We are more than half way through our time in Colorado Springs already. Only 2 1/2 weeks to go now, in fact. And that is a rather sad fact. I have loved our time here! Other than the first week or so. It took a while for me to get used to our new location. I hated the apartment. The carpet was rough and dirty. None of the light switches turned on the lights I wanted them to. We had crickets. The cabinets were horrible. The dishwasher sucked (as do most of our summer apartment dishwashers-nothing new there.) The faucets took me back in time, the kind with two nobs, one for hot and cold. Those same faucets were traced in grime. The floors and tubs were dirty, had anyone cleaned this place? Our neighbors were creepy. The grass outside had more dead patches than green growth. Parking was bad. The weather was cold and more windy than dang Cedar City where I came from! Our couches weren't as nice looking as I'd hoped and certainly not as comfortable as my couches I left back home. And our mattress felt more like a hammock when we slept at night; I like to snuggle, but sometimes I need my space!
On top of this, my usual friends weren't going to be joining me on my adventure this year. Jen dropped out two years ago, and Hollie last year. So I was feeling a little lonely with out them.
Colorado Springs seemed ugly. I said it. They claim it's such a beautiful place, but after the beautiful drive over the mountains, finding our apartment in the East Springs plains seemed just that. Plain.
I was mad because Vivint housing had really dropped the ball beginning the apartment search just 2 weeks before we arrived, and was it any surprise they had a hard time finding something? No. I had also put in a good search, and was just really disappointed with what we ended up with. I was mad at Jerron for all of the above, because, well because he is the reason we are here after all, right?
But I eventually changed my tune, found my groove, and once July hit I became sad time had gone by so fast. The days have truly flown by. In the morning we swim or do some other activity with Jerron. Jer goes to work at noon and from 12-3 Tenley naps. During her nap the boys have learning time, reading time and then watch TV till she wakes up. Then we head out on another outing usually. Kids go to bed at 9, Jer gets home about 9:30, then we watch apple TV for a couple hours. Usually Parks and Rec with the exception of the Bachelorette on Tuesdays and a movie here and there. We sleep and then the morning sun is blaring through our window at 5 am, ushering in another day all too early.
Summer Highlights:
Traveling to CO:
We had such a fun time traveling out to CO with Mary and Kevin! We left Saturday around noon after a doctors appointment and stop at Walgreens. Tenley and Tav were on the tail end of Hand, Foot and Mouth disease unfortunately. The kids did great watching a RedBox movie and sleeping till we hit Salina. There we met up with Granny and Gramps at Subway. We had a bite to eat, stretched our legs and put Granny in the van with us. She was GREAT help! Just having her alone makes the kids happy cause they are all in love with her, but she also brought them each a bag full of snacks and toys. The kids did awesome. We stopped in Grand Junction at the Cabela's to stretch and use the potty. Then Mary drove us in to Glenwood Springs, CO, where we stayed the night at a little resort. It had an indoor pool with slides and all. We got a suite so we were all able to fit. Somehow it didn't seem right though because Granny and Traj were on the hide-a-bed and Gramps was on the roll away leaving me and Tav with the king bed to ourselves! Hmm. The room and a jacuzzi tub and the kids had a ball in it. Granny turned the jets on Tav before the water was full enough, startling Tav with the spraying water, he leaped across the tub. It was apparently so funny, Granny was dying laughing, and I really thought she might die she was laughing so hard! They had a good breakfast in the morning and then we ready to load up again. But not before we did a little sight-seeing in beautiful Glenwood. We took a little tram thing up to the top of the mountain to an amusement park of sorts. We didn't do any rides, just walked around and took in the view. It was fun! After that we were on our way. PS the night before we ate dinner at a little outdoor diner right of the highway in the Gledwood canyon. It was neat. Sunday was such a beautiful drive over the mountains. I was so thankful to have Mary in the back with the kids while I enjoyed the scenery. My favorite town was Edwards, right before Vail. I swear I could relocate there. We were following right a long the river, there were some tunnels which were fun, and at the top there was snow! We stopped outside Denver to stretch and then next stop, Colorado Springs. While Mary and Kevin were here we shopped at Hobby Lobby, ate at Freddy's, Panera Bread, and Chipotle, went to the zoo, and Garden of the Gods. They were so great to have a long and I was so happy we had such a good time.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:
Jer took the day off and we all went to the zoo. It was cool (and tiring) because it's literally on the mounting and you are doing a lot of walking up hill. But there are some very pretty views because of it. The giraffes were the best. We fed them some lettuce and it was pretty fun watching them and their long tongues. We also watched a giant tortoise be served a giant salad with all the trimmings. That was fun. The zoo was different because you could touch a lot of the animals, like this guy. You can totally touch the kangaroos, too. The birds were also cool. You walk into this extremely stinky room and see an array of beautifully colored birds perched in their branches. We bought a popsicle stick with birdseed stuck to the end to feed them. Jer was able to get a bird to land on the stick and Trajen held it. Tenley loves birdies, they (and kitties) are her favorite. The zoo is near the Broadmoor Resort where I received my aerobic certification 10 years ago when were were living in Alamosa. It is beautiful and it was fun to see again.
