Life in the 'Burbs

We are back in Highlands Ranch for a few weeks. Highlands Ranch was one of my first Colorado experiences...and trust me, it is an experience. I will not spend this post though on the downfalls of life in the 'burbs. I appreciate our current situation and the generosity of my in-laws too much.

Instead, I will give you a simple list of the little pleasures of "burb life":

1. A beautiful house with all of the amenities of that which we have only dreamed. They live the American Dream here.

2. A view of the mountains. Although you can find this in other parts of the Denver metro area, it would come at a price out of our reach.

3. Timed stop lights. This has been a completely new experience for me moving to Colorado. You mean the light changes when you pull up to it? It's really hard to imagine but it is by far one of the best perks about living in the 'burbs. If you have not experienced this phenomenon, I highly recommend a field trip to HR.

4. The grocery stores. Grocery stores in the city cannot even come close to comparison to the grocery stores they offer here. I have never seen a cheese selection like I saw the other day in Highlands Ranch. It is truly incredible.

5. Similarly, liquor stores. Not only are there sales, but they offer discounts if you buy in bulk. How could I not be tempted?

6. Finally, my favorite part of the 'burbs is a little place we like to call the Oebs. The Old Blinking Light was a frequent haunt of ours when we were living in HR last time. It offers us a delicious cheeseburger, chocolate mints by the handful, and drink specials we could not beat. And we decided that there really was no point in trying to beat it. We made friends with the managers and owners and were often teased that we were there more than the wait staff. Oebs, I am glad to have you back in my life, even if temporarily.

And so you might ask, why hate on the 'burbs? It seems to offer you many rewards. And it's true, I can never hate the 'burbs. It was my first home in Colorado and my first real taste of the fastest growing county in the country five years in a row. Who wouldn't want to be a part of this? I showed up almost two years ago to the HR, and said I was staying a month. 9 months later I moved out, only to move back a year later. Let's face it, I can't get enough.