This past weekend my husband, my in-laws and I ventured up the mountains to Steamboat Springs to celebrate Adam's birthday! It's always so fun jumping in the car and driving 2 hours to an entirely new place.

Before this weekend, I'd never been to Steamboat, so I was super excited to explore and see what this mountain town has to offer. We did it all. Even at (almost) 34 weeks pregnant, I didn't let that slow me down. Sure I wasn't hiking the highest peaks, but I loved walking around the town.

Have you ever been to Steamboat? Tell me your favs!


WHAT TO DO // There is so much to do in Steamboat. From cute shops to great restaurants, I promise you won't be bored. Steamboat is the cutest cowboy mountain town, it's totally different from the other mountain towns I've been too, but its full of fun stuff.

• Ski 
• FM Light and Sons // It is this classic western shop with the best western gear and so many boots. I bought baby girl the cutest pink moccasins. 

• Rodeo 
• Farmers Market // We ventured down to the Farmers Market Saturday after brunch and it was amazing. There had to be over 150 vendors of all kinds of goods. Fresh fruit, clothing, leather goods. It was so fun perusing all the shops. 
• Soak in the Hot Springs // I mean it' s called Steamboat Springs for a reason.
• Mountain Tap Brewery // Can't go to a town and not visit the local brewery!

• Hike 
• Storm Peak Brewing Company
• Shops at the Gondola and Ride the Gondola // Get a view of the entire mountain and town.

WHERE TO STAY //  We wanted to stay all together, so we rented a VRBO, but Steamboat has a ton of darling hotels. These are some of the cutest I found:

• The Steamboat Grand  
• Dulany at the Gondola  
• Steamboat Mountain Lodge  
• Hotel Bristol 

WHERE TO EAT // I was super surprised at all the amazing restaurants Steamboat had to offer. You gotta seek them out, but they are there. These are a few of my favs.

• Creekside Cafe // Creekside is this darling little spot for breakfast right on the creek (hence the name, obvs). I had the best oatmeal pancakes of my life. 
• Cafe Diva // Such a delicious dinner. This place is a little fancier, but its Steamboat, so no-one looked twice at my converse.
• Smell that bread bakery // The cutest little bakery with homemade breads, cookies and pastries. Get their early, they sell out fast! 

• Truffled Pig // This restaurant is in the shops by the gondola and has the best outside patio! Make sure to get the key-lime pie!

What is up friends. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I have been the most MIA blogger in the world. Can we just chat about that for a minute? Last week was seriously my nightmare. At work until so late every night (we are talking 830pm), at work early (like 730am) and I'm pretty sure I didn't put a dent in any of the piles on my desk.

Add that to a 5 month old puppy who can never get enough exercise and I'm pretty sure I thought to myself at one point that it was going to stay that week forever.

It's been a long time since I filled ya in on life! I feel like lately I've been trying to sell ya on stuff, which let's be honest, it's been some cool stuff. But let's chat. Grab a coffee, I got a lot to tell ya, it's been a while.


In case you missed it, about a month ago, I had some girlfriends in town and we did Denver big! It's so fun exploring the city you live in with people who have never been. I have always loved Denver, but showing it off to new people makes me fall more in love with it. PS. if you are even in Denver, hit me up! I love buddies.

[side-note] you should probably add something a little stronger to your coffee at this point, we're not even half way there. I suggest baileys.

Speaking of Baileys -- Do you guys watch RHOC? Did you see they went to the farm in Ireland where they make the cream for baileys? I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't want to milk a cow, but I'm so down to try the cream they make! I'm obsessed with Baileys. You will find me come Thanksgiving sipping on it, every night. Ok, maybe not every night, but a lot.

Whew, anywayyyss -- After the girls trip, my brother-in-law and his future wife came in town! They are so fun, we just have the best time hanging out with them. We went to the Great American Beer Fest, which is pretty much beer heaven. Did you know it's the largest beer convention! It's incredible. And the funniest part, you can only eat what you wear. Think pretzel necklaces and even chipotole burritos on string. I wish I was lying. Oh and to top that weekend off, my future sister-in-law asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding! Let's get them hitched!

