Catch up and Christmas Time

I'm not even going to bother w/the excuses!

Fall was filled with Garrett and FB and Brent refereeing FB. Brent and Maddie's bday was in September. Our anniversary was in October and made a quick overnight stay to celebrate in Topeka. November was Thanksgiving in South Dakota and Christmas Shopping towards the end of the month. The flu bug that knocked Garrett out of his holiday concert right before Thanksgiving break. Maddison and Brent got it too..Owen a week later!

December brought NO winter activities for our family. BB can wait for Maddison and Garrett had no interest in playing this winter. Which is fine with us! Enjoying our evenings..

We have gone church caroling, rang the salvation army bell for an hour in Clay Center, Church Christmas program. 2 Christmas's so far...and a partridge in a pear tree!

We hope your families are all doing well..We are enjoying our first real snowfall of the season and having a snow day today. Cinnamon rolls, monopoly, snowmen, chili and hot cocoa are on the agenda the rest of the day!

We had our family pics taken in early November.

I will get some christmas pics up soon. I even did a homemade advent calendar and photo garland..maybe just maybe I can get some pics of those!

Final Days of Summer Vacation..Day 4 & 5

Yes..i know I'm slow, but thought before I started posting "Fall" things, I better finish Summer.  Better late than never!

At dusk on the 4th evening, we went to Sheep Lake to watch Big Horn Sheep come drink and feed.  We sat for 2.5 to 3 hours and saw nothing but a coyote.  Our kids were fit to be tied we stayed that long.  Garrett sat in the car the whole time and Maddie and Owen were back and forth, in and out.  Later we find out through a different park ranger that no sheep had been seen for a week and were lambing up high in the mountains.  Regardless...the beauty of God's Creation was wonderful!

 Trying really hard to see something!

It was also funny to watch cars pull in cuz we are sitting outside and pointing at things.  Cars would pull in and then 5 minutes later pull out!

 Last day we did what the kids had been dying to do since we got to Estes Park.  Fun City!  We played putt-putt. 

 Garrett and Brent getting Maddie's ball out of the water!

 Owen and Garrett going down slide.  Owen's one and only time!  He did NOT like it.

 Bumper Cars!

 Maddie wanted to do the bungee trampoline thing

 AND Go-KARTS...the funnest thing.   We had races and competitons.  Just so you know...Owen is totally faking the smile..he was not happy he had to ride with MOM..

 Maddie finally got her way and got to ride with Dad...I was totally offended!

 Few misc. pics from here and there.

 We also walked up to some falls that were created by a flood. Kids had a good time crawling around on the rocks.  Garrett wasn't into posing with statues!

 I didn't get a shot of our little condo/cabin.  But this was the view from the back deck.  owen and I walked down there one evening and he threw rocks and talked to himself.  It was priceless.

 And looking towards RMNP. At sunset.

There is nothing more special than a Family Vacation.  Even though the first couple of days are rough as we are not used to being around each other 24/7.  But for the most part we all did well.We grilled hb's and hotdogs and ate on our deck two nights in a row and just relaxed.    I am thankful for my husband who works so hard for us to be able to go on vacation and that he was able to get a break too! Even if only for a short while.  The kids might have complained some, as well as I, but they are already talking about things they did and remember and can't wait to go back!  You don't have to go anywhere fancy or special or far away, taking a break as a family and doing things as a family is what is important.  Try it sometime!

Vacation Day 3 - Alberta Falls Day

We took another hike on Saturday (day 3)  to a waterfall..It was really, really busy. A lot of people, in fact we had to park in a big parking lot and then acutally ride a shuttle bus to get to the parking lot to start this hike.  All in all it was ok, but could only take what we could carry, so we opted on not taking lunch and eating later....so we carried water bottles and granola bars and trail mix.

Some smaller falls on the way up.

View of Alberta Falls from a distance.

Quick rest stop

On top of Alberta falls

Boys checking things out- a little too close for comfort for mom.

Family Picture

Up top looking down...and yes I took this picture.  (courtney h..this one is for you)

After Alberta Falls,  we decided while we were there we would go ahead and walk around this lake (don't remember name).  Kids were getting hungry and our granola bars and trailmix were LONG gone..

Finally found another picnic spot and ate a late lunch, of you guessed it...pb&J, grapes, carrots, chips, and water!

We saw this guy on our way back to cabin after lunch...

Vacation - Day 2 Rocky Mountain National Park

On Day 2 we came up from the southwest part of Rocky Mountain National Lake at Grand Lake..The Lake was huge.  Not such a great picture. My camera and I had a difficult time deciding on settings..

Stopped at a visitor center and grabbed a map and heard that a momma moose and baby had been hanging out along our route north and east.  She also said that we should check out Sheep Lake which is at the Estes park entrance and watch Big Horn Sheep come down and drink and graze in evenings. 

I bet we hadn't been in the car 10 minutes and we spotted the moose  along with about 100 other people, but we were still able to pull over and get some pics. 

Then a little on down the road...a small herd of elk. 

(which Owen wanted Brent to get his gun and shoot them.  Thinking the hunting channel might be off limits for a bit!)

There is only one road that goes up and all the through Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes Park (our next and final stop for the rest of vacation)  What an absolutely BEAUTIFUL DRIVE.....

We stopped and ate lunch at Bear Lake (I think?)  But the mosquitos wanted us more than our food.  I think we used 3 days worth of bug spray at lunch that day.  And no, we did NOT have subway..good 'ol pb & j, chips, grapes, gatorade, capri sun and water! 

After Lunch we hiked down to Bear Lake..

Continuing on across the ONE road..we stopped SEVERAL times for some scenic pics.  This is how the conversation went after about the 3rd stop.....

Brent and I " hey this looks really cool.  We want to read what this sign says and takes some pics.Ok?

Nothing...Silence.

Brent and I "  Ok?  Sound good?"

Nothing Silence..Quick look in mirror. 

Brent and I " PUT AWAY the IPOD and DVD Player...I thought we said no electronics in RMNP?" 

Kids..."oh...you meant ALL DAY the WHOLE DAY?

Brent and I..."yes  and yes, Owen you have to put on your shoes AGAIN.  DO NOT TAKE THEM OFF AGAIN or you won't be able get out?"

We saw a couple dozen elk along this road (which I know has a name for it, but can't remember and I'm not looking it up)  There is a place to stop and get out and take another good walk/hike across the tundra.  It was cold and windy and damp out, but we did it anyway.  hey we were on vacation and nowhere to go be but RIGHT THERE.

Maddie posing on some rocks.

My throat caught for a moment when I took this picture.  I think he looks SOO grown up. 

More pics from Tundra.

We made it to Estes Park and stayed at some cabin/condos right outside RMNP entrance. Only a couple of miles.  It was really fun to be so close, where we could come and go as much as we wanted.