Rocky Mountain High

Recently, my dad was going on a missions trip to Honduras for Living Water. It's a program that builds a well in a remote area. Since he would be gone for a week, Mom thought it might be nice to do something with just us girls. The idea of seeing our newest born cousins was a perfect plan. Both families live in Denver, and our aunt is in Colorado Springs. So, we pulled out our Atlas and plotted a road trip to go up.
I often voice that I enjoy car rides. For some reason, I like to be crammed into the back seat of a car with backpacks, computers, and purses from the front all around me. I like to be crammed in this state for any number of hours, but particularily 6 to 10, this trip. I like to be crammed so that all the snack food is behind me and any time anyone wants something I have to unbuckle, get on my knees, and bang my head against the low ceiling in order to retrieve the desired item. I still maintain this opinion, however, in a bit of an altered state. I like short car rides of about 3 to 5 hours. 10 hours of reading, writing, editing my books, listening to whatever CD or radio station has been chosen, and handing up tons of oatmeal cream pies, oreos, and cheez-its, were just too much.

Anyway, the driving was very dull because out in West Texas there is nothing. No, I'm serious. It's all one big, flat, grayish plain of dead grass. To be fair, an oil pump or cow might be seen every hour or so. I thought to myself, that any old movie set in West Texas could not be accused of simply running a screen behind the moving object. It all looks the same anyway. :D
Colorado was beautiful. The weather was simply gorgeous, and there's something about mountains that just draws me in. I can't get enough of them.

Speaking of moutains, we decided to do something different, and take a train up Pike's Peak. It was amazing! On the way up we caught a glimpse of an animal called a Yellow Bellied Whistling Marmot. They we like squirrel beavers. A squirrel's body and tail, and a beaver's head. Really weird looking. For this expedition, I had brought a little notebook to write down my thoughts. While we went up, I scribbled and scribbled away as hundreds of things popped out at me. It was so amazing! Finally, we reached the top and were greeted with 38 degrees with a windchill of 23. Yeah, it was cold, but the view! Oh, the view! So beautiful looking down and down for miles!

                                                          It's a little windy up top.

In the rest area up top, they have these special, World Famous doughnuts that can only be made at that elevation. We decided to try some. They were the best! best! best! doughnuts I've ever had. They were so amazing!
Our newest cousins, Bennett (4 months) and Lucy (2 months) were totally adorable. I loved holding them, playing with them, rocking them to sleep, and giving them kisses.

                                                                      Bennett

                                                                        Lucy

Aren't they cute? Well, we had an amazing time with them, and visiting with my aunt and other cousins. We were sad to leave, but still, we wanted to be back home. It was a great trip, and I can't wait to go back. Though, perhaps next time, we don't drive. ;)