my 25th.

Day One. 

A couple weeks ago we celebrated my 25th birthday with the second annual birthday camping trip. Last year we camped the Red Feather area with my mom, brother, N, and Vincent. This year we got to go with Vincent and sweet grandma Jan. Even Oli came along :) it was quite the weekend. 

Oli might be one of the greatest camping dogs around. He loves to be outside. Never barks at anything and loves to sit and look cute. Like this. 

The first day we were all feeling pretty positive about a small hike around Lake Parvin to a secluded spot where we could kill the afternoon and enjoy the sun fishing. I should forewarn you that you're about to see a whole other side of me a few pictures from now. I am starting to let N make a real mountain girl out of me and it just so happens that I have found a love for fishing. Such an old man sport :] I know. But I really love. Plus I kick butt at it :) ..keep reading..

The stylish Longos - N and his grandmother.  

Home Sweet Campground

Gettin' sexy time. The boys strapping on their waiters.

aaaaaaaahhhh..hello mother nature.

Day Two. 

Weather is just part of camping the Red Feather area. We've had some of the greatest and worst weather over the years we've been coming here. One year we got completely rained out while we were tent camping with friends. This year we'd have beautiful, hot, clearbluesky sunrises and sunshine from 7 - 10:30. Then the wind would kick up a bit and give us a cloud show into the afternoon until the thunderstorms or rain would kick in. Day two, however beautiful the pictures were that I got, was a real pain in the ass for the Longo boys and I. We are half guilty because we did doodle the morning around a bit too long and were then super ready and pumped to hike + fish to Bellaire ... but as we are trekking down the over a mile to this lake we  have this eery feeling about the clouds cruising along above us. 

We decide to ignore and continue hiking and begin fishing the second we get there. Meanwhile it has begun thundering and those still friendly looking clouds you see on the left are now grouping together like little buddies. I'm getting a little nervous as to why I'm still holding a skinny long pole in my hands, that I'm throwing through the air and then bobbing in water while it is still .. thundering. So the executive decision was made and we booked it out of there. No 15 seconds after I snapped the picture on the right we were greeted with hail as we were chucking our gear in the back of the truck and high tailing it out of there. 

It was a day of defeat and the final score was weather: 2 longo: 0. The first round we were camper locked by rain, hail, and thunder for a good couple hours - don't get me wrong it was kinda cool. And the second, from our point of view ambitious , attempt at getting to fish that day...repeated round one and we were rained out again. Defeated and with more exercise behind us (who plans for a day of cardio while on vacation!?) than we wanted that day..we called it a day, took refuge back at the campground where grandma and Oli cooked delicious chili for dinner :)

Day Three. 


New day and we were still as ambitious as day two. So we made sure we got an early start. And because N insisted on taking this picture of me, I promised I'd show at least of myself as "the fishing girl". So here you go, just one.

 

sexy isn't it.

Nick taking a break with beer + sunflower seeds. Hence the funny face :)

I insisted on a shortcut back to the trail that was really only meant for people 5'5''. I wish I had audio of these two to share with you as they were making their way out. ^

Zombies are real.

Day Four


Best day by far. :] It was my 25th birthday. We hiked again...and fished, again. But the weather was great it was sooo quiet...

...and I showed the boys how it's done with catching a total of 5 fish. It was kind of bad ass :)

 

Fire clouds in the distance..and grandma and Oli chillin in the shade. Loving life.

 The awkward pose while I was cooling off the dog.

I realized this time around how much I love the Red Feather area. If N fulfills his dreams of becoming a game warden..I don't think I'd make such a bad mountain woman after all. :] 

--- 

xo . jess

birthday weekend - take one.

It has been a pretty fantastic Sunday not to mention yet another great weekend! That's two for April! All in all it has been a perfectly lazy fundaySunday, we got back home late this afternoon, took care of some cleaning and retired very lazily to our ghetto couch for the remainder of the day.
As a little disclaimer, it was a snapshot images kind of a weekend. I forgot my good camera, everywhere we went. That'll teach me to pack it neatly in the trunk of my car.

