holidaaaaay celebraaaaate

We got back late last night from a very nice July 4th holiday at my in-laws' house near Colorado Springs. Mike had to go to Denver for work all weekend, so we cobbled together a mini-vacation that involved traveling eight hours in one vehicle with my sister-in-law, mother-in-law, three toddlers, a puppy and our five tons of accompanying stuff. Then Mike came to their house when he was done working and we enjoyed a nice BBQ in honor of my brother-in-law's birthday and the July 4th holiday. It was hella dry in CO, so there were no fireworks, but there were steaks, margaritas, the kiddie pool and good company. All us ladies ventured to the mall in Pueblo the day before, and grandma bought the three girls red white and blue outfits for the holiday, but of course we couldn't round them all up and get them to sit still for a picture. I did catch Ainsley and Hannah unawares in the sandbox. The day after the fourth (otherwise known as the fifth, I suppose) we loaded up two cars and drove up into the mountains to a real, live castle that some dude is building all by himself.


It was cool, I suppose, but pretty much a construction zone, so it was a bit harrowing with three little kids. You could actually climb all around the building and up to the tippy-top on all this wrought-iron scaffolding. It was pretty, kind of like spiderwebs, but it didn't look super sturdy. I can't imagine how this guys allows admission into this thing but doesn't appear to follow any building codes. Maybe since it's private property or something?? I don't know, but I was content staying inside the main floors and walking around the grounds.

Then yesterday it was the never-ending drive home (possibly never-ending because we stopped at the outlet malls in Loveland, CO for two hours - oopsies!). And now we are home and a little beat