Mommy learns to braid!

I was finally able to get Addison to agree to let me practice braiding her hair!  I think for my first time it turned out super cute!

Date Night

So this is a little out of order...but Tim and I went on a date night while in Colorado. We started the night at the historic Baldpate Inn. They have been featured in several magazines for the salad and soup buffet. The soups that night were Buffalo Stew and Brocoli Cheese. Both were really yummy. There was also two featured salads...a pistachio salad and jicama jalapeno. The pistachio was really good, but I didn't try the jicama. At the end of the meal they bring out a pie tray. They are also well known for their pie. So we shared a piece of cherry. Also very good!

The salad bar.  All the fixings were in mason jars.  Such a neat way to have them out!

 The pie tray!  They all looked so good!

 The Baldpate Inn has the worlds largest key collection.  There were keys everywhere in this room and they were from all over the place.

 After eating dinner we went to downtown Estes Park for a little shopping.  After the hike earlier that day, my body was tired.  Tim kept making fun of me, but I really was hurting! Here is a picture of all the shops in the town.  They line both sides of the street! (No we didn't take this picture... I found it online!)

 So we went to the movies.  This theater is 98 years old.  It was so neat to see how it has changed over the years.  We learned that the city will not allow neon lights anymore, so they had to take theirs down.  This tower has also been hit by lightening...more than once!
We sat right behind a couple who had their first date in the theater in 1964.  They were so cute.  The couple was double dating with another couple.  They were laughing and joking...I hope Tim and I can be that fun after 40+ years together!

 This is the movie we saw!  It was a really good movie, and the only one they had at the time.  We got our tickets and two drinks for $20.  We could not believe it!

It was such a fun date, but man my body hurt at the end of the night!

Rodeo Parade

While in Estes Park we got to see the Rooftop Rodeo Parade.  Here are the kids with Grammy and Pappy waiting for the parade to start.

 Addison waiting for the police cars and fire engines to go by.

 This is how Glade watched them...with his hands on his ears!

 These were Addison's favorite, the sparkly girls.  They had sparkly shirts, sparkly chaps...they were all blinged out!

A hiking we will go

July 9 is always a bittersweet day for me.  That is the day we said goodbye to our sweet baby Ethan.  He has been in the arms of God for two years now.  It was a lot easier this year since we were on vacation and had a lot to keep me busy. 

We didn't think the Park Rangers would appreciate us releasing balloons in the mountains, so we didn't do that this year.  I wanted to take a hike to Dream Lake, so we packed some snacks and drinks and headed out.  It was such a great day to spend with family in some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.  The kids were so good.  They did the four mile hike with very little whining!  I couldn't have asked for anything better. 

Here we are at the start of the hike at Bear Lake.

 Nymph Lake or as the kids called it, the Frog Lake because of all the lily pads.

Some of the views along the way

 Dream Lake! We made it.  We had to walk across a lot of snow.  It was really worth it and since we made it this far...it was just over a mile to Dream Lake, we decided to go a little further and see Emerald Lake.

 Emerald Lake, there was still  snow in the water!  It was windy and cold, but being surrounded by the mountains was breathtaking!  It was great to be surrounded by God's glory that day.  Just what I needed.

The kids did so good.  They took it all in!

And rested when they needed to!

 Do you see the red speck in the middle of the photo?  That is me!  Tim hiked even further up some rocks...not a trail!  When he got out of my view I began to worry.  Every once in a while he would show up and wave to us.  All I could think about was him falling off the other side and no one knowing it!  Thankfully, he made it back down safe and sound.  He did get some good pictures of Emerald Lake and the surrounding mountains.

 Glade learned that he loved climbing the rocks.  While they were climbing these rocks a deer walked right across the trail!

We hiked back down and made it to our car.  I am so proud of the kids for doing such a good job on this hike.  We went back to the campground and put the kids down for a nap.  Tim and I went on a date later that evening, but that is another post!

Grand Lake

We drove over the mountain and through the woods...really we did!  To a little town called Grand Lake.  The kids played on the playground they have in the downtown area.  We walked by the lake and took a short hike up to another water fall.  We saw lots of reindeer along the way.  We even saw a mommy moose and her two babies...though I could not get a good picture.

 Grand Lake

 A beautiful view!



Fishing

Glade loved trying to catch a fish.  The little lake at our camp ground was stocked with fish every other week.  I think by the time we got to fish, the fish had gotten smart!  I am not even sure if the got a bite.  Glade had just as much fun casting his line out and realing it in. 

Alberta Falls

                             
We hiked up to Alberta Falls one day.  It was only about a 1 mile hike.  The kids did great.  Addison hit her leg on a rock on the way down and had to be carried a little bit, but not the whole way.  The water was rushing down the falls and it was very cold!  Pappy found a place between the rocks that the kids could get to touch the water.  They had lots of  fun. 

 Pappy is the king of the mountain!

 Glade loved the rocks.  He wanted to climb them all.

 Tim thought he would give it a try...