Colorado Visit

Last weekend, we were able to enjoy the 2nd of our 2 little vacations for the summer. On Thursday, we headed out west to the Denver/Boulder area. Our kids did really, really well in the car, and we made it there early enough to enjoy a neighborhood playground before our friends and hosts, Chet & Lori arrived home from work. That evening, we enjoyed some conversation and pizza with Chet & Lori before the rest of the gang arrived. This trip served as the once-every-three-years reunion of some of Cliff's best friends from high school. In '07, we all rented a big chalet in Gatlinburg, TN; this time we chose Denver/Boulder as home base. On Friday, we met up with another one of the families for a visit to a park, lunch in downtown Golden, a tour of the Coors brewery and a dinner cookout out Chet & Lori's. On Saturday, one more family joined us, and we spent the day enjoying downtown Denver (Coors Field, 16th Street Mall, state capitol, a great bookstore). We ended the day with dinner in Denver with yet another member of the group, one we haven't seen since before we were married. Cliff really enjoyed catching up with his old friend after so much time. Sunday included a hike near Boulder, lunch and the Pearl Street Mall (another pedestrian street mall) in Boulder and a cookout back at Chet & Lori's. It was fun to visit with everyone, catch up and see how much all of the kids have grown. We can't wait to see where we'll meet up in 2013!

Enjoying lunch at a NE rest stop on the way:

Laura & her new buddy Katie waiting for the Coors tour:

Our group walking the 16th Street Mall in Denver:

Laura, Katie & another buddy, Anna- girl talk on the state capitol steps:

The kids enjoyed the "dog" street performer in Boulder:

Bag pipes & a drum set-an interesting combo on the Boulder Pearl Street Mall:

Laura stayed awake the whole way home until about 2 miles from Lincoln!

Gina