Nevertheless, Friday started off pretty ridiculously..(is that proper English?) with a 9 hour work training in Denver which served up a very enjoyable total of 4 hours rush hour traffic. For the tweeps among you, you will know this, however this pizza is just too deliciouslooking ( <-- now that's some proper English) not to share twice. N insisted we treat ourselves to Uncle's Pizza, the absolute best pizza in Fort Collins and most likely all of Colorado actually, and that's exactly what we did. YUM! 

I wore my favorite long sleeved light pink blouse, since the weather was a bit crummy with rain and wind, and finally got to wear my electric blue pants! I was very much in love with them.  

This was my friend about 2 hours into the surprise party for mysisterinlawsboyfriendsbirthday Trey..thank you mama-in-law for mixing me this incredible Bloody Mary :) again..too good not to share. 

The only other picture I managed to snap all afternoon and night. After family, friends, and Mary's we split up and N and I went back to his parents' where we of course enjoyed too much wine and a delicious pasta dinner my mama just happened to whip up. 

I loove being married into an Italian family :))

Come fundaySunday...

What a face to wake up to :) 

It's always more fun to lounge away a Sunday in your boyfriend's clothes. 

Ready to head back home. 

Let the first birthday celebration weekend commence! Next week it will be N's turn.

Which means I've got a busy week ahead of me :) It feel so good to be 

able to see family so often :) it's definitely been a treat. 

Wishing you all a great start to the week, 

xo . jess 

happy birthday, mr. ray.

I was hoping to post about N's birthday from yesterday, this morning before I had to jet off to work..but, unfortunately we ended up laughing too long and having too much fun with everyone that I didn't get shut eye until after 2am. Then having to get up and work a 9.5hr day running basically, the entire time (ohretail!), nooo buenoo. no. 

Mr.ray turned 24 yesterday and he's having a hard time with it I think. I don't think it's really about turning that age but where we're at right now with financial things, work/school things, and living things. But I know it's weeks' time before we have our own place (livingdowntown!!! :D) and things can only go better from here. 

I don't dare jinx myself more than that so moving on....

I think meeting a few of our dorky yet good friends for some drinks at the end of his bday really cheered him up. It was great to see everyone. We're getting better about getting together more frequently and it's amazing how much seeing your friends regularly and laughing till a little bit of pee comes out, can brighten your day to day mood and emotions. 

I'm really kind of loving my evocamera. 

the birthday boy.

the adorable newbies :)

coors light & fries. can never deny them as midnight snack. 

possible captions for this photo:

1. This photo made me realize that my friends are huggers. 

2. The graphicTtubbies

3. Ryan's freakishly long arm. 

we're a smiley bunch. 

didn't realize it had gone black and white. 

my two favorite boybuddies. 

my friends hannah. ryan. and dane my cousininlaw :)

according to my friends,

love is in the air

♥

Now..since you are most likely going to read this on Sunday sometime and I'm going to kill two birds with one stone right now and wish you a happy easter right now. We have a busy day tomorrow and I'm still awake, again (!) at 2.05am - I seriously suck at this going to bed stuff - so blogging wishing you a happy bunny day would just definitely not happen. So, it's happening now. 

We are heading to N's uncle's house for Easter, after brunch at my mother's and in the afternoon we might head over to his dad's house :) so like every holiday, family family family time :) I do love it. I always have my camera, because I used to always love looking at old picture's family pictures before I was born, at family get togethers sitting around and talking, how young everyone looks..so I somehow love having pictures like that of my family. (sidenote.) I really am sad to think that people hardly every have physical pictures anymore or photo albums. It's so much funner to look at them in person. 

Here's wishing you a beautiful Sunday, time with friends and family, candy and food, and of course a requirement for any family gathering, something to 'cheers with! Prost! Frohe Ostern!!

xo . jess

a biggirl birthday girl

Because her birthday is MUCH more important than miley cyrus's and because she is the most fabulous crazy beautiful girl in my life aaaand possibly and most definitely the best sister any human being could ever wish for, I am wishing MY sister a 

happy.21st.birthday

_____________

Because she knows how to love you 

because she loves herself

because she always knows how to celebrate...

...and that she does not believe in denying that us girls just can't go through life with all those boyfriends, bosses, mothers, sisters, and things without a good cigarette and a cold beer.

happy birthday love. i love you from the bottom of my heart. i am so sad i won't be there to celebrate with you, but we will make up for it soon. i lalalove you SO big. 

xo . deine tica