The Best High I Ever Had.

Have you ever gotten a really amazing high that lasted the entire day?

I have--and it was the best ever!

In fact, it happened just a few weeks ago.. let me tell you all about it.

Two Saturdays ago, I had that itch that I just couldn't scratch; you know the one I'm talking about? I tried convincing myself it wasn't worth it.. we're trying to save for a house and I didn't need to be spending our hard earned money on my bad habit.

I tried to distract myself but it didn't work.

When Brandon woke up Saturday morning, I told him I needed to get my fix.

I needed to go thrifting.

Wait.. what did you think I was talking about?!

Brandon, Jackson, and I headed out of the house late Saturday morning on a mission to find some "new" pajamas for Jax (we're very blessed in that we were gifted with boxes of our nephews old baby clothes.. however, Mr. Jax continues to grow and is too big for most of the pajamas now). The first stop on our trip was the gigantic Arc down the street--I figured they'd have tons of pajamas at a good price!

Nope. Not at all.

The plan was to get 12 Month PJs (Jax is a tall guy and currently wears 9 Month everything) that he could start wearing in the next month or two.. Arc had nothing.

Bummer.

The next closest thrift store was (Habitat for Humanity) ReStore--we'd never been to a ReStore before but we'd heard they have nice furniture at a decent price so we figured we'd at least go in to peruse.

You guys; I have a new favorite thrift store.

ReStore was HUGE and had tons of furniture, clothes, appliances, cabinetry, and more--for next to nothing!

I loved this desk.. I'm in desperate need of a desk/home office space but we literally have NO room for any new furniture. *sigh* Wouldn't that be gorgeous repainted white with black hardware?

The price of that desk.. it pained me to leave it! Stupid tiny apartment..

Anyway, after scouring all of the furniture we made our way back to the clothes.

I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of baby clothes but we hit the jackpot.

Kinda hard to see but the boy's pajamas were $1.25 each. Boom!

We went through the boy's pajama drawer and found 7 different pairs of like new Carters brand PJs for $1.25 each. SOLD! We grabbed all of the 12 Month ones and made a quick beeline over to the women's clothing to see if anything caught my eye. 

They had several shirts from The Loft for only $2 each.. not bad!

After making a quick trip around the outdoor and cabinetry sections, we headed to the cash register to pay for our purchases and received the surprise of a lifetime. Our total for 7 pairs of gently used Carters brand pajamas and my adorable cupcake shirt was $4.87. 

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! 

Come to find out, Saturdays are $.50 baby clothes and $1 adult clothing day. 

$3.50 for the lot.

I was seriously on Cloud 9 the rest of the day and had to text my mom and Mamma Nancy to brag about our purchase (I am not a humble person when it comes to finding a good deal). After leaving ReStore, Brandon and I celebrated with Burger Saturday at Rock Bottom Brewery. 

The Bourbonzola Burger--BEST burger ever!

Brandon and I were both really impressed with ReStore and plan to frequent it often--I also plan to donate all of our clothes, furniture, and whatnot to them in the future. If you have one in your area, I highly encourage you to check it out; you won't be disappointed!

Burger Saturday²

Oh hey there.

I have a second to blog.

This never happens anymore.

These last two Burger Saturday's (BS) have been some of the best and I decided I needed to share these gems with you, my friends.

Let's BS.

Part I

Two Saturday's ago, Brandon, Jackson, and I ventured downtown to My Brother's Bar to sample the fare.. and it was a more than fair fare. My Brother's Bar is Denver's oldest running bar with a rich history, quirky wait staff, laid back atmosphere, and mean hamburger (more on that in a sec).

My Brother's Bar welcomes guests both big and small--they gave us a balloon to entertain Jax with (we tied it to his car seat and he was intrigued the entire time)!

Brandon, Baby, & Burgers.. 3 of my favorite things!

After ordering off the giant menu on the wall, my boys and I gabbed, people watched, and enjoyed the faint sounds of classical music. Our burgers arrived shortly after with their own little condiments box (pickles, onions, ketchup, mustard, etc.) and Brandon and I chowed down. They. were. delish.

