Never Forget

Each year on 9/11 we stop for a moment to take a breath not just to think about what happened in 2001, but all that has happened since then.  I am confident that we are living in a better country and a better world today. I will continue to believe in the American spirit and continue to honor the freedoms that so many people gave their lives to protect. Thank you to the men and women who serve our country and remind us that we are truly privileged to live in a country that values its people.

“In all we do every day, in our attention to the micro as well as the macro, we strive to make New York City a better place. We work to help those who are without in our own city and, in so doing, serve as a model for what can be done elsewhere. In that way and in many other ways, each of us as individuals and collectively as Robin Hood, honor the memory of 9/11 and the spirit of what has been done since. This is a part of what it is to Be Robin Hood.”

– Emary Aronson, Managing Director, Robin Hood Relief Fund

A Mother’s Work is Never Done

In order to get to Telluride, Matt and I had to drive more than 6 hours from Denver. Technically we could have flown into Telluride, however it was much more expensive and would have complicated things since we were flying out of Denver on the way home. So, we decided to drive.

Neither of us were really bothered by this. We don’t have a car now and never spend much time in a car. Really the longest car rides we have taken in the past year have been in the taxi to the airport. And let’s face it – the scenery on the drive to Telluride was going to beat anything we could see on a drive in NY! Plus, in high school (the last time I had a car) I was known to do some of my best sing-along singing in the car . So, not only were we not bothered, we were kind of excited.

See – doesn’t Matt look excited?

Road Trip Supplies

Unfortunately, some people — I won’t name names — were less excited about all of this driving. It seems as though even though I’m nearing 30, the thought of me and my husband driving 362 miles is just too much for my mom some people. I guess the fact that in high school I fell asleep while driving (on the highway) to swim practice will haunt me forever.

I’m happy to report that after a quick lunch stop in Leadville (home of the Leadville 100 featured in Born to Run) to visit one of Matt’s college buddies, we made it to Telluride in one piece.

Not only did we take in some incredible sights during the drive, but Matt even got to enjoy some of my fabulous singing along the way!

A Quick Stop in Denver

So even though Colorado is awesome, some people might be wondering why we decided to take our trip there. A simple answer: Mumford and Sons. Oh yeah, and our friend Ryan.

Let me explain.

Back in July we got an email from one of our friends. Here is what it said:

Dear Friends, 

Do you have plans for Labor Day Weekend?  If not, please consider this – and email me if you are interested (or not):

What:  Trip to Aspen, CO – Concerts

• Sugarland (Friday)
• Steve Miller Band (Friday)
• Mumford & Sons (Saturday)
  

Jazz Aspen Snowmass

When: Friday, August 31st – Sunday, September 2nd.

Why? Well, it would be a lot of fun.  It would also be a great time to celebrate Ryan’s 30th birthday (a month late…we just didn’t have any free summer weekends til this one!)

Love,
Lauren

Here’s my response, sent about two minutes after receiving this email:

Lauren,

This looks ridiculously awesome. Matt and I are totally in (I say this without having talked to him but I know he feels the same way). You win wife of the year for putting this together!!!!

Molly

Then three minutes later, Matt sent this:

Hahaha, like Molls said, we are definitely in if it happens. Let us know if you need help with anything.

While we definitely wanted to be there to celebrate Ryan’s Birthday, I have to be honest, when I read Mumford and Sons, I was sold. Anyway, Matt and I decided to make a bigger trip out of it and go out a week early for some outdoors fun. Matt, who always takes on the role of travel agent for our vacations (and I must say, does an AMAZING job) again, took the lead on this one. After a lot of research and a few consultations with our friends he came up with a killer itinerary:

Friday: Fly into Denver

Saturday morning: Drive the 6 hours to Telluride

Stay in Telluride Saturday – Wednesday

Wednesday: Drive to Aspen

Wednesday & Thursday: Stay in downtownAspen

Friday: Meet up with our friends in Snowmass

Monday:  Fly home

Since we were getting in on the later side to Denver on Friday, Matt asked me if I minded just staying near the airport. It would save us time and money and since we were there for less than 12 hours, he figured it didn’t matter.Well, unfortunately, I had other thoughts. I had never been to Denver so I thought it might be nice to stay in the city, at least so I could see it. So like the good husband that he is, Matt booked us a hotel in the city.