Oh, Chipotle. I went there last week to grab burrito bowls for Adam and I and the line was horrendous. I would have thought that whole salmonella thing would have turned people away. Instead it seems to be encouraging it! I mean.. I guess it didn't deter us. If you go to Chiptole today dressed in costume, you can get a $3 anything! Enjoy!

Have you ever been to a four-year old mermaid birthday party? It is pretty awesome. My niece turned four and we made the road-trip to Omaha to help celebrate. It is so amazing how smart four year olds are! At one point I asked her why Elsa (one of her new dolls) had combat boots on and she looked up at me and told me it was because that was how God made Elsa and she is perfect because God made her perfect. Heart melted. Ovaries melting.

This last weekend my parents were in town and it was amazing. They came in Friday and delicious wine and food was enjoyed all weekend. We took them to our favorite, Breckenridge Brewery which is just the coolest. For dinner Saturday, we ventured to the Highlands and went to Old Major for dinner. If you are in Denver and haven't been, you must go! It is so delicious. Sunday was the grand finale --  the Broncos game and a Broncos win!


Today, I am starting the day, busier than ever but with a much lighter heart and feeling. It's amazing what a weekend with your parents can do for the soul.

Cheers to a better week, delicious candy and it only being a month and a half away from Christmas!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of hosting two of my best girl friends FIRST weekend in Denver. Both of them had spent time in the mountains, but neither had spent any time in Denver. The pressure to show them a great weekend was on. I contacted some of my Denver girls and asked for their must haves.


Coti and Jen arrived around 6pm on Friday night and we we're doing Denver things until I dropped them at the airport Sunday afternoon. It was a jam-packed weekend full of food, cocktails, snapchats and laughs. It was one for the record books and I cannot wait until our next girls trip. See ya next October, Portland!

Let's start with some Denver history:

• Denver really does sit at a mile high. There is a step on the State Capital Building that is exactly 5,280 feet about sea level. Golf balls go further, tennis balls are hit harder, the sun feels hotter and alcohol packs more of a punch. 
• Denver was founded on November 22, 1858 and the Denver metro currently has 3,418,876 people. 
• Denver has 300 days of sunshine. Did you know this was used to convince people to come out and build the railroad? It worked! 
• Denver is not in the mountains, it's near them. Our views are spectacular. 
• Denver is the second highest educated city. 
• We have seven profession sports teams! GO BRONCOS. 
• The Broncos just became the winniest team in history. How does that taste Kobe?
• Denver brews more beer than any city in the nation. 
• There is a blue horse as you enter the airport (the largest airport in terms of land in the country) and it's cursed. It fell on it's sculptor and killed him. The horse has red eyes. Yikes.
• There are more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks. 

Brutal honesty. I am burnt out on the gallon challenge. Yes, I feel great, but the 3pm chug session and the 3am pee sessions are making me lose it.

Brutal honesty #2. I've been kind of burnt out on blogging. So please excuse the lack of - but I have some great recipes coming this week andddd some great dog food recs! Get excited. Sometimes breaks are good for the soul and I know this mini-break was good for mine.

But hey! I am LOVING all the lovelies out there participating in the challenge! You all rock and really are the reason I push myself to keep chugging at water at 3pm so I can post my results on snapchat.

We only have ONE week left! Can you believe it. Let's talk about week 3 and let's chat about the weekend!

PS -- If you are new to the blog, we are in the final week of the #everydaygracegallonchallenge where we drink a gallon of water a day! There are so many amazing benefits and you can read all about those here! 

• Loving: How my body feels. My joints & muscles don't hurt and I just feel lighter on my feet. Digestion finally on point! Yes! 
• Feeling: Good! I am still craving sugar though and I would hope that would go away! Great! I went through an entire hot power yoga class without having to chug water. No thirst! 
• Anticipating: It being over. That's negative, but I am anticipating implementing the water challenge into my normal life and seeing if I can keep up. 
• Enjoying: Writing this post :) Inspiring others - other teachers and my fiance are doing it! My fiance even wants me to get him a jug! 
• Working on: Callie and mine are the exact same - finish earlier in the day. 
• Hating: How much I pee and how water full I get. That it seems harder to get it done this week.
• Struggling with: Getting it done before 6pm. I get lost in the day and forget! Peeing while teaching, but thank god I'm used to peeing on a schedule!

