Rocky Mountain National Park

We took off for the day...a day hike in the Rockies was the plan. It's a couple hours from here and we hadn't been there, so off we went. Packed all up for the 4-5 hour hike...

the waterfall/river that we got to was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l

Sat and soaked it in

ate the convenient campin' food in Daddy's backpack

(in the backpack with a bear bell, Bear Grellis knife, taser...we came protected from the furry fellows that apparently like the park too)

the girls looooved the "freeze dried" hot spaghetti and we were kinda confused about the "ice" cream sandwich...it was crunchy/hard as a rock but looked and tasted just like the real thing. huh?

on the way to Estes Park

We didn't see this sign,

until AFTER we did this

(and Daddy was a Park Ranger for 3 years...?!)

It's hot. Now what?

Yes. THAT is sometimes the temperature on our patio in the early mornings.

The altitude makes the sun super crazy intense.

It has been HOT here. About 85-90 in our house every day.

Apparently this heat is very unusual for Colorado....

but nonetheless, those of us without air conditioning in our homes...

we have been sweltering.

we have been living/sleeping in our basement.

we got ridiculous quotes for air conditioning installation....

We will continue to sweat.

WHAT TO DO?

We get outside because it's sometimes cooler.

We bake and suffer from the oven being on.

But still smile.

We hit the pool.

The splash park.

The slip and slide.

We play.

We try to keep a good attitude.

We laugh. Splash. Stay wet.

We play some more. Then hit the shopping mall to breathe cool air.

Then we get outside when it is cooler in the evenings.

...and rollerblade, bike, walk, head to the park, sit, swing, sip, play tennis, softball, volleyball....

take in a breeze or two

and enjoy friends, yummy BBQ.

...and go to bed WAY too late each night.

Look who's FORTY!

I had a big, romantic fly-somewhere-n-surprise-Josh for his 40th trip planned in May...well, due to some big changes with his job-situation...I had to cancel the trip and go to PLAN B, C, and D.

PLAN B: we went on a HIGH ADVENTURE white-water rafting and zip-lining trip with my brother and sis-in-law in Idaho Springs north of here.

It was such a BLAST (minus my very frightened times during the 6 course mountain zip-line! yikes.)

MORE PICTURES of that day TO COME.

PLAN C: A celebration with family. We went hiking up in his favorite mountain biking area (right up our street) and packed a picnic lunch.

We decorated. Went out to one of his favorite eateries and back for cake/prizes.

We put really fun and old pictures of Josh growing up!

The girls and I wrote 40 things we loooove about Daddy!

Lauren did an awesome bear picture for him!

Blew out birthday cake candles #1.

PLAN D: Downtown Denver: just us.

Did some shopping...LOL

...realized he won't be forever 21 (look at that pouty face!). 

Blew out birthday candles again...and again.

Great restaurants. Great relaxation. Great laughter. Always, always great fun.

Now to PLAN E: to not count the years, but make the years count!

summer happenings: part 1