See you later, Boulder!

If you've been reading my blog for a little while you've probably noticed a not-so-subtle obsession for all things Boulder. It's been hard wrapping my mind around the fact I had to leave, even though I'd known from the time I moved there it would be a temporary stay. I started being nostalgic months before I even left. Boulder is such a unique place.

Lately I found myself saying the phrase "Only in Boulder" almost as often as I have to say "don't forget to flush" or "where are your pants", except without the exasperated tone. 

Some of my favorite Boulder particularities include:

- Hearing people offer "Peace", "Namaste" and "Blessings" as a greeting,

- The Boulder 3 fashion styles: Hippie, Homeless, and Outdoorsy,
- Taking on yoga (though it didn't stick), fitness, running and gardening,
- Putting my blinkers on knowing the car behind me would let me go,
- Peace and Love, and Granola people,
- The street performers on Pearl Street,
- Learning the difference between marijuana and skunk smell (haha),
- Cars covered with bumper stickers like "Coexist", "Peace", "Diversity", "I'd rather be kajaking" or "my other car is a bike",
- Going sledding in the morning and playing in the sandbox in the afternoon,
- Eating vegetarian food that actually tastes good,

- Rock balancing art,
- Bike renting stations and bike paths,
- 70 year old Grandmas with 6 pack-abs sprinting on the creek path,
- Wind-power-generated organic burgers served on compostable dishes,
- The farmer's market,
- The hundreds of playgrounds,
- The creek path in my backyard,

- The Bolder Boulder, Boulder Creek Festival, Estes Park, Water World, sledding at Scott Carpenter park, Settlers Park, Celestial Seasoning, the Family Housing children's festival, Backpack camping in Ceran St Vrain,
- Meeting amazing friends from Japan, Korea, Ethiopia, Thailand, Hawai, Greece, China, Israel, The Netherlands, Norway, Iran, Poland, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, India, Oman, Sudan, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Siberia, Russia, Spain, (France, the US and Switzerland too)... and I'm sure I'm forgetting some,
- Celebrating a frozen dead guy,
- Living surrounded with deer, rabbits, squirrels and raccoons,
- The flatirons

Rock Balancing in Boulder Creek

Bumper stickers, Subarus and street performers

The Flatirons

I wish I had pictures to describe the awesomeness of Boulder's eclectic fashion (or lack of fashion): the combo Crocs and Tie-Dye shirt, shorts and flip-flops in the snow, shorts and Uggs in the sun, henna tattoo, dreadlocks and body hair, long hair and a beard, fleece jacket from the North Face or Patagonia, yoga pants and Tevas or Keens, exercize clothes for breakfast, lunch and dinner...

And I could go on and on with all the things I love about Boulder. I really don't remember ever meeting an unpleasant person there (I'm sure I did though, but they were really an exception). Despite being a foreigner, I always felt completely accepted and enjoyed meeting and interacting with the population of friendly, open-minded people of Boulder.

A few weeks before we left, I took the boys to the ultimate Boulder style kid's concert. I can't even begin to describe how incredible Jeff and Paige are. Their goal is to educate children on how to care for Earth and the environment in an incredibly fun way. They are so talented, even William kept begging to go back to watch the Bee girl sing and see the bear in the mountain. First they took the kids on a hike up Chautauqua park, looking for the color of the week and the animal of the week in Nature, then they performed their show which included songs, dances and a dress up act.

William mesmerized by Jeff and Paige

Our Friends Elias and Sam were part of the party which contributed to the fun

Where else in the world would your kids dance to the words: "Spin around, like the cycle of a tree, Decompose, Nutri-grows, decompose, nutri-grows..."

Of course what I will miss most about Boulder are the amazing friends we made. We were really blessed to meet so many incredible people in our neighborhood and our ward. Living in a close-knit community like the Family Housing is seriously the best social experience I've had in my life and I'm so glad my boys benefitted from this cultural diversity and amazing social experience.

Meeting friends at the playground was a daily occurrence.

Clare, William and Josh playing superhero at the playground. 

Jo, Clare and Elias

A week before we left, my friend Emily organized a farewell party for me. We had a girl's night in. We made cheese fondue, chocolate fondue and had a beauty station with nail polish and facials. It was wonderful!

Em and Erika

Melissa

The fondue pots

Cami and Em

With Sarah

Charlee, Jennifer and Amy

Melissa and Emily

Nichole and Erika

With Erika and Heidi

Super Em

With Deanna

With Emily

Emily, Deanna and Stacey 

With Maria

With Amy

I was so touched to see so many wonderful friends come, and I can't help thinking about all the friends who have moved before me and I miss too. I'm so blessed to have had these incredible people in my life.

On Sunday, we said good-bye to our wonderful ward friends. I took pictures of Josh and William in their class. 

Noah?, Ally, Jaycee, Sheryl, Josh and Benjamin

William, Mira, Lilly and Donovan

With the Raybacks

With Jennifer

Then Brother and Sister Gibson came to see how we were doing with the packing. Brother Gibson was untiring at playing little piggy with the boys. 

Another afternoon with our friends, and a typical adventure of good guys, bad guys, guns, swords and laying on the ground dead.

Our last week there we had a farewell dinner with our neighbors from Ethiopia and ate "injara" for the first time. It was delicious.

And my friend and colleague Maggie planned a farewell dinner with our neighbors the night before we left.

Playing in the curtain

Jo and the gang

Maggie, Heidi, Sophia and Kevin

With Maggie

Me, Em, Nichole, Maria, Maggie and Maya

Heidi, Em, me, Nichole, Maria

With Gaby

With Jackie

Boulder and the Family Housing were really the experience of a life time. I can honestly say it is the place I've been the happiest and saddest in my life (so far). Interesting how these 2 often go together. I will be forever grateful to the amazing people I've met there for their support, their friendship and their examples of service and acceptance. See you later Boulder!