I've said it once and I'll say it again, July flew by. Even with 5 weeks, I found myself wishing it could be longer. We had so many awesome things happen in July and its time for a little recap. Plus, we're getting close to fall. I can feel the crisp air in the mornings so remembering those warm winter nights is just what I need right now.


Happy Thursday everyone, let's reminisce.

• First of July: A little road trip to Omaha to visit family and a chance for me to visit my best B and her new baby, Elle. I am loving the fact that all my best friends are having babies. It's incredible. I spent the morning basking in new baby glow with Elle (B's babe) and Caroline (Lynds' babe). I told you babies are everywhere and I am loving every minute of the baby cuddles.
• Middle of July: Baby showers, Denver blogger events and we had some great friends in town and we saw ADELE. If you saw my snapchat, you saw the glory that was Adele. (PS, dirty selfish plug -- follow me at kgrace01). I was crying the entire concert. I'm not sure if that was wine induced or the amazingness that is Adele, but it was hands-down the best concert I've ever seen. If you have a chance to see her, GO! 
• (More) Middle of July: The Englert Family Reunion took place this year in Lake Tahoe. My family has been vacationing in Tahoe since I was a little girl. My parents still go every summer and we try to go whenever we can. This trip was imperative because my entire Englert fam (we missed you Dan and Carolyn!) were there. We even made shirts. My Englert family is so special to me. For living in Michigan they are at every event in Arizona and we get back to MI about once a year, so spending some extra time with them was amazing. 
• End of July: I threw Adam and surprise 30th Birthday. It was one of the hardest things ever. Do you know how impossible it is to throw a surprise party when you share joint banking accounts? Cue the $100 withdraw at the grocery store and claiming you bought "great steaks" for dinner and hoping he buys it. Man oh man, it was so hard, but seeing his face made it all worth it. All of our family and friends were there. It was so cool to spend the evening with everyone, eating crawfish, drinking beer and celebrating Adam. 

How was your July? Tell me about it!

Happy August everyone! Sorry for the lack of posting lately, life has been nuts!

I am so glad August is here. The last few months have been a whirlwind and I'm so glad we can finally slow down. Let's catch up with each other!

• This past weekend we celebrated Adam's 30th Birthday! It was a surprise craw-fish boil and I think it went off without a hitch. Thank you to all our friends and family who flew in from around the county to surprise Adam. It was the greatest weekend. A recap post on surprise parties is coming Thursday! 
• Two weeks ago we spent the week in Lake Tahoe for the most epic family reunion. It was so fun to hang with out family. That recap will be next week! If you're looking for Tahoe places to go, I will have all the suggestions! 
• THE BACHELORETTE finale is tonight and I am dying to see who JoJo picks. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post for all the scoop. If you need some recaps I've got them here --> JoJo
• Did you catch my post on traveling with your pup? Henry is quite the world traveler and he is sharing all the tips! 
• Speaking about dogs, we are getting PUPPY NUMBER 2 on Wednesday and I could not be happier! Her name is Lola, I cannot wait to share pictures with you! I'm not sharing any more than that, because obviously she has to be somewhat of a surprise. Get ready for tons of dog pictures and puppy posts. Dog #2 tips are welcomed! 
• Did I tell you I saw Adele a few weeks ago? People, if you have the chance to go, GO! It was the best show I've ever seen, ever. I want to go again more than anything. 
• Did you know Wednesday is ONE YEAR from my knee surgery. Ugh, I'm glad that is over. Wednesday I'll be sharing all the tips on recovery and how I'm prepping for ski season this year. 

This post is a few weeks overdue, but so worth remembering. A couple weeks ago, Adam and I ventured to Omaha. We went for a variety of reasons; babies, baby showers, grandpa visits, engagements and extra family time.

I am sure that extra family (and friend) time is never a waste and always worth it. Even if it is an 8 hour drive.

