Picture of Luke chasing bunnies taken by Courtney Freeman in Colorado Springs
As a former teacher and a mother to four, I often want to teach my children. There are so many things I want them to learn and to know. However, I am surprised at how much I can learn from THEM and how much they can teach me!
For instance, they teach me about LOVE. I love them because they are my children – not because of what they do, but because of who they are. This is how God loves YOU and me. We don’t need to do or be anything to be completely loved by Him!
They also teach me to enjoy the small things. The frog jumping through the grass, the ants on the sidewalk.
They taught me how much FUN backyard games can be. I can’t stop laughing during a game of Tag or Sharks and Minnows! It’s exhausting but it’s so.much.FUN!
They teach me to slow down. Little steps will eventually get you to where you need to go.
They teach me to look forward with anticipation and not behind (with regret or sadness). When I told my kids that we were moving, they didn’t wallow in what we were leaving behind, they were excited about a new adventure! They were looking forward to meeting new friends and wanted to know all about the state that we would call “home!” They said goodbye cheerfully and waited with anticipation to make Minnesota their new home. Since arriving, they’ve been ‘all in!’
I’m thankful for what I’m learning from them each day. My goal is to stay engaged and to keep learning from them. Hopefully, they learn a few things from me (and Ted) too.
What have your children taught you? Leave me a comment!
We took some red, white and blue pictures in Colorado Springs, but spent the 4th in Breckenridge! The boys loved the Parade and playing in the huge pile of snow that’s still on Peak 8. Ted and I enjoyed getting one last visit to Breckenridge before our move. We always enjoy the drive there – you never know what wildlife you’ll see. We stopped to watch some Buffalo roam on this trip.
Spent time with a childhood friend
Becky, a childhood friend, and two of her kids came to visit from Broomfield, CO. It was so fun having them spend 24 hours with us!
We hiked and explored, cooked together, and enjoyed catching up. We’re both Indiana girls and been friends all of our lives. I’ve enjoyed spending more time with her since we moved to Colorado.
Overdrive Raceway
The #eglyboys have been begging me to take them to Overdrive Raceway! We finally made it there, and they LOVED it! Clark drove as fast as he could – speeding around corners and weaving in and out between other drivers. George was slow and steady; cautiously driving around corners, and leading Paul “safely” around the track.
Hiking
We explored the Starsmore Nature Center and hiked in Cheyenne Canyon with friends. There are all kinds of trails you can follow in Cheyenne Canyon. However, Clark remembered one specific hike from a field trip and insisted we follow him. He promised us it would be beautiful! Somehow, he found the right trail, we followed him up a narrow passageway and from the top, we had an incredible 360 degree view of mountains and The Broadmoor! He makes an amazing tour guide for an 8-year-old.
The trail Clark insisted we follow.
One of my favorite things to do in Colorado is hiking and exploring with my boys!
Admiring the view!
That was our final ‘regular’ week in Colorado.…now we are packing and wrapping things up at home before we head to Minnesota! What did you do this week? Leave me a comment!
If it’s a neighborhood sale, let the coordinator know that you are participating so they include your house on the map.
4. Price your items!
PLEASE sell your items CHEAP! Remember, you want to GET RID OF EVERYTHING! It doesn’t matter if you paid $60 for those boots, list them for $5.
How to price clothes to SELL :
Take a piece of printer paper, and write/type:
Buy 1 item, pay $2
Buy 3 items, pay $5
Buy 10 items, pay $10
Leave several of these “pricing sheets” around your clothes!
This forces people to look through your stuff and BUY MORE so they can SAVE more – which means you will SELL MORE and MAKE MORE MONEY!
How to Price Books:
One book 25cents, 10 books for $1!
My kids have their own little table and love to sell drinks and snacks to hungry, thirsty, or just plain KIND customers!
How to price Snacks and drinks:
50cents each
Optional last day – mark everything down by 50%. I LOVE it when I go to a sale and the owner says “Everything’s half price!” I always find stuff to buy!
Optional last hour – everything is 25 cents!!!
5: Prepare!
I leave cars parked outside my garage a few nights before the sale so I can start setting up.
The night before or morning of the sale, I go place “GARAGE SALE” signs out – pointing people the way to my house.
The Crazy Garage Sale Lady!
