The Joy of Spontaneity + Our Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Trip // Alamosa, Colorado

Are you an adventure-er (totally a word)? Or are you more of a cautious, think-things-through-before-you-do-them type? I used to be the later. Pretty much to a fault. I used to think things through to the point that I usually just never ended up doing those things, or anything for that matter. Boring isn't necessarily the word I want to use, for fear of offending those still living life as the later, but due to a loss of words, I think I might have to settle. I was boring. My life lacked spontaneity. That is until, I met Josiah. Well we've known each other since we were 12, so maybe not when I MET him, but when we started dating. He'll tell you, and it's probably not inacurate, that I was not the kind that you try to make or even change plans with on short-notice. If my plan was to organize the house or go for a run, that plan could not be adjusted. Fortunately after being together for 5 years (almost 6, goodness!), I have become a much more spontaneous person thanks to Josiah's patience and his education about the great things that can happen when you throw caution to the wind. 

Back in July, when we were living in Denver, we took a trip to The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. This trip stemmed out of my newfound love for spontaneity and it truly solidified my gratitude for my change of heart. The potentially sketchy hotel, lack of towels (who goes to a beach without towels!), and lack of sunscreen are all things that probably could have been avoided if we would have planned ahead, but that would have stripped away the impromptu nature of it all and inevitably diminished it's fun by at least half. I may not be quite at the point where I could call myself an adventure-er or swear to never plan ahead, but I can for certain say that I love adventures and the thrill of a change of plans is always, always worth it. 

This was a trip that Josiah and I will for sure remember. We pretty much just jumped in the car and went. A lot of things didn't go as planned and we weren't nearly as prepped as the other park visitors, but the time that we had together, me staying on the sandboard more times than Josiah (sudden appearance of balance skills, what!), the views that we took in, and the conversations that we shared in will stay with us. That's the beauty of spontaneity, amidst the unforeseen circumstances are the memories that will last forever. 

Here are a few pro tips if you are actually going to plan ahead for your Sand Dunes trip, but it's also totally cool if you want to fly by the seat of your pants. 

1. Rent a sandboard, because it's so fun and who knows, maybe some balancing skills will suddenly appear. 

2. Bring shoes that you can walk in the sand with, because the sand gets HOT. 

 3. Stop at the Toll House store for a chocolate chip cookie after you return your sandboard and are heading out of town. 

4. Bring bug spray because otherwise you'll totally fork over $12 for a tiny bottle at the gift shop. 

5. Bring lots and lots of water! 

6.  Don't go over 4th of July weekend, but if you do, just know that all of the hotels might be booked and you might end up at place that looks like it's straight out of a horror film. 

7. Bring towels, because there is water, and you might want to get in it. 

Our Favorite Food, Coffee, + Sights in Denver, Colorado

I've recently received multiple emails requesting food/coffee/things-to-do-in-Denver suggestions and after responding to them I though heck, why not share this information with everyone! So voila, here it is. 

Denver will always be one of our favorite places. Although our time there was short-lived, we enjoyed it so much. When we first moved there we tried to do any and everything that we possibly could. Not because we weren't certain how long we would be there, (we thought it was for the long-haul), but because we couldn't contain our excitement. Every moment we had available was dedicated to exploring this new city of ours, so I assure you, this guide, although only based on living there for 6-months, is well researched and our favorites were not chosen lightly. I might have went a little overboard and added a few too many coffee suggestions, but there were too many too choose from and can you really ever have too much coffee? #priorities (Also, it's a super cheap way to get yourself to explore the neighborhoods in a city, $2 for a cup of coffee + 2 hours exploring the surrounding area = travel hack). 

This guide should keep you busy, but ff you need more suggestions I would be more than happy to send them your way. Happy travels! 

Food

Tacos, Tequila, and Whiskey (a.k.a Pinche Tacos) - Street tacos that you'll probably be left dreaming about. The Pollo Agave is my favorite! Go between 3-6pm to hit up happy hour and you can snag some nachos and Pinche Soda for $5 each. 

Kaos Pizza - Amazing woodfire pizzas on the cutest patio!  

Avanti - a food court style restaurant that has everything from pizza to sushi. 

Cherry Cricket - Seriously the best burger I think I've ever had! Go with any of them and you are set. 

Modern Market - A fresh, Panera-esque fast casual place that Josiah and I frequented often. We lived less than a block from one and always used it as our oops-I-forgot-to-make-dinner alternative. Their pizzas are fantastic and their salads are to-die-for! 

