it’s important to remember to never touch the cave walls with your palms.  The oil on your skin actually stops the cave from growing!  So, if you have to hold on or catch yourself from falling, use your fist or arms instead.  So, if you’re ever in the Manitou Springs area, stop by The Cave of the Winds and enjoy an experience of a lifetime!

  1. Cave ceiling with Stalactites
  2. My mom, brother, and I in the Cave
  3. Lantern Tour Sign right before we entered the Main Cave
  4. More Stalactites
  5. Cave Bacon
  6. My brother crouching down as we walked through some tight spaces