Morning of sale – prepare your “FANNY PACK” that you WEAR ALL DAY!
lots of ones/fives/quarters
extra price stickers
a sharpie
your phone
Set most of your stuff out on your driveway so people who are driving by can SEE IT! The more they can see at first glance, the more they will want to stop and shop.
Start early – I was outside working at 6am for any early birds that wanted to stop by. The sale started at 8.
6. Negotiate and SELL!
If people ask if you will take $5 for an item you are selling for $10…always works with them. Remember – YOU WANT TO SELL EVERYTHING! You DON’T want to pack it up and donate it. And please, DO NOT bring it back inside your house!
Extra tips:
My neighborhood has a ONE DAY sale. I did this last year, and the day was fairly busy, but it’s hard to justify doing all this work for a ONE DAY SALE. This year I decided to open on Thursday, Friday and SATURDAY!
I didn’t do a LOT of pricing until the night before and morning of the sale. I DID have the price sheets written out that I mentioned earlier.
The morning of the sale (starting at 6 AM), I priced items as I set them on tables or placed them along my driveway.
OfferUp – Are you familiar with this app? I love it. It’s free to use and you can sell your stuff in three easy steps. Take a pic, describe your item, price it. I had several items from my garage sale listed on the app. When someone sent me a message about something they wanted, I told them I was having a garage sale, gave them my address and asked them to come by. Every person that came to pick up their item, bought even MORE items from my sale!
Thursday I had customers start arriving at 8 AM and slowed down by noon. I closed about 12:30 so I could do some things with my boys.
On Friday, customers starting arriving at 8 AM and slowed down by noon again. I closed at 12:30.
On Saturday, customers started arriving by 7 AM. This was my busiest day because the entire neighborhood had a sale. But again, it slowed way down after noon so I just started pricing everything WAY down. If someone picked something up, I’d say – “Take it for a quarter!”
Overall, it was a fairly successful sale. I made over $200 and the boys made almost $75 in snack and drink sales!!! Clark is always the rockstar salesperson. He stays and sells from the beginning til the very end.
With a few things that didn’t sell – I did three things.
1 – Packed a box for goodwill.
2 – Packed a box for a friend that could use some boy clothes.
3 – Packed the rest and gave to a friend who is having a sale NEXT weekend to raise money for a trip she wants to take!
Are there any tips YOU would suggest for a successful sale? Leave me a comment!
My kids love electronics – playing on the iPad, my phone, or computer. We didn’t have those options when I was a kid – but I do remember when Nintendo came out and I loved it. Mario Brothers sucked me in – I didn’t want to stop until I’d beat the dragon and WON the game. That’s how felt with just ONE game. Now our kids have endless games to choose from on their multiple electronic devices.
Recently I asked George to go play outside and found him like this…
That is NOT what I had in mind!
Here are 80 ideas to get your kids off those devices.
Instead:
playing real games,
exploring,
discovering,
learning and
using their imaginations
all while having tons of fun!!!!
Make and play with playdough – Click here for a recipe. We like to make a batch and then I give my boys ideas things to make: a snake, a snowman, a fidget spinner!
Free Draw – Set out Pencils, markers or crayons and blank paper – Set the timer for 15 minutes and encourage everyone to sit and draw. I’m amazed at some of the things they will come up with. If they don’t know what to draw, set a stuffed animal on the table or pull out a favorite book and ask their favorite page!
Read a book– When my oldest son says he’s bored, I’ll hand him a book to read to his little brother. I try to keep lots of interesting books around that peek their curiosity. It might be a book about a state we are visiting, or a comic-strip style book. I also like to read a few pages of a chapter book to my kids each day. The “Who Was” series is great! Or…
Create a “I’m Bored” Jar – If your kids say ‘I’m Bored’ – they have to pull a paper from the jar. Each paper lists a chore or activity.
Tell stories – Give them a title and let them create the story.
Make a book – at the beginning of last summer I gave each of my boys a blank book. Nearly every day I had them draw a picture or write a few words about what they/we did that day. It’s now a “Summer of 2017” memory book. This summer I’m going to do the same and make it a “Gratitude” journal. Each day they can draw a picture and write one thing they are grateful for. You can make a book by folding white paper together and stapling it…or purchasing a pre-made on amazon.
