Mt. Evans

Scot's parents visited us over Labor Day, and it seemed like a good time to get another 14er under our belts. This time it was Mt. Evans that we hiked.

It was cold, and the path was rocky, but the kids were troopers, and all of them made it to the top without complaint.

After posing for these group pictures, Tyson informed me that he needed to pee. Now! Asher was also with me, but everyone else had wandered a little higher up. So, not wanting to waste any time, I took both boys with me and booked it down the mountain. The group of college kids that was hiking down just ahead of us accidentally veered off the path at one point, and we mistakenly followed them. Things got a little dicey when we had to scramble down a steep part to get back onto a lower section of the trail. I explained the them why we were hustling, and they were extremely helpful in helping/packing the boys down the rocks when necessary.

In the ruins of Crest House, a ranger did a presentation on how to identify mountain goats and bighorn sheep. He had a lot of visual aids, and the kids were quite entertained, especially when Riley was invited to sport a bighorn sheep hide.

On our drive back down the mountain we were able to put our new knowledge to use when we saw this mountain goat right off the road.

Adventure Day: Daniel's Park

Our kids had so much fun climbing on rocks any chance they got this summer. I wanted spend our last adventure day of the summer doing just that. We found a hillside nearby that is full of climbing-sized rocks. It had rained early that morning, but the sun was shining by the time we headed out. The rain gave the kids the added bonus of puddles to splash in. I think they could have stayed all day, if I'd let them.

Coming Home

After playing at the park, the day was too warm and the ride home was just too much for Tyson.

Garden of the Gods

Colorado is not lacking in beautiful scenery, but I think Garden of the Gods, in Colorado Springs, is one of the most amazing places I've ever been. The rock formations are incredible! It was our last stop on our three day camping adventure.

The kids had a lot of fun climbing on the rocks. Even Asher, who has been more timid in the past that his big sister, got into the fun.

A rattlesnake crossing the path as we headed back to our car was an unexpected surprise.

Florissant Fossil Beds

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument was a 30 minute drive from where we were camping. The area is full of fossilized redwood trees. The process of fossilization was unique, and instead of looking like rocks, these fossils look like trees, but feel like rocks.

After completing a few projects and activities, including a short hike, and watching a movie that taught us about the fossils, the kids were sworn in as Junior Rangers, and took an oath to protect Florissant Fossil Bed National Monument.

Near the visitors center is the homestead of one of the early settlers to the area. We were able to do a little exploring there too.

Soft Camping

Our second camping trip of the summer was the cushiest camping trip I've ever taken. We heard good things about a campground outside of Colorado Springs, so we decided it would be fun to check out. We do nearly all our camping at state parks, with outhouse-type toilets and few amenities, so this place seemed luxurious to us. Not only were there flushing toilets, there were showers, a playground, a stocked fishing pond, and a swimming pool & splash pad.

S'mores were high on the kids' priority list, so we built a fire and enjoyed them the first night.

Riley and Asher thought it was a real treat when we let them roast their own marshmallows.

After a breakfast of oatmeal and hot chocolate, we headed to nearby Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. 

After our morning at Florissant comes the part of the camping trip where we got really "soft." As we were headed back to the campground for lunch, we passed through a cute mountain town called Woodland Park, and Scot spotted a little shop called The Donut Mill. He spontaneously pulled the car over and told the kids he had a surprise for us. As we walked into the building he and I spotted a sign that said they served Blue Bell ice cream, in addition to donuts. When it comes to sweets, I don't have a lot of restraints in the most ideal conditions. But when we're on vacation, I have almost no will power. So I suggested that we get ice cream to eat now, and we could take a box of donuts back to the campsite to eat with our breakfast the following morning. Scot was easily convinced.

By the time we got back to camp, no one was hungry, so those ice cream cones ended up being lunch. Instead of eating, we put on our swimsuits and went to the pool. After swimming and showering we got back in the car and headed toward Colorado Springs for one of our very favorite things, Rudy's bbq. We fell in love with Rudy's when we lived in Texas, and wouldn't miss the opportunity to partake when we are in (or near) the same town as a Rudy's Country Store.

After we got the kids to sleep in the tent that evening, Scot and I went on a date. . .we watched a movie on the DVD player in the minivan. The next morning was donuts for breakfast, the kids played for a little around the camp, and then we packed up and headed to Garden of the Gods. I think more people would camp if they knew it could be that cushy.

Adventure Day: Highlands Ranch Mansion

One of our local landmarks is called the Highlands Ranch Mansion. It started out as a farmhouse more than 120 years ago, and has been added on to by various owners over the years. Now this historic building is open to the public for tours. It was the first thing I put on my list of possible adventure days for this summer, and I'm glad we fit it in before we ran out of time. 

Adventure Day: Lollipop Park

We were able to share our seventh adventure day of the summer with cousins. My sister, Jess, and her kids met us at an indoor amusement park called Lollipop Park. It was a fun little place, and I was impressed with how clean it was. Our kids could ride all the rides without a parent, and the place was just their speed.

The teacups were the favorite of most of the kids. Asher didn't appreciate how fast Riley and Brady wanted to spin the cups, so he would only ride that one if he could be in a cup alone. Brooke and Tyson didn't mind the spinning one bit.

Another favorite ride were the swings. The kids definitely got a kick out of riding in a row together, and completely ignored the operator's instructions to not hold on to other kids' swings. And I just can't post this video without sharing a story that's not even my own.

When we were kids, our town held (well, I'm sure they still do) a big celebration every summer. There was a rodeo, a parade, an antique car show, and I'm sure many other events that I've forgotten. But the highlight of the whole thing was the carnival. It was the stereotypical carnival with food trucks, carnies, and rides of questionable safety, all set up in our familiar Downtown Park. One of our favorites was a ride like this one, called the YoYo. It rose high above most of the other rides as it spun in circles. Centrifugal force lifted the swings out, until you felt like your body was almost parallel to the ground. On one memorable occasion, centrifugal force also cause the boy seated in front of Jess to throw up, and she ended up spinning right into his floating vomit. It's one of the grossest stories that comes up when we're reminiscing about our childhood. 

Fortunately all the kids at Lollipop Park kept their lunch down.

The Whip was fun for the kids at first, but went on a little too long, as you can tell by their expressions.

Adventure Day: Lair o' the Bear

For Adventure Day number 5 we explored Lair o' the Bear. It's an open space area surrounding Bear Creek. There were plenty of places to play at the edge of the water, and several short hiking trails on both sides of the creek.

I picked up some inexpensive pith helmets and binoculars early in the summer. I decided this was the perfect time to pull them out to complete the sense of exploration.

After a half mile of hiking, we stopped for a picnic lunch and visited with some other hikers. It was a fun place, and we'll definitely go again ... maybe with swimsuits next time, so we can really get in and play in the creek.

Explora

We had heard a lot about Explora, Albuquerque's Science and Children's Museum. After we visited this trip, Scot and I were asking each other why we've never been before. There were a lot of stations to learn about light, air, water, color, movement, etc. and nearly all of them were interactive.

I can honestly say it's probably the most fun my kids have had at a museum. Even the elevator was unique.

But the fun wasn't just for the kids. All the adults in our group got in on the fun by riding a bicycle back and forth across a tight rope.

We would recommend this museum to families with kids of any age, and will definitely be returning next time we're in town.