Jake's visit

This August has been so busy, I'm having a "Where to start?" moment with this post. After our return from Arizona, we quickly got ready to prepare for a visitor--Uncle Jake.

This was Jake's first visit to Fort Collins, and his first time visiting our new house. I think we did him right--showed him some breweries, took a trip up to RMNP and then had a BBQ before he took off back to Minnesota.

At O'Dells with our sampler

Jake and Scout, at Bear Lake

Jake, me and the kids, at the stream that flowed through the picnic area

Getting the cook out going (*Note size of fire)

Uncle Jake and kiddos

I think this looks like Cory and Ruby are deep in conversation (*Note dogs on grill)

Lounging at Bear Lake

At a photo shoot in the park

At the BBQ, some enjoy a "cheers"

Margie and Lexie

Jake, Cory and Lacey

Addy and Ruby filling up the mushroom pool

Aunt Lacey anxiously awaits the girls run through her "sprinkler"

Run!

We had such a great visit with Uncle Jake, and we can't wait for him to come again.

Grand Canyon, Verde Canyon Railroad and the rest!

We definitely could have spent the entire stay at our resort, but we did get out to do a few things in the vicinity.

Ruby in some ruins

Me and the kids on the rim of Walnut Canyon

Scout messing around in some of the ruins near Walnut Canyon (we did not go down into the canyon, where the most impressive cliff dwellings are--these are just on the grounds nearby)

On Monday the 8th--we went to Walnut Canyon, in the hopes of completing a hike. Well, if you know me, this will not come as any surprise--I vetoed our trek down the cliffs of the canyon into the bottom of the canyon. Not so great with heights, you might say. Scout didn't seem to game either. We did, however, have a great picnic and a nice view of the canyon from the rim-side trail.

Ain't it grand?

Ruby at the GC

Girls seeking refuge underneath a shelter during a brief rainstorm

At the Grand Canyon Visitor center, both the girls found this large cat

Me and the Rubes

Scout + Canyon

 Next up, Tuesday the 9th, we headed to the Grand Canyon, probably about 100 miles from Sedona, one way. We previously went in May 2008, and took the most direct route via interstate. This time we took more scenic roads there and back, and it was gorgeous. It would be fun at some point to spend more time there, be able to hike around. A trip on the Bright Angel trail is on Cory's bucket list, though notably absent from mine! But surely there is some hike out there that I could do!

Here is Scout in a photo that Cory took from a viewing tower--Scout did climb all by herself, but apparently needed Dad's help on the way down. I didn't go (see aforementioned fear of heights).

On Wednesday the 10th, we went on the Verde Canyon railroad. I definitely think this was a highlight of the trip. We had "first class" tickets (because Coach was all sold out by the time we booked!), which meant a very nice set up with two love seats facing one another, and a small coffee table in between. Ruby was considered a lap-child, but we were fortunate that no one else needed to use the 4th seat in our love-seat set up. It was a very lovely ride, 40 miles in and 40 miles out, and the turnaround was at a semi-ghost town of Clarksdale. We went through one tunnel which was sufficiently dark despite the barrage of flashes and cellphone screens.

Like, for sure, dad, I'm totally in front of the train

From the outside viewing car

about to enter the tunnel

Aboard the outside viewing car

A scene from the Verde Canyon

Cory has many scenic photos, some taken from his hikes. I thought this one was interesting: A scene atop Doe mountain, he found stacks of rocks.

Doe Mountain

Sedona

We left on a road trip to Sedona, Arizona at 4 am on Friday August 5.

Our first morning in Sedona, girls are outfitted for a short walk

 It was an incredible road trip, we got very lucky that the girls did so well. Stopped once in Ratan, NM, once in Albuquerque, NM, and once in Winslow, AZ--made it to Sedona around 6 pm their time.

Scout spies her first cactus... and proceeds to get prickers in her finger!

 The days in Sedona were hot--high 90s, but the evenings and mornings were really pleasant. We were so lucky to get a deluxe room with beautiful views.

Nature walk

The girls and my cousin Joe

 On Saturday the 6th, my cousin Joe drove up from Phoenix for a visit.

Ruby examining the baskets of trinkets outside a shop

 We went to the Oak Creek Brewery in Tlacapaque, an outdoor mall with shops, restaurants and tons of galleries.

Cory and Scout

The view from our balcony

The nature walk

Balloons!

Poolside

Such a little swimmer

 Much of our time was spent in the pool. It was a great set-up, and Scout did so well with her swimmies. On Sunday morning, a gentleman who was leaving to return to Pennsylvania offered us his pool noodles, and we gladly took them. Cory even stuffed them in the car, so they are home with us right now!

So proud of her floaties

Ruby loved getting bundled in her towel whenever she was cold

We spent the first two days getting used to things, then set out for a few adventures--more photos to follow!

Mike and Jill's visit--August 4th

Our good friends Mike and Jill come to Colorado every summer, and manage to fit us in somewhere amongst all the other people they like to see while here. This time, Cory wasn't able to sneak away (he was about to take 6 days of vacation time, and just didn't think that he could swing it. Understandable.), but the kids and I met Mike and Jill with their kids, Hannah and Ben. We met at this great park in Loveland.

Ruby and Scout, playing in the sand

Jill and Ben

Ruby in the sprinkle park

Hannah and Scout

Aw, group hug

Just the girls

Ben and Mike

Just because. My girl and her fashion sense!