Beers, Mountains, Friends (aka the recipe for a perfect weekend)

When Andy and I first moved to Denver in August 2011, I had a lot of free time on my hands (new city, no job, no friends, etc.). I spent most of the late summer and early fall evenings sitting on our front stoop reading until sunset with the soundtrack of the cicadas in the background. Sporadically over the last few years I've returned to my favorite spot for an evening, but not nearly as often as that first summer. This past Friday, after Andy and I got back from our afternoon at Funkwerks in Fort Collins, we pulled two chairs outside and poured some beers to enjoy on our favorite stoop. And it was so lovely.

Ella is staring at Shelly and Kevin's house, waiting for them to come over. (Kevin and Rhett did later.) 

Soooo over it.

As I've mentioned here and there on this blog, Andy and I are planning a two week road trip out to California and up the coast, and we leave THIS FRIDAY (eek!). We'll be going to a couple national parks while we're on our trip and, as a planner, I thought we should take advantage of our own Colorado national park (the Rocky Mountain National Park one) and buy a nationwide annual pass to the parks so we don't have to worry about it while on the road. Since we were up in Estes at RMNP, we couldn't find a reason to not go for a scenic hike to Bierstadt Lake.

The beautiful lake! Totally worth the 1.2 mile uphill hike, right Andy?!  

We picked up some beers to enjoy at the lake :o)

Then it started raining and we had get outta there before lightening came, and I had to hike with my beer.

Even the overcast skies can't ruin these mountain views.

To make the trip to Estes even better (like the mountains weren't enough, I know), our friends Kara and Chris were in town from Minneapolis for a family reunion and were able to sneak away for an hour to meet Andy and I for a beer! I spent most of the time hanging with my new BFF, their seven month old daughter Adelaide.

Mom & daughter! They are the best.

The views on the drive through the canyon to/from Estes are something else!

What a jammed weekend! No wonder by Sunday Andy was all about staying in, Skyping with my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew (!!!!), and then having a low-key night with Christine and Lindsay!

-Breanna