Guest Post: Commander Mouse
Yes, Amy was kind enough to allow me to go for a hike with some folks at the Y while she assisted the kids with crafts and a Junior Explorer class. It was a glorious day to spend a couple of hours hiking and eating lunch at the top of one of the mountains, 9876 feet above sea level and high above the YMCA retreat center. On our return drive back, about ½ mile outside the park entrance we stopped near a bed a breakfast since about 50 people had gathered in the area. We saw a 2 year old brown bear sitting on the roof of the house. A few minutes later he decided he was hungry so he climbed down the tree onto the wraparound porch and tried to get in the side door. When that didn’t work, he proceeded to rip the screen for the small window next to the door and kitchen sink with his teeth in an attempt to get into the house. The elderly lady inside the house started making a bunch of noise to try to scare the bear off, but he didn’t seem to mind the noise.
Now here’s the funny part. Picture a lady, probably in her 70’s, with wild white hair, coming out from the back of the wraparound porch, banging two pots together, probably 5-8 feet away from the bear. Initially, that got the bear’s attention and he promptly climbed the 8 feet back up the tree to her roof. She continues to bang away with her pots and the bear just sits there looking at her, while all us bystanders are roaring with laughter at the site of this lady with the wild white hair, totally unfazed by the bear. Eventually, the bear decides he has had enough, comes back down the tree, off the porch and promptly goes to the neighbor’s trash can to find something interesting to eat. One of the senior Y volunteers that hiked with us that day was happy to see a bear on his 6th day of working at the Y this year while the rest of us will never forget the site of the lady with the pots banging away 5 feet from the bear. What a site to see!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park
This was our third stay at the YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park and this place never disappoints. I love it because this place is whatever you need and want to make of it. This time, we needed rest, relaxation, and some fun after 3 days of packing (2 went til midnight) and the sadness of having to leave our beloved friends in Colorado.
Back to the Y. We stayed in the brand new Peaks Lodge, the nicest lodge accommodations on the property. That said, families, I'd recommend staying at the Alpen Inn on property as it is closer, rooms are bigger, but not as fancy and you get a balcony. For this trip to the Y, we slept a lot, ate a lot (they have wonderful, healthy meals on the meal plan which we did, and played. Mouse went for a hike and the girls hit the craft building and painted til they dropped.
We played at the park, went roller skating did a junior explorer class to learn about hiking safely and played putt putt.
I am going to miss this place but know I'll be back.
Back to the Y. We stayed in the brand new Peaks Lodge, the nicest lodge accommodations on the property. That said, families, I'd recommend staying at the Alpen Inn on property as it is closer, rooms are bigger, but not as fancy and you get a balcony. For this trip to the Y, we slept a lot, ate a lot (they have wonderful, healthy meals on the meal plan which we did, and played. Mouse went for a hike and the girls hit the craft building and painted til they dropped.
We played at the park, went roller skating did a junior explorer class to learn about hiking safely and played putt putt.
I am going to miss this place but know I'll be back.
The Ice Cream Man
Guest Post: Commander Mouse
Remember the days when the Good Humor truck used to come around the neighborhood playing his oh so familiar musical melodies? When I was a kid, we would all go running for our money or beg our parents for an ice cream treat. At some point in time, I believe when I was a teenager, the parents decided they had enough of this wonderful or annoying sound (depending upon your perspective) and passed an ordinance, banning the music being piped from the Good Humor Ice cream truck, essentially putting him out of business in my township.
In Colorado, he doesn’t come around quite as frequently and we had avoided up to this point, explaining to our kids about the ice cream man. Of course, that all change during moving week when I decided it would be a great treat to buy them ice cream during packing night #2.
Fortunately our lawn chairs had not yet been packed so while Mom was kind enough to be inside with the movers, the three of us thoroughly enjoyed our ice cream or popsicles on the front sidewalk, lounging about in our lawn chairs and talking about the next time the ice cream truck might drive by our house. It will be interesting to see if we have a musical ice cream truck in our new neighborhood, because I fear I’ll be buying a lot more ice cream/popsicles if he does.
