The Local Starbucks

Here's the thing... 

I like Starbucks. A lot. 

I especially love the local little Starbucks just around the corner.

• It is the local hot spot for the elderly community nearby. I have yet to come in the mornings and not see the group in their usual corner location. It is so precious.
• The hipster is unknown in these parts... and I don't miss it's presence. Local coffee shops are swarming with hipsters and it gets annoying.
• It is also void of business meetings, which is a rarity in the Denver Tech Center area. I would rather avoid watching the awkward interactions between two people trying to get each other's money (business).
• There are the friendliest barista's, with whom I have had some of the most random conversations. They brighten my day. 
• There is a big nice window, where I am currently watching the snow fall. 
• The location is quite obscure, so it truly only brings in the community locals, which I love.
• I don't feel looked down upon that I don't have a Mac when I do my schoolwork here, because none of the old people even have laptops, so I am the hip one here.
• The Pumpkin Spice Latte is the world's most delicious beverage, with many others' attempts at replicating it, but none of them prevail.

In a tribute, here's a picture from when I went to the first Starbucks on a trip to Seattle a few years ago:

So for all those Starbucks haters out there, suck it. 

School Blues

I am almost done with my masters degree and I am struggling for any remaining motivation. I will graduate in May from Regis University with my M.A. in Leadership Development, which is the light at the end of the tunnel, but even though three months sounds attainable, it seems so far away right now! So instead, I'm focusing my efforts on non-school things:

I have started to train for a marathon. For the second time around, I have recruited a few friends to join me. Steph Trowbridge and my very own Jake Jones will be joining me for the Utah Valley Marathon June 11, 2011. It will be the perfect anniversary activity, with our one year on June 13, 2011. So exciting! :) I also think it will be SO much easier this time around, mostly based on what I see from the elevation map...



If anyone wants to join us, come along! It'll be a party. :)

Baja Pictures #2

A few things about our trip: 

1. It was FREEZING. We went to bed shivering, said breath-cold goodnight's, and had cold showers the whole time.

2. People got really sick. Every day. Missionaries were puking all over themselves and people next to them, which caused a domino effect of people puking. It was rough.

3. It was exhausting. We were lucky to get 5 hours of sleep each night. SO exhausting.

4. BUT- it was worth it. Even if I knew everything about the trip that I know now, I would still go because God really did amazing things. 

Here's some of the highlight pictures:

The scenery there was gorgeous!

The symbol of a cross at the beginning of the house build. Off to a good start!

The structure going up...

Part of the team working hard

Lots of help from the local kids. They were pretty cute.

Jake was a VERY good worker. :)

This little guy was so stinkin cute. 

Edgar was mostly hilarious because of that tooth!

Probably my favorite picture of the whole trip. Jake gets the credit for this one.

Rough picture #1

Just a random dead cat in a bag. Tijuana, Mexico is not for the weak. 

Playing pato, pato, gonzo- duck, duck, goose

Edgar loved Jake. 

Rough picture #2. Plus, you know someone is too old to ride piggy back when you can smell their B.O. 

The whole team just after we handed over the keys to the new owners. 

Jake and my love shack. We slept in a warehouse that was freezing and so dusty, but at least we got to peek out at each other from inside our mummy sleeping bags before we went to bed.

Jake and I enjoying a rare moment of free time at the beach.

And that was the trip. :)

Baja Pictures #1

So these pictures are actually from San Diego where we flew in and spent the first two days before we went over the border to Mexico.

Our early-morning arrival to San Diego Airport. We got there about 8 hours before anyone else, so we quickly stowed our luggage away and went off to explore the city.

Loving the ocean! 

Jake was loving the ocean, too...

...especially after he got some lunch.

And this is officially the last picture of me lighthearted and carefree for the rest of the trip.  After this, I will progressively look more and more ragged, tired and basically run over by a truck.

Baja Pictures #2 Coming Soon...