A Whirlwind

The other day a thought popped into my mind.

"Can you believe how many things we have done in less than a year in Colorado?"

 

We have visited Golden, Estes Park, Lyons, Lafayette, Denver, Fort Collins, Louisville and Boulder.  I have also been in Greeley, briefly.

 

We have attended two awesome concerts of NOLA-based bands: Trombone Shorty and Galactic.  Both of which were held in cool downtown Denver theatres, the Ogden & the Fillmore, that have been repurposed over the years.

 

We have volunteered with many different organizations:  serving holiday meals at The Our Center (Longmont), Salvation Army bell-ringing (Longmont), GIC (Denver), The Center (Denver), Denver Comic Con, Denver Pride Parade. 

 

We celebrated OUR holiday, Halloween, at a hotel-takeover party called Coloween.  We dressed up again on October 31st to get free drinks at Left Hand and stopped at what ended up being a bad dive hotel bar!! 

 

We have attended the Boulder County Bombers Bombshells roller derby twice.  We took our bag chairs to Roosevelt Park one Tuesday evening to listen to live music.  We walked Pearl Street Mall for the Boulder Creek Festival over Memorial Day weekend and scored tons of free swag and cups of coffee!! 

 

We found perfect French-pressed coffee at a little café in Fort Collins. Discovered a love for Milk Stout at Left Hand Brewing Company.  We know the free street parking in Denver.  We got to see Tattered Cover in LoDo before they closed the 2nd floor.  We enjoy the atmosphere at Tom's Diner on Colfax.  We celebrated Mardi Gras at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids ~ 2 nites worth! 

 

 

I did a short stint as a Starbucks barista and headed back into my old optician ways for a little longer. 

 

I got certified as a Group Fitness Instructor and quickly & gratefully got "hired" at Fit Chick Express, where I have also made friends with so many awesome women, who share my passion!  Within less than a month's time, I have also been offered an amazing opportunity to franchise, as the owner of FCE sees within me the charisma, talent & ambition to extend her company into Denver!

 

We have hiked, walked, eaten and drank our way around!  We got to spend a few hours over coffee with an old high school pal, Joe Rocchio.  We celebrated the Christmas holiday with family, my "brothers", KAML & MAML, and new friends, Mark & Erik, who made us the most delicious Italian meal.  I got to spend my birthday bowling and drinking "Old Man Can" beers with the same group, along with KAML's new fiancee, Stacie.  I've had Happy Hour drinks & apps with new friends; we have plans for 2 more monthly meet-ups before we move.  We have met so many people and made many new friends by putting ourselves out there and trying new things! 

 

It has been one full first year in our new home state...and it isn't even over, yet!  We still have 2 more months!!  My mom is visiting this week ~ our first guest!  We will be seeing The Fixx at a small venue in Lowry.  I have a kettlebell certification workshop.  We will attend our first (of many in the years to come) Happy Hour at The Center on the 18th and should see some of the wonderful people we have had the privilege to meet and look forward to the others we are sure to befriend.  We hope to see some of our NWI friends when they visit in August.  And wrapping up the final weekend before our 1-year anniversary, we will witness the sharing of hearts, love & life when our friends, Jess & Emily, commit to one another.  We are honored to be included in the nuptials & celebration.  We also get to see our friend, Sandra, who will be visiting from NWI to attend her son's wedding in Estes Park.  Coincidentally, Sandra's was the last face I saw as we were driving on I-94, westbound from Indiana to Colorado!!!

 

I may have forgotten something.  I most certainly have forgotten some things!  It's been such a whirlwind that I can't believe a year has almost passed. 

 

It's true ~ Time flies when you are having fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!