Cook together– my boys love helping make any type of dessert. But they are also good “sous” chefs – peeling potatoes and carrots, etc. Last summer I taught George had to make some basics for his brothers – things like mac and cheese and grilled cheese. This summer I’ll be adding a few things to George’s list and including the younger ones as well. It’s not easy, but it build confidence in them and is a huge help once they know what to do. Other ideas of things to make with your kids: Pancakes and Personal Pizzas
Balloon games – Blow up balloons and work together to keep them from touching the ground. Or, use a tennis racket outside with balloons.
Take a bike ride
Turn up fun music and have a Dance party
Fill a plastic tub with water, measuring cups and other toys
Wash the car together
Play Hide and Seek
Do a Puzzle together
Park Hop! We go park-hopping in the summer and try out as many as we can.
Create an obstacle course in your yard or around your house.
Backyard games – Soccer, sharks and minnows, kickball, catch
Turn on the Sprinklers and play in the water or find a splash park around town
Jump Rope – we do competitions to see who can go the longest without tripping. It’s great exercize and FUN! I definitely recommend you purchase the segmented jump ropes (pictured above). We bought several so we could all jump rope together.
Play a card game or a board game – Memory/Skipbo/Uno/Go Fish/Chess/Checkers – Last summer George and I played endless rounds of Skipbo. (I forgot how much I love that game.) The boys received “No Stress Chess” as a Christmas gift. This set helps you learn how to play chess. Now my boys love the game!
Tickle tackle – I stay in the middle of the room and on my knees. My boys try to run past me without getting “tickled and tackled!”
Play charades – even little ones can play this. Whisper what you want them to “act” out and let the sibling(s) guess what they are doing.
Go on an adventure – with four boys, there is always “one” who doesn’t want to do what I have planned. So I’ve learned to tell them we are going on an ‘adventure’ – this might be as simple as a hike, but it gets everyone out of the house!
Build a fort – with boxes, or pillows and blankets. Read a story in the fort! Or “Go on a Bear Hunt.”
Paper dolls are fun to create, color and decorate, and then to play with in pretend worlds. Print up a set for free. Or purchase this design kit – something I loved when I was a kid!
Melt Ice with salt – It’s cold and fascinating! Fill cups with colored water, freeze them, and watch the ice mix and melt as you add salt to the blocks.
Build a tent or make one – Tape ends of a tarp together and add a fan, the result is fun!
Have a balancing battle – Stack a book on your head and walk around an obstacle. Try it again with a pencil on your nose. Or holding a basket on a ball.
Mix oil and water together with whisks. Watch how the globs stay separate. Add a couple eye droppers and food dye for an afternoon of play.
DIY marble maze – Your kids can make them with an empty cereal box, straws and glue! Swap to solve the maze puzzles.
Build a tower out of disposable cups – Use straws or nerf guns – throw darts at your tower to watch it topple.
Garden – Plant some seeds in your backyard and watch them grow.
Practice an instrument – Piano, keyboard, xylophone, harmonica, recorder or drums…make it a family band.
Blow bubbles – Make some bubbles using dish washing soap, water, and sugar (for consistency).
Visit a Vacation Bible school – There’s one going on each week in your town. Some are free and they teach your kids awesome life (and eternal) lessons.
Have a picnic – Instead of eating lunch at your kitchen table for the umpteenth time, breakout the picnic basket and blanket.
Race on Plasma cars – This is the best toy we’ve every owned. We’ve had one for ten years and it gets used constantly – rain or shine. My son received this as a gift from his grandparents when he turned 1 and he’s still using it almost 10 years later! We now own three because it’s still their favorite ride on toy. They all want to ride it and the neighbors love to borrow them too!
When I was a young girl, my mom got to play the role she always wanted – that of a full-time mother.
She had 5 daughters and loved us well. She prayed for us and with us. She sang to us and with us. She only played uplifting music in our home (and in the station wagon).
She had a garden and made our food from scratch, but I didn’t appreciate this at all. I’d cry on “meatloaf” night. I preferred McDonald’s or Taco Bell over her homemade food. Now that I’m an adult, I’d pick a home cooked meal at mom’s over any restaurant!
She didn’t have “Pinterest” – but made birthdays special for us. I do use Pinterest, but still can’t seem to make my cakes as pretty and tasty as hers!
