travel

Breathing easier in the mountains

August 20, 2019 by Kristin 3 Comments

I’ve been unpacked for a couple of weeks, but I’m still thinking about Colorado.

For my 40th birthday in May, Greg planned a trip for us to go to Colorado. We postponed the original June plan a couple of months because the beginning of summer was hard for me. But we flew out three days exactly after I turned 40 on what was also our 17th anniversary to see some friends and some mountains. I’m grateful for the way Greg knows me and knew I needed this trip at this time.

While I love planning trips, part of the joy of this gift is Greg mapped out our route and planned the general itinerary. We sat down together one night to book flights, hotels, and some activities for our four days in Colorado. I’d never been and was happy to go this way!

Monument / Colorado Springs

After breakfast at Snooze in Denver, we headed to Monument, just north of Colorado Springs, where my high school friend Dustin & Shelley (well, Dustin and I have been friends since middle school …) live. They fed us at a delicious, local Mexican restaurant called La Casa Fiesta, where I learned about calabacitas, before giving us a tour of Garden of the Gods.

Pikes Peak

Greg drove up to the summit at Pikes Peak, which is 14,115 feet high. The drive between mile markers 13 and 16 was particularly tense, but we parked at the last shuttle lot at mile marker 16 and took a shuttle to the top, where there was construction happening for a new visitors center. Even so, the views were amazing. We were at the top around noon and it was 50 degrees, compared to 80 degrees at the same time in Colorado Springs.

Breckenridge

The drive from Pikes Peak to Breckenridge might have been my favorite stretch of highway. The meadows and little towns between the mountains were lovely. I kept taking pictures of this drive (and all the others) and the images just don’t do the reality justice.

(But you can see all my attempts at capturing this lovely state here.)

We stayed at the River Mountain Lodge in downtown Breckenridge and really loved the hotel. The location was perfect and the room was spacious yet cozy. We didn’t get to explore downtown Breck as much as we had hoped because it was raining by the time we got there. We did eat a delicious meal at Blue River Bistro.

The next morning we had breakfast at Columbine Cafe and then rode the gondola up a mountain to where there were summer activities on what would otherwise be a ski slope. We took a chairlift up farther and an alpine slide down.

Idaho Springs

We didn’t get much time in Breckenridge because we had an early afternoon whitewater rafting reservation with Colorado Adventure Center in Idaho Springs. We did the beginner trip and really enjoyed the trip in the creek that’s fed by snow runoff and was still 38 degrees.

Estes Park

After rafting, we headed toward Estes Park, mostly on the Peak to Peak Highway, which was a gorgeous drive through and around and up and down mountains. We got there in time for dinner at The Grubsteak and dessert on the strip of downtown shops. Greg had ice cream in a homemade chocolate chip cone from the Danish Cone Factory and I had the best taffy I’ve ever tasted from Purple Mountain Taffy.

We stayed at a quaint hotel called Nicky’s Resort at which I wish we’d had more time to eat and relax. In the morning, we ate cinnamon rolls at a Cinnamon’s Bakery and then headed into Rocky National Park. Greg drove us along Trail Ridge Road, which is the highest continuously paved road. The highest point of this road that meanders right through mountain tundra is 12,183 feet. Once again, the temperatures on top of the mountain were about 30 degrees colder and prompted us to put on sweatshirts.

We spent some more time walking around downtown Estes Park. We lunched at Bob and Tony’s Pizza before I discovered Cliffhanger Used Books, where I could have spent even more time than I did. We drove around Estes Park taking in some more lovely views before we headed back to Denver, where we visited with our college friend Sarah before heading to the airport to fly home.

Conclusion

The road trip really worked for us, giving us time to take in views, listen to music, and talk about whatever came to mind. I really loved Colorado and already hope to take my kids back someday, perhaps even spending more time in each location.

I’m a details person, but the great big mountains and views of all these different places in just four days were good for my soul. I felt like I could breathe easier (figuratively, hello, altitude) and remember my place in this great big world while enjoying the adventure with my husband.

Stories from the Porch in May

May 29, 2019 by Kristin 21 Comments

May days are my favorite but these May days were especially crazy days. That’s about all the introduction necessary, so I’m going to dive right into the recap.

