First camping trip 2024

We "bought" a camper for sabbatical 2024 summer and took it for it's first outing to the Palmer Gulch KOA over Memorial Day weekend for a B family reunion. 

Finally all set up.

Playing The Game of Life with the cousins as soon as they were let inside.

Enjoying the sun with Terry's family. 

The weather was not great. It rained all week and the first night there. It was chilly but the kids insisted on swimming...sort of. Evie is growing out of it but the boys and cousins wanted to swim.

That first evening we had to use the propane heater b/c it rained and was so cold. The next morning the reunion was over and we were on our own. Here we're headed out for adventure.

That afternoon we went on a drive around the campground in the back of an old firetruck. 

Then Evie tie-dyed a shirt. I thought it was funny that every employee was "helping" her. The campground was pretty empty that weekend. 

Meanwhile the boys drove these peddle go-carts for a half hour. We had to pay for them and it was expensive but they had a fun time.

I had pre-made a tater-tot casserole and baked it in the little oven. It took forever but it was worth it. It was delicious and so fun to eat a good meal while camping. 

We played a ton of mini-golf. I always lost and Ezra usually won. 

We also played a lot of basketball. The kids learned a lot. We had so much fun that weekend! Terry even mentioned the next weekend in his sermon before sabbatical how nice it was to leave everything behind and just focus on each other with no distractions. Exactly. Sabbatical posts next!

 

Vacation 2019 part 5: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

This was the best zoo we've ever been to - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. It was Monday, August 12, 2019. 

The scenery was amazing too. 

First up were the giraffes. 

A BABY!!!

We spent the money to buy lettuce to feed them.

Meerkats! "Dig a tunnel, dig, dig a tunnel!"

Elephants!

We felt so lucky that day. We actually saw an elephant submerging and washing itself! 

Lunch time. 

There were some elephant games like this one. The littles also painted.

Our lunch area overlooked the lion enclosure. 

Parakeets. 

Alligators.

Again luck struck and we saw the bears swimming in the water. 

In fact, the bear in the water was sitting on the drain which caused all this water to come out of their tank. The peacock was just walking around outside the bear enclosure. 

Bald eagles I think?

Sloth?

Monkeys.

Indoor giraffes. 

More lions. They're our favorite.

All done. 

The following day we left but stopped at Krispy Kreme first. 

They gave us free donuts right off the line! We also bought some. The kids still remember this fondly a year and a half later.

I had a video all prepped but it's not working anymore. Bummer. 

Vacation 2019 part 4: Pikes Peak

On August 11, 2021 we spent the afternoon driving up to Pikes Peak.

We stopped partway for lunch.

We explored a little before continuing on. 

From the parking lot.

Photo taken while driving. So many switchbacks!

From this parking lot we had to abandon our van and continue on in a shuttle. But first we went for a little hike to the top of the rocks. I had some serious digestive issues up there. I think it must have been the elevation or something.

From the top! 

Terry took the boys down there and it totally freaked me out because it appeared that they could fall off the mountain. 

Had to have the "famous" donuts in the giftshop. Meh.

Dinner at our airbnb.

 

A video compilation here.