Staycation

Before our trip home to Indiana took precedence, we had thought about going to Crested Butte, CO for a vacation this year. It's a place we've never been and is close enough to drive. However, since our plans were ... shall we say "redirected", Jason was still able to get time off for vacation but we used local opportunities to support our vacationing needs. Yes. You may use that sentence in your vacation magazine.

We went on a 4 mile hike in Calhan, CO called "Painted Mines".

This rock formation that Dawson is standing in is actually called "The Dawson Arkose Formation".  

I spy with my little eye, a smiling Evan peeking at me. Well you. I guess he's behind me.

This formation is called "The Butt Crack". Per Jason Wilkins.

It wasn't until we got here that we realized why this is called the painted mines. More like "finger painted" to me.

A few days later we did the drive up to Pike's Peak.

The drive up is scary in the spots where there are no guard rails. And when I got home from this trip I wanted to google and see how many people died from driving over the side in their cars. But I forgot until just now, so if someone wants to google it and let me know that's fine.

Here are the mountain goats we saw on the way up.

What a pretty view!

Dawson claimed to see the Vatican from here. Not really.

While Dawson was getting a view of the valley, Evan was getting a view of a wall.

This is the Cog Rail that will take you to the top for a fee that I don't remember. I actually rode up on this once when I was on my senior choir trip in college.

Proof that we were at the top. Because of the word "Summit".

A few views.

There's a building at the top that sells "World Famous Doughnuts". Maybe more world famous for being pretty okay. I guess Evan liked them and he's famous.

A few more views:

And everyone knows my love for marmot's right?

I would have put a leash on this guy and walked him home with me if I were in better shape.

 We wrapped up our mountaintop experience:

On the way down, we stopped and had a picnic lunch. It's much hotter when you're in the valley. That should be a bible verse. I stripped Evan's pants off so that he would be cooler on the drive home.

Speaking of home.. When we got home, apparently Evan was thirsty.

Our neighbor gave us some bubble wrap for Evan to pop and after that little adventure, Dawson realized he was Superman.

Next we took a little trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. I love this zoo because you can feed the giraffe's.

 No worries. The giraffe did not eat Evan's head.

The giraffe food was $2. We didn't bring cash, and the only ATM machine they had on site was out of order. While Dawson was complaining about this, this wonderful couple overheard the conversation and gave us $2 to get giraffe food. Isn't that sweet?

He was looking for me.

The boys were watching a lion playing with a tire.

See. Why would I make that up?

We went to visit the Budgie Buddies and I like that name for a bird sanctuary. Dawson thought that if he held his finger up real high, a bird would instantly take notice and just come and land. I might have made him think that.

Would you believe I have a similar picture of me with Dawson when he was the same age? This is me with Evan of course.

Me with Dawson AND he's wearing the same exact outfit!

The boys got to ride the little train. Neither were that impressed.

I had never seen a porcupine in a tree. Now I had.

This little monkey grabbed my attention. I mean, he's sitting up and holding onto the gate wires and looking at me. Like I was about to bust him out. 

I guess being carted around at the zoo in a stroller really takes its toll.

Last event of the staycation week:

Our 10 year anniversary.

I thought perhaps my hair my look better if I changed sides with Jason.

We left the boys with Grammy & Grandpa.

I'm not sure how long Grammy & Grandpa let them keep up with the noise at the piano though. No matter how professional the boys might appear.

Our date night included a tour of the Molly Brown House Museum.

I know what my big sister Bobbie is going to be when she grows up. She's going to be a tour guide at the Molly Brown House. The tour guide we had reminded me of her and she answered all of my questions about the house and what happened to JJ Brown's will, and how did they obtain most of Molly's (Margaret's) items for the house if it was turned into apartments before it was saved from being torn down?!

I watched "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" musical that has Debbie Reynolds in it, and just so you know, that musical depicting Molly Brown's life is a myth. However, LOOK what they had on display at the museum! The dress and boots that Debbie wore in the movie! And on the left is a picture of a dress that belonged to Molly Brown. Now, I would just like to say that in the pictures I have seen of Margaret Tobin Brown... she looks like she is a "well rounded" woman. But all the clothes they had of hers on display were the size of anorexic toothpicks.

This is a letter from the master mind behind the musical, in which he says, "I made the whole thing up". Because he didn't have enough information about her to come up with a good story line for the movie. And the person that wrote the music changed her name from Margaret to Molly because the name Molly fit better in the songs. Go figure. I'm pretty sure my name will fit rather well in the musicals that are made about me.

We ended the night with dinner at "Fogo de Chao". A Brazilian Steakhouse that keeps bringing you food as long as you have the coaster set to the green side. As you can see, I had my coaster on the red side for "stop" because I just ate a piece of lamb that that did  NOT taste like a gyro.

We had to run like mad back to the car when we headed out because it was pouring down rain.

Because I was running, I broke one of my favorite sandals. But I fixed it when we got home with the good use of some superglue. Because I'm a ninja. Or maybe McGyver.

Proof that I'm not making up the story about the rain:

 And there you have our staycation in a nutshell. Why do they say "in a nutshell"?