Summer Recap

So I've been debating whether or not to go back and try to catch up or just start from now....

I decided to go back and do a little summer recap starting with our trip to Estes Park.

It's hard to believe the boys are back in school and we are almost to Labor day. The summer really flew by. I took a little break from blogging because it just seemed like I couldn't find the time to keep up. I will try to catch you up without too many details.

At the beginning of the summer we went to Estes Park for a day.

In all of our many trips to Estes we have  seen very few Long Horn Sheep. This time we saw a whole herd of them. Connor jumped out of the car an captured a few shots.

I'm not sure who took this pic or what we were discussing outside the car but  I thought it was a funny picture (I think we may have been considering the ramifications of running away, lol)

>

Ready for the ride

A Day in Estes Park

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Grandma's visit and a day in Estes Park

Grandma has been visiting for the past week. She left to go home this morning. Here are a few pictures from her visit. Yesterday we spent the day in Estes Park. It was a beautiful day. We walked around the shops and then drove up into Rocky Mountain National Park. We saw quite a few elk which made Connor's day. We took Skylar with us. It was her first road trip with us and she did great. She was so excited everytime we stopped and she could get out and explore but then would be so tired when we got back in the car. She slept all the way home. At one point the boys and grandma were on a hiking trail (pets were not allowed) so I was walking her around a little picnic area. I was just looking around at the scenery when I noticed she was entranced with something on the ground just sniffing away. I took a double take and realized it wasn't a branch as I first thought, it was an elk leg!!!!!! I don't know how or why it was laying there but it freaked me out a little. I showed the boys when they returned and of course they were so curious and excited, well Con was I think Alex was just grossed out.

From Estes Park with Grandma

Skylar in the car in her little bed between the seats

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

From Estes Park with Grandma

A day in the mountains...

Connor had been asking for a few days if we could go up in the mountains. He is just like his dad and Grandpa and every once in awhile they just need their mountain fix. They love the fresh Mountain air, the wildlife and just being in nature. When Mark & I were first married we took off many times on three day weekends and headed to Colorado from Ks. We would take off after work on Friday, drive until late into the night. Spend Saturday and Sunday and head back Monday. That's how much Mark loved Colorado and the mountains... a few times we only had a regular weekend and we would spend one day and drive back. Oh to be young again... haha Anyway, Connor inherited that gene and he gets a little cranky when he hasn't been in a while. I think he would live in the mountains if he could.

We ended up going to Estes Park and through Rocky Mountain National Park. Trail Ridge Road all the way through the Kawaneechee Valley. Through Grand Lake, Winter Park and back home. The Kawaneechee Valley is usually a great place to see Moose. (Connor's favorite animal) but we didn't have any luck yesterday. We did see some elk. Here are a few pictures from our day.

Turbo Summer...

Mark and I are starting to refer to the past few weeks as "turbo summer". We've packed in a lot in the last month. Partially because the kids are going to be on "track" (year around school) this year. They start on July 9th. They will be in school for 3 weeks then out for 3. The other reason is because their cousin Caitlyn is visiting and we wanted to do fun things with her.

It's been fun but we are sure tired at bed time! Yesterday we went to Estes Park for the day. Today we went to Arts On Fire and painted pottery. Everyone did a good job. I even painted something! Then we went to the park and had lunch. Back home to get Alex off to his drum lesson and then off to Alex's baseball game. Grandma came back from Steamboat today. Nice to have her back. I'm sure it was a lot quieter for her there! Caitlyn seems to be enjoying herself and we are really enjoying having her. I asked Monica if I could keep her (it's nice having another girl in the house) She said no. Darn. We are going to miss her... Here are a few pics from Estes Park.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Mother's Day 2008

I had a wonderful Mother's Day... It was a busy weekend. We had football practice, two football games (we were quite frozen), a birthday party, two sleepovers, homework..etc. Sunday was nice though. We took Alex's friend home and then Mark dropped me and the kids off at "Westlands Park" or as the kids call it "Grandpa's park". They call it that because he works for the city of Greenwood village (where the park is located) and he took Connor there when he was 3 or 4 and showed him when it was still under construction. So he always called it "Grandpa's park" and it caught on with Alex.

Anyway, Mark dropped us off and went to get Quizno's for all of us. Grandpa "Dick" met us there. The four boys played football and I went in for a little while when Grandpa wanted a little break. We ran into Susu and her family at the park. For those of you who don't know who she is, She is someone we call "mama Susu". It was a nice surprise. We came home and I opened my presents. Connor made a nice picture frame for me and Alex made a pretty flower pin. I also received some other fun stuff.. a couple of cook books, new sunglasses, new shoes..it was a good day. Then we had friends over for a cook out. It's was a nice evening and the kids played outside a lot. I hope all you mom's out there had a wonderful day too!