Garden of the Gods- Near Colorado Springs CO

SO we went to the Garden of The Gods West of Colorado Springs on both Day 2 and 4 of our trip. It is all getting lumped into one post. The first trip we met up with two families who came down from the Denver Metro Area for a Nature Study. They got their so late that we didn't have as much time as we would have liked. So we came again on the fourth day with the friends we were staying at. My two oldest and her three oldest all earned their Junior Ranger Badges from the Park.
Just beautiful isn't it.
I especially love this picture.
You are not supposed climb on the rocks. Thankfully, none of them are mine. It is so hard to follow those guidelines when in just being in nature and it just screams.... CLIMB ME! Seriously, it does. but the rocks are sedimentary and they crumble easily. So unless you have a rock climbing permit, it is a big NO NO!
When ever I look at Mr. J... "Oh, be still my heart." He is so much like his father. Sweet as can be and just so loving.


That's my little Firecracker. So sweet one minute and then Bang!!! I AM TWO!

I just love Shadow pictures. Mr. S will only hold your hand if you let him just hold your pinkie. It is the cutest thing.
Seriously... rock climbing is an inert desire for kids.

Mr S. loved the red dirt. "Looka mom! Dir (Dirt)!"
They are mighty used to the hiking trail after this summer of exploration. So much so that they often wander ahead, or behind. They have found a comfortable ease with nature.

I love his hat. He got it at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science during the Dinosaur exhibit. He calls it his "Ology" hat. If you want to be a Paleontologist... It works. and Archaeologists... still works. Just about any kind of ...ology. It works.
She sure can pose.

Flourrisant Fossil Beds- Near Colorado Springs

Adendum: Apparently I did take Two. Here is a petrified Red Wood Stump. Who knew that this area had once been the home of a Giant Redwood forest. What a sight that would have been.

I guess I didn't take ANY pictures while we were at the Flourissant National Monument. Odd. I could have sworn I did. You can check this post here if you want to see some from posts from the last time we went there.

Mr. A and friends all earned their Junior Ranger Badge here. Mr.A's Biggest discovery here was that there used to be a volcano there. A Volcano in Colorado! Imagine that. It is extinct, so no worries here.

Red Rocks Park- Colorado Springs

After the Mining Museum we took a nice walk at Red Rocks Park. The kids enjoyed looking at the plant life around. Next year, we need to work on more identification. Miss C. took a liking to all the flowers on our adventures and MR. A liked the trees. The little boys enjoyed the adventure but mostly the dirt.



The end of a nice 3 mile hike. I am so impressed that Mr. S is able to walk all our hikes.

Mining and Industrial Museum- Colorado Springs, CO

So Monday, August third we took off to Colorado Springs for a few days. We had some friends offer to let us crash at their place so off we went to explore the area. There is just so much down there that it could take a few weeks to get them all done and enjoy all the nature and other fun sites there. Perhaps Denver is just getting old to us, but we LOVED it there and hope to return for some more fun there too.
When in a mine... start pounding. In case I had any motherhood aggressions pent up, I was defiantly able to get them out there.
Panning for Gold!

Plenty to see and do outside.
Anytime there is an opportunity to dress up! It's a good thing. Happy Mining!

Mueller State Park- Near Colorado Springs CO

August 2009

When we took our trip to Colorado Springs and stayed at the M's this last August, we evidently misplace a camera and I have been so behind in blogging, that I am just now getting up to speed. This was our outing to Mueller State Park. We took two of their boys and left Miss C to do some girly things.
I "do my best" to maintain Leave No Trace Ethics, but I am also quite a bit inspired by Waldorf principles and that of a mother with kids. THEY NEED TO CLIMB! These looked like sturdy enough rocks that a low amount of damage would be done.

We enjoyed looking at rocks up close and discussing the different elements that are in them.

It was also awesome to have daddy with us on some outings for a change. We so enjoy our outings and sometimes it is hard to go places with out him. I am sure he would rather adventure with us than work too! But somebody has to pay for all our fun!

A old log cabin that looks as if it has seen some fire. A rusty old bucket caught there attention.

Climbing and viewing the moss and other interesting things was a treasure.

Mr. J must habe been with me a lot cause I have lots of great pictures of him.
The M. boys enjoying the heights of the day too!

Examining decomposing material is right up this boy's alley.

Just loved having David there and Mr. S was just Daddy's boy for awhile. Nothing like the peaceful atmosphere of the woods to bring to men together.

I am KING of the World. I loved his look of Triumph at the top of nice pile of rocks. Mr. A.M. totally loved it! Yup had to leave that Leave No Trace Ethics a little behind. We just couldn't help ourselves.

Here is Mr. J.M. Hope his mother didn't find any in his pockets. Mr. A had taken a real liking to him and they seemed like boys of similar nature.

They would have loved tramping around in there. DANGER KEEP OUT! Even this tolerable mother has some limits.

Yup.... he was my side kick for the day!