Nothing beats good friends and family!

Reason #713 why I love summer....you get to catch up with great friends from far away places.  As soon as I got home from Crested Butte some friends from Florida came to visit Anastasia and I.

Audery (whom I had gotten to know really well at Anastasia's wedding and from a previous spring break trip) and her friend Kiana came to Steamboat!!! We were tourists, did some shopping, made pizzas and went out on the town.  What a fun couple of days to catch up with long distance friends!

As soon as the girls left Tamara and Leo showed up from Germany with twins in tow! This visit from one of my closest and most missed friends was such a treat. 

I actually had a lot of quality time with just Tamara as well as significant time with Leo and the kids to feel connected to their amazing new family additions.  Malina and Emmitt are as cute as can be, Emmitt being a little more willing to doll out his smiles and Malina making you work a little more to earn her precious smile. 

Tamara and I got to hike to the top of the gondola with just the two of us which allowed for so much quality girl talk time especially if you know the two of us...we could have done it twice and still had tons to talk about. 

We got to get lattes together with the twin nuggets!.....

 We went tubing on the Yampa with Tom and Becky and then of course hit Sun Pies to cap off a classic steamboat day with a hurricane!

And we even got to see the Drive By Truckers at the free concert with the whole family!!!

Oh boy...do I miss these people!  What a great Steamboat trip from the German Lutz's and we can't wait for the next!

Crested Butte trip; take 3.

My third trip to Crested Butte in less than 3 weeks....this valley is a bit of my home away from home. The reason for this final trip was to help inspire Howie (owner of Backcountry magazine) to consider the addition of a bike magazine which would allow all of the ski testers to go through a summer version of the ski test but with bikes.  I don't really imagine that would happen any time soon, but we really just wanted to get together and rekindle some friendships that have developed over the course of the past 4 years at gear testing.  

We have all become a bit of a family which looks forward to our winter family reunion in Powder mountain every year and were all really psyched to have the chance to spend some summer time together riding in Crested Butte and celebrating the 4th of July! Thanks to Jay and Crista for raising the bar as "hostess with the mostest".

 The girls on Reno/Flag/Bear/Deadmans for the 4th!

Pure comedy/"I am getting old" moment was when I was ordering a beer at the bar and noticed a motley crew of dudes calling my name.  I was slightly irritated and was concerned about how they might know my name; when I asked in a disconcerted voice they let out a good chuckle and had to point out that I was the teacher in high school.  They ran through their names and immediately the memories came flooding in...super fun to have those experiences and see your students growing into young adults!

3,2,1......Summer!

So much to write about and so little time...well maybe not so little time, just so little time that I want to dedicate to writing because summer is always tugging on your leg with something fun, active, and outdoors to do! First hilarious moment of the summer.....chainless downhill race in Crested Butte for bike week.  Kyra and I take on unicorn and chicken.  Me - self proclaimed female winner, Kyra second; Kyra - official winner of best individual costume!

At the start line...game faces on!

And then of course the follow up activity - big wheel triathlon.....

Step 1: drink beer out of an ice cube tray.

Step 2: ride beg wheel through very demanding course set up on the main street of CB

Step 3: bowling!!! I was so proud - I got a strike!! chickens are good bowlers.

Last step: high five your partner for their turn!!!

Kyra and I always tend to get into some hilarity together - she might be one of my favorite travel buddies and adventurous friends! We continued to have a blast that night trying food at her future wedding venue in Crested Butte and picking up a few boys that offered to buy us dinner and drinks.  

Next transition for the weekend was Becky and Dan's wedding!! Yay! Their wedding took place at Harmels - a classic CB/Gunni joint that is full of beauty, but maintains a laid back and relaxed feel.  

We had a local handmade pizza crew come in Saturday night for the welcoming dinner where I got to catch up with all my missed Gunnison friends....

 I had the honor of riding with the bride the day before her wedding which was such a treat.  I also got to spend the night in a cabin full of other single ladies and the bride the night before her wedding -we had so much fun spending such a special time with Becky.  Her wedding day ended up with beautiful weather and was absolutely perfect for the two of them!

May Becky and Dan live happily ever after!!

These two did a great job of spending some quality time on the dance floor, but of course, myself and the 5 year old nephew closed down the dance floor...ha! Thanks Becky and Dan for putting on such a meaningful celebration.  

 

May showers bring June flowers!

School's OUT for SUMMER!

And it finally feels official for me after having a busy last week of school celebrating every possible occasion of every coworker possible and then busting out to Gunnison, CO to teach at Western State for the Extended Studies program immediately after school let out.  I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to teach at Western and absolutely love the two courses I get to teach: Teaching the Mathematics of Biking and Spark: stimulating the brain through exercise. I had the best experience of teaching in my career this summer in Gunnison.  I also make the trip with one of mybest friends, Emily, who also happens to be an excellent travel partner.  We have fun exploring the amazing outdoor opportunities that the Gunnison/CB valley has to offer; we rode Hartman Rocks a couple times, squeezed in an amazing Doctor's Park ride (my favorite) on Emily's birthday, and did a summer solstice trail run which was breathtaking. 