Remember the days when the Good Humor truck used to come around the neighborhood playing his oh so familiar musical melodies? When I was a kid, we would all go running for our money or beg our parents for an ice cream treat. At some point in time, I believe when I was a teenager, the parents decided they had enough of this wonderful or annoying sound (depending upon your perspective) and passed an ordinance, banning the music being piped from the Good Humor Ice cream truck, essentially putting him out of business in my township.
In Colorado, he doesn’t come around quite as frequently and we had avoided up to this point, explaining to our kids about the ice cream man. Of course, that all change during moving week when I decided it would be a great treat to buy them ice cream during packing night #2.
Fortunately our lawn chairs had not yet been packed so while Mom was kind enough to be inside with the movers, the three of us thoroughly enjoyed our ice cream or popsicles on the front sidewalk, lounging about in our lawn chairs and talking about the next time the ice cream truck might drive by our house. It will be interesting to see if we have a musical ice cream truck in our new neighborhood, because I fear I’ll be buying a lot more ice cream/popsicles if he does.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Trip Across Country
It's always been a dream of mine to drive across country and take my time and explore the rest of the US. Two years ago, this dream came true and we're getting to do it again at this summer. I am so sad to be leaving Colorado Springs, but am looking forward to the trip to Jax and exploring that area. Lucky me, we're taking our time going across and will get to explore new places.
Highlights:
YMCA of the Rockies at Estes Park. We're staying at this fabulous retreat center, where all meals will be included and all activities. Look forward to more craft time, classes, roller skating, swimming, golf, tennis and of course exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. It will be our last hooray in the most beautiful state of Colorado. Sniff. Sniff. If you are military, thank you for your service and let them know at the Y. Our package is $150 for two days in a phat new room with all meals. Thank you YMCA.
Great Wolf Lodge, Kansas City, KS. Just got a report from my brother that we will enjoy this water park resort as he is there now. I've never been to a Great Wolf Lodge and can't wait to go and play with the family for a couple days. Again, it's a bargain for military, firefighters, and police officers when you use code HEROES. It's $129 a night for a suite. In Williamsburg, VA, I remember it being over $300/night to stay there.
St. Louis. Going across last time, I remember St. Louis as being one of the best places for kids to visit. We're going back to the Magic House, one of the top children's museums in the planet and the St. Louis Zoo.
Chattanooga, TN. I am so looking forward to this trip! I thought we could stay at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.in Nashville on the way, but I just heard and saw pictures of the hotel under water. Broke my heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those folks dealing with the devastation, loss of jobs and homes. I was so sorry to hear about it and was glad to see my girlfriendTaylor Swift reaching out to the folks there. Back to Chattanooga. This looks like a spectacular place for the family to visit. I've been talking with the folks at the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel and as a surprise, I booked two nights to stay in a victorian box car. With the children's fantasy package, we get tix to the Tennessee Aquarium and Imax, the zoo, children's discovery museum and model train car museum. Breakfast and engineer caps for the kids are included too! We'll first visit Rock City Gardens, the Incline and Ruby Falls. I hear they have a fabulous park there with an antique carousel and boutique shopping. FUN!!!
Atlanta, GA. May or may not have time to stop. Highlights if we can -American Girl Place for lunch and the Atlanta aquarium. Wanted to go to the World of Coke, but I am thinking that all that caffeine would not be great for the tikes.
Then we drive to Jax, stay on the beach til our stuff shows up for our new house.
After we move in, we go to Hilton Head to visit lots of family and then to Orlando for a week!
Highlights:
YMCA of the Rockies at Estes Park. We're staying at this fabulous retreat center, where all meals will be included and all activities. Look forward to more craft time, classes, roller skating, swimming, golf, tennis and of course exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. It will be our last hooray in the most beautiful state of Colorado. Sniff. Sniff. If you are military, thank you for your service and let them know at the Y. Our package is $150 for two days in a phat new room with all meals. Thank you YMCA.
