On our second day in Estes Park we traveled down to the Wild Basin area and hiked a beautiful trail called Copeland Falls.
The path wound through dark green Pine forest dotted with the bright yellow leaves of Aspens.
These are the lower Copeland Falls.
After taking it in for a few minutes the kids led the way to the upper falls.
The kids spent time climbing around the rocks with Grandpa Doug and Clay while Grandma Karen and I just took in the view.
It was a really beautiful hike, the exact opposite of the hike we took the day before. I'm alway amazed at how varied nature is and RMNP is no exception. More adventures to come!
Last week we travelled to Colorado to visit family and to celebrate the wedding of a good friend. We were delayed a bit due to bad weather, but we made it eventually.
After staying the night in Denver, we headed to Estes Park to stay in a cabin and enjoy being surrounded by mountains and wildlife. These deer were hanging around in our front yard.
We spent the first afternoon/night getting acclimated. Isabel and Grandma Karen collected pine cones so we could start a fire and eat s'mores to aid the process.
The next day we drove Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park to our first hiking destination called Rock Cut.The drive almost killed me. My anxiety level was through the roof as we took turn after turn around sharp corners that gave way to 90 degree drop offs! Can someone tell me why there are not guard rails on that road?
When we finally pulled off and I was able to look around without the fear of careening down a cliff I noticed some very pretty views.
We started hiking the Rock Cut path upwards over the rolling rocky ground.
But Isabel began to feel a bit ill, so she and I hiked back down to wait for everyone at the trailhead. I think the twisting turns of Trail Ridge Road set hear stomach off (can't say I blame her).
So we did our best to enjoy our time while we waited for the others. We found fun rocks, we took pictures of interesting plant life, and we enjoyed our time together.
More of our adventures out west to come!
We hit the Children's Museum while we were down in Indianapolis and had a really great time.
It's been a few years since we last visited. They've add a few things since then...like dinosaurs peeking in the window and this gigantic Transformer.
We started off in the Dinosphere, where we checked out real dino-skeletons.
And dug for some bones.
Next, we wandered into the National Geographic section of the museum where we saw replicas of China's famous Terra Cotta Warriors.
Grammy even helped put one back together.
We saw sunken treasure.
Did some deep sea exploration.
And helped put together the pharaoh's tomb.
Next we oohed and aahed over the Fireworks of Glass display.
And stared with wonder at the water clock.
After lunch we rode the carousel.
And Isabel went on a trip to Egypt.
While Cole worked his creativity, building a new lego vehicle.
It was an action packed day and we didn't even see everything. If you're ever in Indy and need something to do with the kids, I highly recommend checking this place out. It's well worth it.
There are few places that I love more than northern Michigan, so I was very excited when I found out that my cousin was getting married in Petoskey, MI. This lovely little resort town sits on Little Traverse Bay and boasts a plethora of fun little shops and breathtaking views.
We took advantage of the beautiful weather and spent our time playing at the waterfront playground...
Searching for Petoskey stones...
Walking the break wall...
And just spending some quality time together.
If you're in Michigan and looking for a great spot to getaway to this summer, I highly recommend that you check out Petoskey. There's a lot to explore for families, couples, and individuals alike. And if you do go, be sure to stop by the American Spoon Cafe for lunch or dinner or a cool treat. Their food is amazing and the gelato is divine!
The Wildflower Honey and Sour Cherry flavors are a must try.
After a long week in Michigan, we're back in Kingston and trying to get back into the swing of life. Sorry about my lack of posting last week. Blogging took a back seat to hanging out with my family. Here are some of the fun moments from our mini-vacation to the Mitten state.
One of the great things about going home is spending time with my niece and nephew. Our kids really love hanging out with their cousins.
We enjoyed several trips out in the new kayak and the canoe.
The kids protected the house from space invaders...
There was bike riding...
and boat sailing...
and a ton of other fun moments that I only captured in my head. We really had a great time. In fact, I need another vacation just to recover. I'm exhausted!
I'll have pictures of our short stay in Petoskey posted soon as well.
Every year around this time I start having dreams of taking my family to Disney World. Maybe it's the thought of the cold weather that's coming. Or maybe like most people, I've got issues with longing for something I can't afford. Or maybe I've just drank Disney's magic potion one too many times. No matter what the problem is I just can't seem to help myself. So to give myself a hit of Disney bliss and help me stave off any irrational thoughts of another trip to Disney, here are some pictures from the trip Clay and I took in 2007 as a belated honeymoon.
We told them we were on our honeymoon (because we were...just 4 years late) and they gave us "Just Married" buttons which I forced Clay to wear around all week. Don't we look like newlyweds?
Though all the parks are amazing, Epcot Center is probably my favorite. It offers a ton of variety, boasting great rides, interesting attractions, and awesome food. Plus, I love the street performers and the world showcase pavilions.
As far as I know, Disney World is the only place you can visit San Francisco and several different countries without leaving Florida.
What can I say? Disney brings out the kid in me.
We took this photo to show our Lego obsessed son all of the cool things you can do with building blocks. I can't wait for him to see this in person.
We had such a good time. Maybe that's why I dream about going back. I think I may even be ready to tackle a Disney vacation with children. It would certainly be great fun to experience the magic through the eyes of our kids.
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