WIDE OPEN SPACES!

A trip to Dustin's parents means a trip to 40acres full of fun!
See below...

Let me show you what there is to do out here!

All week Zaiah kept asking when are we going 4-wheeling at Dustin's? When we got there Sunday I think he was on cloud 9! We could hardly get him off this thing...even to eat!

On one of the trips out on the 4-wheeler Claleigh (Dustin's niece who is staying with gma and gpa for a few weeks) found this meadow lark that seemed to need a little help back on his feet so the kids placed him in a safe place to recuperate away from any wild animals.


Remember this cute guy?

Zaiah had to take his dad out to show him how awesome the 4-wheelers were!

Like I said you couldn't get this kid off this thing!

My bro Jim and my little nephew Zaiah headed back to WI on Monday. It was rather adorable to send of my big bro who is 28 and his little 5year old on their first plane ride ever! They made it home safe and sound! I miss them already.

...the adventure continues

Thursday I thought I would push Jim to his limits. Whitewater rafting was what I had in mind for a fun day. So I rounded up Jim's friend Jake (who lives up in winter park) and Nick his brother and we met up in Idaho Springs for a little class3 class4 rafting. All of them were nervous...none of them had rafted before, man were they in for a treat!

We flew down Clear Creek with no catastrophes all of us managed to stay in the boat!

Mom and Zaiah spent the day...guess where...in the park. "A new one".

Jake spent the night and helped us with my tree trimming project the next day. It ended up being a ton of trimming an hauling...I am glad I had them around!

Off to Winter Park!

Today {Saturday} we piled in the Jeep and headed up to Winter Park for a day of fun. Our friend Jake hooked us up with some cheap tickets to play all day in Winter Park. Jim and Zaiah took their first ride up a ski lift,

Mom and I posed for a self portrait,

and we all took our first ride on the Alpine Slide!

Off he goes!

with daddy not far behind!

Leave it to my mom to be the one to wipe out on the ride. A little cement burn and my favorite sweatshirt later...she was fine.

We hopped on the trampoline where I managed a double back flip.

I left the gang at the park while I helped get ready for a friends (David Peterson) 50th Birthday. When I came back to pick them up they were sitting in Starbucks warming up with a hot cup of coffee. We headed over to the Peterson's to do a little celebrating, and then back home to Denver.

I was nice having my handy man brother Jim around, he fixed my sink, helped with the trees and re-screened my screen door! What a guy!

Look Who's Here!

Mom, Jim and Isaiah arrived safe and 2 hours late Tuesday morning...they "survived" the Amtrak ride as Jim put it. It was really a 24 hour ordeal when all was said and done. They left Madison and took a 3 hour bus ride to Chicago train station. There they had a couple of hour lay over then a 18 hour ride on the train...Jim doesn't think he'll do it again =) We have had a whirlwind of a week! We sarted our that Tuesday morning with breakfast in downtown Denver

then off to do a little shoe shopping in my neighborhood and finally dinner at my house. Wednesday morning we were off on an adventure! Dustin came and picked us up for a ride to Colorado Springs. We started our morning out at the Garden of the Gods. Here is a glimpse of that stop.

I knew I wanted to take these guys to the zoo...Dustin said the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the Springs was way better then the Denver one because it was up in the mountains. He was right! It was a beautiful setting and there was so much to see, touch and do!

The great debate...So these wallabies were hanging around in this open zone with just a rope holding them in, Dustin insisted you could pet them. He said there was no sign saying you couldn't. I just couldn't believe they would want you doing that with no supervision what so ever, what if they bit you?

This cutie was so excited when he found out he could have his face painted for free. He decided he wanted to be a lion and a tiger, a Liger I ask? "Yes I want to be a Liger" he would say. As we were walking through the zoo looking for the spot to have it done he kept saying "Amy what do I want to be", "A liger" I would remind him "Oh yeah" he would say and smile =)

We headed to a local park to eat our lunch and do a little running around. We explored a little running river and then met up with Dustin's family for dinner. We had a full, fun and exhausting day!

So my little guy loves parks! Every day we would hear "Grandma, Dad, Amy can we go to a park, a new park". I think the park below, one that was just up the road from my house, was by far the coolest and most entertaining one we found.

Hopping a crossed the lilly pads to escape the crocodiles,

don't fall in or you may loose a leg.

Zaiah loves wearing headbands to look just like his uncle Nick.

How will I ever let this sweet face go home??

I Don't Think You Have Met

Let me introduce you to some of the sweetest people I have ever met (now I know where Dustin gets it)! Meet Linda and Rick Henry this lovely couple (Dustin's parents) live in Colorado Springs about an hour and 20min from us here in Denver. They live out on the open plains with...

Mouse their blue heeler...

and their newest addition who I call Lola, but is officially awaiting her name from Dustin's niece Clayley who will visit this weekend.

Above is their cat who is on her 9th life but just doesn't want to kick the bucket...she is quite the character.

Dustin's mom is an avid gardener who has created a beautiful back yard, she also has shared many new plants and gardening tips with me. Dustin's dad is a welder who works for the Union down in CO Springs. It is nice to have another family around to hang with when I am missing all of you back home!

Meet Milo...

Friday was quite the snow storm here in Denver. We got over 12 inches of heavy snow...fast! While I was at Dustin's on Friday we stopped by his apt office to pick up a package he had received. While I was waiting in the car I saw a little brown spot moving in the deep snow. Before Dustin got back in the car I made him check it out. It turned out to be a freezing little bunny, he was so cold it was hardly moving, I walked right up to him and scooped him up. We headed back to Dustins place and started warming him up. After a few phone calls we had a plan...keep him warm and try and get him to eat! Below is a pic of him just after we got back to Dustin's still cold and wet...look how small he is!

After just one night and a little lovin he was a frisky little guy again. So frisky we spent 30 min chasing him around Dustin's place. Isn't he a doll! I am heading up to Winter Park today with this little guy by my side, to see his new home at the Petersons.

Boys play hard!

My Bro Nick and our friend Beau came out for a visit this last weekend. Their goal, get in as much snowboarding as possible. This meant I had to try and keep up all weekend. We spent Friday at Vail which has got to be one of the most beautiful and awesome places to snowboard! After a great day we headed to Winter Park to stay with Amy and Dave. We tore up the slopes Saturday at Winter Park where we had a few run ins with the trees literally (I have the bruises to prove it). I took the day off today to get my cleaning done at the Peterson's and also to nurse my aching body back to health.



Anything that looked like it could be a challenge, well, the boys had to try it.
Nick's attempt off the rock...

Beau's attempt...

And my attempt...

Nick and Beau worn out!

Its's kind of surprising we all survived.

I dropped them at the airport a few hours ago and am now enjoying a relaxing night before my work week begins.