Last weekend a couple of friends and I went up (literally) to Breckenridge for a quick girl’s weekend. The drive up and down mountains in sleet and complete darkness was somewhat terrifying, but we all arrived in one piece and spent the remainder of Friday night eating lasagna and snacks, drinking wine, and chatting.

We woke up Saturday morning with a gorgeous view of the mountains and agreed that it probably never gets old. Besides the view, the morning also included mimosas and a butternut squash and sage frittata. Afterwards we went to check out Breckenridge Distillery. The tour was quick, interesting, free, and included samples – my kind of tour!

Then it was finally time for the hot tub. There was a bright sun and blue skies, snow on the ground, and cocktails in our hands. The water was just the right temperature to balance the chilly air. Then to top it all off, a little fox ran by to say hello. It was all just perfection.

Katie and I had to cut the weekend short, since we both had to work on Sunday morning, but the quick trip Friday night to Saturday night was totally worth it! Thanks again Carla for the invite J

These things are worth checking out too.

• I want this banana bread french toast, these Swedish cardamom buns, this roasted butternut squash soup, and this chocolate sweet potato layer cake.
• 24 Hours in Minneapolis with one of my favorite food bloggers.
• I love these little color block pouches.
• What are your everyday rituals?
• 8 tips for greatness. Let’s hustle.

Katie and I are hosting some visitors this weekend again. Can’t wait to see Ellie and Olive and explore more of Denver with them!!!

xoxoxojd

Katie and I had friends in town visiting last weekend and we did fun things like visit the Stanley Hotel (inspiration behind The Shining), go out around South Broadway with new friends, make tasty breakfast pizza, dance at Mile High Sprits, visit Coors Brewery, and check out the gorgeous views from Lookout Mountain (pictured above).

I think mountain pictures will be the Denver version of all my Stone Arch Bridge/Mississippi River pictures. I just don’t think they will ever get old. Ever ever ever.

These things might not get old either? Idk. Ask me in a year.

• It’s great weather to bake (and eat) muffins, like these: spiced apple muffins with streusel topping, vegan pumpkin gingerbread muffins, caramelized upside down pear bread, nutella swirled banana muffins, pumpkin brown butter muffins
• Sally’s Baking Addiction has great tutorials for cinnamon raisin and everything bagels. Want to make.
• Stay Gold.
• Make sure you know how to pair beer with your Halloween candy. This chart will help.
• Loved this post about crushing goals. Let’s make them happen!!

In other news, I made a major career change – from Supply Chain to Personal Training! It’s only been a month, but I have already found it to be both challenging and exciting. I am very much looking forward to the new adventure and will write more about it in a later post.

Have a happy, spooky, safe Halloween!!

jd

Coffee coffee all the time. It’s so necessary these days. Or maybe I should just sleep more?

I’m too distracted by the internet…

• PASTAAA: butternut mac and cheese, baked ziti, caramelized onion & roasted garlic pasta, broccoli pesto mac and cheese, rotini with butternut-sage sauce, white cheddar mac and cheese stuffed squash. Let’s eat.
• Two diys: an easy circle necklace and large scale picture frame.
• After reading this, I definitely need to visit the Pearl Street Pumpkin Patch.
• Do you know what you’re going to be for Halloween yet? I love all of these.
• Let’s just swoon over this song for a little bit?

Anyways, sleep when you’re dead, right? Plus, it’s almost the weekend.

Xoxojd.

This fall weather has reinvigorated my running a little bit, which I totally needed. I even did some intervals this week, something that I haven’t done in foreverrrr. Good stuff.

Like this:

• Pumpkin recipes have taken over the Internet by storm: pumpkin churro waffles, pumpkin oatmeal, curried pumpkin soup with coconut, pumpkin spice truffles, pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice no-bake cheesecake, pumpkin butter. Plus, these 12 healthy pumpkin recipes. Oh and these pumpkin oreo bars.
• 5 rules for the perfect picnic. Let’s have one!!
• I love gallery walls.
• How many of these 15 classic pieces do you have in your wardrobe?
• This song plays a lot at work and it gets stuck in my head.

Have a great one!

xooxoxoxoxoooojd

I had the whole day off on Monday and was totally craving fall things, so I just went for it –> baked these cookies and this pizza, but with this sauce. Then friends came over and we drank pumpkin beer and watched football. It’s a good life.

These things help:

• I’m excited to overdose on butternut squash this fall: butternut squash mac & cheese with kale, cider braised chicken with butternut, linguine with butternut sauce, creamy butternut squash, broccoli & chipotle almond sauce, chicken butternut squash pasta.
• Kind of liking this song right now.
• Thoughts on these outerwear and street style fall trends?
• How to make today a good day. It’s a skill.
• Some motivational quotes to keep you pumped up.

Oh, and HAPPY OCTOBER. Make the first day count.

JD.

Happy Fall! It still feels like summer here in Denver (80 degrees much?), but it definitely felt like fall in Aspen this weekend (read about it here). Look at those ridiculous colors.

Also, look at these things:

• Pumpkin granola: toasted pumpkin muesli, pumpkin spice granola, pumpkin spice chocolate granola, and chocolate peanut butter pumpkin granola.
• Food 52’s essential chocolate chip cookie guide. Time to go on a cookie-baking binge.
• Lady Gaga’s new music video is absolutely heartbreaking. Please watch Til It Happens To You.
• How cool is mapiful? I want one.
• Fall is here! Make a checklist. Ideas here and here.

In other news, I signed up for the Rock ‘N’ Roll Denver Half Marathon with a friend from work, got the a-ok from the doctor to ditch the wrist brace (<— that scar tho), and booked a flight to Seattle. Can’t wait to hang out with my best friend all weekend and celebrate her birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE!!!!!