i forgot to tell you

2 weeks ago daron and i escaped our (at the time)

overwhelming/exhausting/unfortunate lives

(that really only describes my life actually)

to st. george to stay at 

Karly Barker's parents home.

Can i just say-

<what a pleasure!>

can't emphasize enough how this trip came at the perfect time.

we got to stay at this beautiful home and soak in the view of 

little quaint st. george. 

biggest realization of the trip

*being with friends where it is just easy and...effortless, is so wonderful.

it feels so good to be with people that make you appreciate the little things

AND 

don't judge you.

i'll explain what i mean. 

saturday night, we went to nielson's frozen custard.

2 hours later- we went to nielsons frozen custard. again.

i went back for another cone. 

<only me people. only me>

who gets frozen custard twice in one night???

but even better...how many people have friends

(especially who are girls) that can actually admit to them

that they want nielsons frozen custard two times in a row.

not very many.

let's face it. girls can be brutal.

i am grateful that my friends don't give me the

"you're a fatso" look

but rather, a supportive look. and then drive me there.

oh how my body does not thank you

but my emotional friend psyche really really does.

you're the bomb.

who else made my weekend in st. george?

meet KOKO. 

karly's one eyed dog. 

i owe a very big thank you to this dog.

i have loved dogs my whole life.

i grew up with a half wolf/half german shepherd for goodness sake.

i have never been scared of dogs.

until...DUKE. (i love you aunt kimi) just not your dog.

DUKE lurched at my face twice (!!!) 

since then...i've been petrified. its pretty pathetic.

then i met KOKO. the first dog in a long time

that hasn't made me want to crap my pants when i saw it.

since then, i've been better! 

like i said...a big thank you.

the next weekend was gratitude day in colorado.

i fell in love with denver.

love people. 

and you will never believe what did it.

HOCKEY.

im quite surprised myself.

i had never been to a hockey game before.

it. was. awesome.

the game had me on my feet. like the screaming on your feet.

not the (im standing cause everyone else is and i feel obligated to).

thanks to taylor and mary moody

i have fallen in love with denver.

and hockey!

isn't that great!?

( i am pretty sure my mother-in-law also thanks you)

so now i love CO and CA. (i have always loved both)

but i guess we can say i am warming up to the big C.O.

more and more.

(how could you not??)

annddd let's not forget one of the most unforgettable parts of the trip. 

wearing an 8 carat diamond ring that belongs to daron's grandmother.
truth be told. daron had to force me to take it off.
all i gotta say-
Grandma Shirley
you are one lucky woman.
and that's an understatement 

last but not least!

"presents under the sticks"

<as daron would say>

once in-laws enter the picture, the creativity begins.

since daron and i will be with my family over christmas,

we decided to exchange sibling gifts while we were all together.

we drew names in the morning, went straight to the mall 

and bought our gifts!

it was short and quick.

i would say very successful.

okay, now you are more filled in.

i know you were sad you didn't know these little details.. ;)

goodnight!