On The Inside Looking Out

Do you ever feel this way? Danielle is anxious to do what her brother and sister are doing. So whenever they are outside, she stands by the backdoor and hollers to go out. It is so hard to be little.

Rocky Mountain High

Saturday was the big family outing. We planned to ride the Georgetown Loop Railroad, grill a picnic lunch, and then take the kids fishing. I was very excited for such a fun day with kids and family.

We got up bright and early, so we could head up the mountain for the train departure at 10:30. We arrived a little early because the GPS was still on Arkansas time. Oh well, we had a little while to spare and decided to continue up the mountain, and go through the Eisenhower Tunnel. I wish there was a safe place to stop and take a picture of the kids, but here is one from the Internet.

Once we arrived in Georgetown, and found the train station and we still had plenty of time for some pictures.

Overlooking Clear Creek, with the railroad bridge in the background.

Waiting for the train, this is as close together as they would get.

Our train ride on the Georgetown Loop Railway, started at Devil's Gate Station.

I Love this picture, now this is sibling love!

Here comes the train over the bridge.

The engine arrives and unhooks, Brian watched intently. Although this train is called a "loop" it only runs back and forth between Devils Gate and Silver Plume. Therefore when it arrives at it's destination the engine unhooks and goes to the back of the train which now becomes the front of the train.

Going under the bridge.

Logan, Kaitland and Brian checking out the scenery.

Emily wanted to sit with me and not the rest of the kids.

On the first leg we road in a covered car like the yellow one right behind the engine, here is our train as we look back going around a curve.

We saw this cute little chipmunk, and Brian threw it a pita chip, here it is eating it.

Looking back on Georgetown.

After the train ride, we found a fun park with a playground in Georgetown that had picnic tables, grills and even a port-a-potty (which Emily had to use). The kids had fun playing while Steve grilled hamburgers.

Kaitland and Emily

The kids played very well together, here are Logan and Brian spying on the girls.

After lunch we continued up the mountain and over to Leadville, CO. I had been to Leadville many years ago, but I didn't remember it. Downtown Leadville was a very cute town, but the view all around as you drive through city is spectacular! At 10,152 feet, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the US, and still as you look around in every direction are beautiful majestic peaks. I love and miss the Rocky Mountains. I didn't take a picture, and it would be hard to duplicate what you see all around you, but here is one from the Internet that I like.

Just a few miles outside of Leadville, was a small lake that Steve knew about and that had been recently stocked, it would be a great place to take the kids and catch some fish. He was right! The lake was small, but easy to walk to, and the fishing was great. We thought we might get caught in an afternoon thundershower, and it did rain for a few minutes, but we didn't get too wet. And best of all there were no bugs until just before dusk when the mosquitoes came out. The fishing was great, all the kids got a chance to catch a couple of fish. Both the kids got to help reel in a fish, and Brian practiced casting, and was not too bad for a first timer.

Emily was not afraid to hold the fish and didn't say anything about it being slimy.

The mountains are gorgeous, did I mention that?

Finally

Danielle has something new, a tooth. I guess I should have posted that retraction to the first tooth story that I did way back in March.

I thought that maybe on Friday night, she might be getting her tooth, but I had been wrong so many times that until I actually saw it poke through the gum, it wasn't there. But on Saturday afternoon, there is was white and shiny.

There it is, can you see it??

She did have a couple of nights that she had trouble sleeping, and little stuffy/runny nose, and and a low fever, but some of it I just thought was because of traveling. So overall cutting her first teeth was not too tramatic.

She got the second tooth a couple of days later on Tuesday. So when her daddy saw her for the first time in a week, she had not one, but two new teeth.

To Grammie's House We Go

"Over the river and through the plains to grandmother's house we go." The next morning came too early, as we all slept in and we missed the free breakfast at the hotel. After exchanging cars and getting gas and ice we headed down the road.


The kids were even better travelers than yesterday, I am so thankful. We made it into Denver in good time, survived the rush hour traffic and got to grammie's in time to play in the backyard a little.

In The Middle Of Oklahoma

We are headed to Denver today. It is our annual trip to see grammie, and cousins. This year we had a new plan to get there. Eddie stays home for this trip to work, (somebody has to pay for the vacation ya know). However, we needed to bring home the food storage that my mom has been getting for us each month at the cannery. So flying was out of the equation. Originally, my mom had planned to fly in, but we couldn't commit to when were we coming to make a plane reservation. So I devised an alternate plan. Eddie would drive me halfway to Salina, Kansas where we would meet my mom and she would drive with us to Denver. Brilliant!

We left about 2pm, after the kids got out of school, with a goal of getting to the hotel before midnight. The kids traveled very well. We stopped in Tulsa, which is halfway for dinner at Chipotle and Chick-fil-a. As we headed out of the Tulsa area one of the major highways was closed for construction. We followed the detour sign, but then never saw another one. The GPS kept re-calculating and wanted us to turn around, but it didn't know the road that we were supposed to take was closed.

We just kept going in the right direction, and knew that eventually the GPS would get us where we needed to be, and it didn't alter our arrival time by more than a couple of minutes. So we drove on the country roads in the middle of Oklahoma. It was fun adventure, and pretty countryside.

As we drove, I figured that we were close to where The Pioneer Woman lives. I knew she lived in northern Oklahoma, and I figured the closest major city was Tulsa. We found out we were in Osage County, and I remember reading that she lived near there. I was so excited, I might see where her ranch is. We started looking at mailboxes and ranch gates for any clues. One gate, had PW on it, perhaps it stood for Pioneer Woman. But she married Marlboro Man and moved to the ranch that had been in the family for generations, so I doubt her name is on the gate. Then I remembered her real name now is Ree Drummond.

