11.06.2008

Five Things I Love About Colorado

I have been tagged by Chris from Just a Girl (She has an amazing blog, by the way!  Such great projects and ideas, be sure to check it out if you haven't already!) to participate in this fun little game.  She wants me to name five reasons why I love my state.  I live in Colorado, so this was pretty easy!

Now, the truth is, I could easily tell you about the mountains, the weather, the absolutely gorgeous summers and snowy winters. I could tell you that I love Colorado because it is sunny 300 days a year. What does that mean? It means that it snows and it is pretty, but then it melts the next day so we aren't looking at gray slush for weeks afterward. (That's a personal shout out to my hometown, Cincinnati, which loves to provide weeks upon weeks of cold, gray, slushy days in a row in February!) But instead I will just sum up the Colorado surroundings by posting this photo, taken of my husband Brent and daughter Nina last Christmas on the bike path behind our house!

I love Colorado, and my little corner of it, because of how family-friendly it is. We regularly attend community parades, festivals, farmers' markets, and holiday celebrations. Here's a shot of us at the Fourth of July parade.  Could we be more Americana?  

I love Colorado because, through a strange twist of circumstances, we have lots of family here.  My aunt, some cousins, and my husband's parents, to name a few.  I am especially thrilled because my sister and her husband live one mile from us.   Lindsay is my only sibling, and she is expecting her first baby in March, a month after me.  My husband and her husband get along really well, and it has been so fun to live so close to them!  Here they are with Nina last summer (she looks so little in this photo!)

You might think me strange, but I love that Colorado is such a football state, and that Denver is a classic football town. You have to remember that I was raised by a die hard Cleveland Browns fan, and I can totally get sentimental when I hear the Sports Center theme song or the comforting (to me) sounds of a football game on TV on a Sunday afternoon.  Here's a shot of Invesco Field at Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos (photo courtesy of denverbroncos.com).

And since this is a mostly decorating blog, I have to mention the great shopping I have found in Colorado. Here's a photo of one of my favorite thrift stores (It's the Littleton/Highlands Ranch Goodwill, for those Denver girls out there!).  I always find fantastic deals on things like furniture, home decor and lots of other little items that I can "rehab."  (Photo courtesy of denvergoodwill.org

So there are my Five Things!  Hope you enjoyed this little tour of Colorado!


52 comments:

Stacey said...

Those are great reasons! You are so lucky to live close to family.

The corporate head quarters for my husband's company is in Denver..he goes there all the time. Loves all the walking trails.

Eloise said...

What a wonderful post! I think it's so refreshing for someone to be so positive about her *adopted* home state.

I really envy you for living so close to your sister. My sister is in Georgia and I'm in Texas, and though we talk every day, it would be so wonderful to be able to see each other in person more often.

Unknown said...

Very awesome, and what beautiful pics! You are truly lucky to live in such a wonderful state....oh, and to have a nearby Goodwill (finding the right thrift stores is almost as important as finding the right church!)

Unknown said...

I love this!

Wendy said...

I'm originally from the west (Utah actually) so the pictures of the scenery sure make me homesick. I miss the mountains so much! No mountains in New England just hills. sigh.

Anonymous said...

I have never been to Colorado, it sure looks great :)

Darlene said...

Great posting about the 5 things you love about your area!!

Kelli said...

I'm packing my bags right now. Your post so makes me want to move there. Here in Columbus, winter is so gross. Just the thought of 300 days of sun would be great. Sign. Thanks for sharing.

duchess said...

Sounds like a great place. Maybe I'll get to see it one day.

Jboo said...

Colorado has always been one of my fav states too! Love to hear about your little corner of the world.

Have a fun day!

Janet

CMB said...

My husband travels to CO regularly and we finally took the whole family a few years ago...we were all surprised how much we liked it, it is a beautiful place!

Carolina Mama said...

You're going to have us moving back! :) All the right reasons. Great post . Thanks for sharing your Colorado.

angie {the arthur clan} said...

What a beautiful place to live (and isn't it wonderful to have family close by?)

Angie (who lives in that state you came from that will soon be slushy grey.)

The Golf Widow said...

Now I feel I need to live in CO.What a view!I love the mild NC winters but would love more snow(grey free variety) to pull a sled.

Family close is awesome. You two are going to love having babies the same age! My daughter and nephew call themselves cousin-twins.Even after 8 years they are still best friends.

Shannon said...

Love all the pictures! Colorado is so beautiful.

Christy said...

Thanks for the tour! I can't even imagine living in such a beautiful place like Colorado. As you know, Ohio is a beautiful part of the country but I could totally do without our gray and dreary winters we have most of the time. This last week we have actually had temperatures in the 70's!

Thanks for sharing your hometown! How neat too that you have family so close.

Desiree said...

Hello! I am a fellow Coloradan so I thought I would say hi! Thanks for the post about our beautiful state. Love your blog!
Desiree

Chris said...

Those are great pictures! I love how you gave us so many choices as to why Colorado is great! I DO envy your snow, though. Ours is pretty for a few days, but it's generally slushy, gray, and gloomy!

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

All great reasons to love where you live!!

I have never been to Colorado, but hope to get there some day soon!

jennykate77 said...

That's awesome! I already knew that Denver rocks, but this just solidified it for me :) The pic of dh and dd in the snow...that melts my heart! I'm also a football fanatic, so I totally appreciate your love for the game and I wish Oklahoma had a pro team, but I'm absolutely satisfied by my love for the Sooners :)

Thanks for the tour!

