The Tree Hunt

We headed to Winter Park like usual to cut down our Christmas tree.  This year, however, we were lucky enough to get to go with both my parents AND Gary and his family.  It was so fun.  We were blessed with a gorgeous day and warm weather.  The kids all had fun tromping around in the snow looking for the perfect trees and sledding.  

My Dad and Miles

When we arrived, the bushes had this incredible frost on them.  I wished that I had taken more pictures of it because by the time we found our tree and I went back, it had melted.

Gary and Iris

 Zach

Dad

The boys on a log.  All were eating snow.  :)

Mom and Iris

The boys in front of our tree before cutting it down.

Brudders.

My parents' beautiful bushy tree.

Sledding!

Hot chocolate break.

Our boys were really wanting more sledding so we went into town (Winter Park) to the big sledding hill.  It was a bit nerve-wracking to watch them with so many sledders barreling down, but we only had tears once, and no injuries, so it was a success! It was hard to get them to leave!

A wonderful tradition!

Dinosaurs

For Thanksgiving my brother and his family came out for a visit.  They stayed with my parents, but we spent as much time with them as we could.  One of the fun things we did was go to Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison.  It is only half an hour from our house, but somehow we hadn't gotten there yet.  (ridiculous!) We took a tour bus that drove us up a road to see various dinosaur tracks.  It was actually pretty neat.

Touching dinosaur bone.

Zach had his camera and loved taking pictures of everything.

A dinosaur track (that they had colored in with charcoal to make more visible for visitors).

Zach's hand in the track of a giant ancient crocodile.

Lots of tracks.

Sand ripples. (now rock)

Cousins.  These guys had SO much fun together!

After seeing the dinosaurs, we headed over to Red Rocks Amphitheater, which was really close.  I (amazingly) hadn't been there before either.  I'd love to go to a concert there!  So cool.

At the back of the stage are these rocks that all the kids loved to climb on.

The best part was jumping all the way back down, of coarse.

A Little Hike

Austin and I went on a little hike not far from our house one nice morning in November.  We went about 2 miles and he did awesome.  

Austin in a good hand holder.  I will never ever tire of that sweet little hand reaching up to find mine. 

Now we just need more nice weather so we can go again!