Road Trip ~ the rest

I need to get these done

so here goes

the best of the best

photo highlights of (the rest of) our July road trip

we left off in Ft. Collins at Avogadro's Number...

We visited Ft. Collins specifically to get together with some old friends from my CSU days. Kylie, Bree, and I arranged to have our families camp together at a local KOA campground. We had a blast!

(Pictured: Charlie, Danika & Tuli Smith, Bree with Wyatt, & Owen Hobgood, Ella & Sophie)

Back in Highlands Ranch, we (finally) met Audrey's boyfriend, Matt. Sophie became very fond of him...as are we all!

Playing with Aunt Audrey

Watching TV with Papa Jeff

We braved a VERY hot day (even for AZ standards) at the Littleton Historical Museum with Ky and her girls.

The highlight was watching the blacksmith create a "Private Drive" sign!

A refreshing day spent playing at Monument Lake with the Hobgood & Smith families. Charlie could have cast all day long!

Took the kids on a scenic drive of the old neighborhood. First stop, the Manor House where Charles and I were married (9 years ago this month!).

The view of the neighborhood from the Manor House, you can see Lockheed Martin far in the distance, which was spitting distance from our house.

The old house. Still looks great. This is where we brought Ella home when she was born.

Heading back home to Arizona, we took the scenic route.

Our first stop was the Royal Gorge Bridge (the world's highest suspension bridge, built in 1929). Charles and the kids walked across the bridge and back.

I walked to the Arizona flag and back; the flags are placed in alphabetical order, so you can see how far I got!

Next day, we spent at the Colorado Gator farm.

Where we watched a lot of this...

and this.

But our kids LOVED this.

I think he would make the perfect pet for our backyard. Low maintenance. Quiet. Lives forever.

A day at Mesa Verde National Park, where we spent the day viewing Ancestral Pueblo Cliff dwellings built from about 600 to 1200 AD.

At the Spruce Tree House dwelling we were all able to walk around, and Charles took the kids into the basement!

Our last night on the road we spent at a KOA campground in Cortez, CO. Enjoying the campfire!

Cleaning the car for the LONG drive home.

Hundreds of pictures (and miles) later, we were home.

Home Sweet Home!