She taught us how to eat healthily and exercise. (Thank you Jane Fonda!)
There was no internet, so nothing could be ordered online. Instead, she took all five of us with her to do all the errands and shopping on a weekly basis. She taught us how to make a little money go far. We went to garage sales together and always used coupons.
She made our clothes (with fabric and a sewing machine!) and did our hair.
She took us to the library and allowed us to check out lots of books – even though that meant keeping track of all those books for all those girls! (I LOVE books!)
Mother’s Days as a single mom passed without much celebration or appreciation for the hard work she did all day, every day. She continued to love us, care for us, and provide for us. The investment she made in us, and prayers she prayed for us, have resulted in five daughters that love her, love God, and love others.
My sisters!
I pray that my four sons will grow into men who do the same – love their family, love God, and love others!
Mom, I’m not sure how much I said “thank you” growing up…or if I showed you any appreciation for all that you did for me when I was young. However, now that I am a mother, I’m so incredibly grateful for the incalculable investment you made in my life (and continue to make) – and for teaching me how to be a mom!
2. Pamper her! A massage, facial, or manicure. Anything to make her feel pretty and relaxed!
Mom will love a SPA Day; a runner up would be a Spa Kit. I love bath bombs or a good bath scrub!
3. Hire someone to clean for her! This is such a treat for mom to get a break from cleaning. I have four boys and the messes never end. I LOVE having someone clean for me every once in a while!
4. Give Mom some time alone! Every Mother’s Day, my husband gives me a couple of hours just myself. To nap, read, slowly sip my coffee (while it’s still hot) and just relax. With four little boys, that is such a precious GIFT! Once my kids are older and out of the house, this one might change to “time with everyone together!” I get to enjoy that most days, so a quiet break is a gift to me.
5. Homemade gifts or cards. Sweet hand-made cards from my boys are some of my most treasured possessions!
Other options that mom should love:
A plant or fresh flowers:
A pressure cooker for a mom that likes to cook (I love mine):
I went to church and invited the congregation to be a part of Summer Serve! We are asking for people to help with Supernova Kid’s Camp (VBS) and/or jump in to serve three times this summer in New Life Kids – once in June, July and August.
Afterwards, I ran to the store to grab a couple of things. Luke found a tub of cheeseballs. He’s been begging me to buy them for weeks. They were on sale this week, so I agreed. He was so happy and wanted to carry them all around the store – even though the tub was almost as big as him. When we got to the car, he began to buckle the container into his car seat. He was more worried about his snack making it safely home than himself.
Luke and his precious cargo!
That night I went out with some girlfriends to Till Kitchen to celebrate their birthdays!
Sunday
Sunday evening we met some friends at Venezia park for a nerf gun war! My boys had so much fun. I loved watching them run and play and laugh with their friends – all different ages, all playing together – and NO TEARS from anyone! (And no one asking for, or playing with electronics!)
I usually do as little as possible. Luke and I take it easy, read and play.
Relaxing with Luke
Luke spent some time riding his “motorcycle” …then found one little dirty spot and proceeded to use an entire bag of wipes to clean it. I sent the picture to my mother-in-law (Nana) and she sent a similar picture to me – Papa was doing the same with HIS motorcycle!
Mondays are the busiest days for the big boys. They have school, then go to chess club (they LOVE Chess club!), then I pick them up, pass out snacks, cleats and shin guards, and take them to soccer practice.
This season has been my favorite sports season so far. We signed the boys up for YMCA Soccer. George and Clark are playing on the same team. I found a time slot where all 3 big boys have the same practice time on the same field each week – which is only 5 minutes from our house. All games and practices are on this one field! There is also a playground for Luke. I can push him on the swing and watch all three boys practice! I love it. Plus, because we are members of the Y, it was cost effective. I wish every sport would make it this easy on mamas. Paul is having fun and Y soccer is the perfect fit for him. George and Clark say it’s not as competitive as the previous league they played with, but how competitive does it need to be for 8 and 10 year olds?! Anyway, with four busy boys, it’s probably the only season that will be this easy on me – so I’m savoring it!
For future reference – any #boymoms have any advice on how you handle sports schedules and still have sanity and family time?
