Estes Park, CO

What's better then camping in late summer in Colorado, next to a river where you pull fish out by the bucket loads? Doing it in a cabin, with beds and running water! We spent an awesome 3.5ish days in Estes Park with Mike's parents in a cabin with a deck that hangs over the Big Thompson River.

Lucy loved fishing, well, she loved the fish.

 Michael did too. Mostly the fact that he caught a ton of them!

 Who needs toys? Lucy enjoyed the "amenities" of the cabin, the bucket, the cupboards, pots and pans...

 We met this guy in downtown Estes. Worst idea ever to let her pet him, from that moment on, anytime he was pulling passengers down the street Lucy would become insistent that we take her over to watch him. Until he was out of our line of sight. Yeah, she has a thing for animals.

 But then we distracted her with Blue bell ice cream, in a homemade waffle cone. never thought it possible to enjoy the cone more then the ice cream

 I wonder what he's looking for?

 Then Ethan fell and he and Pops had to walk it out

 The men. (all their idea)

 E was allowed to pick one toy during our shopping trip. At the third store he found a Police dress up kit, handcuffs, knife, gun, badge. The rest of the time we were shopping, he remembered that kit and we stopped and got it on the way out. We spent the rest of the trip taking turns being handcuffed.

 She spent much time in here, usually the rug and some teddy bears were in there with her

 There was only a shower so we improvised

 Then someone decided we should take this little box on this tiny cable to the top of this big mountain. we survived.

 and collected a few rocks to bring home

I took many, but the pictures of the view do not do it justice. It was beautiful

Ethan tamed a mountain lion

And waded into the middle of the river

Thursday was time to pack up and come home. Before we did, we stopped at Lake Estes. We saw a duck

And then out of nowhere, a herd of elk came splashing into the lake!

Then they turned and went straight toward Michael! Like they wanted to fish too.

They scared away the fish. It was AMAZING!!! We didn't expect to see any elk, it was still so warm and assumed they were all up higher in the mountains till fall.

But then it really was time to come home. We were tired