Beauty In Unexpected Places

I'm a big time quote person. LOVE words packed with wisdom.

Recently I read something out of a great book:

"Extraordinary things are always hiding in places people never think to look."

-Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

Well, yesterday I was hiking Mount Evans in Colorado when I came across this flower in the road, 

not just any road, the highest road in the United States.

If you know anything about Mount Evans, it is what they call a 14er (aka a mountain above 14,000 feet). It is one of my life goals to hike all 54 of these mountains in Colorado before I die, which, if you've ever hiked any of these mountains you know is a pretty lofty goal. People mainly go for the view and feeling. There is nothing a beautiful as the view from the top of these mountains, and there is truly no feeling comparable to standing on top of the world like that. But yesterday, I found myself extremely moved by something else as well - this little flower. Yellow is my favorite color so when I saw it popping out of the road I had to get a better look. When I did see how beautiful it really was, all I could think about was how strong this little flower was - growing above the tree line where oxygen is so minimal the landscape is dominated by vegetation-less rocks, and not only that ... growing between the cracks of asphalt; constantly pounded with storms and the strongest winds possible. Talk about thriving despite substantial obstacles. 

Seeing this little, flower kind of gave me hope for things I've been dealing with lately, so I had to share. 

Maybe a little flower 14,200 feet high doesn't inspire you, 

but something else hiding in a place you never thought to look will.

Happy Thursday Everyone :)

more pics from Evans soon!!

Summer in Vail

Today was my first and last mobile day in Vail.

I took advantage.

Strolled around the beautiful Vail Village.

Columbines were in full bloom :)

Got me feelin a little Colorado spirit.
How Beautiful is Vail?

And hey - it was a successful day.

I set in stone my life goal:

to own a shop of some sort ...

graphic design, cupcakes and cards ... whatever

and live above it in this magical place.

My place will of course be complete with 

adorable sleeping dogs on my steps

and children playing in the fountain outside ...

I'm going to conclude this post with a thank you to the Steadman Clinic.

 A preliminary thank you that is ...

if they mess me up tomorrow, I can revoke it. Remember that over there guys.

Anyways,

thank you for not only being the best orthopedic surgeons around

but for also being in Vail :)

Vail or Bust

So tomorrow morning I am leaving for Vail, Colorado.

I wish I could say this is just a fun summer mountain trip ...

but its more of a 

"sucking-the-fun-out-of-anything-you-could-possibly-do-on-a-fun-summer-mountain-trip" trip.

KNEE SURGERY

It is about 4 years over due.

The endless softball, the black diamond skiing ... it took a beating.

I'm in good hands though. Steadman Clinic is the best of the best.

Dr.LaPrade will be my surgeon.

If there was ever a knee expert ... it's him.

I will be posting more details about the surgery and procedure these next two weeks.

And in the mean time, look at the silver lining,

what better place to be sliced?

VAIL, Colorado? 2 weeks of rehab is sounding quite alright.

Wish me luck :)

Colorado National Monument

I spend this past weekend camping.

I haven't really camped much, but it was AMAZING.

I went to Colorado National Monument. 

How could that not be amazing?!

To all my friends in NYC ...

let me soak up this I told you so moment

Colorado is so much prettier :)

Happy Mothers Day

So I know Mothers Day was yesterday ...

but my mom and I spent all of yesterday on a lovely drive home from ASU.

Arizona to Colorado is 14 hours of scenic ay?

yeah, not so much ...

We had to stop to snap this shot - it was 99 degrees in the middle of a desert?

Anyways, I feel I owe a post to my wonderful mother even if it is a day late.

I also have to fill you all in on the magical journey we had.

This is her ... on the Utah state line ... say hi:

Yeah ... she always acts like this. 

No, no, no ... this should just tell you how boring the drive is.

(ps. that truck driver honked ... my mom is hot, we know)

This is a real picture of us. We are at the 4-corners

(Arizona, Colorado, Utah, NewMexico)

you wouldn't know that though, because the idiot who took our picture 

didn't even get the 4-corners in it? (we're standing on it, I swear)

Ok, enough boring road trip ... 

this is my mom and I ... being completely normal

I love her :)

Boba Tea

Last time I was home in CO I went over to Southlands and tried out this cute little place - Bobalicious Tea House. I ordered coconut-mango and really loved the "snow" drink (as they call it); the flavors were so dead on. I was not such a fan of the whole "boba" thing though. Those little beads of tapioca were a little odd. I'm not sure I even know what tapioca is?! Their texture was almost like butchered little gummy bears being sucked up my straw, and they had hardly any flavor.  The tea doesn't top my list of favorite drinks, but Bobalicious is definitely worth trying, I recommend the coconut-mango :)

Fort Collins, CO

I spent this past weekend in the lovely Fort Collins, CO with the lovely man in my life :) We visited a few breweries and although beer is not high on my list of interests, I had a perfectly wonderful time soaking up the package design (graphic loser, I know). Odell Brewing Co. was by far my favorite - they have a lovely package designer. 

I had a great time in Old Town, Fort Collins as well. We stopped to grab a bite to eat at a little burger joint - Big Al's. The food in general is pretty good, though avoid the chilly-cheese fries at all costs!! They were terrible - we truly debated asking for a refund. Besides the food, the bar inside was so trendy; it was made of various wood pieces - finished and raw - stacked beside each other. I loved it and snapped this shot!