Tuesday
Luke had preschool, so I got to grocery shopping ALL.BY.MYSELF. It’s a vacation to walk the aisles slowly and methodically, all by myself. Then, I met my friend Beth for lunch. This lady was my FIRST friend in Colorado Springs. We met in the church parking lot on our family’s first Sunday morning at New Life Church. We had both just moved to Colorado Springs, and connected from our first ‘Hello!’ Unfortunately, she is moving this summer. They’re an Air Force family and her husband will begin working in the Pentagon this summer – so they are headed to DC! We had a delicious Thai lunch and could have kept talking for hours, but I had to pick up Luke from preschool.
I’ll miss you Beth!
Wednesday
Today was a work day for me. We all arrived early for rehearsal. We have planned something special for all those coming to The Gathering Conference next week.
New Life Family Ministry Team Rehearsal
Then we had a staff meeting to go over every detail – hour by hour – of the event. It’s going to be so good – phenomenal speakers, good music, fun activities, lots of fabulous “breakout” sessions, great food – I can’t wait!!!! Ted’s taking care of the boys so I can be there for all of it.
I also spent time on Wednesday preparing for our Friday night service, as well as a Breakout Session I’ll be leading at The Gathering on Volunteerism.
PS – If you want to join us for The Gathering, PM for a discount code!!!
Thursday
Luke had preschool so I ran errands, did some cleaning and some writing.
Friday
The boys had no school today so we met some friends to play at Fox Run Park. This is the park where Clark found a snake, tried to sneak it home, but instead LOST it in the car! The big boys played soccer and the little guys went looking for fish, frogs, and turtles in the pond. Paul got his hands on a turtle and they all begged me to let them keep it. (I said no.)
It’s always a good week when Mom’s in town. She only comes to Colorado once a year, so we make the most of our time together when she’s here.
She flew in Tuesday night, and the first thing she got to do was babysit my kids!
WEDNESDAY
I work on Wednesdays and thankfully, she loves to spend time with her grandkids.
That night we went to New Life for the First Wednesday service. It was an incredible night of worship. We went with all four boys – thankfully it’s a relaxed family service, so they got to dance around with their friends. If you live in Colorado Springs, you’ve got to come! It’s the First Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM.
THURSDAY
Thursday morning Luke had preschool, so mom and I got to go our Mom’s group/Bible study. Up until now, my mom has only participated with the group online, so I loved getting to introduce her to so many of the ladies in person!
Thursday afternoon my mom kindly offered to pay for a pedicure while she watched the kids. (I’ve got a good mom!)
George decorating cookies with Grandma
I went to a salon close by that I’d never been to before. My pedicure was a little uncomfortable … at one point I felt a sharp stab in the corner of my toe. By that night, my toe was swollen.
FRIDAY
Friday my toe was still hurting but I got through the day by wearing comfy shoes. At church that night we baptized about 30 people. I love being a part of those special nights. Two of my sons were baptized a few months ago (I wrote about it here).
All the people getting baptized Friday night came up on the stage for prayer.
SATURDAY
We to the Pioneer Museum and then to LarkBurger for dinner. My mom agreed that their chicken sandwiches and fries are some of the best things she’s ever eaten!
That night, Ted stayed home with the boys and my mom and I went to see The Apostle Paul movie. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a GREAT movie…I recommend you see it! It truly brings the Bible to life and I hope more movies like this are made! There are some frightening parts, so it’s probably best for children 12 and up.
Toe is still sore – wearing comfy shoes and limping.
MONDAY
The boys took the day off school to spend time with Grandma. We planned to visit Cave of the Winds, but Luke was up sick the night before, my mom wasn’t feeling good, and my foot was only getting worse, so we decided to stay closer to home and hike in the Garden of the Gods. That’s always an amazing place to visit.
Mom and Luke resting
That afternoon I decided to go back to the nail salon to show them my swelling toe and they told me it was an ingrown toe nail. They soaked it and then DUG at it with a knife. This is the toe that I didn’t want to touch because it was hurting so bad. The lady DUG at it with a knife. And she wouldn’t stop. She kept digging until she got a piece of my toenail free. It hurt so bad I just start crying right there in front of everyone. She squeezed it at the end and asked if it was better. “NO! You just dug at it with a knife – please stop SQUEEZING it!”