North - Some of the best Italian I have ever had! It's the perfect place for a date night. Fancy, but not TOO fancy. 

City O' City - An innovative vegetarian restaurant that serves up some amazing waffles, salads, pastas, and cocktails. So a little bit of everything, but trust me, it's good. 

Denver Biscuit Company - If you're a biscuit fan, like seriously who isn't, this is a must. The Dahlia is my favorite! But be warned, the wait on the weekends is generally an hour and a half plus. 

Snooze - The place to go for brunch. Know you'll likely have to wait at least an hour for a table unless you get there before 8AM. But I promise, it's totally worth it! If you can swing a weekday we've always had good luck going around 1pm. I highly recommend the huevos rancheros, breakfast tacos, and any and every pancake! 

Voodoo - Located on Colfax, it's more than doughnuts, it's an experience. As hipster-grunge as it gets when it comes to donuts! They have one doughnut that is topped with Oreos that is amaaaaazing and another one that has a maple glaze that I still dream about. 

Sweet Cow - The best chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, EVER! Get it in a pretzel cone and your life will be complete. 

Stowaway Coffee + Kitchen - If you like light fares that are innovative, fresh, and delicious -- this is your place. It's such a bright space and everything I've eaten here is delicious! It's the perfect brunch, light lunch, or coffee meet-up location. Ashlae introduced me to it and I fell head over heels immediately.   

Coffee

Aviano - A swanky coffee bar located in the Cherry Creek neighborhood. Stop by the Cherry Creek Mall, walk around the Cherry Creek North shopping district, and then grab yourself a pour over at this must-see shop. Continue walking north on Detroit and you can enjoy dreaming of owning one of the many gorgeous homes in the surrounding residential area. 

Steam Espresso Bar -  My favorite coffee shop in all of Denver. They have a super cute patio where you can enjoy a cold brew (with cream + honey, please!) during a hot summer day, but it's just as great a place to relax with a latte or cup of tea during the winter. 

Novo - My favorite cold brew, ever! Go to their Highlands location and walk up and down 32nd to see some cute shops. 

Allegro - I love the vibe that this place has. It's super minimalistic and Scandinavian. And their coffee is pretty fantastic too. 

Black Eye Coffee - The Cap Hill location is swanky and the perfect place to work for the afternoon. Their cortado is on point! And their regular coffee is also pure perfection! I probably would have to say that it's my favorite cup in the whole city. So it's a must visit, for sure! 

Corvus Coffee - I love visiting this one because you can watch them roast and package their coffee in the back! And their coffee is pretty amazing too. 

Crema - As hipster grunge as it gets, but we love, love, love it. 

Sights

Red Rocks Amphitheater - If you get a chance to see a show here, do it! We saw Brandi Carlisle here and it was seriously one of the best shows. The sun sets right behind the stage and the views are gorgeous! If you can't get here for a show at least go by and see the stage. During the day it's open to the public, but check their website before you go because sometimes it closes in the early afternoon to allow time to prep for shows. 

Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour - Call me dorky, but I absolutely love this tea tour! I've gone on it twice and find it super interesting. It's free and just a quick drive from Denver. 

Botanic Gardens - a fun way to spend the afternoon. 

Washington Park - We lived super close to this park and it quickly became our go-to for running, walking, or lounging next to one of the ponds. 

Rocky Mountain National Park - If hiking and mountains are your thing and you have the time to make the 2-hour drive north, this place is totally worth the look. 

Lookout Mountain - If you want to see some views, but don't have time to make the drive to Rocky Mountain this is the place to go. 

Manitou Incline - A mile-hike essentially into the sky. It's a physical challenge that is so difficult to describe, but if you're up for it, this place is so worth it. 

Rockies Game - The Rockies aren't known for being super great, but if you're a fan of spending the day at the ballpark you can snag tickets for cheap. 

Antique Row - Possibly one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday afternoon. You can spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 6 hours browsing through a variety of antique shops.  

South Pearl Street Farmer's Market - If you have the pleasure of being in Denver when the Farmer's Market season is still on, GO. It's the best! The quality is phenomenal and the selections are many! It's the place to be on a Sunday morning/early afternoon. Bonus: The last Sunday of every month it's also a flea market. 

10 Things I am Thankful For This Year

Happy Tuesday before Thanksgiving, babes! 

