Stories from the Front Range...: 2012

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Day off, trip to the zoo

The past two years I've rolled 100+ hours of vacation over without using it. Well that policy may be gone with the partner in the firm that granted me the waiver, so this year I am committed to use it all up by the end of the year. In order to justify flying home on a Wednesday afternoon, I took Thursday and Friday off last week. With above average temps, we decided to try and hit the zoo up on a weekday to minimize crowds.

Cooper had his map in hand, ready to show us around the zoo

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

Lauren was ready to roll

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

My kids and I posing in the reptile house

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

Lauren loved being able to get eye level with the fishes

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

The new elephant habitat had this cool log that the kids enjoyed playing on

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

Cooper and I measuring our wing span with against our primate relatives

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

Then we headed off to ride the carousel. We narrowly missed the start of the carousel. Lauren wasn't pleased with having to wait for the next turn.

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

She got much happier once she finally got to ride

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

Me and my baby girl out for a ride

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

Super Cooper always enjoying the day

From Denver Zoo - Nov 2

Friday, November 02, 2012

Halloween Fun For All

As a kid, I hated Halloween. I never really cared for all the candy and the spooks literally spooked me. As a parent, its become one of my favorite holidays each year. This year I changed my schedule and made a few concessions to get back home to be able to make the big night.

I got in from the airport, drove straight home to change clothes and hopped back in the car to head to Sarah's house for trick and treating. After forcing the kids to eat a bit of pizza before the candy binge that was sure to follow. After that, it was get suited up and head out.

Lauren got to be a lady bug for her first real Halloween.

From Halloween 2012

Pieces went as a shaggy dog

From Halloween 2012

And Cooper was a fierce pirate

From Halloween 2012

Baby Skylar went as a bundled up 1 month old

From Halloween 2012

Another gorgeous Halloweent sunset to take a few pics, perfect weather again this year

From Halloween 2012

And then off to score some candy!

From Halloween 2012

My two gorgeous girls

From Halloween 2012

Making quick work of getting their baskets full

From Halloween 2012

Tried to get a good photo of these two, and instead we got this...

From Halloween 2012

Lauren decided the treating part looked fun, but she was still a bit tentative.

From Halloween 2012

But soon warmed up to the idea

From Halloween 2012

Then back to the house to hand out some candy and sample the haul

From Halloween 2012

Skylar got suited up, and Lauren devoured some M&Ms.

From Halloween 2012

A super cute (and awesomely agreeable) bumblebee

From Halloween 2012

Then down to Sarah's house of fun in her basement to burn off some energy in the bouncy castle.

From Halloween 2012

Friday, October 12, 2012

You can never have too many pumpkins

I have determined that owning a pumpkin farm in Colorado is potentially the best idea one could ever have. For part of September and all of October, parents flock with their children to these pumpkin patches and burn through cash at a rampant pace. As far as I can tell, growing pumpkins requires dirt and water and little else.

The real brilliance in the pumpkin patch is that they piece together enough things to attract kids, such as a few bouncy castles, couple of pets and some hay bales put together in a maze. Pure brilliance. As we drove off from the pumpkin patch this afternoon on a cloudy, cool Friday morning and were stuck in a traffic jam trying to find some worker to give our $6 for our 1 pumpkin we procured from the field it donned on me.....I must buy a quarter of land and build a pumpkin patch. They will come.

Enough with my hopes and dreams of not dealing with the constant life suck of being a traveling consultant, on to the pictures of happy kids!

Cooper trying to explain something to us.

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

I'm sure we can get a 1.5, a 3 and a 4 year old to pose and smile at the same time. No problem!

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

Pieces and Cooper making their way on their quests to find the perfect pumpkins

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

Jill and Lauren were more cooperative at smiling for the camera than Cooper

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

How about just getting two of the three? Yeah not going to happen either, but we keep trying.

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

Well this one seems much more cooperative.

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

Big hug from momma

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

And finally I got Pieces to pose for me too.

From Rock Creek Pumpkin Patch

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Hiking at Heil

Days are terrific right now, so despite a head cold reeking havoc on the noses of the girls in our household we decided to press through to hike. We hit up the close and easy Lichen Loop at Heil Valley Ranch. We went here so Lauren could get some walking time and the easy 1.5 mile loop with smooth grades would help her stay upright.

Cooper waiting on a branch, like you do...