in just a few days...

We will be heading to beautiful Colorado! I can't wait to celebrate my brother and his soon-to-be bride. Plus, CO is my favorite state and I'm pumped to take the little guy to a state I grew up going to every year, sometimes twice!

We're staying in this beautiful cabin. I can't wait to sit out on the wrap around porch and sip my coffee with the view of mountains and cool temps! Highs in the upper 60's/low 70's and lows in the 40's. Perfect weather, I think!!!

 

hopefully we will get a chance to hike a little at pikes peak since it's basically our backyard!

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or maybe take a trip to the Garden of the Gods. I've been several times, but it would be fun to take the little guy!

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Thursday night the girls will celebrate Maria's last night as a Miss, with some fun at sing-a-long English pub type place that looks super fun and cute called the Golden Bee.

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Friday night we'll have the rehearsal dinner and Saturday, a chic barn wedding in the mountains:)

 

We are excited to expand our family and celebrate the new Mr. and Mrs. Reid!

 

Vegas Trip

 
We enjoyed our family getaway to Vegas. Got some much needed R&R, sunshine and good quality family time. We walked a lot, played a little and ate way too much!

I could live in the Bellagio!

Thankful for times with family!

4 days...

....Until we will be relaxing in Vegas!! ! My dad's side has a family reunion in Vegas and the past 3 years we haven't been able to go. This year we will enjoy 3 days of watching crazy people spend probably everything they have plus some {this will not be us! We aren't big gamblers}and  seeing my family from Colorado.  I cannot WAIT to spend some good quality time with Mr. Sunshine, my e-reader, the pool and my family :)

4 more days of work and we will be on a plane and welcomed by this lovely sight...

staying here

Viva Las Vegas!!

Nothin' tips better than a cow...

That was the saying my favorite shirt that I saw while visiting the state of Wisconsin. We headed up there Saturday morning and got home after a grueling 14 hours in the airport/on planes.

We had a lovely time visiting with hubs sister and nephew! We spent nights up late, chatting about life, hiked the bluffs and enjoyed a picnic lunch at Devil's Lake, drove the countryside and ate some good meals.

We tried to tour the capitol but it closed 15 minutes before we got there.

We had a wonderful trip and miss the fam already!

Bahamian Cruise!!

We just got back from our 4 day cruise to the Bahama Islands!! Some of the most beautiful waters we have ever seen! It was a relaxing few days, beach hopping, reading, napping in the sun and of course eating :) But I didn't feel so bad eating all we did, we made it to the on board gym 2 of the 4 days!

 

Our first stop was Freeport {Grand Bahama Island}

Our first beach to plop our rumps on was Lucaya Beach. It was the coldest day {granted it was still 73, nothing compared to the 18 degree temps Dallas was experiencing!!} We didn't even attempt to get in the ocean after getting our feet wet. Waaaaay too cold!

So instead we napped...

Our Second Port of call was Nassau, Bahamas. We decided to take a water ferry to Paradise Island, home of the  Atlantis resort. We learned a few interesting facts while visiting Paradise Island

Our last port of call was Norwegian's Private Island- Great Stirrup Cay

We brought our own snorkel gear and this was the only time we used it. The water took some getting used to, but by far some of the best snorkeling I've ever experienced. Tons of fish and some really big ones too! There was even an instance that scared the snot out of me. I had come out of the water to adjust/defog my glasses. At this point, I hadn't seen many fish. As soon as I put my goggles back on and dipped my head back under the water, a HUGE { okay huge to me, probably about 1 1/2 feet long} was literally staring me in the face! I played it cool I screamed bloody murder and jumped on the hubs shoulders. He got a big kick out of it! But seriously, it was right at my face!

It's always hard coming home from vacation. Especially when your going from 80 degrees to 20's with 5 inches of snow!  I've actually spent the last two days home sick, with a fever and laying on the couch. NOT FUN!

We had a wonderful time and can't wait to cruise again!

can't wait!!!!!

Two weeks from yesterday we will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary on this bad boy...

 going here...

the Bahamas!!!!

Yes, for 4 nights we will escape reality and the craziness of life for relaxation, food and sun. Just the two of us!

PERFECTION!!!



Longing for...



