Happy Birthday!

I am not a very good birthday celebrator.  I don't do a very good job for my kids, and I really don't think that its a special day for myself.  Gifts are nice, but I don't feel like anyone should go out of there way for me.  So I am trying to do something a little different.  I tried with Savannah, but it wasn't as successful as I hoped. With Brittlynn we all ended up together as a family.  That was a lot of fun.  So when my day came around.  I decided we should go somewhere we haven't been and try something a little new.  So we drove up Pikes Peak.  Alex had to work so he wasn't able to join us.

We had a nice adventure we stopped to eat some lunch and take some pictures of the wonderful view.  This is when I realized my battery in my camera was dead.  This happens to me to often.  You would think that I have learned my lesson...not yet.  So this is what I got.  I know they are really amazing and I have the cutest family ever.  Luckily we have the back up iPhone.  What would I do without it. 

Someone was nice enough to take a picture of our whole family.  So now you know that I was there to enjoy the activities along with everyone else.  We had a chipmunk join us for lunch and the girls were in heaven.  

The next stop on the way to the time we decided to try out our mining skills.  Who knew that a bag of dirt with rocks in it would fascinate a 2 year old to a 16 year old.  I had so much fun watching the girls get excited about the treasure they would find. Dad is always the best helper when it comes to his girls.  Gotta love that man.  We also saw a strange man walking around with a donkey.  The best is we didn't see him until we were in the car so it looked like I was stalking him taking his picture as we were driving away.  He was also in front of the porta-potties, just what you want to see in a picture. 

So we made it to the top of Pikes Peak.  We didn't realize how fast the weather would change going up to the top of the mountain and we definitely were not prepared.  When it is a nice summer day 56 degrees is really cold.  Oh there was also a lot of wind. 

At the top we learned something perhaps the rest of the world knew, but I didn't.  The person who wrote America the beautiful was inspired by Pikes Peak.  The line the say's "For purple mountain majesties" was written after traveling to the top of Pikes Peak.  If you ever have a chance to go there you to will be inspired.  I tried to take some amazing pictures of me with the view.  It all just turned into me with a funny face and something for my husband to make fun of me for.  As he would say "how hard is it to smile when you are the one pushing the button."  Because of all the laughter that came from that one picture I saved it.  I took a good one of him.  We also went inside and tried the doughnuts.  I am not really a fan of doughnuts...but these where heaven.  I want to drive up to the top of the Peak just to have them again.

  Coming back down the mountain you have to ride your breaks the whole way.  Ours over heated and at the check point we had to stop and let them cool off.  We realized we should have driven all the way to the top and then took our time exploring on the way down.  So what do you do when you have time to spare with little girls?  You take pictures, or let them take pictures of you and then have someone feel sorry for you so they take your family picture, minus Emily because she is taking a nap in the van. 

It was a great day and we had a lot of fun.  We learned to pack a sweater.  It is cold on the top of the mountain.  We learned take you time driving down...you are going to have to.   Charge your camera battery before you leave.  Buy extra doughnuts to eat the next day.  It was a great day with family and I am so glad that we went.