Great Wolf Lodge, Kansas City, KS. Just got a report from my brother that we will enjoy this water park resort as he is there now. I've never been to a Great Wolf Lodge and can't wait to go and play with the family for a couple days. Again, it's a bargain for military, firefighters, and police officers when you use code HEROES. It's $129 a night for a suite. In Williamsburg, VA, I remember it being over $300/night to stay there.
St. Louis. Going across last time, I remember St. Louis as being one of the best places for kids to visit. We're going back to the Magic House, one of the top children's museums in the planet and the St. Louis Zoo.
Chattanooga, TN. I am so looking forward to this trip! I thought we could stay at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.in Nashville on the way, but I just heard and saw pictures of the hotel under water. Broke my heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those folks dealing with the devastation, loss of jobs and homes. I was so sorry to hear about it and was glad to see my girlfriend
Atlanta, GA. May or may not have time to stop. Highlights if we can -
Then we drive to Jax, stay on the beach til our stuff shows up for our new house.
After we move in, we go to Hilton Head to visit lots of family and then to Orlando for a week!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Travel around Jacksonville
Since we're living on the beach already, I wonder how many trips we'll be taking in the near future? Plus princess is starting kindergarten and I am not excited. Kindergarten is full day, add sports, homework, bathtime and not much time left. Sigh. I am very much enjoying this honeymoon period being home with my kids while I have it. Good thing we'll have the beach so close by!
I know us and I know we'll be traveling and finding fun and adventure in Jax and around the area. Some places we'll want to hit in the net few years:
-Cruises! Carnival has cruises that leave out of Jax. I've already scouted a weekend cruise that goes to the Bahamas (one place I haven't been before). November is looking good to me. Also Disney Cruise Line leaves out of Cape Canaveral. Next year.
-Atlantis. Always wanted to go and it is so close now!
-Orlando. I know we'll be going to Disney. I was there when I found out I was preggers with my first daughter and I remember making a note to self. Put this trip off as long as you can. So many cranky little preschool crying while their parents dragged then around in the heat. Anyhoo. I know we are going and we'll buy the Florida pass and make Shades of Green our 2nd home, as the YMCA of the Rockies is here. I am looking forward to going there! I love Sea World and can't wait to go there. I hear Universal has great deals for the military, so maybe we'll just drive straight to Orlando before we move to our new house.
-Tampa. Busch Gardens, Elmo's world. Need I say more?
-We have family in Boca Raton and in New Bern, SC. Yeah!
-Cape Canaveral. We are going to see the last shuttle launch for sure. So sad it is the last. But we will be there and just in time.
It will be nice to be on the east coast time zone again. And it will make for easier air travel.
I know us and I know we'll be traveling and finding fun and adventure in Jax and around the area. Some places we'll want to hit in the net few years:
-Cruises! Carnival has cruises that leave out of Jax. I've already scouted a weekend cruise that goes to the Bahamas (one place I haven't been before). November is looking good to me. Also Disney Cruise Line leaves out of Cape Canaveral. Next year.
-Atlantis. Always wanted to go and it is so close now!
-Orlando. I know we'll be going to Disney. I was there when I found out I was preggers with my first daughter and I remember making a note to self. Put this trip off as long as you can. So many cranky little preschool crying while their parents dragged then around in the heat. Anyhoo. I know we are going and we'll buy the Florida pass and make Shades of Green our 2nd home, as the YMCA of the Rockies is here. I am looking forward to going there! I love Sea World and can't wait to go there. I hear Universal has great deals for the military, so maybe we'll just drive straight to Orlando before we move to our new house.
-Tampa. Busch Gardens, Elmo's world. Need I say more?
-We have family in Boca Raton and in New Bern, SC. Yeah!
-Cape Canaveral. We are going to see the last shuttle launch for sure. So sad it is the last. But we will be there and just in time.
It will be nice to be on the east coast time zone again. And it will make for easier air travel.
