the long family: Colorado Part 1

We were so excited when July finally rolled around this year and we headed out to our favorite place COLORADO!!! We really talk about this trip starting the day that we get back from the one the year before till the day we go again.

This year we flew into Denver and then drove down to Colorado Springs and had a great time staying with Brian and Lauren. This is the view as you down the road from their house. We got to exclaim over and over again "kids, look we see the mountains."

Thankfully they love them as much as we do so they get excited along with us!

It was so nice to eat out on their patio, watch the kids swing and play on Uncle Brian's awesome play set and feed their friendly neighborhood fox that lives in these woods.

Ryan and Brenna out for a walk with me one evening

Lauren and I took the kids hiking to the Red Rock Canyon on the way to Emily's swim meet.

The kids had so much fun being able to finally climb and run.

We want to go back to this park someday with bikes and explore further.

Bren and Ryan - cute cousins!

What a treat to get to watch one of Emily's meets. She did great - and we got to cheer her on really loud - don't think she heard us though!

Don't worry our day was not over! Lauren had heard of a Penny Arcade that was in the center of this adorable town of Manitou Springs. Funny thing - really not a penny. Kinda like false advertising..but hey - prices have gone up so we dished out lots of quarters instead.

Pinball machines were everywhere - and the big kids loved it!

They also have this amazing collection of old rides

- some I remembered from when I was young, like at the grocery store and Kmart!

Joshua's Favorite - The Lone Ranger Theme Song Played

You might wonder what the guys were up to while we were having all this fun. Well don't worry they had headed out a few hours into the mountains for some serous off-roading, camping but most of all trout fishing. Countless cutthroats, brown and rainbow trout were caught. I don't think I have seen Brett come back so happy from too many things as these few days. I was so glad that he and Brian were able to just get out and fish and enjoy the magnificent creation they were surrounded by.

Brian down in a gully

Could be the cover of a magazine, don't you think

Brian's Favorite Parking Spot

Well, Lauren and I were not done yet with throughly entertaining the kids while the dads were gone. She brought us to my new favorite zoo in the country - Cheyennne Mountain Zoo. The whole zoo is built into the side of the mountain and the paths wind around each exhibit as you walk up higher and higher. The animals are really up close and we had such a great time

- both moms went home exhausted!

After all this fun (really like in 2 days) we were not done yet. The daddy's finally came home and we went on our first Colorado Train Ride. We have wanted to do this for a long time as had Brian and Lauren... so it was fun to do it together.