Last Colorado Run

 I honestly wish we had counted how many trips our family has made to CO in the almost three years that Gabriel and Alayna have been stationed here; Frontier Airlines cheap, direct flights have made it so easy to be able to visit. JD has been out twice in the last month, so he held down the fort at home and let me make one last trip. I say it's probably the last, because Gabriel leaves for his next schooling/training in Feb. and Alayna is going to come to VA for Nathan's birthday the same month. Then they move to WA State a few months later. I'm bummed that WA is even further away, but it's an area of the country we haven't visited so that  opportunity is a bonus. 

Gabriel turned 28 on Dec. 6th; I know people always say they don't know how their kids got so old, but it's so true. Here I am with Gabriel and his sons outside his chosen birthday lunch eatery -

Inside, in case you were dying to see the inside of the establishment. 

One day we hit up Santa at the mall; Samuel was less than impressed with the man in the red suit. Santa made a valiant effort at winning him over, but not this year. 

Nathan was in charge of candles on his Daddy's cake - a 2 for 20 and eight  randomly placed individual ones. 

Alayna snapped this picture as Nathan and I read the Christmas story. 

This is Gabriel and Alayna's house decorated for Christmas. 

They also have a house in their neighborhood that decks out the backyard with a Christmas wonderland and leaves both sides open for people to walk through. They have been doing it for over 20 years so it was cool to see. 

Got this darling picture of Selah and Bella with their friends at the Bethlehem Walk while I was away. Bella had been asking to go this year, so I'm so happy for them. 

My last serious task of today is Nathan and I need to make cookies. I head home tomorrow.

Jenny

Colorado Springs - Ghost Town

 Our last stop in Colorado Springs, before our barbeque dinner, was a old west town set up in an old railroad station. It housed a main street, with shops along the walls filled with actual items from the 1800s. 

25 shots for 50 cents provided everyone a few turns. 

I have seen a two headed cow stuffed in an old west town in SD, so this isn't the only one. I laughed at the sign that gives credit to the farmer that owned the farm where it was born. 

At the end, we got to pan for gold. It was the end of the day and the sign said 18 small fools golds were placed in each morning. Our party found five total, but Bella found two of the five!

Colorado Springs - Manitou and Garden of the Gods

In the evening, we hit Manitou Springs area and saw where Gabriel attended Summit Ministries for a 3 week summer training 10 years ago. This is also where Pike Peak's train usually allows you to ride up the mountain, but it's closed for updating all year. Manitou is a thriving old town with walking shops and restaurants. 

We got pizza and headed to the hotel. While the plan was for everyone to swim, Alayna and Alei ended up taking Nathan to have his forehead glued when he missed the bed and hit the table. 

The next morning, we hit the walking trail around Garden of the Gods. It was spectacular!

This was taken driving out of the park so is through glass, but we truly enjoyed our visit there. 

Colorado Springs - Cliff Dwellings

 After Focus on the Family, we headed to an Anasazi village built in the side of cliffs. It was 1,000 years old, but moved to this area in 1907. It was really cool for us because the kids and I had studied them with History a few times and we don't have anything like them in the east. 

It allowed the kids to climb through the homes and explore.

Samuel was just cute as always - 

This was just amazing - cooler inside and the homes were much like apartments, some had inner ladders to their upstairs. 

Colorado Springs - Focus on the Family

We headed from Denver area to Colorado Springs for two days. Our first stop, after Chick Fil A, was Focus on the Family. I have always wanted to go and the kids really enjoyed the Adventures in Odyssey area. Their book store was amazing also!

Samuel really enjoyed having some crawling time under Jason Whittaker's airplane. 

We enjoyed Whit's End soda shop - the ice cream was delicious.