Well, let me just say, it is a good thing that he did. On the drive from the airport to the city, Matt and I almost died. No, not from a car accident… from the terrible smell that blankets the entire 5 mile radius around the airport.Nope, not jet fuel or something from the airport. The whole area smells like shit – literally. And no, I am not making this up.

There is even a term in urban dictionary about it: Smells like greeley.

We stayed in the Warick Hotel, which would be a great place for anyone to stay if they are looking to do a longer trip in Denver. It had a historic feel to it but had undergone some really nice renovations. there is even a roof top pool that overlooks the city. Unfortunately by the time we checked in it was closed and we left the hotel a little early so we didn’t have a chance to get up there.

I’m happy I had a chance to see Denver. Honestly, just from a quick drive through the city, I wasn’t able to see what all the hype is about. Especially when both of the breakfast places that were recommended to use had ridiculously long lines at 9am! I mean, in NYC, restaurants aren’t even open yet at that time, let alone have a long line! However, once we started driving outside of the city, it was easy to see why people find it such a great place to live.

Up next – Telluride!

The Centennial State

You may have noticed an absence on my blog lately. Let me explain.

The week before labor day, Matt and I took an amazing vacation to Colorado. I didn’t want to give daily upsets because I knew they would be short and probably of a sub-par quality. So I documented all of the awesome things that we did with the plan to come back and hit you all with some posts that would definitely make you all want to take a trip to Colorado. Unfortunately when I returned to work after being away for 10 days, I had a lot of work. Shocking, I know.

Thankfully, I am nearly caught up with that — now it is time for some fun.

So get ready for an entire week dedicated to the great state of Colorado. Hopefully by the end you will join with me in trying to convince Matt and we need to move there.

 

You’ve Got My Vote

Last night I decided to watch my first debate of the Republican presidential nominees. I have to say, one guy stood out to me and is definitely getting my vote.

 

Even with his recent Gawker/Lana Del Rey scandal and his excessively orange skin, Brian Williams is certainly my favorite GOP candidate.

What? He isn’t official running for the nomination? Hmm, could have fooled me – reports indicate that Williams spoke 2,137 words during the debate, only 819 fewer than Ron Paul (and I KNOW that guy is in the running).

B. WILLIAMS FOR PRESIDENT. SPRAY TANS FOR ALL!

The Call to Serve

On this day of remembrance, for all of the Veterans who have given their time, and sometimes their lives, for our country I cannot help but feel a little disheartened.

Over the past 200+ years well over 1 million soldiers have paid the ultimate price so that we can continue to live our lives in the land of the free. The land of opportunity. The land where all men are created equal.

I am forced to ask, have we continued to honor these sacrifices? With so many people living in poverty, is this truly the land of opportunity? And where the zip code you are born into determines your destiny, are all men truly created equally? I am not sure that the soldiers who fought to protect our freedoms would think so.

Don’t get me wrong, I love our country and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. But I am concerned about our future. With a country divided and no one willing to work together, how are we expected to move forward?

After 9/11, the country came together in way that I am not sure we will ever see again. American flags were hung outside every home and people across our nation came together to grieve, to mourn and to stand up for our freedoms. It is what we do when faced with adversity that truly defines us. After 9/11, I could not have been more proud to be an American.

And now, our country is faced with adversity again.  And instead of stepping up to the challenges that face our country together, we are crumbling apart.

As a nation, we have prospered because we’ve always had citizens willing to stand up and answer the call to serve in hours of need. Our national resolve has been expressed by the millions who have worn the military uniform. Today, the call to serve our nation is of a different kind.  Today the call to serve is extended to all citizens, not just those in uniform. The call to serve our own citizens who are struggling. The call to come together and find real solutions to the problems that we face. The call to compromise and give more of ourselves than we have before. We must remember, we are not the 99%. We are not the 1%. We are the 100%.

I know that we have the ability to respond to this call. We did it after 9/11. We will do it again.

Thank you to the all the men and women who have served our country and fought to protect our freedoms. We, the American nation, will not let you down.