Our Memorial Day Trip Down South

So we decided to go down South for a family adventure! On Saturday morning we got up and quickly packed and took off for a spontaneous adventure.

We started at the North Pole in Manitou Springs and had a fabulous time, Katharine did not like Santa again. She rode the amusement park rides by herself and with me. She especially loved the roller coaster...NOT! We had to have the operator stop the ride so we could get off and the rest of the kids could enjoy their time. Next year!! The photo above is of Robert and Katharine at Cave of the Winds (our 2nd stop) and our favorite part was when the guide took us all into a cave and turned off the lights to show us what it was like for the early explorers. When he did, Katharine yelled out "Where's Daddy?", everyone chuckled because as you can tell he had a super tight grip on her through the entire cave, she just couldn't see him anymore.

This photo is of Lincoln and I in the caves. Lincoln slept for most of the tour while I carried him, but then about the last 10 minutes he woke up to enjoy and Robert caught this photo. After the tour, we drove back into Manitou Springs and enjoyed dinner at the Mason Jar. Then the ADVENTURE began...we decided to drive to Canyon City (about one hour down the road) so we could get up in the morning and go to the Royal Gorge. So with the kiddos asleep in the back we make the trek. We stop at hotel after motel in the city and everything is SOLD OUT!! We finally leave the city and head back to Colorado Springs, after stopping in Florence where the Super 8 was also sold out. Many inmates must have had family in for the long weekend. So we stop for some caffeine and make the drive back to Colorado Springs where we decide we will stop at three places and if they are sold out we will just go back home.

LUCKILY, the first place a very run down Howard Johnson, has ONE room left. Robert grabs it and we settle in for a few hours sleep. This was my sleeping arrangement with Katharine until Lincoln woke up for a feeding and then I had both of them in bed with me and a tiny corner to curl up in. It was a great weekend we won't soon forget!!

Katharine at 1:45am...taking up most of the bed, making it difficult at best for me to sleep, oh the things mom's will do for their children. Sacrifice sleep is certainly one of them.

Two cute babies in bed and AWAKE at 6:15am!!

Lincoln at breakfast in Canyon City before we went to the Royal Gorge.

Katharine on the merry-go-round, on a horse that actually went up and down for the first time at the Royal Gorge. We were there for about 5 hours and had an absolute blast. We actually took the Excursion across the bridge and got lots of dirty looks and people were grabbing for the cables as we went by. After walking across it later we decided we will not be driving across again and can't believe that we did in the first place.