ahhhh, Denver.

Reasons Why I Love Thee!

I can't describe the feeling of visiting Denver, Colorado. Something about this city just calls to me. I feel like I'm home when I'm there and I've never lived there. Interesting that the universe brings a Colorado native into my life whom I happen to fall madly in love with. Because if it weren't for Kyle, who knows when I wouldve discovered my little Denver love.

Now, I need to insert a little Note here, to my wonderful family. When I talk about moving to Denver, its not because I hate you guys and want to put all this distance between us. Its not cause I'm trying to escape this very escapable valley either. I appreciate my upbringing here, and I love my family so much. Its honestly just Denver itself. Its so beautiful, and I seem to have an undescribable PULL to it! Lets just get this out there; I WILL be moving to Colorado. I WILL be raising my family there. But I will also be visiting Utah so much to see my family that you guys will hardly notice I'm gone. Not to mention, you all will inherit a Colorado vacation home because our doors will always be open and welcoming for family visits. To my family: I LOVE YOU. Don't feel hurt about this decision of mine.

NOW, :) Lets get to the good stuff! PICS!

This here, Is Denver, Colorado. We took a little weekend stroll over to Colorado to spend Kyle's sister Nikki's 30th birthday with her; and lets face it, Just to get out of Utah for a bit.

The drive from Grand Junction to Denver is all a canyon drive. It passes through all those popular CO ski resorts like Vail, Aspen (etc.) and is probably the ONLY four hour stretch of a drive that I have ever been on where I didn't get bored and ask "are we there yet?" :) It was SO pretty, had lots of cool tunnels and was just a fun, curvy canyon to drive through.

First thing we did when we got to Denver was meet up with an old highschool friend of Kyle's, Stacy Bretz, and her daughter Paytin. I've talked to Stacy ever since we were both pregnant so it was soo fun to finally get to meet her in person! Not to mention, little princess Paytin is even cuter in person than in her pictures! She was so cute and gave Ryder hugs. :) He smiles whenever he see's this pic. Ahh Young Love.

Speaking of Love, this is mine. :)

Isn't it amusing that people really do have a 'good side' for a pic. In the left one, that is Kyle's. In the pic on the right, that is mine. Lol. I look so different in these two pics and they were both taken on our trip!

One of our FAVORITE reasons for getting to go to Denver is the FOOD. We ate at Chipotle twice, which is the BEST Mexican food ever. Then Roosters in Grand Junction and Buffalo Wild Wings (a.k.a. B-Dubs) just outside of Denver for some DELICIOUS wings! (..and now, with my mouth watering, I'll move on.)

There's probably not a better way to end the blog than with a picture of this little stud. I LOVE this pic, simply because LOOK at those eyesss! Such a gorgeous little kid. He did so well on our trip; Besides a disastrous puking incident in the car, which turned into a 45 minute clean-up at a rest stop, he tolerated all the driving really well! It was his 2nd trip to Denver, (4th if you count the two times we went when i was pregnant ;)). His first trip he was still really little, barely able to roll over. This time around he got a lot more excited over the whole deal, it was a lot of fun to watch him.

I hope you all enjoyed a little recap of our trip as much as we enjoyed actually going! (Doubt you did ;) we had way more fun.)

Change.

To all you moms out there, do you ever peruse old photo's and find yourself about in tears at how much your kids have changed? Wondering where the time went? I'm having one of those days and let me show you why...

I could fit his whole butt in one hand!! (lol) I LOVED when I'd pick him up as a newborn and he'd stay all bunched up like that!

And this is the little man now!! Not so little at all. Sigh! But still cute as ever!! :)

Ryder is definitely the best thing that has ever happened to me, He puts a smile on my face each and every day! I remember coming up with baby names as early as about 12 years old, and spent a LOT of my TV time watching shows like "A Baby Story", Finally being able to be a mom myself has been the most exciting adventure ever. And can't wait to be able to do it all over again!! :)

I love my Ryder Bug!