Moving to the Beach
We found a beautiful house in an awesome quiet neighborhood and it is just a few blocks from the beach! I would have never guessed that I'd have the opportunity to ever live so close to the beach again. One summer, I interned for the St. Petersburg Times and lived on Treasure Island, just a few blocks from the beach. I enjoyed walking on the beach after work and am so looking forward to that becoming a tradition with my family when mouse comes home. And I get one more year with my little one before she starts school every day. I told her that I was going to pick her up and carry her everywhere and squeeze her. She responded no that she wanted "to go to school and do challenging work." That's a montessori baby for you. Anyhoo. We feel so blessed we found a house so early and have an address! That means we can register our children for school. The beach schools are fantastic, the best in Florida. Fingers crossed that princess will get in to the magnet school for gifted and talented.
Hilton Head, here we come!
Looking forward to a trip to Hilton Head, SC! I just talked to my SIL and my hubby's whole extended family will be going to Hilton Head in June. Can't wait to get all the little cousins together to swim and play at the beach. Our Hilton Head must do's - mostly nothing, but hang out on the beach, but when we do go - seeing Greg Russell sing under the big oak tree at Harbourtown, buying t shirts at the salty dog, shopping at the outlets in town. It is gonna be fun!
The girls are ready for some water time. They've been taking private swim lessons at Little Fins Swim School and those lessons are paying off bigtime. Spidergirl completed her level two test where she can swim independently across the pool. Princess has almost completed her level four test and will move on when she refines her advanced backstroke. It is amazing to see them grow.
The girls are ready for some water time. They've been taking private swim lessons at Little Fins Swim School and those lessons are paying off bigtime. Spidergirl completed her level two test where she can swim independently across the pool. Princess has almost completed her level four test and will move on when she refines her advanced backstroke. It is amazing to see them grow.
Last Hoorah at the Broadmoor
Before we move across country, hubby and I are going to stay for a quick weekend getaway at the Broadmoor. The girls will have their first slumber party at a friend's house so we'll be going, as my 5 year old calls it, on a "honeymoon." If you haven't heard of the Broadmoor, it is an amazing 5 star resort here in Colorado Springs and I have heard from everyone that it is an amazing place to stay. I am psyched because we'll be staying in a great room there. We've been for Sunday brunch with the girls which is really wonderful.
If you are interested in a getaway at the Broadmoor, I understand they have a deal going on this weekend only where you can book at room at 50% off of their rack rate. They have never had a sale this good.
If you are interested in a getaway at the Broadmoor, I understand they have a deal going on this weekend only where you can book at room at 50% off of their rack rate. They have never had a sale this good.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Pizza House Party @ chez moi
Hooray! I was picked to host a DiGiorgno pizza champions house party. What is a house party? It is where national companies enlist influentials (me) to host a party with their influential friends (you). The companiesask you to try, share and promote their products. DiGiorgno is going to send me:
Love it! I buy the drinks, provide the party pad, invite my friends and have a party. Can't wait! I'm inviting my preschool moms and kids. Party planned.
- 1 Party Planner Booklet — with 6 host coupons for free pizza and 15 guest coupons for $4.00 off pizza
- 1 Supreme Pizza Cutter
- 15 Party Rally Beads
- 1 Referee Apron
- 1 Refrigerator Magnet
- 16 Drink Coasters
- 2 Trivia Table Tent Cards
- 1 Basketball “Hoops” Beverage Can Game
Love it! I buy the drinks, provide the party pad, invite my friends and have a party. Can't wait! I'm inviting my preschool moms and kids. Party planned.
YMCA of the Rockies: Estes Park Here we come!
I just made reservations for 2 nights all meals included to the YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park CO for memorial weekend. It will be our last hoorah before we move to Jacksonville, FL. The Y offers military families an awesome rate of $150 total for the weekend and we're staying in their newest lodge. We've been twice before and loved it. Not sure if we will just chill and take advantage of all the resort has to offer, skating, tennis, golf, horseback riding, classes, hiking, swimming or go to Rocky Mountain National Park. We'll probably do a little of both this time.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Great Wolf Lodge
I just learned that Great Wolf Lodge has a location in Kansas City, KS. AND they offer a military discount, Coupon Code: HEROES for a nice savings over their regular rate. Two nights will cost $329.oo for a queen suite with a balcony. Count us in! I've never stayed at a Great Wolf Lodge, but I've been to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA. It will be must more fun for us with the girls being great swimmers now and a little older. I am getting really excited about our cross country trip which may come sooner than I thought.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Jacksonville here we come!
