OUR VACATION IN ESTES PARK (PART 2)

After our first full day at Estes Park was spoiled a little because of the showers and delays with the shuttle, we were looking forward to a day spent at the Y and less rain.

We had checked out the craft building Sunday when we were walking around to see all the camp had to offer. Colby wanted to make a tie-dyed cap, Hallie a wooden box with a mosaic top, and Sadie a ...(She had two things she thought she might want to do.)  Since the pool was still closed, we headed to the craft building after breakfast.

They were out of caps so Colby decided to make a tie-dyed shirt. He chose one of the many patterns they had done as examples... actually a wall full of t-shirt examples.  

Sadie decided to paint a princess bank.  

It was a little messy, but I think she enjoyed herself.

Hallie wanted to paint a wooden box and put a mosaic design on top.  She decided she wanted a butterfly like one of the samples.  I free-handed the picture on top with a pencil and then she chose the colored pieces she wanted to use.  Fitting the pieces in the outline, then she had to paint the glue on the backside of the pieces and press them down.  It probably took close to 2 hours just gluing on the pieces, but she never got tired or wanted to stop.  

Her project was much more involved than Colby's and Sadie's. We had to wait at least 20 minutes after the last piece was glued on before we could start grouting. So we decided to go eat lunch.

When we got back, a couple of pieces fell off and then there were several places where the space was too big. (Rule is : if you can get your little fingertip in the space, it is too big.)  So we added a few small pieces which meant we had to wait again before grouting.

While we waited, we decided to walk over to the game room and enjoy a game or two or three of pool.

And the girls had fun with foosball.


They also played ping-pong, but I was playing pool with my husband so I didn't get a picture of that.

Back at work....Hallie had to rub the grout over the top to fill in the spaces.

Done with that part....All that was left was to paint the sides and inside.  (Didn't get any pictures of that....I was busy painting the top edge of the lid black so that the top looked finished and Hallie painted the rest pink.)  Then it was on the shelf to dry overnight along with Sadie's princess bank. Colby's t-shirt was also on a hanger to dry.









A playground was just outside the building so the kids decided to play on the equipment.

Sadie loves the monkey bars but needs a little help. Grandad was more than willing to offer that help.  She could have gone across it all afternoon.

Hallie also loves the money bars, but she doesn't need any help. 

Colby doing his own thing on the equipment. 












The kids play tennis on their WII game so, of course, they wanted to try playing it for real.  Jeffrey and I told them it was a lot different than the game.  Only the middle court was available when we walked over to the tennis courts to check out the rackets.

Colby having fun and hitting the ball.

Hallie getting some instructions from her daddy.

Ready for the ball. Can you see the ball?

Sadie on the sidelines. I promise you, Sadie, next time, you will get to play, too.

Sara and my husband solving the problems of the world.












Back to town for dinner, then back at the Y and "checking out" two new games and playing them; our jam-packed day was coming to an end and a well-deserved night's sleep was ahead.  

We thought we would try to go swimming our last morning before we left, but seeing a note on the building that said the pool would not be open for a couple of weeks, we decided we would have to wait for another vacation to go swimming.

We hadn't had time to play on the 18-hole golf course so we thought that would be a good thing to do on our way out. After breakfast and packing the car, we had to go by the craft building and pick up the things they had made the day before.

Colby and his cool tie-dyed t-shirt.  Couldn't believe it was still a little damp.

Hallie with her wooden box.

and Sadie with her princess bank.




















They all did a fantastic job.

One more time on the playground.  Grandad was busy checking us out and wasn't there to help Sadie on the big bars.





Then it was to the mini-golf course.

SADIE'S TURN

COLBY

HALLIE

By the time we finished playing, Colby's t-shirt had dried so he could wear it.  Really fascinating how it turned out.

We waved good-bye to our "home" for the last 3 nights

and left town as the big raindrops fell.

Stopping for lunch in Boulder, it was back in the car and just like on a plane, movie time.  We managed to see Yogi Bear, the Movie and about half of Ramona and Beezus before 

getting back to Black Forest and some of the outer burn area.

We didn't drive by any of the homes that were destroyed.  Just seeing the forest was hard enough to take.










It had rained hard just before we got back to their house (a little under .5 inch.  The chickens were glad to see us and to be able to roam the back yard.  We had some quiet time -- Colby reading me a bunch of jokes from the joke book I brought him, reading some of the books I brought Sadie to her, talking with the girls in their room, and then they enjoyed playing on their trampoline in the back yard.

After breakfast the next foggy morning, it was time for "Grandad" and "Grandmother" to head back home. Everyone agreed it had been a blast, but we needed to go back again so we could SWIM and do some of the other fun activities found at the Y. 

Missed Part 1?  Read it HERE.