Colorado Bound: Day 4 (Outdoor Adventures)

Day 4: Was the busiest day of our trip. After breakfast we headed up to Tenderfoot trail to take a little hike. Lee got Avery in his backpack and off we went. 

All strapped in, hiking boots on! 

Ternderfoot Trailhead 

Off they go!

The views in Colorado are almost always great but they do improve the higher you go, and we were definitely going up, via lots of switchbacks but the general direction was up.

The View

Same View a bit higher up

We didn’t make it all the way to the top of the mountain but we did a good job none the less. Avery was an excellent passenger in the backpack, which might have had to do with his excellent nature guide, Uncle Lee, the entire hike I could hear Lee pointing out stumps, rocks, trees, flowers, and naming the mountain peaks as he and Avery went along, they even stopped a few times so Lee could give Avery a leaf or a stick.

Water break

Avery and his Nature Guide

After our hike (and a lunch stop) we headed down to Lake Dillon shoreline (Lake Dillon is actually the water reservoir for Denver) to do some exploring and visit a fun lake side park.

Checking out the water 

Cheese!

Exploring the lakeside park

Fun spinning bowl

All that playing is bound to wear anyone out so we headed back to the hotel for a quick nap. Avery woke up ready for more outdoor fun so he showed off his Strider skills for Lee.

Avery showing off his Strider skills

When the late afternoon rains came we headed to Lee’s place to have a home cooked meal (cooked by my mom). After a slight problem with the oven, we were ready to eat a delicious  supper of meatloaf, green bean casserole, and mashed potatoes. It was the perfect way to end a great day of outdoor adventures and our trip to Colorado.

Avery needed a booster seat at Lee's,
so I made him one,
a stool, a Dewalt drill case and a blanket
(for softness)
I used what I could find :)

Colorado Bound: Day 3 (Uncle Lee)

Day 3:  After getting a good nights rest Avery woke up ready to go. He started his morning off by riding his trike around the hotel rooms (we had an adjoining room with my parents), playing with his cars, and “shaving”, and all of that was before getting dressed for the day. 

Playing cars in the hotel room

"Shaving"

Once dressed, we headed outside to do some exploring. After all of Avery’s new hotel friends were properly greeted and flowers smelled, we loaded into the Jeep and drove over to my brother’s place.

Greeting new friends with a "beep" on the nose 

Another friend 

Stopping to smell the flowers

Avery has only seen Lee a few times, first when he was 3 months old, then again last September, so I fully expected him to be a little shy when he came face to face with his uncle for only the third time. 

Checking out Uncle Lee 

And I was right, as expected Avery was shy, but curious.  Uncle Lee is smart and was prepared for his little visitor, he had presents. Avery got a Lego car from a cereal box, and a stuffed Kiwi (the small fight-less bird from New Zealand (where Lee had just return from) not the fruit). Both were a huge success!

 Lee teaching Avery (with Kiwi)
to stick his tongue out 

Lee had one more surprise for Avery, a hiking backpack. When we told Lee we were coming to visit, he went out and found a “kid hauler backpack” at a used ski store, so he could take Avery on a hiking adventure. Avery loved being in the pack (but his face never seemed to reflect it in the pictures).

"Installing" Avery in the Kid Hauler 

Taking the pack for a test drive

I could barely tell he was back there.

That is all it took, Avery and Lee (and Kiwi) were BFFs, they had lunch together, went shopping, and played together and pain and simple had a great day together.

Avery and Uncle Lee going to have some lunch

Shopping with Uncle Lee 

Kicking back with Uncle Lee (and Mama)

Uncle Lee had to work but so he couldn't come to supper,
but don't worry Kiwi came along

Colorado Bound: Day 1 & 2 (Getting There)

Day 1:  With the Jeep all packed and the trailer in tow we headed West. The great plan was to leave around Avery’s nap time so he could sleep thru some of miles. No one cleared that plan with Avery. We did leave around his nap time but he didn’t nap, he was just to excited to nap. Avery stayed awake the entire drive from Mankato into Iowa. He did finally give up his anti napping ways and take a short nap somewhere in Iowa.

Playing with cars somewhere in Iowa

   Everything was going fine until outside of Sioux City,  Avery put his hand to ear and said owie, he did this a few times before dissolving in to tears of pain. We pulled off the highway and stopped in a Best Buy parking lot so we could get out and give Avery a chance to calm down. At that point I made the decision to have Avery’s ears checked out. A nice Best Buy employee gave us directions to a Urgent Care close by, and off we went.

Waiting to the doc in Sioux City

After a short wait Avery was seen by a doctor who confirmed that Avery did in fact have a ear infection in his left ear and his right ear was heading that direction too. Our next stop was a Walgreen's to pick up his prescription. After some Burger King and his first dose of antibiotics we were back on the road again, our destination, Lincoln Nebraska, where we had hotel reservations for the night.