We are moving to Jacksonville, FL this summer. Sad to leave Colorado, but we are blessed to have had the opportunity to live here and are excited about living near the beach and the travel opportunities that living in Florida will bring. We are close to Disney World and plan to travel to Orlando often. We hope to see a space shuttle launch while we can. Disney cruises depart from Cape Canaveral - woo hoo. Hilton Head and Charleston, SC and Tampa / St. Pete are not far either. Warm weather here we gladly come!
I am getting really excited about the trip across country. I so enjoyed our last trip across country, which I often refer to as a trip of a lifetime. When I found out we were moving, I quickly plotted our trip. Highlights will be:
Kansas City, MO: Hopefully the Crayola Cafe and Store will be open this time. We'll definitely go back to the Hallmark Headquarters Kaleidoscope room and to the children's theatre for a play. Lunch at Fritz is on the menu as well.
St. Louis, MO: the Zoo, Magic House and City Museum are on the schedule. I think St. Louis is one of the best places in the planet for families to visit. I told their mayor I thought so when I met him at a trade show over the summer. Great guy, great city.
Chattanooga, TN: I am most excited about taking the kids to the Tennessee Aquarium, to See Rock City (where I am going to buy one of those bird houses), Ruby Falls, and the incline. I love this city.
Atlanta, GA: World of Coke, American Girl Place, Aquarium. I should work in tourism, seriously.
Then Jacksonville!
I am getting really excited about the trip across country. I so enjoyed our last trip across country, which I often refer to as a trip of a lifetime. When I found out we were moving, I quickly plotted our trip. Highlights will be:
Kansas City, MO: Hopefully the Crayola Cafe and Store will be open this time. We'll definitely go back to the Hallmark Headquarters Kaleidoscope room and to the children's theatre for a play. Lunch at Fritz is on the menu as well.
St. Louis, MO: the Zoo, Magic House and City Museum are on the schedule. I think St. Louis is one of the best places in the planet for families to visit. I told their mayor I thought so when I met him at a trade show over the summer. Great guy, great city.
Chattanooga, TN: I am most excited about taking the kids to the Tennessee Aquarium, to See Rock City (where I am going to buy one of those bird houses), Ruby Falls, and the incline. I love this city.
Atlanta, GA: World of Coke, American Girl Place, Aquarium. I should work in tourism, seriously.
Then Jacksonville!
Travel, fun, and adventure in Colorado Springs
We've been so busy traveling, I've not had time to blog. Since I last blogged, we've been TRAVELING and having fun and lots of adventure. Highlights:
July: Back to Estes Park, CO, in July where we went back to the YMCA retreat center, but spent most of the time at Rocky Mountain national park, hiking, exploring, seeing an Elk parade 6 feet from us.
August: A weekend in Glenwood Springs, CO, where we spent the day in the largest mineral pool in the country (it is about 3 blocks long). We went with our cousins who live here. Glenwood Springs is 5 hours from C/S and a trip I highly recommend.
September: Camping at Family Camping weekend at the Farish Campground on the backside of the US Air Force Academy Mountain. This was a great weekend where we discovered and fell in love with Geocaching. We all went horseback riding, paddleboating, hiking, hit the bounce house, and made smores, pudgy pies (two slices of white bread with pizza toppings and sauce or cherry or apple pie filling grilling between two cast iron rounds. We also enjoyed stories around the camp fire til we needed to evacuate at 9pm Saturday night because I got Acute Mountain sickness with a nasty headache.
