classes and chairs

classes start tomorrow, and yet i'm dreaming about pretty things....surprise, surprise.

next on the docket of pretty things is this soon-to-be pretty thing. i found an empty corner in my bedroom when i finally unpacked/redistributed some of my boxes (yeah...better late than never...). then i found this beauty for $10 on craigslist. i'm pretty sure one can never go wrong with a reading nook. all i'll need is a lamp and to re-do the chair, and i'll be in reading nook-heaven!

maybe someday my apartment will be complete (and clean) and you'll actually be graced with a proper tour!

a new year.

it just so happens that my break may have been too good. so good, in fact, that i even said a tearful goodbye to north carolina (and my parents), and i didn't exactly want to come back to colorado. i know...weird. it wasn't so much that i wanted to stay in nc, but i think it was more that i'm not quite sold on having found my place at CSU. moreover, being home sent me into an existential crisis where i realized that my research interests do not necessarily determine a career path. more than anything else, the break solidified the fact that 2011 is going to be a big year for me.

so in good new year's fashion--and better late than never--i've come up with a few goals for the year.
- take at least 3 long ski weekends and ski at least 20 days this season
- learn to knit socks (i'm starting a 4-week class on the 20th!) and keep working on other knitting skills
- read at least 5 books off my bookshelf before buying something new
- remember to take reusable bags to the grocery store/target--i have them and MUST use them!
- figure out a plan for this summer (preferably with pay!)
- train for and run the bolder boulder over memorial day weekend
- research and apply for ph.d. programs for the 2012-2013 academic year
- get music back into my life (would it be cliche to pick up ukulele?)
- continue using my camera, cooking, designing, and writing (yes, that means blogging...)
- love being 23, have fun, make new friends, keep the old, and be happy!

i feel like these goals are generally attainable....the bolder boulder is going to be a stretch, but as long as i really try, i know i can do it.

to think we all were once this small...

today i was lucky enough to hold the newest member of our family, and i'm pretty sure i've never actually held a 6-day old baby (or younger) ever before. i didn't want to let him go...for once, i can say it's a good thing i don't have a special man in my life because he'd probably run away screaming after all my oogling over this sweet boy. seriously, he's just so little, sweet, precious, and purely amazing. life truly is a beautiful thing. 

i'm so glad to have these tiny little toes and scrawny little legs in our family. welcome, jack donald!

fat tire brewery tour

Know what's fun about living in Fort Collins? Having lots of breweries in town! Most notably, we have the New Belgium Brewery where Fat Tire, Sunshine Wheat, and many other awesome beers are made. The best part of the company is their efforts to be extremely green, so much of that is reflected in the design of the building and their environmental efforts. Oh...and on any given day you can go and get free samples of beer in their tap room.  

 Brewing Vat

 Sponge Bob, anyone? 

 Now that my brother is finally 21, we got to do some family beer-drinking! 

 Sunshine Wheat

 Seriously...how beautiful is this room?

So...if anyone wants to visit the brewery (and me) just let me know!