hello colorado: move part 3

So after arriving in CO, we still had a couple days before we could move into our rental house.  so while brian went to work, the sweetness and i drove around and killed time.

which was really boring.

selfies in the hotel.  really boring.

i decided to drive down to the house and get familiar with the area.  i immediately found that driving in co was not going to be like ca.  for example, the speed limit on the freeway is less than 60 mph.  wut?  SO SLOW.  also, people rarely go the speed limit.  by that i mean, most people (in my experience) go at least one or two mphs UNDER the limit.  sometimes as much as 5 under.  boggles my mind.

this is on the major north-south freeway through denver. not kidding.

i took doggie to a dog park, figuring that he was dying being in the car for so long and he loved it.  i found a cool one near our house and spent 2 hours there.  i try to take him at least once a week now, but it is hard to do when its so cold.

loving being out of the truck of the car.

loving watching the dog from a different perspective than her car seat.

we live to the southwest of downtown denver, close to the mountains.  we have a great view of them off our back deck, and it is nice to have a skyline to look at.  ive also noticed that the air here is REALLY clear.  unlike the inversion in slc, the air does not hover over denver here.  in fact, from a little hilly roll in a street a few blocks away, i can clearly see downtown, which is 20 miles away.  its really cool to come up over the hill and catch a glimpse of the city, especially at dusk when the setting sun catches the glass buildings.

view from the road

when we moved in, we had already taken the mattress out because we slept there the night before, but the next day, we got it all out of the truck in under an hour, thanks to 10 guys from that ward that come over to help.   all while dumping snow!  there was about 6 inches by the end of the day, at least.

our welcome snow.

now, after more than a month here,we are almost completely unpacked, we got brian another car so i can stop driving him to the light rail at the crack of dawn/being stranded at home without a car.  i have joined two local mom groups, gotten a library card and checked out 6 books, joined a recipe testing group with girls from church, bought kitchen chairs and had a couple over for dinner, and started working out every day.  ive tried to throw myself into being here and dare myself to not find a way to like it here.

unpacking the kitchen.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR MARRIAGE, WE HAVE A REAL DINING AREA.

but when people ask if im loving it here, all i can muster is an apathetic "eh."

and theres no real reason that i can articulate.

i like the house.  actually, i kind of love the house.  its felt good and cozy from the first day.  but the house could be on the moon for all it matters in many ways.

the cute house.  taken while creeping on it before moving in 

i leave the house every day, at least to go to the gym, but usually for some play date, or run errands, or to hit up the library.  so its not for lack of getting out.  ive met lots of people (and am having trouble remember so many peoples names), but i dont feel like im connecting with many.  which is disappointing.

we took brecken to the zoo, and she loved the monkeys and fish.

air force academy chapel, mlk weekend

but maybe thats my fault.  i know im keeping it close to the chest.  im not trying to be cautious, but its happening.  people are really nice-a good mix of the wa down-to-earth-ness and ca outgoing-ness.  but i still feel...on the outside.

the cutest mitten-eater ever.

in the sahm moms groups, im one of the youngest (even at 27!! even in the babies only group!!).  the same with the church girls, though people keep telling me theres a hidden trove of girls my age with young babies.  i dont mind being young, but at least with the mormon women, it puts up invisible walls that dont seem to be easily breached.  it doesnt help that the mormon women all think im significantly younger than i am because of only having one baby.  the other week someone made mention of having started a family late, at 27.  i said, "oh im 27!"  and she was like, "what??  i thought you were like 24."

first time on the swing

loving it.

thats not helping me any.

so, i dunno.  im trying.  i really am.  i just cant quite eke out "yes" to the inevitable question.

brian, on the other hand, is loving it and loving his job.  which makes me really happy. and cobalt loves the snow, and goes crazy in it every day, and even got to have a play date with one of his brothers (which was awesome, they totally loved each other).  and brecken is doing well, though she had pink eye the other week (not like it affected her any, the champ).

its apparently just me thats playing hard to get.