{September Goals}

It's never too late to make goals, right?

1.) Exercise more:  I am going to reestablish my 24 Hour Fitness membership today

There is a 24 Hour very close to my new place and since right now I have to wake-up at 2:45am in order to make it to my {free} work gym to workout before work (and shower), I'd rather be at a closer gym. My time is precious to me, especially when I have to work 12 hour days.

2.)  Take more Fall photographs: This will be an easy one since I now have a reliable vehicle to get me to all the places I want to visit in order to get this photos.  I have a huge list of places I want to visit and I may get to about a fraction of them (thanks to work and school) before Fall is over (in Colorado).

3.) Finish school work before my work break: I like to procrastinate.  However, if I procrastinate with this I won't be able to enjoy those fall adventures with my new Jeep.

4.) Take Gandalf for 20 minute walks (bare minimum): Poor lil guy. When I work, I only take him out to "do his business" before bringing him back in and then heading to bed.

5.) Do better with IIFYM: This is a must. I want to look good but more importantly feel good.  I want the cute clothes I've already bought to look good on me and not feel the uncomfortable stomach bulge.

6.) Start running again: I lost most of my weight when I was running AND lifting weights.  I need to start including this again in my routine. The weather is about to get perfect for it.

On a side note, I feel like these goals will be much more attainable once I begin working my M-F, 9-5 job. It is extremely hard to get into a routine when you work a rotating schedule of 2 days, work 2 nights and then have 4 off.  Excuses, sure but I am going to try my damndest to get into that routine before I even start the new job.  I did it before. I can do it again.

-Nicole

{Jeeps, bears, and deer, oh my!}

Last night Gandalf and I had our first Jeep adventure.

We headed to Lookout Mountain in Golden, Colorado.

It's a beautiful drive up there as you're driving West, towards the mountains.  I wanted to specifically be up there for sunset and boy was it worth it (even if it meant dropping and shattering my phone *sad face*).  We first stopped at the preserve center park to walk around and eat dinner. Gandalf ended up drinking ALL my water but that was fine. It sure was hot here yesterday, BTW.  It was supposed to be our last day in the 90's.  I can't say I'm disappointed by that; I do not have air conditioning in my new townhouse.  

Anyway, that preserve center is where I dropped my phone.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've dropped that thing and of course this one time is when it shatters, the glass on it anyway shattered.  So, I decide we'd better head back down and head home since I had no phone.  So, we headed back down the way we came. The movement of the animal going around one curve startled me so I slowed down immediately and then realized what that animals was. My mouth dropped and I cursed my dang phone for shattering on me and not working.  I get to the bottom of the hill and at a stop sign, where I decide to check my phone. Lo and behold, it was working! I could see the screen anyway. So, I turned that Jeep around and headed back up the mountain to see if that animal was still there.  I was going to get that photo. Annnnnnd, it was still there... dragging it's dinner further away from the road and into the woods.

Not that great, right? So, I zoomed in...

Holy moly.

My first Colorado bear.

And it was hungry.

Don't jump out the window, Gandalf!

We had a momentary stare down before it I got intimidated and drove off.

I was in awe. I'd just seen my first Colorado bear and it was eating its dinner.  It was beautiful and scary all at the same time.  I've seen bears in other states (again, from the safety of my own car) but I've lived in Colorado for 8 years now and this is the first time I've ever seen a bear here.  

So, down the mountain we go.

And then.

Deer.

Three of them.

All on the very edge of the side of the road.

I did wait until I passed them a little to stop and take pictures.  After all, I did not want them to run into my new Jeep.  

Seriously, a bear and then deer.

Down the mountain we go...

And then!

A Blurry Photo.

I WAS stopped right in the middle of the road so I tried to be quick.

I think it was an adolescent Elk or something.  It was way too big to be a deer.

An adventure indeed.

Of course, I also got to see a beautiful Colorado sunset.

I love this state.

I'm also ready for my next Jeep adventure this weekend.

-Nicole