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Today I had this desire to visit a place in Colorado that my family stayed at during a family vacation many years ago. It's a little resort called Three Rivers, a short drive from Crested Butte and Gunnison. I have such fond memories. I would love to take Ricardo there for a a little vacay of our own. I think it'll be a place we take our family one day. There is so much to do in and around the quaint, little  resort. You rent a rustic-ish cabin {not badly priced!}, which I absolutely LOVE! They offer white-water rafting { an all time favorite of mine when visiting CO}, kayaking, fishing, mountain bike, sand volleyball, horseshoes, resort bingo, hiking, etc.

I'd make my dad proud---I would love to take a fly-fishing lesson! I've picked up a fly rod once or twice, he taught me, but never actually wadded and fished in a river. I grew up fishing with my dad and grandpa and would enjoy sharing a good fishing experience with my hubs!

I would love packing a picnic lunch and finding that perfect spot, right by a flowing river; something that was always important to my mom when in the beautiful state of Colorado!

One day, Three Rivers. One day...

meeting Hudson

We had a wonderful time with our Pettijohn family of three! It was a challenge getting there since we flew standby, but after 4 plane, 5 cities and 16.5 hours in airports/planes, we made it! We finally got to Pitt around 10:30 and I was so excited to see that black Yukon driving up to get us! Unfortunately, PA had the highway down to one lane the whole way to their house and it took us a little over 2 hours (for a 20 min ride) to get there. We didn't get to meet Hudson that night, but we peeked in and seeing that sweet baby brought tears to my eyes

Uncle Rico and Hudson. My fav two pics the whole trip~ Good Job Nat!!

Friday was a great day. We woke up to sweet baby talk and lots of smiles, we met JR for lunch, Hudson took a good hour long nap on my chest, Nat and I made homemade peach cobbler and lasagna for dinner, and enjoyed some good time catching up.




Saturday we headed out to Seven Springs where one of their friends has a cozy, little cabin that he and his brother built. It was beautiful up there. All the leaves were changing and falling to the ground. The weather was perfect and sunny and all you could here were the leaves swaying in the wind. PERFECTION! We went for a little drive around the area, guys in one car and Nat, Hudson and I in the other. The scenery was B-E-A-utiful! When we got back the guys went outside, shot some guns and chopped down a tree for a bonfire that night. Nat and I stayed in playing with baby and had some girl time.















Saturday night we had a big bonfire and made s'mores, laughed a lot and enjoyed a cool evening outside in PA.








Sunday we headed back to Wexford to get ready, put dinner in the crock pot and head out for a hayride and pumpkin picking at the local farm market, Shenot's. I so wish we had farm markets here in DFW! I would do all of our produce shopping. Everything is so much better and fresh, fresh, FRESH! We headed out for the hayride, got to pick out a freshly picked apple {yummm}, and made our way past the orchards, pepper gardens and out to the pumpkin patch. We even got to sample some homemade apple cider that they make on site!! We headed thru a corn maze and finally out to pick out some pumpkins for their house.




























I think we walked a lot because the further you went, the bigger and better the pumpkins were. It got to the point where Nat and I stayed back and let the guys go find the "perfect pumpkins"

I love this one. One Hot Hubby!!!

The pumpkin was huge!! Look at it compared to Ricardo's head!!!

They got 4 good ones and picked 3 to take home. We bought some apple cider and homemade fudge to take back with us.




After Shenot's, we headed to Soergels, another local farm market, and got some homemade apple butter. That night we enjoyed a yummy dinner in and made another batch of peach cobbler.






After dinner we watched as mom and dad gave their sweet boy a bath then Nat and I went in to his room to read. I brought a special little book and got to read it to him. It was a surreal and sweet moment that I got to share with my best friend and her baby.

then we came down to this....

boys wrestling in the kitchen. real safe huh??

It was so neat for us to see two people so dear to us become such wonderful parents. It was an emotional trip as I got to see one of my childhood friends care for her own child; become a mommy. Nat and JR, we love you and are so happy for the little family the Lord has blessed you with. Thank you for letting us become a part of it this weekend. We sure do love little Hudson and can't wait to see how this chapter in your lives unfolds. You are wonderful, special friends and we love you three so very much!