Kanorado

Some pictures from our vacation through MO, KS and CO...  We had a great trip!  It was destination Colorado Springs!  (many exclamation points)

We took our time heading west, stopping to see Powell's, friends from our Kansas days, and even some new friends (mostly spouses, children and dogs).  This is somewhere in Kansas.

Big sky.  The picture I wanted to get but couldn't quite get the camera out in time was a big sky and big circle hay bales dotting the crest of a hill.  On our way back I noticed fields of sunflowers.

Petey and Cassie's dog Jabez was a hit with the girls.  They loved her slow, gentle and slobbery ways...

Reading together.

 Our big treat was camping in the mountains.  Gotta have your ATV.  Gotta have a doll too.  The girls love camping.  Corrie had a great time staying up late (translation- she was outside and it was dark), helping collect sticks for the fire and general adventuring around the lake we camped at.  Her favorite was hopping on the rocks all around the lake.  Mary loved the water, PB&J's for almost every meal (her favorite), and somehow managed to get mosquitos IN her pants.  Well, she didn't love that last part.  We slept in hats, all four of us lined up like hot dogs in our sleeping bags, in the tent.

I love the mountains.  They don't just have dandelions.  They have the real cotton puff-ball thing.  I thought these smelled like Johnnie, our cat.  A good, earthy scent :)

My brother and his wife kindly kept the girls busy that morning so we could climb Mt Antero, my first 14er.  We had tried many years ago but didn't make it up to the top.  With the help of the 4-wheel vehicle  and these switchbacks we drove up pretty far and only had about an hours hike til the top.

 Rock cairn.

Flowers, marmots and gems... all growing at 14, 276 ft..

 The view.

The guy :)

The saddle and summit of Mt. Antero, the gem mountain.  

Another first, we went to an art museum as a family, a very family vacation-y thing to do.  To tell the truth, it wore me out a little bit to try to keep two little girls from touching all the paintings and sculpures.  Oh well, we'll go back some other time.

  

We are trying desperately to get off of mountain time for school next week.  I think we all would rather be back in the mountains :)