A

We both had classes for 6 days straight and then hit the road back home on Saturday eve just in time for the birthday BBQ for Emily and Hannah at my place Sunday eve....

The birthday girls: Hannah Gary and Emily Lawrence :)

 And where most of our mature party nights end...practical jokes and a wiener cocktail in a flamingo cup with a chaser of PBR....

 I love this time of year; transition, relaxation, travel, and renewal for all those who know how burnt you can feel as a teacher by the end of the year.  I am looking forward to so many more fun adventures this summer.

"Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities.  Seize common occasions and make them great."
                                                                                                        - Orison Swett Marden

Islamorada...take me back to the keys please!!

Islamorada is a special place; a dreamy place.....where dreams came true for my dear friends Anastasia and Steve as we celebrated their wedding - greek style, on May 5th 2013. 

It was a bit of a whirlwind trip for me getting there which included a 3 hr drive to Denver, a red eye flight to Ft. Lauderdale and another 2 hour drive to the keys.....and I would do it over again this weekend if I could! The moment I pulled in to the pimp pad we all stayed at I knew this was going to be a good weekend - I fell in love and took a nap in the infinity pool that overlooked the ocean.  We then ventured out for a snorkel trip - my first time snorkeling, won't be my last.  We saw barracudas, parrotfish, and all sorts of amazing sea life in one of the most impressive coral reefs in the U.S. 

Saturday night proceeded with a welcoming dinner at milepost 88 and some Tiki Bar action to follow.  Sunday was spent preparing for the wedding, relaxing at the coffee shop and of course some hammock time.  The wedding was beautiful, with perfect weather (some wind that really enhanced Anastasia's dress) and a perfect venue, Pierre's. Honestly, this was one of the most amazing weddings I have ever been to and it was done in typical Anastasia and Steve fashion - vacation for everyone.  The beautiful beach scenery  amplified a beautiful relationship and was a true joy to be a part of.  JOY, JOY, JOY....this is what we chanted all night because our table name at dinner was JOY.  Greek ceremony and dancing made this wedding one of a kind in a really awesome way. Thank you Anastasia and Steve for hosting us all at the pad and for being such an incredible couple to know and celebrate with for your wedding!!

May this hug symbolize a long life ahead of love, laughter, and JOY!!!!

Family, Friends, and one great Jazz Fest

Spring break; the 50th reason why I love teaching. Okay, maybe it ranks a touch higher. It is always such a needed break to help push through to the end of the year. And this year (in classic Mindy fashion) I packed in as many people and places as I could to fully embrace the 9 days off. The journey began with a road trip to Park City to spend some time with my beloved niece and nephew, (Ruby and Owen) and my sister and brother-in-law (Audrey and Chip).

Now if that is not enough love in itself; add to the mix my sister Tina and our mom! We attempted to surprise my mom with me being there, but the news had slipped out prior to my arrival and become a hilarious turn of events and acting. We did manage to surprise her with a surprise birthday party hosted at the DuRoss's with all their wonderful friends who know and love Gigi! Happy 70th mom!!!

If you can't go to Africa, bring Africa to you at the zoo!

And my favorite discovery at the zoo.....the payphone! HA!

Fun at home dressing up and prepping for Oma's party!!

And the lady of the hour arrives!!! We celebrate in Mulliken fashion with ice cream cake, champagne and cleaning!

Then off to NEW ORLEANS for jazz fest!!!! This has been on my bucket list for awhile and let me tell you I don't know if I will ever have a better experience than I had this year. First of all the novelty of this place blew me away. So much culture, history and partying all in one place that is below sea-level with cemeteries above ground. And on top of it I had the best tour guide I ever could have imagined; and a native at that - Ms. Emily Lawrence. Who also has great connections with family and Shell so we did it right - thanks pops!! John Mayer, Billy Joel, Ben Harper, Band of Horses, the Gospel tent and Jill Scott (my personal favorite) were just a few of the many performers we were so lucky to experience all in one fest!! Not to mention the food - beignets (a tool used to eat powdered sugar), alligator pie, crawfish ettoufee, and poboys is just the beginning of the feasting. I also figured out that I love the combination of the most delicious strawberry lemonade and bourbon for a hot day outside listening to great music. The fest is not where it ends - we had to make a trip to Bourbon street and check out Lafitte - the oldest bar in the U.S. Overall I had an experience that left me wanting more!

And one more of Ruby and Owne because I cannot get enough of them and I had one last visit after flying back into SLC to see the fam!!!