Pumpkin Patches Galore!

I'm pretty sure that this is going to be the record year of all years for the number of pumpkin patches we've visited. Kate really enjoys them, and we've been going every weekend! First, we went to one out at Rock Ledge Ranch (next to Garden of the Gods) with Tiana. They were having a Harvest Festival. Then, we went to TWO pumpkin patches outside of Boulder with Lynda. Then we finally went to one with Daddy -- located up in Elizabeth, CO (about 45 minutes NE of here).

GIANT PUMPKIN WEIGHING CONTEST WITH TIANA

It was a gorgeous day to go do FALL things :) Carolyn, Kate, and Carolyn's lil sis, Tiana, all went down to Rock Ledge Ranch to their Harvest Festival (pics above "pumpkin patches galore". We also went to Old Colorado City to see the Giant Pumpkin Weighing Contest -- whoa, some pumpkins were more than 1,000 lbs!!

hee hee -- our lil pumpkin in comparison....

She's a stinker - watch this morning's video ...

Fall in Colorado

We went a little roadtrip with our friends, the Noskers, to check out the fall colors -- nothing like the colors out east -- but better than, say, Texas or Arizona :) The girls were so cute -- hiking along a trail at Mueller State Park.

Brinlie and Kate

Tailgate - Air Force Falcons

We went to our first tailgate this season ... with our friends the Bracks who live up in Denver. Gene used to fly hercs with Dave in Tucson. There are always parachuters (who land right on the football field) and neat-o airplanes that fly over right before the game starts. Some of the parachuters have smoke 'streamers' -- which you'll see in one of the pics below.

Kate & Mommy go to Maryland!

Uncle Craig moved to Maryland with his fiancee, Alicia, a few months ago, and we decided to be the FIRST family members to go visit! We just went for a long weekend, and the weather was absolutely fabulous! We visited many beautiful areas close to Craig & Alicia's house -- Point Lookout State Park (purdy, but GIGANTUAN scary bugs!), Solomons Island, Leonardtown, St. George Island, and we also ventured over to the DC area one afternoon to visit the National Harbor and meet up with Carolyn's friend, Tricia! Whew! So much to do & see, and so little time as always. You'll see someone missing from the pics below -- Alicia :( Darnit, she had to work all weekend out in Ft. Worth :( Sorry we missed you, Alicia! We hope you'll come out to CO and see us!!!

More visitors! ... The Dandies!

Suddenly, it's the summer of visitors! Carolyn's sister, Mandy, and her husband and baby boy decided they'd come out for Labor Day weekend. Gene hadn't met baby Jude (now 3 months old) yet, so this was great! As you'll see from the pics below, we had a jam-packed weekend.
~We went to the Colorado Balloon Classic, and saw many neat-o hot air balloons
~Gene, Dandies, and Jude went up the Incline (the old cog railway trail...see pics...eek!). Carolyn and Kate stayed home since Carolyn's race was the next day.
~Carolyn ran a half-marathon! Mandy ran the last 2 miles with her (thankfully! cuz that REALLY helped at the end). Kate ate a giant burrito on the sidelines and cheered on Mommy with the rest of the fam
~We spent a lil relax time at the pool after the race.
~We ate wild game :) in Manitou Springs
WHEW!