At the beginning of the month, JG received his compensation check for coaching volleyball, which was the cause of much rejoicing. In the past, we’ve used it to buy a surround sound system, home décor items, and bedroom furniture, and it’s always a nice bump in spending money. However, we don’t calculate his hourly rate for the season because that would be depressing.
This year, we designated the funds to two main purposes, and we took care of the first one on Sunday with the exciting purchase of a new water heater. Our current one still works, but when we bought our house, the inspector recommended that we look into replacing it in the near future, so here we are. Hooray for being old and busted. JG plans to save us hundreds of dollars by installing it with a friend, but I just hope we do not end up with a massive plumbing bill due to some mishap.
The second, less boring allocation of the volleyball money is a vacation to Denver! JG found plane tickets for less than the cost of the new water heater, and we are so excited. Our friends moved there last year and have been asking us to come visit ever since, and now we finally can. Neither of us has been there before, and we can’t wait to take advantage of a whole week’s worth of Denver goodness.
To no one’s surprise, I started a shared Google document for JG and me to compile ideas for potential vacation activities. So far, JG has added links to snorkeling with the fish at the aquarium, taking a Jeep tour, and — the coolest! — hiring a guide to take us climbing for a day. Woo! I want to go to the Tattered Cover bookstore and take the Celestial Seasonings tour, where I intend to copy NPW and hug the Sleepytime bear. I’ve already interrogated Audrey and Janet for their Colorado recommendations, but I feel like we’re just beginning. Hiking, shopping, eating, and sightseeing — I am up for anything, but especially typical Denver or Colorado things. So, what is a typical thing for the area? What shouldn’t I miss?
… I should note that our vacation is, um, nine months away. What?
9 comments
It’s never too early to start planning and looking forward to a big vacation. Denver is a great place to visit! If you guys are beer drinkers, you should try and tour one of the bigger breweries.
When Preston gets his check for coaching the Middle School “B” all-girls soccer team, it is the cause of much rejoicing in our apartment as well! Though our exciting purchases have been closer to the (boring, but necessary) water heater end of the spectrum. Denver sounds fantastic! Having never been, I have zero recommendations, other than to have fun and relax…nine months from now!
I’m impressed that you replaced your water heater before it was needed! We had to replace ours when we found water trails from it one morning. I read my handy dandy home repair book. It’s advice for tanks that appeared to be leaking from the bottom: “Replace immediately”!
Denver is AMAZING! I’m so jealous that you’ve got a trip planned! My husband has family out there and we try to get there when we can. Since you’ll be there during the summer, guess you won’t be able to do any snow-related activities, huh?
Okay, what? Nine months away??? I’m all for advance planning, but even I must call you out on THAT.
Sounds like a ton of fun, though.
I’ve never been either, but I would think pictures of mountains and a trip to Red Rocks is in order.
Advance planners unite! I’ve been working on our honeymoon since we got engaged, which is a 13-month gap.
I have never planned a vacation so far in advance and I commend you! I think I’ve been to Denver, but I’ve blocked all things ski-related out of my memory, so I can’t be sure. I totally want to go in the summer! can’t wait to hear about this trip… in nine months.
This is so awesome! And I think it is smart to do a nice split of the extra cash between something fun and something practical.
Hooray for new water heaters, extra hooray for vacations!
We started planning a trip to Ottawa the other night. We’re not going until April, but I’ve got our itinerary all planned out – or at least where we’ll be each night. I’m so excited!
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