Last Tidbits of a Colorado Summer

A definite "scrapbook post" this time (i.e., just putting the pictures on the page with captions). Of the last bits of our fabulous Colorado summer vacation.

Grace experienced her first salon visit with Mommy and Aunt Gill, complete with pedicure and manicure. And out of a wall of nail polish colors, she chose a bright pink. That's our girl.

Aunt Gill shows Grace how to keep her fingers separated so that the paint doesn't smear.

Grammy Sharon gave the twins their first taste of jello with cherries inside.

After picking not-so-ripe raspberries, we had a picnic lunch at the berry farm, where this large hog hangs out and eats scraps. Quite harmless, though the twins weren't too fond of it.

After berry picking, we stopped at an outdoor shopping center and ran through this sprinkler. The game: throw plastic beads under the middle of the umbrellas and get Chance to retrieve them. Grace wasn't sure about doing it, so before we left, Mommy grabbed her and we all ran through. Grammy and the twins hangin' out on the side steps, watching a couple of other kids.

Trip to the Denver Museum where the children's portion was temporarily CLOSED (arrgh!). But the twins enjoyed it anyway, esp. the space section, where they watched a demonstration about Triton, one of the moons of Neptune (the coldest in the solar system). The lady showed how cold the moon was by bouncing a rubber ball on the ground, then placing it in liquid ice, then taking it out and throwing it on the ground where it broke into pieces. Even in October, the twins were still retelling the story of what happened to that rubber ball!

We watched lots of rabbits hop around Grammy's yard during our visit.

And Mommy followed the twins, who were holding hands (unprompted, btw!) as they walked to the green sand that Grammy bought them. Chance thought Uncle Sam's childhood collection of vehicles was the grooviest, so the sand was well-used for those.

A New Pin for the Home Depot Aprons

While in Parker, the twins typically build one of the Home Depot kids' projects with Aunt Gill (who is a manager at the store), which we did in August. Sadly, Mommy and Grammy ain't got skills, so it's up to Aunt Gill and/or Aunt Manda to put together the "easy" and FREE (!) project. And Aunt Gill definitely has skills--you should see the bathroom remodel she did in their apt. at Grammy Sharon's; the shower is like a five-star hotel's!

Chance, able Assistant to his Auntie Gill.

Grace tries to hammer a nail with his Aunt Manda.

A Ride with Grandad / PUDDLE-HOPPIN!

Mommy can't seem to update her scrapbook -- i.e., this blog -- with the summer pics fast enough, so she's movin' on to recent fall events. (Will add summer pics later, though.)

Just last weekend, we drove up to Columbia to see the Baumgartner Grandparents, where the twins always want to see the stray kitties outside the apartment complex at the Lowman Home. Grace and Mommy went out to see them, and after the visible kitty ran under the building, Grace played with Chance's pickup truck (pics above). After lunch, she also snagged a ride in Grandad's wheelchair, to her delight (see VIDEO below). Chance briefly snuggled next to Grandmother back at their apartment.

And it rained much of last week, so on an afternoon when the rain had abated, Mommy donned the twins in their rain gear and headed outside. Temps were probably in the mid 80s, but when wet, the twins got a bit cold. We headed inside for a warm bath afterward.

Grace braves walking into the large puddle.
A bit too cold for her! "Chance, why did you jump into the cold water? You're going to be soooo cold!"

Lord have mercy, Chance LOVES splashing in puddles.
Mommy is talkin to Aunt Manda on her cell phone while she videos this one.

The wheelchair ride with Grandad, with Daddy in the background too!