marchy march.  it seems like so long ago!  jamie turned 27, he had PRK surgery [a type of corrective eye surgery], both of our parents came to visit, and i got my apartment looking like a home [with huge help from my parents, mimi, and jamie!].  and slowly but surely, i was getting settled in denver life!  here are some photos from the month of march:

{let’s start with the very first and the very best part of the month – jamie turned 27 on march 1, exactly one week after i turned 27!  i didn’t take any pictures at our little celebration [shame on me!], but i cooked dinner for him and made him his favorite scotcharoo bars [his request in exchange for a cake].  his other request was just to relax and not worry about work, so we had a quiet evening and just spent some quality time together.  as a side note, if someone told me a year ago that i would meet this handsome south dakota boy in denver, date him long distance for 5+ months and then move to colorado for work and live in the same city as him, i never would have believed it.  God has a way of surprising us in the most wonderful ways.  i’m so thankful for jamie and so thrilled to be in denver with him!  he is an amazing human and i’m glad he was born.  27 is going to be GOOD [already has been so far!].}

{noelle and i tried a little french restaurant on larimer square that’s called bistro vendôme for restaurant week.  the atmosphere of this place takes the cake.}

{on the right is a tiny little cup of creamy soup that they bring you to sip on before the meal.}

{i had fish… i don’t remember what kind, but it was pan-fried and super rich but very tasty!}

{one of my favorite parts of the meal was there on the left – escargot en croûte.  imported burgundy snails, leek butter, hazelnuts, and puff pastry.  and for dessert, chocolate bouchons – cork-shaped rich chocolate tortes, vanilla bean ice cream, and salted caramel.}

{warm enough weather to lay out in early march?  i’ll take it.}

{on the left, i spotted this little corner of art and “TGIF” in my neighborhood while running one friday afternoon and thought it was appropriate for the day.  on the right, some little daffodils popping up!  signs of spring!}

{also, these.}

{jamie and i tried this awesome little brunch place called onefold after church one sunday and i fell in love!  it’s tiny but so cool.  the food was amazing too.}

{i love the vibe of this place.}

{bacon fried rice: 2 duckfat fried eggs, tender belly bacon, garlic, green onions, soy sauce, chili oil.  sooooo good.}

{…and that same sunday, we went for a hike!  one of the many reasons i love colorado.  this was in evergreen.}

{“they’re called aspen trees because of the way they are.”  has anyone else seen this video?!  haha.}

{from our hike to panorama point at corwina park!}

{i look gross but he looks handsome.}

{panorama point!  the sun was peeking through the clouds when we got up there and it was awe-inspiring.}

{we took a few pics up there…}

{this one might be my favorite.}

{i got this adorable card from my sweet friend kyle for my birthday/housewarming!}

{…and that giftcard + cute note in the picture on the left!  kyle has always been a wonderful friend to me and i miss him!  on the right, a new shoe rack for my closet.  i put it together alllllll by myself!}

{my parents + mimi came in town for a quick weekend in march.  i can’t believe we didn’t take any photos together while they were here!  once again, shame on me!  anyway i had to get some voodoo doughnuts for them to try.}

{i made a lunch for the fam that was inspired by the wonderful people that i work with:  amazing marinated fajita meat that i got from work and dad grilled, guacamole, tortillas [the good kind that my coworker brought me], cilantro lime rice and “elotes en vaso.”  it was pretty tasty.}

{my family spent the whole weekend working hard to help me get settled in my new apartment.  we hung picture after picture [i think there were 76 in total], my dad and jamie did a bunch of “man tasks” that i needed help with, and we went shopping for a few things for my place as well.  by the time they left, my apartment looked COMPLETELY different than it did when they had arrived and i am so very grateful for all their work.  i love my apartment now, thanks to them!  mom, dad, and mimi, next time you come, it’s going to be all play and no work!!} ;)

{a few more pics of my home sweet home}

{on the left, donut love!  and on the right, a close up of jamie’s super creepy dilated eyes!  ;)  they had to dilate them for an appointment before his eye surgery.}

{the eye surgery was a big part of this month since it takes several weeks to recover from it and at first you can’t drive, are sensitive to light, etc, so jamie was out of commission during that time.  he had planned the surgery to be between leaving his old job and starting his new job, so at least he didn’t have to work, and i tried to help him out as much as i could by getting groceries and cooking for him.  luckily he had no pain at all and not too much sensitivity to light either.  however, it did take several weeks for him to be able to see well, and this drove him nuts there for a while.  i thought i was pretty clever in making him this eye chart “get well soon” card on his surgery day, but later on, we joked that it should have said “see better soon sweetheart,” rather than “feel better soon sweetheart.”  ;)  he was so happy when his vision finally started improving, and now he sees 20/20!}

{i also wanted to make him a care package for his surgery day, but i had a really hard time coming up with what you give someone who can’t see!  i ended up giving him a lot of food – carrots of course [because they’re good for  your eyes!], pickles [because he loves them], popcorn, lots of gum and candy, along with an eye mask and some clay [i figured it’s something that will keep you busy with your hands but you don’t have to see to be able to play with it].  he didn’t end up using the clay at all [i figured he wouldn’t], but that’s okay.  it’s the thought that counts!!}

{a little snapshot of the source, one of my favorite little gems in my neighborhood, and some sidewalk chalk art for st. patty’s day!}

{cute baby shiner!  and a fun little conveyor-belt sushi place called sushi-rama in my neighborhood.}

{i heart sushi.}

{not an amazing picture, but this was pulling out of my apartment complex on my way to work… those mountain views never get old.}

{these quiet weekend mornings with coffee and the Word are more few and far between these days than i’d like to admit… i’ve traded them in for spending time with jamie on the weekends – brunching, going for coffee, making breakfast, going for hikes.  i’m so happy i get to do these things with him!  i so enjoy spending time with him!  i wouldn’t trade these memories we’ve made for anything!  BUT these mornings are a good reminder that i still need quiet time with the Lord.  lately, i’ve really been thinking a lot about how i can find that balance in my life.  jamie is so supportive and i’m really glad about that.  it’s just about me carving out the time to pray and read scriptures and i have full intentions of doing better at this in the months to come.  continuous self improvement!}

{from sweet action:  banana ice cream sandwiched with butterscotch oatmeal cookies.  i vote yes.  and a random pencil on the side of a building?!}

{a fun little throwback that i found.}

{jamie’s parents came to visit at the end of march and it happened to be jamie’s mom’s birthday so i made her a carrot cake to celebrate!  i’m so happy that i got to meet them and spend time with them.}

{jamie with his mom and dad}

{we ended up going into georgetown to walk around.  this is a view overlooking the town.}

{the cute town of georgetown!}

{we also drove around near arapahoe national forest.}

{snow!}

{i love this picture!}

{the highlands in denver}

{linger and little man!}

{on the left, lucky on my bed quite a few years ago, and on the right, shiner on my bed.  i forgot how red little lucky was!  i miss him a lot, but i’m happy we have our sweet baby shiner to cuddle now!}

{the sweetest gift from the sweetest friend.  i miss my BFF and oldest friend julee!}

xoxo