I had a regular old cheeseburger with a side salad and Brandon had the double with fries.

The beef was seasoned to perfection. 

The buns were soft, warm, and buttery. 

The vegetables were all fresh and crisp (and they gave me a squeeze bottle of ranch for my salad which was awesome). 

Brandon decided this was his favorite burger thus far and I agreed. The food is all priced right, the atmosphere is fun.. it's a win/win kind of place! We will be back!!

 Part II

Last Saturday my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Rolf came over to get our key and instructions for taking care of Bitsy (they are watching the place and cat sitting for us while we're on vacation--such a load off our minds! Thanks again, Aunt Nancy & Uncle Rolf!). After going through the short spiel about where Bits' food is, we headed up to Boulder to have lunch and to wander the Pearl Street Mall. 

For lunch, we checked out the Pearl Street Pub & Cellar (Nancy and Rolf have been there several times and have had nothing but good things to say about the food)--they obviously have an excellent taste in food because the burgers and fries were outstanding! 

The fries were seriously incredible; probably my favorite so far! I wasn't a big fan of the burger but that was my own stupid fault (do you ever think you like something but then try it again and realize you don't.. that's how I am with Swiss cheese.. I always think I'm going to like it, take a bite, and then remember I'm not a fan)--everyone else loved their burgers though and Brandon said this burger was in a tie for first (w/My Brother's Bar)! 

Atmosphere wise, the Pearl Street Pub has been my favorite: it's a dive with sports on the tube, friendly (and funny!) bartender & cook, and cold PBRs in a bottle. The whole bar was just laid back and fun--we will definitely be back! 

**By the way, the sign on the door says that only 21 and older are permitted, but the bartender was really cool and friendly and let us bring Jax in! Jax was perfect the entire time too and just jabbered and played--it was a good day to BS!**

Sleepy boy on the drive to Boulder.

Reunited (and it feels so good)!

Last Thursday was a total Monday..

..I woke up, began making my coffee in the Keurig, walked off to do something else, and suddenly realized that I forgot to put a cup under the spout..

Huge mess.

Then, Mr. Jax had the blowout of the century all over our clean, Egyptian cotton sheets..

..yuck.

Makeshift sheets during Thursday's nap time (he was so happy when I took him out of his clothes so I let him nap in just his diaper).

Anyway, it was just one of those days until I received a text from my dear friend Abby seeing what we were up to and if we were up for a visit from her and Ben (her adorable little boy) on Friday.

Umm, yes!!

Abby and Ben live 5 hours away so it was such a treat--and surprise!--to hear they were coming to visit! They arrived in Denver at around 11 on Friday morning and we spent the afternoon shopping, catching up, and eating delicious Red Lobster. It was a perfect day!

We didn't get too many pictures because these two little tykes were tired and grumpy (though you wouldn't know it by looking at them--cuties!).

I have to include a few throwback pics..

The Roomies (FREs), circa 2010--this was actually the night that Brandon and I first met.

Oktoberfest 2011 (why are our lips white?)

Abby's graduation day (with Mal Pal!), 2012

Abby's bachelorette party in Downtown Wichita, 2012

My bachelorette party in Downtown Denver, 2012

Abby's wedding day, 2012

My wedding day, 2013

As you can see, we've been through a lot together in the four short years we've know each other and it's been weird not seeing each other on a regular basis since moving.. hopefully we'll get to catch up again in June when we (plan) to visit Hays!

In other weekend news:

• We got Brandon some new tires on Saturday morning/afternoon.
• Burger Saturday at Giant Burger. 
  
  
• Jax now has pink eye in his right eye (ugggggh).
• Family pictures in south Denver.
  

  

  Don't adjust your screens, folks--this picture is super blurry! Brandon found a great Groupon for pictures in Littleton (which is why we had them taken in the first place) and the proofs they sent us are all really tiny and of poor quality so we can't steal them.. we have a viewing next Saturday and will buy the rights to all of them then so check back next week for all of our pics!

