Where to Start...

So, I have taken a three year hiatus from my blog. The 3 Little Kings are not so little, we have moved from Texas and are about to move again. My sister and her family moved to Dublin temporarily and have done an excellent job keeping us jealous, I mean updated, on their adventures. So, since our next chapter takes us abroad once again, at the request of my husband, I am back. 

 

By the way, I'm sure most of you have seen the majority of this info on Facebook, but here's an update for those of you who are still holding out on "friending" me. 

 

Goodbye Houston.....

hello Denver!!

 

We quickly discovered that it's great to be outside in the summertime.

 

Grandpa was here for our first real hike and the boys did great.

 

So, we hiked some more. This is a family favorite- Devils Head. That's 143 stairs after a 1.5 mile hike up to a fire lookout.

My favorite place in all of Colorado....maybe even the U.S. (after Yellowstone of course)- the Maroon Bells.

 

The boys earned mountain goat status after trekking nearly 8 miles round trip to see beautiful Ptarmigan Lake at over 12,000 feet!

Another favorite, Hanging Lake. If you ever have the chance, take this hike. You will not be disappointed.

 

The mountain goats.

The daddy goat. This is in Telluride. Second most beautiful place! Take me back and leave me. Please. Pretty please.

 

 

Living in Denver, you find the 14ers (14,000+ foot mountains) very mesmerizing. You start thinking about standing on top of them. It can become obsessive. Just ask my Dad. And Brent.

 

We started with Pikes Peak. We rode the cog rail to the top.

 

Then we drove up Mt. Evans.

 

Since the other 52 14ers don't have paved roads or rails, we tried actually hiking one. Grant bagged Mt. Antero with Grandpa and Daddy. Mommy got altitude sickness at 13,500 feet :/.

 

So I tried again with my book club girls. Best. Colorado. Experience. I bet my book club is cooler than yours ;).

 

And this guy added 6 more summits to his list bringing his total to 13 14ers which he has informed me is not a good number. Longs Peak, watch out- going for #14 this summer. Maybe more if I let him.

 

 

We also discovered that we love to camp. The boys are rock stars and are definitely in it for the s'mores. On one trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, I could never get quite warm enough and Brent and I both ended up with a twin in our sleeping bags. When we emerged from the tent, everything was covered in frost. Since I'm the only girl in this family, I try not to play my diva card, but we spent the next night in a hotel. The boys cried the entire time we took the tent down.

 

Taking the tent out for a test run. We went a whopping 15 minutes from the house in case it was a disaster.

 

Hello baby moose. See the mama? These 2 were strolling through our campsite when we came back to break down the tent once the frost thawed (see above story).

 

Celebrating Brent's birthday at Twin Lakes. Looks like a Chevy commercial, huh?

 

 

 

And of course there are winter activities abound in Colorado. Here are some highlights.

 

I discovered that we could buy a permit to cut down our Christmas tree in the national forest.



Grant took his first ski lesson in Steamboat Springs. Daddy was so proud.

 

We went back to Steamboat a second time where the twins and I joined in the hiking, but preferred the hot tub to the slopes.

 

And this guy, doing what he loves best (at least in the winter).

 

 

And of course, just playing in the white stuff. Something you just can't do in Houston.