Ski Boots for $15?

Here are some pictures of fun evenings with friends at Big Billies, my new residence.





Yes, that is correct - ski boots for $15. I love living in this little town. The leftovers from the ski swap were even more marked down and I had no idea. Not only are the boots I bought awesome, they just happen to match my new skis. What are the odds?!
I am currently in the Denver Airport waiting for my connecting flight home for Turkey Day! Not going to lie, I am really excited to see everyone. Things in Telluride have been great. I nailed my interview at a great daycare center in Mountain Village and will be starting work on Tuesday. Snow College for ski instructors starts on December 5th and I also applied as a waitress in town. Things are slowly falling into place.
Kate's costume birthday party was hilarious. We all had so much fun! I dressed as a saucy school teacher with the school bus skirt I found from the free box in town. The Gondola is running now and it makes going to town so much cooler! The view is unbelievable.

The truth is...you can't escape it.

My first week in Telluride has gone by rather quickly. I set up my apartment to the best of my ability, became a member of the local library and received my new skis in the mail yesterday. Big Billies apartment building is like college...but better? Only because there are no exams to worry about.
There are so many people to meet everyday and so much to see that I barely sleep in! That is a shocker, I know. We have played lots of games, watched movies and went to see a live Bluegrass show in town the other night. There was a corn hole competition the other day. Amanda and I signed up but I was feeling under the weather so I asked a nice fellow to take my place. And I watched football all day instead. The Packers gave the Bears a pretty good beating. That would normally excite me but the Bears are like the equivalent of a high school team.
There is a free box in town where people drop off stuff they no longer want. It is pretty amazing. I found an awesome skirt with school buses all over it. I might wear it tonight if I am feeling saucy. I met some boys from Maryland who happen to know people I went to high school with...that was weird. And I have a great group of....wait for it...wait for it... girl friends here! Yeah, that's right, I said it, girls as friends. haha. We have been having lots of fun hanging out and exploring the town. A bunch of our new fabulous friends are starting orientation tomorrow as ski lift operators, I think life may be a bit boring without all of them around during the day!
Tomorrow night Jen (my fabulous friend from Denver) and I threw together a Super Sweet 23rd Costume Party for our friend Kate from Michigan. I am very excited. It will be great. Tonight we are going to bake her a delicious cake.
Last night I made a big dinner for a bunch of people in our land lords apartment. He has a great place and a real stove. I was so excited that he let me use his kitchen!
We are building a fort in my room tonight. I am also very excited about that.
Hasta Luego for now.

Telluride!

Telluride is a great town. The mountains are gorgeous and the people are sweet. It is really relaxed and everyone living in our apartment building is a ski bum. We are right on the mountaint and there are free shuttles and a Gondola into town. Pretty convenient, if I do say so myself!
I have been on the hunt for a second, maybe even a third job. haha. We will see what happens. Just trying not to spend all my money until snow college starts. I will try to take more pictures when I feel like it. So there.

Camping in 20 degree weather?

The week went by rather quickly. We spent time running errands for Papa George in Pueblo. I have been limping a lot and hope that my knee gets better soon. We are heading out to Telluride tomorrow and I am really excited. It looks like snow is on the way today. The sky reminds me of the heaviest snow days at home when I was a little girl.

George and Jane had some friends from San Antonio here this weekend. Steve came down from Boulder after an interview in Dallas. We went out in downtown Colorado Springs on Friday night. Saturday we packed up and headed to Mueller State Park on the other side of Pike's Peak. It was a great time! We went hiking and then made Thai food and sat around an awesome camp fire. It was freezing once the sun went down, and sleeping was pretty rough! We had an awesome breakfast on Sunday. I ate like a pig and we had a lazy day at home. All in all a huge success in my book.

My baby brother is 21 today! Woohoo. I am bummed that I can't be there to buy him his first legal beer. Happy Birthday Timbo!!!

You're not official until you crash into a rock.

Boulder, CO. Our view from the top of the mountain - totally worth the work to get there!

Meghan, Amanda, Steve...half way to the top.

Beautiful State.

Me and Amanda at Big Texas, where I learned how to two step. haha.

Proof (I was dragged onto the dance floor and hesitant at first). And, just for the record, it is ridiculously hard to learn how to dance in flip flops!

Amanda and I spent the weekend with Meghan and Steve Sloan. They took us to Ft. Collins on Saturday for a brewery tour and a house warming party. Odell's brewery was a lot of fun, the guy giving the tour was a returned peace corps volunteer. He randomly mentioned it during the start of the tour so we all talked afterward. Sunday we went hiking in Boulder, then toured CU's campus and got to see where Meghan and Steve got married. Boulder is really pretty - I totally understand the appeal now. We got nachos and played games. Later we got sushi and played more games. My knee was killing me and I later found out I pulled a muscle while hiking. Monday we went mountain biking. I had the best wipe out EVER. Over a tree root into a rock. The front tire left an awesome battle wound up my left shin and my right knee smashed into a rock. It is still bleeding, two days later. haha. It was the best work out I have ever had! It is so beautiful out here. We got burritos and hung out for the rest of the day.
We are moving out to Telluride on Tuesday. I am SO excited. I ordered new skis last night - they are gorgeous and SO CHEAP. Holler at a player when you see her in the streets, that's all I have to say. I have been limping around and periodically cleaning out my knee. It is so gross! haha. I can't wait to go mountain biking again.

hmmm, I guess that is it for now. I made some awesome cinnamon muffins last night. We have been cooking A LOT. Oh and I heard from Peace Corps...I leave for Panama in April to do Tourism and English Development. I am very, VERY excited about that, to say the least. Things are falling back into place, for now.

Ok, Peace Out.