• Swim suit, capri, & shorts shopping at Kohls and Gordmans--I'm now summer ready! 
• I took my first baby less nap since having Jax (it was lovely.. we're going to begin crib training next weekend).
• Nice visit with Ryan (one of Brandon's best friends and best man at our wedding) and his girlfriend, Allison.

Have a great Monday, everyone! 

Burger Saturday: Jim's Burger Haven

1st Burger Saturday: Buffalo Wild Wings in Fort Collins
2nd Burger Saturday: Old Chicago in Boulder
3rd Burger Saturday: Five Guys in Castle Rock
4th Burger Saturday: Park Burger in Denver
5th Burger Saturday: 5280 Burger Bar in Denver
6th Burger Saturday: Ted's Montana Grill in Greenwood Village
7th Burger Saturday: LoDo's Bar & Grill in Westminster
8th Burger Saturday: Jim's Burger Haven in Westminster

As I mentioned yesterday, my boys and I went to my parents house Saturday afternoon, so we didn't want to venture too far away for a burger last weekend--enter Yelp. I did a Yelp search for the best burger in northern Denver and the results came back with Jim's Burger Haven. Brandon and I have driven by Jim's a couple times now (once on the way to Casa Bonita, the other time on our way to thrift) and talked about stopping there sometime, so we were sold.

Jim's it was!

The atmosphere of Jim's Burger Haven isn't anything too special (no special decor, kind of resembled a plain Jane 50's burger joint) but what it lacks in frill, it makes up for in taste.. and good oldies music. 

Oh my goodness, were their burgers and fries yummy!

My "small" (4 in.) burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mustard.

Brandon's large (6 in.--the size of my head) cheeseburger with lettuce, mustard, and ketchup.

As soon as you bite into one of Jim's mouthwatering masterpieces, you can taste the quality and freshness of the beef. This isn't one of your regular fast food burgers; these bad boys are cooked to order and it shows (the company even prides itself on not owning steam trays)! The patties are seasoned to absolute perfection and carry that greasy, enticing aroma that I've come to expect from superb burgers.

Brandon and I both give Jim's Burger Haven a big thumbs up! Oh, and an added bonus? This has been our least expensive Burger Saturday yet (my burger was about $2.50)! A second bonus? The smell of grilled deliciousness is so heavy in the restaurant that it will be embedded in your clothes for the rest of the day (which is fine by me)! Boom!

We'll be back.

Burger Saturday: LoDo's Bar & Grill

1st Burger Saturday: Buffalo Wild Wings in Fort Collins
2nd Burger Saturday: Old Chicago in Boulder
3rd Burger Saturday: Five Guys in Castle Rock
4th Burger Saturday: Park Burger in Denver
5th Burger Saturday: 5280 Burger Bar in Denver
6th Burger Saturday: Ted's Montana Grill in Greenwood Village
7th Burger Saturday: ???

...

Is the suspense killing you?!

Oh wait.. it's in the title, isn't it?

Nevermind.

For this week's "Burger Saturday," we decided to stay in our neck of the woods and check out LoDo's Bar & Grill in Westminster. LoDo's will always hold a special place in my heart--the actual "LoDo" (in Lower Downtown) is where we kicked off my bachelorette party back in August of 2012!

The two times I've been to LoDo's, I've shared the chicken nachos (which are remarkable, by the way) but have never tried a burger--that changed on Saturday.

Mamma's Burger Buddy.

The atmosphere of LoDo's (at any of their locations) is really energetic and fun--if there's a game on, you can guarantee the place will be packed with some of Colorado's biggest fans. When we were there on Saturday, the Avs were playing so we were able to watch the game and cheer on our hometown hockey team with other super fans--it was a lot of fun! I for one was also impressed with LoDo's music selection; Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, and Foo Fighters serenaded us during our time there and I loved it.