The little bed hog got moved to his pack 'n' play
right after I took this picture. 

Day 2: We started day 2 with some breakfast at the hotel before hitting the road again. There aren’t too many things to say about day 2. This part of the trip is long and boring. We made it across Nebraska and into Colorado with toys, books, a short nap, and short stops at rest stops and parks to play (short because it was 107 and too hot to play outside).

Silly little traveler

Best way to "see" Nebraska

Playing at a rest stop in Nebraska somewhere

Colorado border rest stop (107 degrees) 

Great place to stop,  there was a great park and geese
but it was too hot to play (103 degrees)

Chasing the geese before getting back into the jeep

Avery was a great little traveler, but I am glad were flying home :)

Dillon Colorado
 (no that's not ice, it was raining)

Colorado Bound

Avery's trike is loaded up for Colorado

This is the week that Avery’s daycare is closed. They close every year at this time and clean and have their in service week and reopen after the holiday all ready for the  new “school year”. Last year Avery played with his Grandparents during this week, but this year, we have something different planed. Avery and I along with my parents are heading out to Colorado to see my brother. We’re leaving this morning, driving and Friday my mom, Avery and I will fly back, leaving my dad and brother to ride their motorcycles. It’s a short trip but I am sure pack lots of fun in while were there. So off we go, I’ll fill you in about our adventures when we get back!

  

Hoedown!

Having Fun at the Hoedown!

Last night was the ECFE fall kick off event at the Lincoln Community Center. A free event especially for kids ages 1-5. The kick off event had a Hoedown theme, so it was perfect for our little cow poke.

Dressed for the Hoedown

Jack Pearson kicked things off with a concert. Jack Pearson is great performer, when I was little he performed at my elementary school, I have very fond memories of those performances, and I even had his tape, it was one of my favorites. At first Avery wasn’t sure what was going on there were lots of kids (and not his Golden Heart friends) and a guy with a guitar. As usual after a little time he got more comfortable, he couldn’t take his eyes of Jack while he played all his instruments and sang, and danced.

Enjoying some live music

Once the concert was over we headed outside to check out the petting zoo and games and tractor that was out on the lawn. Of course Avery had a great time exploring the petting zoo, the sheep and mini horse are always his favorites.

Avery's friend the sheep

Avery loves the mini horses

Pretending to be part of the petting zoo 

Mama the scarecrow and Avery the farmer 

Driving tractor with daddy

The ECFE class rooms were open and there were other activities and games set up in the gym but we opted to head to play ground instead, missing out on some fun I am sure but we had our own fun at climbing and sliding and playing outside.

Peek!

New play grounds are so fun to explore!

It was a really great event, Avery got a free book to top it all off, we will have to make sure to go again next year (and explore a little more)!

Little Helper

Every week since before Avery was born I have gotten an email from babycenter.com about things to except for the stage of life Avery is currently at. This week the topic of the email is how toddlers are natural-born helpers. I totally agree, Avery loves to help. For a long time Avery has been an excellent helper with simple jobs, take this to daddy, put this on the table sort of stuff. Recently though Avery has stepped up his helper-ness, and has been an especially good helper for Papa (my dad). 

Papa's little helper

Last week when Papa reinstalled a patio door, Avery helped by handing Papa screws, and this weekend while Papa was working on his jeep and changing his oil, Avery helped by handing him tools and putting the sockets on the impact wrench for him. It is also so cute to see him helping, and he is always so proud of himself when his is done. I love our good helper, wonder how long the good helper phase lasts?

Pony Rides $5

This weekend Jon had another softball tournament. The tournament was a part of Well’s Kernel Days Celebration, besides the softball tournament there was a volleyball, and bean bag tournament, a talent show, petting zoo, street dance, car show, and parade. Watching Daddy play softball was only one of the reasons Avery and I were there, the other was the petting zoo. Avery has been to a few places lately where he has see and touch animals but I knew there was one thing that he could do at this petting zoo that he could do at any of the others he has been too, ride a pony! We explored the petting zoo first, Avery got to see rabbits, pigs, puppies, a raccoon, a lamb, goats, a lama, ponies, and a donkey. 

Feeding a neigh neigh 

come here little piggy

sleepy little raccoon 

Then it was time for Avery to saddle up. He road a nice little pony name Jewel. He had a great time being lead around, I am so glad he got to have that experience. 

Getty Up!

Avery riding Jewel

After our trip to the petting zoo we had lots of time to kill before the next game so Avery played some bean bags and had a great team running around. Avery even had his first taste of cotton candy, at first he wasn’t sure what to do with it, finally he had a taste, I don’t think he was too impressed.  

What's this? Pocket Lint?

Okay I'll try it.

Huh.

A neigh neigh ride and cotton candy, what a great day!