Wanderlust: 2016 States

The most recent item on the list "Things my husband could be annoyed about, but isn't" is this: I keep talking about how desperately I want to take another international trip. One time after harping on about how this should be the easiest time of our lives to travel, I realized that we've actually been doing a ton of traveling. The fact that all of it has been in the United States doesn't mean it isn't true. (And furthermore, this isn't actually the easiest time to travel: Our income is tiny, I'm in grad school, we don't have jobs with built-up PTO, and we have a lot of Service Adventure-related responsibilities.)

Anyway, Service Adventure has blessed us with a lot of stateside traveling. So, at the end of the year, I'm reflecting back on the travels we've done in 2016 and feeling thankful for the opportunities. Here are the states we've spent time in. Relevant blog posts from these trips are linked below, in case you've missed them.

1. Colorado -- obviously, because we live here, but still worth mentioning, as it's the setting for a multitude of adventures.
2. California -- The Service Adventure leaders had a retreat in San Diego in mid January. It was a lovely little change of scenery and infusion of warmer weather into our winter.
3. Kansas -- In April, the Service Adventure unit took a recruiting trip to central Kansas. We spent a few days talking to high school students about the program, as well as exploring Sarah's home area with visits to the Cosmosphere and a salt mine.
4. Wyoming -- Every Service Adventure unit takes a trip together as the program is drawing to a close, and we took ours to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Gorgeous area and fun people!
5. Virginia -- From mid June to late July, Daniel and I spent time in VA with many of our family and friends. A highlight was our first time attending the Red Wing Roots Music Festival.
6. Alaska -- The Service Adventure leader orientation took place in Anchorage at the end of July this year! It was an amazing chance to visit the largest U.S. state, and we spent three whirlwind days on Kodiak Island afterward. It was one of the more unforgettable trips of my life thus far.
7. New Mexico -- We trekked to our adjacent state in early October for the annual hot air balloon fiesta and spent a happy weekend with the Albuquerque Service Adventure unit. Albuquerque is an interesting city with a vibrant Southwest culture, and I enjoyed getting to know it for a second time (since we visited last year for the balloon fiesta as well). For me, the highlight this year was viewing the nighttime cityscape from Sandia Crest at 10,000 feet.

So, consider this your year-end reminder that travelling is incredibly worthwhile, and you don't have to go far to be stretched in new ways. Here's to more travels in 2017!

Holiday happenings

An evening project: Decorating our new Christmas tree, freshly cut from the Colorado forests that afternoon.

We named it Tom.

A Saturday project: Baking Christmas cookies. Here's our intrepid cookie leader.

And a few helpers.

Later we set out to decorate all the cookies, and made it through about half before losing stamina. I found that my husband has a heretofore-undiscovered-by-me talent: Cookie art. I was amazed.

LOOK AT THE STRIPES ON THOSE MITTENS.

The whole crew, plus one...

...because Sarah came to visit! What a happy time.

Initialed.

Hiking at Red Rock Canyon & Open Space.

I never get tired of this daily sight.

 The housemates at the Festival of Lights, Colorado Springs's annual downtown parade.

I went to a sprouting class! Courtesy of Pikes Peak Urban Gardens, I now know how to grow my own sprouts at home in the winter. My first batch has been underway for a week, and about half of the seeds have burst open to reveal little pale white sprouts. I'm so proud.

Those are some of the holiday happenings around here...What merry sights are gracing your home these days?