Settling In

I'm overdue for a post, but I know many of you could care less about the 'work stuff' and want to know more about the 'fun stuff'.

I've been in Denver for just under two weeks and am loving it! The weather is great - and the views are even better! Especially from my office: 

 


I've worked a full week now and am starting to get the hang of things. It's definitely a big change from the financial goddesses!! There are no dogs in the office, not much noise, and not nearly as many funny stories being shared - but it's still a great place to be at. It's another small company, with four people, and I think I'll learn a lot and will be given the chance to make all of the client presentations. It's still early but I'm excited about what I'll learn from the company.

I've also been making my way around the city fairly well. It's hard to stay in the city and go out because I have about a 45-minute drive from downtown, but I've tried to do my best. I've been to a couple K-State football watch parties, BBQ'd at Wash Park, found an Oktoberfest to try out some local brews, and attended a wedding reception. Yes, I make friends fast. Okay, not really. It was a friend from college. But most importantly, I've bought all my snowboarding gear - including my ski pass!  

And most recently, went for a nice 4-mile + hike. In Colorado, you have no excuse for not exercising! The weather was perfect for it and I'm hoping to get a few more in soon before the weather gets too cold!

Road Rules/Lessons We Need to Remember

Yesterday was the big drive to Denver. No, I did not drive down I-80 with a big U-Haul. It was just me and my shoes, and a few boxes of clothes! It took me just under 8 hours to go from Lincoln to Castle Rock, and I did not get nearly as bored as I thought I would - yay! However, during the drive there were quite a few annoyances from other drivers on the road. So here's the list of rules/comments we should all consider when driving down the interstate:

1) Semis should only be allowed to drive at night. Those drivers are on the road more than anyone else, yet I believe they're the some of the worst drivers around!

2) If you're driving along and you catch up to someone and need them to get over the right lane so you can pass them, it's practically a guarantee that you'll tap your break, turning off cruise control, and THEN they'll move over.

3) On that note, if you don't plan on driving the speed limit, pull off or get over.

4) There are some drivers who ride your tail, but you can't get over because there's another car. When you do finally pull into the right lane, they most likely will not pass you. But when they finally do pass you, they'll choose to then cut you off, forcing you to hit the brakes - again.

5) A small reminder for everyone: Those dotted lines are there for a reason. You're not supposed to cross them unless your changing lanes. And if you're doing that, check to make sure there are no cars next to you first.  

75% of these happened in Nebraska, take that for what you want. :)

Time To Get Outta Here!

I've spent the past two weeks in Lincoln, hanging out with the family and friends. You could call it a vacation, although, let's face it - the reason I come back to Lincoln is NOT for the great scenery and beaches.

The day before I left for Lincoln, I had a going away party in Kansas City. My amazing co-workers (former, now) threw me a party and it was basically my excuse to get all of my friends together before I left. There was a monsoon in KC that night, so an extra thanks to everyone who came out in the crappy weather to say their goodbyes! I expect lots of visitors! Below are a couple pictures from the party:

And, my friend Ben came and gave me a nice gift. He said since I'm moving to Denver I have to get used to drinking Coors Light!

The first week in Lincoln went by pretty fast. I did a lot of 'catch-up' on sleep, made a day-trip to Denver (which resulted in a new job for me!) and hung out with friends. I was most looking forward to my Saturday, though.

My cousin, Jessi, has two little boys, Brevin and Pierce, whom I call my nephews, and I LOVE spending time with them. They crack me up all the time! I have wanted to take them to the Lincoln Children's Zoo for the longest time, and I finally got the time to do it. I remember as a little girl always going to the zoo and how it was the coolest thing ever. Well, it's a nice zoo, but definitely not quite like I remembered it. I kept walking through the zoo thinking "this isn't how I remembered it". One of the favorite parts was definitely the train ride. Brevin and Pierce love trains so we saved it for the end. Throughout our time at the zoo, Pierce came saying "Is it time to ride the train yet?" So cute!

There's a picture of me on this same turtle when I was about Pierce's age!

And finally......the train ride!!!

I loved my time in Lincoln, getting to spend a lot of relaxing time just hanging with the fam and friends, but it's definitely time to get on the road! It's quite boring while everyone else is at work and you're at the house all day - vacations aren't as fun unless someone is on it with you!