Brandon and I were both a little surprised by the burger menu--they didn't have as much of a selection as we had anticipated. I ended up ordering their Thai Burger (beef patty with pineapple, coleslaw, and peanut sauce) and Brandon did the LoDo Burger with cheese and bacon. 

The verdict?

Neither Brandon nor I were all that impressed..

My Thai burger tasted pretty good (I love peanut sauce!) but it wasn't anything special; Brandon agreed. The beef seemed to be fresh and cooked well but it lacked that juicy flavor/texture that we've tasted with other burgers. However, I do have to add that the buns the burgers came on were some of the best we've had--the bread was soft, buttery, and just all around yummy!

I love LoDo's and will definitely be going back..

..but I'll probably just stick with the chicken nachos (which is actually my favorite food).

Birthday Week Recap!

Last Wednesday was my 24th birthday and I was blessed enough to spend it with so many of the people I love--here's a quick birthday week recap!

Wednesday (Birthday)

• Went to lunch at Olive Garden with my parents, brother, and Jax (Brandon was working and couldn't go :/).
• Shopped at Kohls for my Easter/friends wedding rehearsal dress (gift from my mom)--my dad pushed Jax around the store the entire time so I was actually able to shop and try on a bunch of dresses.. I forgot what that's like!
• Home for naps. 
• Pizza, wings, cheese bread, and wine for supper with my boys. 
• White chocolate raspberry and red velvet mini bundt cakes for dessert.
• Watched Thelma & Louise (it was on TV which was extremely ironic because I was just telling my best friend how I wanted to watch it again). 
• Bed.. for about 10 minutes until Jax wouldn't settle down.. So we played, took a second bath, read, rocked, and sang until 1am. 
• Bed. For real.

Does this shirt make me look big? (Side note: we changed shortly after taking this picture.. 3 month clothes can't contain that belly!)

I know this is a terrible picture but I had to share the card my brother gave me.. he nailed it.

My little tiramisu dessert

Best birthday ever!

Thursday

• Slept in (thank you, Jack!).
• Walked over to and shopped at Gordmans & Ross with my brother and Jack.
• Costco.
• Costco smoothies and Monsters University with Joey (my bro) & Jax.
• Nap. 
• Leftovers for supper. 
• Early to bed. 

Jackie in the Ergo at Costco.. he loves to grocery shop!

Friday

• Denver Museum of Nature & Science with Joey, Aunt Brigette, Cousins Gabby & Roni, and Jax.
• Lunch at Cinzetti's (super yummy Italian buffet) with the museum crew + Aunt Millie. 
• Naps and lots of cuddling w/ tired, teething boy. 
• Cheese tortellini in a Vodka sauce and spinach salad for supper. 
• Dateline, Shark Tank, 20/20, bed. 

I made them pose..

Saturday

• Watched cartoons (Jax likes watching TV already.. ugh).
• Met my parents and brother at Aunt Nancy & Uncle Rolf's. 
• Visited, ate, and had afternoon tea with the family before Brandon and I left for a birthday date (they watched Jax for us!). 
• Burger Saturday at Ted's Montana Grill.. here's my quick review:
  I didn't like it. I got a Bison burger (which might have been the problem) and it tasted like the burgers my Grandpa (bless his heart) used to make where he'd slap some beef together, put it in a bowl, and pop it in the microwave--Brandon said his burger was pretty good though so I'm probably just not a buffalo girl..
• The Grand Budapest Hotel. I loved it, Brandon didn't ("That was definitely an Annie movie." -Brandon).
• Dinner and dessert back at Aunt Nancy's. 
• Home for SNL and bed. 

"Pick me up, sweetheart.. I <3 older chicks"

Our burgers at "Ted's"

Pre-movie selfie.

My mom and aunt sent me this picture of Jackson on their walk.

If my birthday week is any indication of how this year is going to be, it's going to be wonderful! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to call, text, FB, email, and visit me for my birthday--God has blessed me tremendously with wonderful family and friends!

Cheers to 24!

Burger Saturday: 5280 Burger Bar & a St. Paddy's Day Recap!