Friends:
Johnstons, Nelsons, Nakkens, Meagan Allens, Esplins, Kjars. Brylie Johnston and Trajen have been really cute friends. I absolutely die watching them together, they are so cute. Tavin and Lauryn are in their own little worlds a lot of the time, but have liked playing to. And Tenley likes to pick on Linkon, haha. Then of course Linde, Camden and Eve; AKA the crazy Nelson kids. Trajen does not get along with them. He calls them "The Stealers" because the are literally little stealers. Linde will forever remind me of a little cave woman I'm afraid. I really look forward to seeing what she is like in 10 years. Tavin and Camden play okay together, but he is big and rough and I get worried Camden might hurt him sometimes. Eve is already somewhat of a little bully, but can you blame her? She likes to pick on Tenny a little, but I think she mostly likes her curly hair and can't help but come after it. Nakkens and Allens kids are to young for mine. Trajen would like to play with the Esplins boy, but they pretty much keep to themselves. The Kjars arrived a few weeks after us, but brought 3 kids just about the same ages as mine. They played really well at first and I liked hanging out with them because Maria is quite strict which I will take any day over Brooke's lax parenting. But lately my kids haven't really wanted to play with them so we haven't. We see everyone at least once a week at pot luck, and then we will meet up with a few here and there for the park, pool or outing.
Jen, Bridger and Roper:
The Allens came to visit us all the way in CO! They live in TX right now but were visiting UT and made the drive out to see us. Really, that makes me feel so special. I can't get most family members out to visit me! They came at the very end of June. When they arrived my boys were already asleep so we had Bridger and Roper sneak into the extra large bed I made for all of them and when they woke up I imagine it was like Christmas morning. Traj woke up first, then he quietly woke up Tavin to show him Bridger. That's the way they tell it. We played hard everyday. They stayed over at the office in a spare bedroom the next two nights but had a sleepover here on their last night. Pretty lucky boys. We went to the family fun center ITZ, mini golf, glow golf and laser beam machine, pool pool pool, playground, and Chick-fil-a. Oh and played the Cheeto/showercap/shavingcream game!
July 4th:
We went to a parade in Monument. It was crazy packed and hot and I wasn't really into it and neither were my kids, but there was some fun parts. Like the elephants and camels and firefighters who had just put out the huge Black Ridge fire here and received a standing O. My favorite part by far was the mormon missionaries who surprised us with an army of at least 50, probably more, singing Called to Serve. It was awesome. We hung around for a few little games then ditched the crowd. I stopped at the mall to get Ten a jean jacket for that night. Then home for naps. Jer came home early and we went to Outback for dinner, then to the Sky Sox game (minor league baseball). That was way too long and Tenny was just not having it. Jerron was ready to leave from the start, but that's his usual party pooper way ;) We lasted to the end for the fireworks, which were lovely to some great patriotic tunes, my favorite being "Some Gave All" by Billy Ray Cyrus :) Tavin loved them, Traj watched them sitting with Bry, said he was a little scared. Tenny liked them. The good news is the stadium is 2 minutes from our apartment so we were out of there and home in no time to throw our kids in bed at 11pm.
Pool:
We have loved the pool, of course. My boys are fish. Tenley not so much. At her age Tavin was floating around the pool with out a care. She is a pain walking around the pool threatening to fall in. Tavin can now swim across the pool (short ways) by himself. He is doing awesome! The pool is probably the worst since Chicago but is usually clean and not too busy. Just a little rectangle, not a resort like my beautiful Houston 2. (tear) The boys love their goggles and squirt guns and these battery powered squids we bought at the local grocer conveniently located on the corner, King Sooper. My first time to the pool was not great though. It was cold outside so I was snuggled in the hot tub. Tenley was freaking me out, wandering away playing by the edges. So I was already high anxiety when she got stung on the baby toe by a bee, or wasp. She was FREAKING out. So was I. I called Mary hysterical for help. I don't have a lot of supplies and of course Jerron is an hour away. I swore I wanted to go home and was never doing this again. I believe that was the night I was so mad at Jerron for bringing us here I sat out on the deck all night without talking to him. I also swore I would not go to the pool again with out him. And we do mostly only go in the mornings with him. But lately I've taken all 3 by myself and done a lot better at it. Most of this summer stuff is about finding your groove and figuring how to do things on your own.
Weather:
It was windy when we arrived for a couple weeks. And not too warm. Not warm enough for the pool in my opinion. It has finally warmed up and it does get HOT but most of the afternoons are overcast and lately (as in the past 2 weeks) it has rained most afternoons it seems. They have even had some crazy flooding in the mountain area. The first week here the big Black Forest fire started so it was smoky there for a while. Nights get cold.
Shopping:
We have Hobby Lobby, Old Navy, Costco, and Target among other things right here by us. That is very nice. Chickfila, Chipotle, Panera Bread, Texas Roadhouse, and Jamba Juice, too! The Chapel Hills Mall is 15 minutes away and that has my GAP. The Briargate Shops are also 15 with a Mac Store, Pottery Barns, and PF Changs.
T-Ball:
Tavin is playing TBall at the YMCA. (Trajen doesn't like baseball he says. I couldn't talk him into it.) He is enjoying it and doing well for a little 3 year old. We have a game every Saturday morning. It's maybe a little to young to start, but he wanted to, and he's having fun, so I am happy. The games are at a park with a playground so Trajen is on Tenny duty and they go play during the games.
Denver/Rockies Game:
We went to a Denver baseball game. It was hot and the kids weren't great. We met up with the Johnstons. It seemed over before it started, so not too notable. But the field was pretty with the Rockies in the back ground, and downtown was nice. I loved all the bridges as we drove through Denver. They have classy looking street names and lights. I can't wait to get back. The drive to Denver is beautiful btw. On our way into Springs we stopped at Famous Daves BBQ and it was delish.
Library:
The library has been a big part of our summer. We have been to a couple but found our favorite and it is fun to visit. We checked out a ton of books and I feel awesome like I got all this free stuff. Maybe its because we don't have anything here, and little toys? Haha. We also rent a bunch of movies and that keeps the kids busy in the car while we drive around Springs. They have a summer reading program we've been doing and the kids earned some coupons that have kept us busy getting free food, activities, and toys around town. I can say they have a superb library system here.
Well, I think that gives you a good impression of our time in Springs this far :)