Omaha is always so wonderful because it's full. It's full of dinner, friends, family, delicious cocktails and this time -- babies.

Two of my best girls are mamas and almost mamas. Lyndsey had the sweetest little bun, Caroline, in March and this was my weekend to meet the little love. Lyndsey is a natural. She is such a great and relaxed mom, even when Caroline pukes on her favorite aunt --> me. She's a happy, beautiful baby and lunch with her and my girls was just what my heart needed.


After the girls lunch, Adam and I ventured to visit Grandpa. Little did we know that this would be one of our last visits with him, but it was such a good visit. We were so lucky to have the extra time with him.

Dinner with family to follow and lots of cocktails with my Adam and mother and father in law. The next day it was baby shower time! My girl B is the cutest little pregnant mama. The afternoon was spent with coconut chicken salads, too many mimosas with my girlfriends and lots of baby clothes and necessities. I cannot wait to watch B become a mama.

After the shower, I ventured down to the lake for a surprise engagement for my brother-in-law and now almost future sister-in-law. My brother-in-law arranged all the family and her family to be at the lake so when he proposed on the boat, we'd all be on the dock. Needless to say, she did not see it coming. Bring on the next wedding!


Family weekends are the best. They are good for the soul and the heart. I love that I have such amazing friends and family to love and to miss.

Until next time.

So you wanna take a trip to San Diego do ya? I just love San Diego. It's one of the most picturesque places ever. The weather is almost always perfect, the sun is shining (except for that June gloom), the boats are always in the harbor and the food and drink is incredible. I used to go every summer as a kid because we had family there.

My most recent trip was a little different from the trips I used to take as a kid. This trip was a bachelorette party for my best, Coti. Her sister planned the most incredible getaway and because of her, I have 10 tips and tricks to having the best time in San Diego.



This is dedicated to Coti. Only 37 days away from I do! I'm so glad I could celebrate with you this past weekend -- I cannot wait for the big day! #mattandcotisayido

I also have a lot of photo evidence of my 10 tips and tricks, so get excited, they're really good.

1. Make sure your best friend is getting married and having her bachelorette party there. This really ensures that the weekend will be full of girlfriends, laughing, delicious cocktails and lots of selfies. 
2. Stay at a great hotel in a great location. We stayed at the Andaz and it was right in the middle of downtown San Diego. We walked to breakfast every morning, uber drives were short and the rooftop bar at the Andaz is awesome. 
3. Eat delicious breakfasts. Our first morning there we went to Coffee and Tea Collective where my BFF bachelorette and I split an avocado toast and an Acai bowl. Wow... Make sure you ask for some extra pink Himalayan salt for your toast. And, the Americanos' are amazing there! 
4. Eat delicious lunches. Are you seeing a theme here, we love to eat We lunched at Tower 23, right on Pacific Beach. There is literally nothing better than a delicious salad, amazing wine and a gorgeous view of the ocean. Oh, and top it off with great girlfriends. Done and done. 
5. Eat delicious dinners. Might I recommend Kettner Exchange and Nobu. Both a little more on the expensive side, but both totally worth it. I've never eaten better. At Kettner, get the tuna pizza and at Nobu get the yellowtail sashimi with jalapenos. Trust me.
6. Go to fabulous clubs and dance the night away. We went to Omnia which was so fun. Granted the girls around me were like 12 and didn't know that Kelly Kapowski actually invented the crop-top instead of Forever 21, but hey, it was so fun. Then against our better judgment and the fact that Uber couldn't "find" us, we got on a rickshaw. Literally one block and $20 later he started cursing at us and calling us names that I refuse to type. Just let the Uber find you. Take my word on this one. 
7. Get cute matching t-shirts. This is a must. 
8. Make sure there are presents. Presents are also always a must. 
9. Find a yacht and go on the yacht. Cruise the harbor. Party on the yacht. Repeat. Oh, and when they let you drive the yacht, you drive the yacht and you honk the horn. 
10. Take thousands of pictures, make a shared album and relive the weekend over and over. Oh, and for sure get on Snapchat. Those stories are some of the best.