So, you may or may not know that I work at the YMCA in Boulder, and I'm second in command at the front desk... it would seem like I'm kind of a big deal. anyway... it's the kind of job where what you're required to know by your boss and what all the members assume that you know are two VERY different things. For example, I am required to know how to sell memberships and look into member accounts, but members assume that I know EVERYTHING, including how to open the vents to the outside for the basketball gym to adjust the gym temp, and how to put up the heavy punching bag. Fortunately for all parties involved, I thrive on a challenge and am now an expert on all of the above.

The next challenge is now upon me... for my birthday, I received the gift of discovering (because some of my favorite dresses are not fitting) that I really need to fit more exercise into my life in a big way.... my 2 mile run once a week is just not cutting it. So I've been utilizing my staff Y membership (like I should have been all along, geez!) a lot more lately but still having trouble getting motivated and feeling like I'm not really in the groove of it yet.

It's as if the universe knew I needed a little push and encouragement... one of my favorite regular members whom I see at the Y all the time, when I'm working and when I'm working out, came up to me at the desk last night. He said "Hey you... I've found that you never know when you're going to inspire someone." I was only a little confused, and he went on to explain to me that he had seen me running on the Y's indoor track last week, and he said that I just looked so at ease and so relaxed and I looked like I was truly enjoying my run; he said that he had been struggling with running because he just was not into it, but then he saw me and realized he just needed to relax and enjoy the experience. He then said "thank you for inspiring me."

I would consider that a life goal accomplished.

Libby + Mark

Almost a month after our first visit to the Colorado Railroad Museum to check it out (it was killing me to wait on going back to this place!), me and carrie FINALLY got to hit it with Libby and Mark for their engagement photos. Mark's grandfather used to work for Rio Grande, so they were totally loving the museum. I just love meeting people and finding out their stories, it's the highlight of everything for me! These two are super great, and I can't wait for their wedding in May!! Enjoy these two from my point of view:

Just a little post to say how excited I am... Tom, Kerry, and Lyle all decided on photos to blow up for the wall at the Bake House and there's a nice big spread of my photos there now, so honored to be on the wall at one of my favorite places!!! (thank you Tom for this photo!!)



Also, Summit City redid their bathrooms with some of my photos, yay.... and they chose one to blow up friggin huge for their new Trek Project One room, check it out! (thanks to James Holm for getting this photo for me, so good!)



On a little side note, I discovered Tapas hour at the Med yesterday here in Boulder, and I am now obsessed.

Kelli + David

seriously, what better way to ring in my 26th year of being alive than photographing some serious love on my birthday with carrie?? welcome to the best year of my life ever, and here to usher it in.... meet kelli and david, and boy are they ridiculously good-looking! i just love when people are so at ease with each other like these two are... and i just can't wait for their wedding this summer! here's a little goodness of mine...

first present to arrive....

got a FABULOUS birthday present in the mail today, such a great surprise from my mom! behold.... a print on canvas from annechovie i could have only found with the help of caitlin numba two!!!

roommate field trip to celestial seasonings to take the factory tour (hairnets required, obviously)!

what a great way to spend a snow day. it snowed 20 inches and we took the factory tour instead of lounging at home.
looking at the photos, it seems i was more enthralled with all the people i was with than with the tour, whoopsy. sorry i'm not sorry! emerson was the big winner of the day; he was well-versed in celestial seasonings trivia and was given a calendar for it!

emerson's 22nd. a good night all around.



since moving, i've discovered how important holidays are. we aren't around our families (both our first families and adopted cutters family!) since we live so far from them, and it's really easy to forget about making special days special or to gloss over them and think that it can't be a special day without our whole family around. i've realized it's so important to celebrate birthdays and national holidays (even today, valentine's day) to help those days stand out and create memories.... maybe it'll spur me to make every day a holiday.

here's to today being special.

all of this is totally normal....

yep. looks like a typical day. boys on bikes in the living room, watching the tour of flanders and trying to outsprint the racers... while emerson cuts the sleeves off of a Jelly Belly "Proud to Bean American" shirt.






how could i not love my life?

better late than never... here's a few of mine from the boudoir marathon at the end of january (the ones that are blog-appropriate, of course) with carrie. such a great day spent with beautiful fun gals!









we'll have to do it again sometime...