Bits of this and that!

I apologize for not updating much the last few weeks. I've started scrapbooking our family photos again and that is the one true hobby I have so I tend to get a bit obsessed once I open the computer program :) . I'll share a few of our highlights from the last 2 weeks and then I'll give the Grand Canyon a post of its own. 

One evening we drove out to the Yucca House National Monument. It is located between Cortez and Towaoc and very non-commercialized. The road actually goes through several fields and the "parking lot" is in front of a barn. There was a few small signs to assure us that we were at the right place so we ventured on. 

The National Park Service website states this: "Yucca House National Monument preserves one of the largest archeological sites in SW Colorado. The unexcavated nature of the site preserves its integrity and beauty for future generations of scientists and visitors. Experience a sense of discovery by visiting a site that has remained largely untouched for the past 800 years!"

At first we weren't very impressed. It was basically a nice walk in sagebrush and cactus country with gorgeous mountains as a backdrop.

Soon we could see mounds of stones and even a standing wall. That made it more fun. Makayla suddenly pointed out a stone that looked like a what they used to grind corn on. A closer look and we could see that it was indeed a metate! For some silly reason I didn't take a picture but that helped us all realize that we need to be looking more closely at the ground!

We also found broken pieces of pottery! The actual real thing, not in a museum but just laying on the ground, some with beautiful lines and designs. It was rather thrilling to us to imagine who may have last used these items, hundreds of years ago!

Eldon found this neat rock, with shell-like fossil on it. We loved the Yucca House and would definitely recommend a visit to it! It's nice that it's not commercialized but also sad because anyone could walk off with the artifacts that are there. Hopefully one day soon they will excavate it and learn more about who lived there!

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We took the children into Cortez early one morning to watch the hot air balloon festival. There was a total of 12 up at one time. 

It was fun to get a front row seat and watch this cat balloon take off.

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Our truck needed some maintenance done so we made a quick trip over the mountains to my sister's place one weekend. It sure is nice to have family close enough to mooch off of every now and then :).

The children had not been to Telluride yet so we stopped for a few hours. All the bright flowers, brilliant green trees, huge blue sky, and the massive mountains make for a stunning picture. The gondolas are free so of course we rode them down into town and to the top of the mountain. The children were thrilled. We even saw a deer!

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Our stay at Brian and Michelle's was only 2.5 days long but we packed in lots of good memories. Evan and Kaylene came over for supper Monday night plus Kaylene and Alex spent Tuesday with us too.

Three little cousins, reading away!

Tuesday afternoon we drove up to the Grand Mesa. We went to Land's End, a place where the land truly does end! 

A big pull to this particular area is the chipmunks. Dozens of them ran around begging for food. We came prepared and it was so fun feed them!

We were on the end of this Mesa, looking out over the valley.

We also did a short little trail. I think the name was Land O' Nod. We could see several lakes from the look-out point.

Ethan adores "B and SH" 

We stopped in Cedaredge for supper. Amazing!!!

Michelle with her niece and daughter :) 

Tuesday night we went to the park. The children thought it was a hoot to ride in the skate board park. I wasn't so sure about it though :) . 

Little stinker loves to sit on Emily's bike and be pushed.