As a kid, Thanksgiving Day meant watching the Macy's Day parade while my mom cooked away in the kitchen, rearranging our furniture and adding in card tables and chairs to fit 20+ people, pretending to care about football, and eating to our hearts content and then some. There was always strawberry-pretzel salad, more pies than we could possibly consume, mashed potatoes and gravy (Josiah's favorite), and of course turkey. 

It was always such a special time, but now that I've grown up (or at least in theory), I've come to appreciate the actual meaning and importance of Thanksgiving. With each passing year it has become less and less about the turkey or pumpkin pie and more about contentment and gratitude that is often overlooked in our everyday life. It's the time of year where we are supposed to change our mindset from I-WANT-MORE to I-AM-CONTENT-WITH-WHAT-I-HAVE. It's a time for us to be conscious about how fortunate we are to have the family and friends that we do and to make an effort to let them know we appreciate them. I'm sharing ten things that I am thankful for this year, but believe me, there are far more. Share with me what you're thankful for this year, because truly, there is always, always, always something to be thankful for. #blessed (I couldn't resist).

Love you guys and I hope that your Thanksgiving is full of lots of laughter, gratitude, pecan pie, and dad jokes.

1. MY HUSBAND -  No one supports my dreams, knows my heart, or cheers me on quite like he does.

2. OUR AMAZING FAMILIES - I'm continually reminded of how amazing both my family and Josiah's family are. Listen, if you can find a family that helps you move cross-country TWICE in one year, keep them. <3

3. MY JOB - Seriously, to wake up everyday and not dread going to work is a rare find. The clients that I get to work with fill my heart and keep me going. 

4. HOPE - In a world of darkness, it's the only thing we have to hold onto. 

5. COFFEE - Because without it the world might move in slow motion. And smile less. 

6. JOSIAH'S JOB - I am so glad that he has found a job that satisfies him and treats him well! 

7. ELEVATORS - Their existence made moving to and from a 6th-floor apartment in Denver a much more manageable feat. 

8. LEGGINGS - And I don't even freaking care that they're not pants. 

9. MY GIRLFRIENDS - The value of having a tribe that stands behind you no matter what and constantly cheers you on was never as apparent to me as it has become this year. Seriously girls, I wouldn't have kept pushing on in this creative girl boss journey without you.  

10. ADVENTURES - Moving from Chicago ---> Denver and then Denver ---> Chicago again in 6 months was a gloriously, unforeseen, crazy adventure and I am so unbelievably thankful for it.  

via 

12 Holiday Gift Ideas under $40

If you've left your house at all in the last few weeks you've probably seen at least some Holiday things out and about. Starbucks Holiday drinks are officially available and Target's aisles are flooded with all things red and green and whether you're team, wait-until-Thanksgiving-is-over-to-think-about-Christmas or team Get-it-done, it is soon going to be time to at least start thinking about Christmas gifts. Where did the year go? I have no idea, but it's here and we better get ourselves together so we're not with the rest of the crazies on Christmas Eve settling on the unwanted, remaining gifts while trying to manage our social anxiety. Let's avoid that! 

My first piece of advice for you is to shop online! Typical introvert thing to say. Like, why do people even go to stores? With Anthropologie being a rare exception, because it's totally an experience to shop there and the online shipping cost is insane (seriously, like $11), I prefer to do all of my shopping online. I don't have to deal with parking, putting real-world clothes on, or leaving my cozy apartment when it's freezing! Who's with me? I've rounded up a few of my favorite items this year that I'm certain will be the perfect gifts that will have your loved ones feeling loved (and your bank account in tact). 

I would love to hear your favorites! Happy shopping, friends! 

1. Because organization is necessary, so why not do it in style. ($34)

2. If I could have a house filled with these gold mugs, I would. Grab a couple for your besties and wrap it with this. ($10)*

3. A little encouragement for that girl boss friend of yours. Just print it and put it in a cute frame! ($5)

4. For the friend with wanderlust. ($10-65)

5. A home decor trend that I am loving. ($29)

6. Take your friend's/sister's/mom's phone style up a notch (as long as she is still rocking the iphone6/6plus) ($36)*

7. For your friend who's loved the loveable losers through it all. ($28)

8. This coobook will have your friend starting off the new year right with healthy and simple plant based meals that are to-die for. It's seriously my current go-to for dinners! ($20)

9. No such thing as too many hats. ($20)

10. You should probably get this for your friend that's always cold. ($40)

11. The cutest calendar! ($26)

12. When in doubt, get a scarf. ($29)

*I recommend just going to the store if you can to avoid the insaneeeee shipping cost!