As the sun was setting over the rolling hills and the kids were anxious to break out their glow sticks, Eddie spotted this:

Of course I made him stop so I could take a picture. Ree, is this your ranch? I am dying to know.

We made it to the hotel, on schedule just after midnight. No weather issues, no problems, and mostly pleasant kids. I hope day 2 of the journey is as good.

Smile

Brian had his second trip to the dentist. He is such a good patient. They took x-rays, and you could see that he will soon be getting his 6 year old molars (good to know, since I didn't). They checked his teeth and cleaned them. He has no problems, yeah! We skipped the fluoride, since I am worried about possible toxicity. They dentist is a really nice, personable guy. Brian got a token for a free shake at The Purple Cow, and a couple of toys from the treasure box.

Compassionate Service

We met daddy after work for dinner so Brian could use his token for a free shake at "The Purple Cow" that he received after his visit to the dentist. We had a fun dinner, Brian chose a double chocolate shake, which he later declared was too chocolaty, Emily got the classic purple shake, and Eddie and I split a chocolate.

I wanted to run across the parking lot to the mattress store to ask a question about twin size mattresses, while Eddie paid the check. On my way a group of teens approached me and asked if I had jumper cables. I wasn't sure, but told them my husband and kids were on their way out from dinner and to check with him.

When I came back, Eddie had already moved the car to help jump their jeep. It took some maneuvering of cars to get them positioned correctly so the jumper cables would reach the batteries. But once they got them connected, the dead jeep started right up, and we headed out of the parking lot.

Unfortunately, the jeep didn't make it through the first light before it died again. Once again we stopped and helped get them on their way. We watched as they made their way through the light and headed down the street, but just as we started to turn and head home, we noticed that they pulled into a nearby parking lot.

Eddie and I were in separate cars, and he motioned for me to turn around. We drove into the parking lot to find the jeep was dead again. Eddie figured the battery was bad. They were just in Little Rock for the day, and lived a couple of hours away. He offered to drive them to the auto parts store to test the battery, so they wouldn't have to sit in the hot parking lot waiting for help.

I think they were a little reluctant, since they didn't know us, and they were young and far from home. But they went to the auto parts store, got a new battery, and Eddie suggested that they return back to the auto parts store, and have them test the alternator before they head home.

Hopefully, they made it home and all turned out well for them. I am thankful for my husbands example of compassionate service this day. Even though we had other things we wanted to be doing, it felt good helping someone else in need. I know this is also a good example to my children as well. Eddie also found out that one of the girls was from Utah, and some of her family was LDS but they had not been to church in awhile. Maybe this day she will find deeper meaning in this simple act of service.

Take That To The Bank

The kids have been getting coins for their piggy banks since they were born. Auntie Sharen made sure all of the kids received a bank when they were born, and sends them special coins for birthdays and Christmas. Grammie Schaper has also contributed to the piggy banks, as well as mom and dad. But last Christmas the kids started getting "real" money, the kind that folds, and doesn't fit to well in the banks. Grandma Schaper gave them each an envelope with lots of 1's this past Christmas. I have been trying not to loose it ever since. The final straw came when Grammie Schaper sent them a 4th of July gift bag with $5 in it. I decided that it was finally time to take that money and put it in a real bank. We talked about how their money would get paid and earn more money. They also know that they can go to the bank and get their money out if they find something they wanted to buy.

I braved going to the bank all by myself with all three kids to open savings accounts for them. I filled out all the basic information for each kid, and thought we would be in and out in 20 minutes. An hour later we were still there and I had called for backup! Eddie met us there and took two of the kids to start lunch while we finished up opening the accounts. It was a painful process but I did manage to get it accomplished. I passed on getting the ATM cards, I didn't want to be there another hour.

All the kids have their very own savings account now, so start sending money (the folding kind) their way. After all they have to go on missions and to college.

10 Months

Isn't she beautiful!!




And she makes a great puppy too!

Eat Mor Chikin

So what does a couple with 3 young children do on a Friday night date? Dress their kids up like cows head down to the local Chick-fil-a for free food.

July 10th is National Cow Appreciation Day, and if you dress like a cow you get a free meal including a drink and fries. I think that is a great deal! The guy even asked us if we wanted the 12 count nuggets...um, Yes! I missed this promotion last year, and I almost missed it again today, but I remembered late in the afternoon. technically I guess you could go for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and receive 3 free meals. My kids never get sick of Chick-fil-a, so yes they could eat there three times in one day. Actually we had Chick-fil-a on Thursday for dinner, and they will be having leftovers for lunch on Saturday.

Independance Day

Our 4th of July celebration started with the Ward Annual Pancake Breakfast at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. After we ate a little, the kids played at the playground, and then they had a couple of activities that they participated in. Danielle and I cheered from the sidelines. We took the kids to see Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in 3D. I thought the movie was really good, and we had a fun time. We bought a few fireworks for the first time, and the kids couldn't wait until it was dark. We let them start with snappers, and growing snakes while it was still light.

Emily was an unwilling participant in the water relay game.

Brian did a great job in the water relay game.


They also played water balloon volleyball, Brian is ducking to avoid getting hit by the "ball".

Danielle and I watched from the sidelines

A little more Emily's speed

We had hamburgers, corn on the cob, and potatoe salad for dinner, and then it was time for the show. We had a couple of fountains, some spinning flowers, and a couple of buzzing bees, which Danielle did not like. The kids also got a 4th of July gift bag from Grammie, which had some very cool glow sticks that the kids had a lot of fun with. Our neighbors across the way also put on a good show that we could watch over the rooftops.

We had a fun 4th, Happy Birthday America!