TUESDAY
Luke had preschool so mom, and I got to be Tourists in our Town. I got to show her all around town and drop copies of “Climb, Soar, Swim, Soar” off at Terra Verde and the Pioneer Museum who now have them available for sale! I’ll write about where we ate and what we did in a future post.
Mom and me time!
That night mom watched the boys so Ted and I could go to dinner.
WEDNESDAY
I had to take my mom to the airport. It’s so hard letting her leave because I’m not sure when I’ll see her again. Mom, I love you and visit again soon! Thank you for spending the week with us!
TOE UPDATE:
My toe continued to get worse. I should have gone to the doctor rather than back to the scene of the crime. The lady who was digging at my foot caused a serious infection. My entire foot got so swollen that I couldn’t wear shoes. It hurt to walk. I was putting everything on it to make it heal, but nothing worked so I finally went to the doctor and got antibiotics. The doctor said I could lose my toenail. What was supposed to be a nice, relaxing gesture from my mom – turned into two weeks of severe pain and possibly the loss of my toenail?! I’m not sure I’ll ever get another pedicure!? Have any of you ever had that happen? I have pictures, but they are really gross. If you want to see a picture – I am going to post some under my review of this nail salon here: YELP REVIEW. https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=GrsJ5Nir8YjXaNN91ZzTUg
Thanks for following along on week with mom! I’ll post out our DAY DOWNTOWN soon! Subscribe so you don’t miss a post.
A few months later I asked my sister if she would shop for me. I wanted to know how a “sister fix” would compare to a “stitch fix.” My sister enjoys shopping, knows my style, and I like that she knows how to find a bargain. She agreed to do it.
Below are my “Sister Fix” outfits that cost about the same as a box from Stitch Fix.
SISTER FIX PROS:
Sister buys things on sale – I get more for my money.
She knows my style.
She shopped, took pictures of outfits and mailed everything to me.
I loved nearly everything she purchased. I couple of items did not fit or didn’t look as good on me as they did on the hanger.
STITCH FIX PROS:
They ask lots of questions to understand your style.
They mail everything to you.
I spend NO time shopping or returning items.
I can try things on right in my own home and pair them with things I already own.
The box is fun to receive – it’s like Christmas morning.
They include a picture/style card of exactly how to wear each item.
They include an envelope to ship anything you want back at no additional cost.
If you refer people, you earn money towards free clothes!
$15 dollar credit towards your first FIX: http://stitchfix.com/referral/14898853 if you use that code to save yourself money and try Stitch Fix, I’ll earn money too!
SISTER FIX CONS:
Sister spent a lot of time picking out clothes for me – not convenient for her.
She took pictures, boxed and shipped everything – more of her time.
I had to go and return everything I didn’t like – my time doing stuff I don’t enjoy.
She sent me pictures of how to ‘style’ the items she sent, but I accidentally deleted it before the clothes arrived. (She resent them later!)
STITCH FIX CONS:
Items can be pricier than what I’d normally spend. I’m a TJ Maxx, Target and thrift store shopper!
I’ve heard it takes 2-3 shipments before they really start to understand what you want and like.
I only kept 1 item from my first “fix” – because I didn’t love the other items, and they were more than what I wanted to spend
DISCLAIMER:My sister was partially horrified and partially cracking up when she watched this video below. She does not want her name attached to it!
She said I did NOT follow her advice in how to WeAR/Style the items she sent! We LAUGHED together about this – we are so different. She is a perfectionist when it comes to STYLE, and I did not LAYER and STYLE the items correctly. Sorry Sis! I need you to come and “style” me … I guess sending me clothes is not the answer – you actually need to come to Colorado and show me HOW to wear my clothes!
Anyway … the pictures above show the styling, the video shows the individual pieces and the fit!
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! What should I keep? What should I never wear again!
We loved spending a week being “tourists in our own town” over Spring Break! This “staycation” was exactly what we needed. Time together, exploring our beautiful city. There are still SO many things on my bucket list to do an see around town, but we got to check a few things off the list.
We weren’t sure how our boys would do with all the walking and climbing, but they were TROOPERS! They enjoyed it and didn’t complain at all!
We walked through a mountain cave to an elevator which took us up to the Eagle’s Nest Landing – once you are on the landing, you get a spectacular view of the waterfall.