October: Albuquerque, NM for the International Balloon Fiesta. Recommend staying at Kirtland Air Force Base (2BR apt $40/night / 3 nights). Visited the Children's museum and the Albuquerque Zoo where we all got ride camels. Next week: Pittsburgh, PA for Aunt Stephie and Kirk's wedding. Contracting swine flu on the way home wasn't in the plans so we were quarantined for the next 3 weeks. Ugh!
November:
Belated Anniversary trip where my husband surprised me with an overnight trip to a real castle. We were treated like kings and queens at the Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs, which is right next to Garden of the Gods. It is only 15 minutes from our home, but might as well have been a world away. Thanks to our cousins for taking the girls. Highly recommend this place, which can be a travel bargain, depending on what time of year you go. Not to miss: a hike up the Queen's canyon, a tour of the property, a trip to the bookstore onsite, high tea, and look for the big horned sheep grazing on the lawn.
Visited the Santa's Workshop at the North Pole in Cascade, CO. Highly recommend this gem of a place. It is an old fashioned park with little rides on steroids. The girls loved it!
December: SKIING! We stayed a week at Swan Mountain Resort in Dillon, CO in mid-December. We got a beautiful 2 BR condo for $350/week through Armed Forces Vacation Club. An amazing deal for a 4 star timeshare. The girls and I all got private ski lessons at Arapahoe Basin and are ready for the season. I can now ski blues! Thanks Trevor!
More Skiing! We went for another 5 days of skiing with Uncle Bro and the cousins right before Christmas. This time, we went to Keystone, CO where we have season passes through the military ($189 for the parents, kids under 5 free).
January: Visitors! We were blessed to have my mom, brother, and sister visit us this month. We got to show them the best that Colorado Springs has to offer. Must visits: Garden of the Gods for a hike, Focus on the Family Play area, US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, Manitou Springs. We took Uncle Chris to Royal Gorge and Bridge. If you are afraid of heights - stay home. Highlights: the incline, suspension bridge, and the tram across the gorge. The guys loved it.
More Skiing at SnoFest 2010. Aunt Julie, Aunt Stephie and Uncle Kirk joined us for SnoFest, the biggest military skiing weekend of the year in Keystone, CO. We arrived Friday and checked in to our condo at the base of the mountain right at Keystone. Highly recommend staying at Keystone. Location is everything when you have lots of skiing and partying to do. One of the greatest moments I will remember forever is going down the green mountain as a family. Both girls held their own going down the mountain and got to go down with their parents, aunts and uncle. JOY! This weekend is so much fun, I am glad we got to go twice while being here. If you go, make sure to go to the organized parties at night. Good times eating a good meal I didn't have to cook after a long day on the slopes and dancing. Aunt Julie won $100 from a drawing (covered 2 of her lift tix). Also enjoyed having the hospitality tent with food and drink between runs. Saturday afternoon featured a cardboard box derby where I saw some of the most detailed cardboard vehicles ever - many with sound. Sunday morning, my 5 year old and Aunt Julie and I got to go tubing - a must do. Two hints - don't let your butt touch the ground, you will so regret it. #2, if you want to be spun going down the mountain, say SLOW spin. Otherwise you will be so sorry. We drove to Breckenridge on the way home to get a soft pretzel from the Salt Mine and monster cookies from Mary's. We also saw snow sculptures in the town that weekend. Took the long way home via 24, which I highly recommend. Scenic, no traffic, which made it the short way home for us.
I am looking forward to staying home in February to recoup from all of our travels. March: Steamboat Springs, hopefully more skiing @ Keystone. May: a week in Yellowstone. June: my Birthday at the Broadmoor.
July: Back to Estes Park, CO, in July where we went back to the YMCA retreat center, but spent most of the time at Rocky Mountain national park, hiking, exploring, seeing an Elk parade 6 feet from us.
August: A weekend in Glenwood Springs, CO, where we spent the day in the largest mineral pool in the country (it is about 3 blocks long). We went with our cousins who live here. Glenwood Springs is 5 hours from C/S and a trip I highly recommend.
