The kids have settled in quickly and are loving their outdoor adventure. They have been going to bed way too late and sometimes taking catch up naps in the hotter afternoons. (Although today it started pouring down rain and it's now in the lovely mid 70's. Grandma and Grandpa's backyard backs up to a "green space" which to the kids means "mountain wilderness". We have gone on a few hikes from home to find great climbing rocks. We also spent one afternoon at the Garden of the Gods--amazing city park--and can't wait to go back for more. I'll attach some pictures in a bit. We also spent a few hours playing in a creek behind Costco. We tried to build a dam. Real Beavers were more successful upstream.
We don't need to travel for wildlife though. They have spent a couple hours chasing rabbits, almost catching one. Grandpa is hoping all the terrorizing for a couple weeks will discourage the rabbits from ever coming back. It doesn't seem to be working so far. They did successfully catch a "Kirby" in a little trap and relocated him an hour ago. That was possibly the highlight of the whole trip so far. Kim nicknamed the ground squirrels "Kirbys" referencing the vacuum cleaners. Our girls think that's their real genus. They are not the smartest little critters, but cause great damage to lawns and gardens. Fortunately for our budding trappers, they are suckers for apples, peanut butter and bird seed.
There are real squirrels too. Grandpa has trained a couple of them to come to the door and take unshelled peanuts from his hand. The first time Jess tried, she freaked as the squirrel reached out her little paws to steady the nut in order to grab it with her mouth and Jess dropped it. The squirrel just took it off the ground and went to open it up. Isaac and Makenna were successful on their first attempts and they have all had many more since. This morning they jointly fed it 13!
And there are loads of birds. The ones I can recognize are Blue Jays, House Finches, Magpies and lots of Robins. There are many other varieties all singing and flitting around throughout the day. We also saw two deer with antlers at Garden of the Gods. The kids are hoping to see a few more exotic animals, but our noise levels are significantly higher than what is normal around here, so maybe they won't come around for awhile. Animals spotted here in the past include bobcats, a coyote, bears, porcupine, and deer.
Another bonus for me has been going on some very pretty (and hilly, and HIGH altitude) runs. David and I covered a few miles of the Green Trail this morning. While going along I saw a sign post marking mile 36!! It's a lot longer than I realized. What I really want to do is go running in the Garden of the Gods. We saw a bunch of runners the afternoon we were there and I look forward to trying it out myself, after my trip. And maybe after our Utah trip.
I leave in the morning. I know they are in good hands and will have a grand time. This area has so much to offer. Plus more visitors are coming shortly. Ben and Kim are driving in this Wednesday. I just hope lots of pictures will be taken in my absence so I can see their adventures.
We don't need to travel for wildlife though. They have spent a couple hours chasing rabbits, almost catching one. Grandpa is hoping all the terrorizing for a couple weeks will discourage the rabbits from ever coming back. It doesn't seem to be working so far. They did successfully catch a "Kirby" in a little trap and relocated him an hour ago. That was possibly the highlight of the whole trip so far. Kim nicknamed the ground squirrels "Kirbys" referencing the vacuum cleaners. Our girls think that's their real genus. They are not the smartest little critters, but cause great damage to lawns and gardens. Fortunately for our budding trappers, they are suckers for apples, peanut butter and bird seed.
There are real squirrels too. Grandpa has trained a couple of them to come to the door and take unshelled peanuts from his hand. The first time Jess tried, she freaked as the squirrel reached out her little paws to steady the nut in order to grab it with her mouth and Jess dropped it. The squirrel just took it off the ground and went to open it up. Isaac and Makenna were successful on their first attempts and they have all had many more since. This morning they jointly fed it 13!
And there are loads of birds. The ones I can recognize are Blue Jays, House Finches, Magpies and lots of Robins. There are many other varieties all singing and flitting around throughout the day. We also saw two deer with antlers at Garden of the Gods. The kids are hoping to see a few more exotic animals, but our noise levels are significantly higher than what is normal around here, so maybe they won't come around for awhile. Animals spotted here in the past include bobcats, a coyote, bears, porcupine, and deer.
Another bonus for me has been going on some very pretty (and hilly, and HIGH altitude) runs. David and I covered a few miles of the Green Trail this morning. While going along I saw a sign post marking mile 36!! It's a lot longer than I realized. What I really want to do is go running in the Garden of the Gods. We saw a bunch of runners the afternoon we were there and I look forward to trying it out myself, after my trip. And maybe after our Utah trip.
I leave in the morning. I know they are in good hands and will have a grand time. This area has so much to offer. Plus more visitors are coming shortly. Ben and Kim are driving in this Wednesday. I just hope lots of pictures will be taken in my absence so I can see their adventures.
Costco Stream
The Girls' Room and their bed with George
Backyard Hiking
Garden of the Gods
Isaac's Natural Slide. The reason we HAD to do wash the next morning.
Isaac loves his new shirt that Matt sent him. It has a name tag saying "Hello my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die."
It looks fun! Your blog is fun to see. April
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