Shh....don't tell g-ma!!!

Shhhhhh....don't tell g-ma but it has been awhile since I blogged and I was at her house so decided to take over the puter while she was out of the room, I know sneaky of me, huh!!I really missed g-ma and gumpa while they were off in Colorado. especially g-ma....hehehe!!!

As g-ma told you the other day I was visiting and having a really nice time playing in the bird seeds. So, she found an old tub and filled it with lots of fun stuff to play with! It had beans and macaroni in it along with some containers and lids!! After a few minutes I decided I was all in....yep, I climbed in!!

I was having all kinds of fun in there and I know the rule was no throwing the stuff out of the box...but, throwing things is kinda fun!!! That and I did keep trying to sneak a few into my mouth!!! Someday she won't be watching so close..........then we shall see what we can do!!! :)

While I was playing I was sure mommy and daddy were trying to get ahold of me!!

After a day of playing with all the toys that I had missed for 2 weeks and the new stuff I took a little nap and waited for gumpa to get home. The very first thing we had to do was get the flag up!! I have been waiting along time to help him with this!!
Everything was as I remembered!!

After we got the flag up I gumpa remembered that I had a really cool squirt gun in the garage!! He helped me fill it up and then by accident I may......may have gotten him a little wet!! hehehe

Then I was going to help him water the lawn a little bit.

I bet that you can tell what happened next by the look on gumpa's face!!!

Naughty gumpa!!!! You just can't trust that guy with a hose!!!

Well, honestly it was fine because it was really hot out and it felt pretty good!!

I also got a surprise visit from aunt Yaya. These people keep trying to confuse me . I know aunt Yaya's real name is Aunt Sarah, but they keep asking me where Sara is, and I am smart enough to know that she lives in Kalamazoo and works at my other day care place. Why they keep asking me where she is when I am here is beyond me!!!

(note from g-ma.....yep I knew he was playing on the puter) If you ask him where aunt Sarah is he will point at her but if you ask where just Sara is.....he doesn't know!!!

After all the outdoor fun and some dinner we went inside and hung out waiting for daddy to come and pick me up!!

Gumpa tried to make up for the water incident by watching some Thomas movies with me....I didn't tell him that is wasn't a problem because I liked sitting with him and watching chooo.....choo's!!

Just before daddy came to get me I got some jammies on and when dad got here I put some shoes on to get ready to go!! Gumpa seemed to think they were his and stopped me from taking them!

It was great to have them back and I had a great time hanging out with them!!

Next time maybe I won't have to sneak on here!!!

Home again Home again...jiggity jig!!

We had a very nice time in Steamboat Springs!! As you may remember we were camping with our friends the Hahn's......and right across the street from out campsites....Hahn's Peak!!! Of course it was mandatory that the guys were going to ride to the top of this one!! I guess it was one heck of a ride and then a hike to the top!!!

One of the things that we really noticed on this trip was the # of trees that were affected by the pine blight that they have in Co. At the campground they have cut down all the dead trees. It really is sad to see!! Dave talked to a guy that stopped by and he said this used to be their favorite campsite in the whole state and that is is so very hard to see what has happened!! When we visited Dave's sister we also noticed that there were a lot of aspen trees that were dead. I guess they are also facing some type of bug or blight......So where the pines are not affected the aspen are.
Really it is so sad to see!!!

Moving on!......it was on our last day that the guys rode Hahn's peak and we were planning a great dinner by the fire!! Hmm.....what do these clouds look like???

Dave had the fire burning brightly and we were optimistic that we were going to make it........before the storm....... No he is not dancing!!

Ummmm.....NO! Not going to make it!

We grabbed all the fixins and ran for the trailer....it blew like crazy but really not much rain!! So it was dinner in the trailer and the pie irons went unused on this vacation!! It made for a beautiful cloud filled morning though!

Bring on those Colorado mornings in the mountain.....I don't want to leave!!

Before we could start the packing process there was some required Tour viewing that needed to take place!! Not the outcome we had hoped for but a good tour all in all!

We couldn't put it off any longer....packing up had to begin!!!

Brek wanted one last moment to say goodbye to Tom and Ann. We had a great time...and it was good to see that Tom and Brek worked out their problems and became friends!!

And while we packed Merckx babysat Brek for us!

Then it was time to hit the road.......G-pa had a little helper on this trip!

The trip home was not with out some weather moving in....this was just outside of Denver....

