More Fall Fun and a Trip to Colorado

 

Sutter's Ridge for fall fun and apple picking

Duck races!

Monkeys.

Throwing some ninja stars

In the mini maze

Apple picking time

The good ones were high up there

Firefighter breakfast 2024!

Blossom at big puppy park

Football practice

Blossom made a bed

Blossom running free on the top of our hill

Nathan at swim practice

Dinner at Mad Seafood Boiler before Shrek the musical at Overture 

Shrek the musical!

Drinking some swamp water at intermission

Hanging out in Waunakee after swim practice waiting for Nathan's soccer game

Into the corn maze at Treinen Farms

Leaving the corn maze before the thunderstorm hit.  Yes, another thunderstorm ruining our fall fun.

Playing in the corn hoping the storm might pass.  (It didn't)

A little hike up on the hill

Library Halloween 

Elly made Minecraft dirt block brownies all by herself 

Nathan's last soccer games (doubleheader)

Elly reading to Blossom at soccer

Somehow they blocked this shot

The Cheetahs! 

Blossom with spiders on her

First Wave swim meet of the year in Stoughton

Nathan's first Wave swim meet ever

Swim meet snack

Nathan really wanted to go to McDonalds after the swim meet

Blossom and Nibbles saying hi

Elly's pumpkin

Off to Colorado!  Exploring the hotel in Boulder

Quick workout at the hotel before heading to breakfast at Lucille's

Lucille's!!!!

Beignet!

Elly's 1/2 order of pancakes.

Off to explore Boulder

Trying to tame squirrels.  I don't know. 

We spotted an elk herd as soon as we rolled into Estes Park.  They were hanging out on the golf course.

Quick lunch at Ed's Cantina

Geocaching

Stopping at the visitor's center to plan our time in the park

Trout at Sprague Lake

Starting our hike around Sprague Lake.  It was VERY windy out there.

Working on her Junior Ranger workbook

Duck butt

We figured it was ok because the kids had their junior ranger badges.

Moraine valley

Kids in a cage

Our hotel was cliff adjacent 

Dinner at Penelope's Old Time Burgers

S'mores time at the hotel

Breakfast at You Need Pie!

Heading up to Bear Lake after waiting for the shuttle that never came

Traffic jam near Bear Lake

Climbing near Many Parks Curve

We were just up there

Many Parks Curve overlook 

Rainbow Curve overlook.  The road was closed here.

Walking further up after the road was closed

Alluvial Falls, our next destination 

Alluvial Falls

If it's not obvious yet, the kids were very into climbing on rocks

Snack appetizers at Elevations in Estes Park

Relaxing in the hot tub

The row of windows on the 2nd floor was one of our rooms 

Cool stage next to our hotel

Thai take-out for dinner fireside 

Stargazing in Upper Beaver Meadows.  We heard coyotes right above us and then another pack across the valley answered 

Not saying we saw aliens, but we probably saw aliens 

Dear below our hotel room in the morning

Heading back to Bear Lake.  This time early in the morning. 

Start of our hike to Deam Lake and Lake Haiyaha.

Nathan being photobombed by Nathan

Dream Lake

It was crazy windy here and Nathan found shelter 

Even better shelter from the wind

Heading up higher to Lake Haiyaha

The picture doesn't do it justice but this was actually a big drop-off

Lake Haiyaha

Lunch break. 

Bear Lake

Post hike snacks at Shakes Alive

Riverwalk in Estes Park

The kids really wanted to see a Pika in the park, but they are at a really high elevation.  We did find this Pika statue in Estes Park though.

Back to Elevations for dinner

Elk and Venison.  Mmmm.

The Christmas store near our hotel.

More S'mores.

Last look at the mountains as we head to the airport.