Back from a wonderful week of vacation in Colorado. Loved running outside to this view. Michigan has fantastic beaches, but there's also something quite amazing about seeing the mountains when you step outside.
Dave made homemade bread during our vacation, which was delicious with homemade black bean vegan chili (recipe to come). Homemade bread puts the bagged stuff to shame, seriously.
We drove around Rocky Mountain National Park, and I was able to snap this shot with my iphone-the picture doesn't really do it justice...so incredibly beautiful. I'm definitely jealous of all the sunshine and lack of humidity in CO. I can definitely understand why exercise is more popular on the west side of the country.
We also got to do some hiking, which was a lot of fun and again provided some amazing views. Dave's brother assured us that we were better off going as early as possible, and he was right. As we were coming back down the trail, tons of hikers were just starting the upward trek.
We took a trail to Lake Haiyaha and might have had a contest to see how long we could put our hands in the lake...which was quickly abandoned when we realized the water's degree of coldness. Let's just say noone went swimming.
Vacation was wonderful, but it's back to the grind on Monday. I think I realized how much I appreciate being out of routine for a bit, although I'm generally most comfortable when I'm settled into one. Being away made me long for a little more adventure and spontaneity. We'll see how that shakes out...
I started making a grocery list on the plane ride back in anticipation of a crazy (and hot) week in Grand Rapids. After a quick trip to the grocery store, I made this lentil salad (recipe here), which I prefer in wraps vs on its own. The key is stopping the cooking process before the lentils become mushy. This is my second time making this salad, and I still didn't get it quite right. The flavor is also much better if you mix and chill in the fridge before eating.
The rest of the weekend will be busy: a quinceañera and Andrew Bird concert!
What are you doing this weekend? When was the last time you took a vacation?
