we're baaack!

Hi! Long time no blog, I know. We went to Colorado to visit my family for Thanksgiving so I haven't been able to blog for awhile. We had a wonderful trip although Tom isn't real fond of cool weather so he is glad to be back in this warm and muggy weather here in FL. The girls loved going to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We have many wonderful memories that we will cherish forever. Grandpa took the girls for tractor rides and they had so much fun.

Thanksgiving day was wonderful. Mom and Dad brought the little table and chairs (that dad made) downstairs as well as one of the MANY teddy bears from my mom's collection so the girls could have a special table to sit at. They even pulled up a chair for teddy. Dinner was fabulous as usual. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

The day after Thanksgiving (I think - my days are a little jumbled) we went to the Butterfly Pavillion. I didn't see the big blue butterflies that I had seen the last time I visited - but it was still amazing to see all the pretty butterflies flitting around. Besides the butterflies they have a very small room where you can touch a starfish and some other things - and they also have a small room with spiders and bugs in it. This is the room where "Rosie" resides. Rosie is a tarantula and they have a person there that will let you hold Rosie for a moment then they give you a tarantula sticker that says "I held Rosie!" - I was very surprised that Lindsay wanted to do it. She was very brave about it after she was told that it would just tickle a little.

The next day we went to the Denver Aquarium. It was really neat after I got the girls past the first dark hallway. They were both crying and insisting that we do NOT go in there. LOL...but watching the playful otters, watching the sea turtles, jellyfish and sharks, "talking" to the scuba divers through the glass (they were SO great with the kids!) and then going to the area where they could "pet" the stingrays -- it was all very memorable and the girls LOVED it!

The girls got to play with their cousins and wish they could've come home with us. We miss you Hannah and Joey! I also got to see my nephew and his wife's house and we had dinner at my brother's house - which I'd never seen before since it's just been built within the past couple years (we don't get to Colorado as often as I'd like). Tom and I also got to go out to dinner while my parents watched the girls. We went to Simms Landing - which overlooks all of Denver and the surrounding areas. We had an amazing dinner and it was great to actually have a 'date' of sorts.

One more picture. There are tons of deer around my parents house since they do live in the mountains. They have to keep a tall wire fence around their house to keep the deer out of the garden and from eating the flowers etc. Here is one curious little guy in my parents back yard - he came right up to the fence.

It was so refreshing to be back up in the mountains where I grew up. I love the mountain air - I love being able to see every star in the sky at night - I love the wildlife. I especially love seeing the city lights at night from the top of the mountain. It is truly breathtaking. A wonderful place to grow up - I know the girls now have an appreciation for this beautiful place.

Anyway - I now have lots of unpacking and laundry going on but wanted to share a few photos from our trip. Thank you mom and dad - for everything! It was a most wonderful trip...can't say that enough!