Back to 588 feet...

On the road... Heading to Colorado, Ruby has her 'arm pillows' in place, ready for a nap!

This little chick was crazy for our hotel room.  She explored it like it was our new home and found the bed quite comfy.  Sorry honey, off the pack and play for you... I'm really not sure why she's not the sunglasses on!

Wow, these are some serious campers we passed on the way...

Here we are!  Rocky Mountain National Park, you were our home for 7 nights!

The camera just does this view no justice!  We had unobstructed views of the amazing mountain ranges in the park...  and the sun...  just ask Kevin about his tan lines!

What a beautiful place.

Ready for her first hike!  Come on, I know I'm her Mom and am supposed to say this...  but is this girl insanely cute or what!?

Hitching a ride on Dad's back at Bear Lake.

More campsite views.

Nope, it's not a forest fire!  This is the outstanding sunrise we awoke to.

Just a strollin' through the campground!

Storm coming in, the mountains are disappearing!

We picked up Audrey and Colin on Wednesday to camp with us for an extra night before Tony and Elizabeth joined us.  They were so much fun and fit in at this campground like they belonged here! 

This is Ruby performing her rendition of 'The Backyardigans' for her big cousins!

Bubble catching...

Ruby's first Smores.  Oh what a mess it was!  She did not want to give it up, she didn't really eat it but sucked on it!  Very funny.

We put Audrey and Colin to work tending the fire.  Just kidding, really, they were under supervision at all times!  

 See Colin waiting for his parents

See Colin wondering why they are not here yet

See Colin go crazy because they are here!

 Ruby using a puffed up bag of chips as a pillow!

 Feeling like we were on top of the world!  Here we were near the Alpine Visitor's Center which is 11798 feet above sea level, the highest elevation we were at in Colorado!

More views...

What are these people thinking!?  I get the fitness part.  Well, maybe not the part about riding a bike up an enourmous mountain 11798 feed above sea level where there is little oxygen.  What I really don't get is the part about towing your children on a dangerous road where that bike lane you see here does not exist all the way up the mountain.  Yikes!

Okay, back to more views...

Time to go...  goodbye Colorado, we miss you already!

Catching up...

 I've got some catching up to do!  In the past three weeks we...

 ...had a wonderful Father's Day!

 ...decided Daddy's boots are indeed to big for me.

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...enjoyed some incredibly nice weather!

 ...went on my first carousel ride!

 ...went on a train ride with cousin Tommy

...raced Grandpa and cousin Tommy down a REALLY big slide!

...became a biker girl.

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..."I want to go on the big blue water slide!"

..."oh, ok, maybe when I'm bigger."

 ...had a blast on the lazy river.

...splash pad fun with Daddy.  Raging Waters is awesome!

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...Happy 7th birthday Nate and Lucca!

Helping Daddy

"Hmmm, Daddy I think you're going to need my help!"

"Let's read the directions Daddy."

"I really don't want to get in your way, 

I'll just play over here for a while!"

"Yay, it's ready!"  Let the monkey business begin.

(here she's giving us a mix of happy dance and wave!)

"I went boom, on my head."

Memorial Day Weekend 2011

This has been one of those rare three day weekends that actually felt like a three day weekend, even with a very busy schedule...

I could list our itinerary, but I'll spare you all the details.  Just know it included a lot of grilling, quite a bit of yardwork, long bike rides, pool time, and some sloshy, foggy, rainy hiking in Starved Rock.

Very Funny

I can't help but wonder...

Why she did this,

HOW she did this,

when she did this...

I couldn't even figure it out as I was 

unraveling her from her PJ's!

A Few Things...

Just catching up on a few things we've celebrated, 

done, are doing, or preparing to do...

 Happy Mother's Day!  Breakfast at Mimi's...  mmm...

Mother's Day at the Morton Arboretum, perfect weather!

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Raisin bread french toast in bowl

(not Mother's Day breakfast, fyi)

 Raisin bread french toast in mouth, ALL of it!

She was shoveling it in!  One minute the bowl

was full, the next it was empty...

and all of it was in her mouth! 

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Ruby is addicted to this book titled "My first Body Board Book",

she loves looking at the babies, and will try to mimic them.

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"Bubba's"

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Now let's get back to the bubba's...

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Spelunking?

Mining?

Nope, just getting ready for camping!

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It totally pays to garage sale shop!  I saw this desk and knew I had to have it.  It was marked $5.  Couldn't beat the price, I didn't even try to negotiate.  After a little research at home, I found it on ebay - in much worse condition - for $79!  Woohoo!  

I love it!  ...and so does Ruby!

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Tug-O-War with a stick.

I wonder who'll win!

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Then end!

Next:  A Camping We Will Go

(or something like that)

The Park

See the big beautiful park.

 See Ruby, play with mulch.

See Ruby, ONLY play with mulch.

 

See Ruby on slide, playing with mulch.

Ok, so it was a big stick in her left hand on the slide, but seriously, she only wanted to play with mulch or that stick!  I would run over to the swings or other area of the playground and she would just sit, playing with mulch.  Eventually she would follow me, mulch or stick in hand, then sit and play with more mulch.