We missed out on the rain but we were treated to a double rainbow!!! I think Colorado wanted us to stay!!!

We sort of skirted the storms all the way home.....These were just ahead of us as we drove through Chicago.

and.....once we were home ...the most special of visitors came to greet us!! Grandpa had to make a stop to make some special purchases!! Cowboy Lukas here we come!!

He makes the cutest little sheriff!!

Then it was the time to get down to business and get the corn (from ggma Starks garden) shucked for dinner, so the hat had to come off!!!

After dinner it was time for some playing, and what better to play in than a container of birdseed!!

Seriously, I think he would have played with these for the rest of the night!! It is so much fun g-ma!!

It was so great to be home and with family again. I can't believe how much Lukas has grown in just 2 weeks. He is talking more and if it is possible, has even more personality!! I really love how he will be doing something, look up at you and pat the ground next to him and call your name...(like come sit by me!!).

He really is my joy!!!

Glad to be home with everyone!

Just cause!!

Just a few pictures that I had tried to load this morning but wouldn't!!!

This is Hahn's Peak.......as the storm rolled in!

Our first night in Steamboat!

The clouds at sunset!

Dave watching the storm pass over head. It would rain in one spot and not another and then the sun would shine and roll away! Tried to get lightning on the mountain, but couldn't.

Afternoon clouds rolling in...it happens almost everyday.

Just cause I really like this picture.

The same thing!

Hummingbird!

Aaaaahhh...I feel better now I am all caught up!!

We head home in 2 well really 1and a half days....I want to stay!!

Steamboat Springs here we come..(are)

The next part of our Colorado trip takes us to Steamboat Springs. The. drive up was really pretty with many changes in scenery. First we drove past a long reservoir.

Do you sense the change in scenery?

After driving through Steamboat Springs proper we drove.....and drove....and DROVE...until we arrived at our destination. Steamboat Lake and this is the view at our campsite from the camper door! It is sure going to be hard to wake up to this everyday!?!?

This area along with a lot of Colorado has been hit by a pine blight and it is really sad to see. In some areas as much as 3/4 ths of the pines are dead and it is more brown than green. It is a noticeable change from when we were here just 2 years ago. Here at the campground we see stump after stump where they have removed the dead trees. In fact in the loop we are in there are some trees on the lake side, but in the loop itself there is a lone pine tree left. Unfortunately it is right on the road!!! When we made our initial drive around we barely missed it with the trailer. As the day went on and more people arrived........well let's just say it wasn't pretty!!!
A group of campers and a bus came in together and the first one made it through just fine..the second one just came barreling through and up over some stumps, a awful scraping noise followed, and the tree was bent over. Instead of stopping he continued on until it had gone the length of the trailer???? Then he got out and the air turned a little blue! And after watching this, one more camper and the bus took their turn. Mind you they had witnessed the previous camper making the bend. First one through no problems....the bus(towing a car) on the other hand just forged ahead..............ssssccccrrrrrraaaaaaapppppeeeee...we are hollering watch your car, your car, your CAR!! At which point he did turn wide, and saved the car from damage!! WOW it was an interesting afternoon to say the least. The bus has a nice gouge from the middle to the back and had pine branches stuck in the slide out!!

Note since then no one else has hit that tree!!!

Our first night here we were treated to a beautiful sunset!

The skies were a beautiful shade of pinks and purples.

Standing along side the trailer and looking up at the half moon and I was able to take this shot, even without a tripod!

The next morning we decided to take the kayaks down and tour the lake. Our friends Tom and Ann were able to rent a canoe....their dog Merckx on the other hand was not too keen on the idea!! They were able to get him in and paddle for a bit but we did make a b-line to the shore and let him spend a few hours resting from his ordeal while we finished our paddle!!

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful paddle.

This is the view from the lake back to our camper...she sure looks pretty here....I think she should stay!!!

These are our DEAR FRIENDS Tom and Ann Hahn. This is the second time we have traveled together to Colorado for vacation. Dave and Tom have been friends and bike buddies for many years now, and have gone on many many adventures together. In just a few days they will embark on a new adventure when they move to Malaysia for 2 years. Ann will be commuting back and forth from the states on her breaks from school. We wish them the very best of luck, but will miss them terribly!

Thanks again for sharing your vacation with us we have had such a GREAT time!!!

Thanks for the memories, here's to many more!