Got a case of the Mondays?

I have the cure: a double post! Doesn't that just make everything better??

I'll start with a review of 5280 Burger Bar (this weeks stop for "Burger Saturday") and then I'll recap our St. Paddy's Day weekend. Good?

Annnnnnnnnnnd... go!

Burger Saturday: 5280 Burger Bar

This weekend's stop on our great Denver burger tour was 5280 Burger Bar on the 16th Street Mall.

Last week, my Aunt Nancy sent me a FB message with a link to 5280 BB's website and suggested we check it out--we're always looking for a new place so I was sold! Unlike last week's Burger Saturday, we had our adorable little 3rd wheel along with us, so our lunch was a little bit more rushed and stressful (we had to alternate eating so one of us could be holding & entertaining the babe at all times--I took first shift, Brandon took second), but still very yummy!

The restaurant is conveniently located in the Denver Pavilions, so it is easy to find and is surrounded by several fabulous stores--perfect for a little post burger workout (the "walk and carry")! The decor of the restaurant is very hip and modern with lots of cool pictures of Denver and decorated glass. The atmosphere had us concerned about the price of the burgers--I was worried that the cheapest thing on the menu would be $30, but everything was priced just right.

Choosing our burgers was tough.. this is the one I really wanted:

For the sake on my infant son's stomach, I decided against getting this.. but I made Brandon promise me that we'd come back once I'm no longer nursing so I could try it!

..and this is the burger I ended up getting:

(minus the onion, of course)

You guys.. their 5280 Sauce is delicious. It's like McDonalds "secret" Big Mac sauce.. except good. Brandon's burger didn't come with the sauce so he dipped a fry in some that had dripped off my burger and agreed that it was amazing (amazing enough for a second, third, and fourth dip)! The burger itself was a little too rare for me (which was my fault--the menu even said that the burgers were cooked to "medium perfection" unless ordered otherwise), but was still juicy, flavorful, and fresh tasting.

Brandon also had a tough time deciding which burger to try and decided on this bad boy:

He enjoyed this innovative burger and said the pulled pork added a rich and smoky flavor that you don't normally get with a burger. When I asked if he'd ever get it again, he responded with a confident "yep." 

5280 Burger Bar only serves fresh, Colorado beef and makes all their buns in house from scratch and believe me, it shows.

This is definitely a spot we'll be hitting up again (especially after Jax is finished nursing) and I suggest you do too!

St. Paddy's Day Weekend Recap

Happy St. Paddy's Day, all! May the luck o' the Irish be with ya, laddies and lasses (wait, is that Irish or Scottish?)! We had a wonderful, low key weekend (see: Burger Saturday) and enjoyed celebrating with our little family. Here's what we did:

Saturday

• Slept in.
• Finally set up new bank accounts (at an actual Colorado bank) and a savings account for Mr. Jackson.
• Shopped for patio furniture & stuffed our faces with samples at Costco. 
• Lunch at 5280 Burger Bar. 
• Walked and shopped around the 16th Street Mall. 
• Petsmart run for fancy new kitty food for Bits (we'd been getting her Meow Mix since "cats ask for it by name" but decided to step it up for her health and for our sanity.. she's been shedding like crazy and we read that foods rich in Omega 3s can help with that).
• Church. 
• Kicked back at home and watched "Dateline Saturday Night," "Nightline," and "20/20." 
• Bed.

Our little shamrock.

5280 Burger Bar

Sunday

• Light cleaning around the house.
• Lunch (nachos, spinach dip, & beers--yum!) and girl talk with my best friend.
• Long nap with Jacksie.
• Family walk around the park.
• Healthy dinner of tilapia and rice.
• "The Voice" and "Anchorman 2". 
• Bed.

Mmm lunch..

I can't believe we've been friends for over 12 years--time goes by so quickly!

This is pretty typical Jen & Ann.

It was a very laid back and perfect weekend--don't you just love those?! I hope you all had a fun & relaxing weekend and that you have a fabulous week!