Highlights

I love my birthday and entering this new decade (hello, 40s!) hasn’t bothered me. We had a great weekend at the lake with four of my dearest friends. (Want to see pictures?) A group of school mom friends celebrated another morning with breakfast. I was really filled up with love, which ended up being exactly what I’d need to carry me through the coming weeks.

Four days after my actual birthday, my dad went into cardiac arrest and never recovered. He passed away two days later. I had a complicated relationship with him, but this past weekend my mom, my siblings, his brother and sister, and I remembered the good parts – how he was innovative and creative as an educator and created an environment at the schools he led so teachers and students thrived.

Between my birthday and dad’s death, Cate turned 12 and we celebrated the second weekend of the month with a Harry Potter birthday party. (Stay tuned because I plan to blog about that!) Plus there was Mother’s Day, which is when Greg snapped the picture I shared above.

The third week of May meant the end of school! There was a day trip to the Nashville Zoo with Ben’s class one day. Then we picked up the big kids from school on that Friday and headed up Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Jockey Being Family is a foundation of Jockey International (yep, the underwear company!) that supports adoptive families. We connected with JBF when we were in Washington, D.C., for the Angels in Adoption event and were glad to get to know more about how they connect and support families like ours. We were one of five families honored at JBF’s annual fundraising gala and golf tournament. I’m going to blog more about this soon too, but it was a wonderful weekend of being cared for just when I needed a vacation. (And here are some pictures!)

Favorite things

Water Wow coloring books – Rachel is really into these Water Wow books and they keep her busy! Using just water, the pages can be “painted” and then when they dry they can be painted again. And again. And again. She’s been coloring in fairytale and animal books, but I just ordered some others, including one about letters and numbers.

Slugs & Bugs books – Slugs & Bugs music has been my kids’ childhood soundtrack. When creator Randall Goodgame expanded the gospel-centered fun messages from songs to books, I knew I needed them. I shared more about them in a review post.

Pan fried fish at home – When we were at Kentucky Lake with my friends for my birthday, the guys – both the grownups and the kids – caught enough fish to feed us lunch before we all went our separate ways. It was delicious and so fun! Then Greg and Ben went fishing with a friend on Memorial Day, and they caught enough catfish and crappie to feed our family for more than one meal. I pan fried it for dinner on our porch – talk about holiday perfection!

From the bookshelf

“After Anna” by Lisa Scottoline – I picked up one afternoon when my kids and I had a few extra minutes and decided to spend them in the library. Over the next two days, I read it in parking lots when I arrived early, during my son’s soccer practice, while I was waiting for the kids to get ready for bed, and before I fell asleep those nights. Obviously, I was gripped by the story and characters. Told in a before-and-after back-and-forth sequence, the way the story unfolded was well done and kept me completely invested. There was a twist I totally didn’t see coming, which propelled me through the ending.

“What I’ve Done” and “Secrets Never Die” by Melinda Leigh – I’ve mentioned this Morgan Dane series before and was happy to dive back into the fourth and fifth installments. I love the characters’ continuing storylines and like the quick-read mysteries that are told from the perspective of a private investigator and defense attorney.

“The Middle Matters” by Lisa-Jo Baker – I was really excited to be on this launch team and read an advanced copy of this book. I absolutely loved Lisa-Jo’s last book, “Never Unfriended.” I enjoyed this one too. Having just turned 40, I related to so many chapters. This book officially releases July 23, but you can preorder it now and there will be goodies to come. Stay tuned because a full review is coming.

“The Orphan Daughter” by Cari Noga – I really enjoyed this one about a 45-year-old woman who is named the guardian of her 11-year-old niece she doesn’t know well. While several of the storylines involve loss, the book is a good reminder of how people’s stories intertwine to heal. And even better, this is a free read for Amazon Prime members.

“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens – Cate gave this to me for my 40th birthday and I’m glad I had to get into it. The writing is lovely, the setting is inviting, and the main character is captivating. I’m not quite finished with it, but I’m really enjoying it.

On the screen

“The Village” – I binged this after it had already been on for several weeks, and I really loved it. The show centers on a group of neighbors from an apartment complex whose stories intersect and overlap. I cried in more than one episode, but I really am looking forward to a full season of this show.

