Rocky Mountain High...and still coming down.

We went to Colorado over Labor Day this year. Emily was getting married (on Cade's Birthday to be exact) so we decided we'd take the kids and make a family vacation out of it.

(picture to left was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Forest)

Emily got married in Estes Park...talk about a beautiful place. Colorado is pretty, but there's something truly special about Estes Park. Emily got married outdooors, in front of Lake Estes (which is in front of the mountains)...and it was the perfect day, with an incredible backdrop.

We had an unbelievable trip. First, we spent a day in Colorado Springs and hiked all over the Garden of the Gods.

Spent a day in Denver and toured the Museum of Nature and Science. I'd never seen a real dinosaur skeleton before (and they had MANY)--they also had a whale skeleton-which was pretty crazy, if you haven't seen one. We were also able to spend some time with Wade's uncle while we were there too. Missed seeing Mimi (who just happened to be coming to Tulsa that weekend)...what are the odds?

Spent the next couple of days in Estes. We just ran from one thing to the next, we didn't really ever stop. One of the highlights was "playing" with the Elk that came right up to us in town. (Seriously, came right up to us. Wade thought he might stick his head in the stroller and take a nibble on our sweet Brooke).

Another highlight (and my favorite) was taking the "gondola" up in the Rockies.

Wade and I had a mini-argument over this. It went something like this:

I'm driving and he says, "we should turn here"

(I continue to drive past where he tells me to turn).

"Wade, that is not where we turn...that turn is for the tram that takes you up the mountain."

"Jenny, that IS where we are GOING".

"Wade, you said we said we were going to ride in a gondola".

Wade replies, "that is the gondola".

"What??? I was thinking we were going to a river, lake, etc..."

to which Wade replies..."Jenny, we are NOT in Venice."

Now that is silly to me, but I guess the Coloradoans call ski-lifts and this type of thing - gondolas. I guess, when in Colorado....

Now at the top they had a ton of chipmunks that were used to being fed. They'd crawl right up in your hand and stuff their little cheeks with as many peanuts as you'd give them.

This may have been the kids favorite thing (other than the pools at the hotels, which if you ask...they'll tell you was their favorite).

We looked at a little real estate while we were there. I swear Wade still wants to make an offer on one that we saw. I think I could live there (at least until the weather turns cold...then I'll be praying for Tulsa's winter again). I'm not a big fan of snow...

Maybe we need to vacation to Maui or St. Lucia again...now there is a place I'd never leave.

But Estes Park (and our other adventures in Colorado) sure were fun!

But now, I need a vacation from my vacation.