Hope you're having a great day!

Shell in your Pocket said...

So fun! I am a proud Cincy person who looks at gray slush more than I would like to!

What a blessing to have family near!! It is a dream of mine...how wonderful!!!

What fun things!!! Colorado is beautiful! -sandy toes

Our Complete Family said...

So, so, so beautiful! I hope to one day make it to CO! Maybe Jas can stow me and the kiddos away on one of his trips!!! ;)

Joanna said...

I would love to visit CO one day. All the pictures I have ever seen are just beautiful!

Emily said...

Sounds like a great place to live. My sister used to live in Longmont and we got to visit her once and loved it.

the undomesticated wife said...

I haven't been to Colorado, but my hubs has (and I dated a guy from a suburb of Denver..Westminister?)...hubs loved it there. Had a hard time breathing though. ;)

Aleta said...

What lovely pictures! I've been to Colorado in the summer and winter and loved it both times. I wish I could live there.

blueladybug said...

How nice to have your sister so close to you. I'm jealous. My sister (and only sibling) moved to Arizona 2 years ago and I really miss having her only 15 miles away.

Davene said...

That was fun to read! I've never been to Colorado, but it sounds like a great state.

Amanda said...

Great post! YOu are lucky to have sister...and only a mile away! Have a happy day!

Colleen formerly of South Africa said...

Loved the candy corn cookies, and the plate. How cute is that.

Beth at Aunties said...

I am so glad I popped into your blog today!
Two of our sons are looking into opening future dental practices in the beautiful state of Colorado because of the fabulous opportunities to spend time in the great out of doors.
Sisters are wonderful and I am glad yours is so close by.
We have snow and it is sunny. I too love the sun and hope it would melts my driveway today. We face north:)
Thanks for the awesome post!

Nette said...

Small world...I found your blog via Nina Knows Best. Anyway, a fellow Nati-Native.

Colorado is a fav of mine. Beautiful.

Courtney said...

Hi Carrie,
A blogger friend told me about your site and said that you lived in Denver too. We just moved here several months ago and don't know to many people. Where do you live in Denver? We are in the Cherry Creek area. Love your blog. I think I have run across it before through someone's else's blog. I will have to add you to my blogroll, if thats ok with you.
Courtney

Naturally Caffeinated Family said...

The snowy backyard shot is amazing! We've been wanting to visit Colorado for so long now! It sounds so wonderful! :) And that is soo fun that your sister lives near...and is having a baby a month apart, that's is soo awesome!!

Ms. Tee said...

This makes me want to live in Denver! We get snow in the south, but not often, and it's gone the very next day as well. :)
I've always heard there's almost no humidity in Colorado - if that's true, I'm moving right now!

Unknown said...

I left you an award come check it out!

Unknown said...

My cousin Richard got married in Colorado and Denver was just about the prettiest place I ever was : ). Love those mountains!

AndreaLeigh said...

I came to Denver once, for a conference, and was really impressed with the shopping, but that is all I saw. It looks beautifu! Maybe I can come back and visit one day.

Sunny said...

I know exactly where Highlands Ranch/Littleton is! Mr. worked in Englewood. We lived off 25 in the north end of the Springs. It is beautiful.

ROXY said...

I've never been....i've heard it's a beautiful state. It sure looks it!!

Ruby Red Slippers said...

I love it! I have never been there, but hope to sometime...without snow, hopefully! (I get enough of that in Michigan!)

Jo said...

I've been to Colorado many times and I must agree that it is beautiful. My Aunt Joanne (whom I am named after) and her family live in Colorado Springs.We have spend Thanksgiving and Christmas there. Our time there seems almost magical. It is always a wonderful trip when we visit.

Jo

CIRCLE OF LIFE said...

great pictures that is awesome!!
it is so nice to learn about our bloggers throught there pictures!!

Jodee said...

We love Colorado too! I am hoping to get to Estes Park soon!

Sweet Simplicity said...

I love CO. I would love to live there one day. How fun that your sister is due one month after you!! I have a cousin that is 3 months younger than me and we have always had a close bond. In fact she got married a week before me. We were even pen pals when we were younger. I have so many great memories with her. I hope your kids have that with your sister's kiddos.

AMY said...

My sister lives in Denver and you are right, it is wonderful. She is a southern girl and has adapted well to the snow.

Carolina Mama said...

I followed your lead and put up my top five of Carolina. :) And I do agree with your Colorado choices, too. :)

Lisa said...

Oh I love this post!!!! You hit it right on the nail! it really is such a privelidge to live in this beautiful state! We are so lucky!

Amber said...

Yay for Lindsay! :) (She hasn't changed a bit!)

And I can definitely relate on not missing the snowy, gray, slushy days of snow that won't ever melt in Ohio! ;)

There definitely ARE a lot of reasons to love living in Colorado!

Heidi Boos said...

If I had to move anywhere out of Oregon (which I love!), it would definitely be Colorado. I fell in love while "passing through" on a road trip with my highschool youth missions trip "way back when".

Love the picture of your husband and daughter in the snow. Priceless.

Lisa Marie said...

wonderful post...I want to move to Colorado so bad...someday soon I hope, hugs, lisa

Mamajil said...

What a neat place!! My husband lived in Colorado for a short while (long before I was in the Pic.) He has always said he'd love to go back...