Tell me about your May days.

*****

Stories from the Porch in February

February 27, 2019 by Kristin 22 Comments

Well, February, I know you have fewer days than the other months, but, even so, you were so full. And wet. Oh the rain. My friends who live farther north have had snow while we’ve had many, many inches of rain that have come with flood warnings. Meanwhile, time continues to fly around here, even though I keep trying to slow it down!

Highlights

It’s the month of love – both for Hallmark and here for Team Taylor! Greg and I met 21 years ago on Feb. 7, 1998, and then went on our first date a week later. Yep, that would have made it Valentine’s Day. Before kids we called it First-Date Day, now it’s still that plus some more traditional Valentine’s Day sprinkled in because kids certainly make it more fun. {Read more of our story here.}

One of my favorite Valentine’s Day traditions with the kids is to hang up hearts on their bedroom doors that list things I love about them. I even do it on Rachel’s door because one day she’ll be able to read and until then she’s got people who love to read to her.

This month the love continued when we took a few road trips:

I gave the big kids tickets to see TobyMac (along with opening acts Aaron Cole, We Are Messengers, Ryan Stevenson, Jordan Feliz, and Jeremy Camp) as their Christmas present. We finally cashed in that delayed gift with the concert earlier this month. Initially, I was in it for the kids – and the delicious steak dinner we had beforehand. But the concert was so good!

On actual Valentine’s Day, we met some friends for dinner at one of my very favorite restaurants and then watched our beloved Murray State Racers win a close game at Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tennessee.

The after school the next day, we went to Louisville to hang out with my mom, some new friends, friends who used to babysit our kids, and my brother and his family. On that Saturday night, Greg and I detoured for a date with my oldest best friend and her husband before our own date to see Kentucky beat then-No. 1 Tennessee, which drew the third largest crowd ever at Rupp Arena. It was a weekend that filled my soul.

Favorite things

Chrysler Pacifica – After our fun couple weeks of travel to the concert, basketball games, and Louisville, our 2011 Dodge Caravan started making noises. A trip to the dealership service department revealed a transmission issue we weren’t sure we wanted to pay to fix. That decision was confirmed by a mechanic specializing in transmission issues. So we traded that van in toward an upgraded (majorly!) to a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. It’s great and I’m super thankful for the protection and provision God has shown to us during this unexpected situation.

The Couch with Mary Carver – I’ve actually shared about this here before, but I got to be a guest on her podcast, which was so fun! Mary and I talked about our favorite TV marriages, so I’d love to hear about who you would add to our list. {More on the episode here!}

Refined series at Lyli Dunbar’s blog – I got to share a piece of our story about Ben being burned and how community helped us heal as part of Lyli’s blog series. She has an encouraging space on this big ‘ole internet and I was happy to be there.

Crock Pot – I told Greg and I needed a new Crock Pot, so he bought me one for Christmas … and it’s the best! The six-quart appliance has brown/saute, slow cook, bake, and keep warm functions. That means when I made taco soup recently, I could brown the beef and onion first, add the other ingredients, and switch to the slow cook function. One pot. Yes, please. Plus the one pot is stainless steel and way easier to handle and clean than the ceramic pots I’ve always had before.

From the bookshelf

“Since You’ve Been Gone” by Christa Allen – I borrowed this one for free from Amazon on my Kindle and really enjoyed it. It was a quick fiction read about a woman who was uncovering some truths while navigating grief. The characters were relatable and the plot line had enough mystery to keep me intrigued. This author has several other books I added to my list.

“The Secret Orphan” by Glynis Peters – This story is set while World War 2 is raging. I really liked the main character and her story. It was different than other books set in this time period that I’ve read because it focused more on a commoner and how the war infiltrated her life.

“Good As Gone” by Amy Gentry – I read this book in three sittings, but I’m not sure what I thought about it. The story was intriguing, but it also seemed far-fetched. That said, I was surprised more than once and was eager to finish it.

On the screen

We’re glad “Survivor” is back on! I’m a longtime fan of this show, but I’m even more of a fan of watching it with my oldest girl. Meanwhile, I’m sad “Manifest” is over for the season. What cliffhangers!

What are you loving, reading, and watching?

*****

#PorchStories Party