September: Camping at Family Camping weekend at the Farish Campground on the backside of the US Air Force Academy Mountain. This was a great weekend where we discovered and fell in love with Geocaching. We all went horseback riding, paddleboating, hiking, hit the bounce house, and made smores, pudgy pies (two slices of white bread with pizza toppings and sauce or cherry or apple pie filling grilling between two cast iron rounds. We also enjoyed stories around the camp fire til we needed to evacuate at 9pm Saturday night because I got Acute Mountain sickness with a nasty headache.
October: Albuquerque, NM for the International Balloon Fiesta. Recommend staying at Kirtland Air Force Base (2BR apt $40/night / 3 nights). Visited the Children's museum and the Albuquerque Zoo where we all got ride camels. Next week: Pittsburgh, PA for Aunt Stephie and Kirk's wedding. Contracting swine flu on the way home wasn't in the plans so we were quarantined for the next 3 weeks. Ugh!
November:
Belated Anniversary trip where my husband surprised me with an overnight trip to a real castle. We were treated like kings and queens at the Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs, which is right next to Garden of the Gods. It is only 15 minutes from our home, but might as well have been a world away. Thanks to our cousins for taking the girls. Highly recommend this place, which can be a travel bargain, depending on what time of year you go. Not to miss: a hike up the Queen's canyon, a tour of the property, a trip to the bookstore onsite, high tea, and look for the big horned sheep grazing on the lawn.
Visited the Santa's Workshop at the North Pole in Cascade, CO. Highly recommend this gem of a place. It is an old fashioned park with little rides on steroids. The girls loved it!
December: SKIING! We stayed a week at Swan Mountain Resort in Dillon, CO in mid-December. We got a beautiful 2 BR condo for $350/week through Armed Forces Vacation Club. An amazing deal for a 4 star timeshare. The girls and I all got private ski lessons at Arapahoe Basin and are ready for the season. I can now ski blues! Thanks Trevor!
More Skiing! We went for another 5 days of skiing with Uncle Bro and the cousins right before Christmas. This time, we went to Keystone, CO where we have season passes through the military ($189 for the parents, kids under 5 free).
January: Visitors! We were blessed to have my mom, brother, and sister visit us this month. We got to show them the best that Colorado Springs has to offer. Must visits: Garden of the Gods for a hike, Focus on the Family Play area, US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, Manitou Springs. We took Uncle Chris to Royal Gorge and Bridge. If you are afraid of heights - stay home. Highlights: the incline, suspension bridge, and the tram across the gorge. The guys loved it.
More Skiing at SnoFest 2010. Aunt Julie, Aunt Stephie and Uncle Kirk joined us for SnoFest, the biggest military skiing weekend of the year in Keystone, CO. We arrived Friday and checked in to our condo at the base of the mountain right at Keystone. Highly recommend staying at Keystone. Location is everything when you have lots of skiing and partying to do. One of the greatest moments I will remember forever is going down the green mountain as a family. Both girls held their own going down the mountain and got to go down with their parents, aunts and uncle. JOY! This weekend is so much fun, I am glad we got to go twice while being here. If you go, make sure to go to the organized parties at night. Good times eating a good meal I didn't have to cook after a long day on the slopes and dancing. Aunt Julie won $100 from a drawing (covered 2 of her lift tix). Also enjoyed having the hospitality tent with food and drink between runs. Saturday afternoon featured a cardboard box derby where I saw some of the most detailed cardboard vehicles ever - many with sound. Sunday morning, my 5 year old and Aunt Julie and I got to go tubing - a must do. Two hints - don't let your butt touch the ground, you will so regret it. #2, if you want to be spun going down the mountain, say SLOW spin. Otherwise you will be so sorry. We drove to Breckenridge on the way home to get a soft pretzel from the Salt Mine and monster cookies from Mary's. We also saw snow sculptures in the town that weekend. Took the long way home via 24, which I highly recommend. Scenic, no traffic, which made it the short way home for us.
I am looking forward to staying home in February to recoup from all of our travels. March: Steamboat Springs, hopefully more skiing @ Keystone. May: a week in Yellowstone. June: my Birthday at the Broadmoor.
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