Catching up and Christmas partying with the Catholics.....

Oof! I am behind! Lots of pics to share from the weekend in Colorado. On Saturday, after track camp and Mass, Cathleen and I drove up to Boulder (about 30 min. NW of Denver) to explore that college town a bit. It was very, very cute! On Kelsey's recommendation, we had dinner at Pasta Jay's, a great Italian place on Pearl Street, the heart of the "downtown" hangout area. There were tons of other shops, restaurants, and coffee places along this "strip." And great, free, parking too! It was great to see so many young people around!

Kelsey is doing awesome! She LOVES Colorado, and says that she hasn't bought a drink for herself since being out here (being 6'2 or whatever and gorgeous probably has something to do with it!). But she took us to this place, Rio Grande, which had great frozen strawberry margaritas! :) Mmm. Anyway, she's playing in a basketball league, tutoring, nannying and loving learning to snowboard and enjoying the rest of the beautiful Colorado outdoors. I know she'll have her pick of law schools come the spring (she's already in but I'll let you ask her where), but I think it would be great for her to stay out in Colorado!

On Sunday, I drove down (about an hour) to Colorado Springs to see Mindy, my roommate from senior year of college. Mindy was one of my best friends, especially through the music department, and we did our junior recital together! After staying in Richmond after graduation working for a Performing Arts organization, she saw the light and moved out to Colorado to join this organization called Twentyfourseven, a Christian organization that trains people in missions work. She has, through this group, taken amazing trips to Asia and Mexico to minister. Now she's teaching Spanish at an elementary school in the Springs and is not sure where life is going to bring her next. I hope that (esp. if I move here!) she stays in CO for a few more years. She has big plans for us to climb some "fourteeners" (some of the many, many 14,000-foot peaks in the area) and was already asking me when in the summer, if I were to start residency here, I would be coming out :) . It, alas, was somewhat cloudy and I don't have some of the great views of Pike's Peak I had the last time I visited the Springs, but here are some pics from the day. The first is us in front of her cute, cute house.

This is one I took at arm's length! These don't usually turn out well but this was okay!

Then, Sunday night, it was time to go to the Christmas party Cathleen organized at St. Joseph's Catholic Church that she attends. She's really involved with the youth group, confirmation class, etc., there, and it was kind of fun to get dressed up (all in her clothes [and jewelry], as I neglected to bring my own hot little black strapless dress on this residency interview trail!!!) and goof around with some of her friends. I learned that Catholics like to party! There was great food and drinks for all (egg nog and rum.... mmm)! :) Fun times.

Not sure quite what was going on here. I obviously didn't pose very well.

With Matt, another guy from her church

He's a bit of a goofball (but yes, I recognize that I, too, have a citrus fruit in my mouth)

Group photo of the gals!

More goofiness

Rocking around the Christmas tree...This is in honor of another one of our roommates, Mo, who she's also trying to get out to Denver

And I just had to throw this picture in. This is, honestly, a picture of Cathleen's fridge. Can you believe this?! Good think I get fed at these residency interviews. And go out to eat a lot :) But she's been a fantastic host!

I had my interview at Swedish today. A very unique FM program in this area (Englewood, CO). But I'm tired so I think I will save writing about it for another time. Stay tuned :)