Next, we walked up 224 VERY steep stairs alongside the Falls. The boys did surprisingly well – I was in front and George actually asked me to “go faster!” (Ted carried Luke most of the way!) If you conquer all those steps, you are rewarded with a beautiful trail to explore.
We spent time exploring at the top before we came back down and watched the very large trout play in the pond.
After all this hiking, we were hungry and everyone wanted Larkburger for dinner. We all love this place, and I love that we can get sandwiches for $3 during Happy Hour!!
Tuesday
Being a member of the YMCA means that you get access to all the campuses around town… each place has something unique for families to enjoy. Today we spent a few hours at the Cottonwood Creek Rec Center. They have a wave pool, lazy river and huge slide – it’s like a smaller version of Great Wolf Lodge.
Wednesday
I went to work in the morning for a couple of meetings and to do some Easter preparations.
After work, we went to another YMCA – the Garden Ranch location – where they have Rock Climbing and Jumpy Castles for kids!
Clark rock climbing
Thursday
First – in honor of Easter – we quietly snuck outside to “egg” our neighbors before they woke up. Go here to read about that.
After that, we went to the Western Mining Museum. Our oldest son George, age 10, had been begging us to take him back here since his first visit a few weeks ago with his class on a field trip.
The boys loved “mining for gold” (aka “playing in mud”). They found some fun little gems and everything you find; you get to take home!
There are lots of machines and hands-on stations. I recommend taking the guided tour that happens twice a day. The tour guide explained how the machines were used and fired each one up so we could watch how they work. The Guide taught us a lot about the history of Colorado mining. Outside the museum, there are more machines to climb on and explore, plus tons of room to run and play.
Friday
In the morning, all four boys went to the dentist to get their teeth cleaned. I love our dentist’s office – they have a room with four chairs and all my boys can get their teeth cleaned at the SAME TIME! Can I tell you how much I love that?! It’s a pediatric dentist – so the lobby is well-equipped for kids, the staff are GREAT with kids. Since the boys all did well during their visit – they each earned a “token” which they redeemed for a small prize. There is even a playground as you exit the building!
That afternoon we enjoyed a couple of hours downtown. First we stopped at Story Coffee. It’s the cutest little coffee shop next to Acacia Park. And when I say little, I mean TINY…as in TINY house TINY. It’s not a place you’d sit and enjoy a private conversation or a board game. However, just outside the coffee shop is a park with tables. My latte was perfect and the baked goods we ordered were delicious.
After Ted and I loaded up on caffeine and the boys on sugar, the boys threw a football with Ted and played in the park.
That evening I went to New Life Church to serve in the children’s ministry during our incredible Good Friday Service.
contain endless opportunities for adventure and discovery
To end our week of “Touring our Town,” we had dinner at Phantom Canyon. This was a restaurant we visited during our first trip to Colorado Springs almost three years ago. The ambiance of this place is very cool – it’s in an old building downtown with large windows, tall ceilings and exposed ductwork. The staff is friendly and the restaurant has quality service. However, I wasn’t crazy about the menu. Lots of fried food. We ordered hamburgers and fries for the kids, which they enjoyed, but the hummus, soup and salad Ted and I shared were okay – but not something I’d care to order again. This place won’t go on my list of best restaurants in Colorado Springs.
Sunday
I arrived New Life church by 7:00 AM to prepare for the guests that would be arriving for the 8:00 AM service. Ted and the boys arrived later and we attended the 10:00 AM service together. I stayed to serve again for our third service. It was great day at New Life!
After church the boys enjoyed opening their Easter baskets and hunting for eggs in our backyard.
They had a second egg hunt to look for Resurrection Eggs. After the boys found all 12, we opened them one-by-one together and talked about the Easter story using the little items inside each egg. This was a fun activity, and you can probably find the eggs on clearance at Hobby Lobby and save them for next year. (That’s what I did last year!)
We enjoyed (and when I say enjoyed, I mean I couldn’t stop eating) a White Chocolate Raspberry Nothing Bundt Cake given to us by the Newman family. That cake is dangerous. It’s way too good!
That wraps up our week of adventure in Colorado Springs. We are grateful for time together as a family exploring our beautiful city! This was SO MUCH better week than last week!
If you don’t have a copy yet – a recommend you purchase my Colorado Springs Children’s book entitled – Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore!
