Castle Rock

After a long winter break, we decided to make an impromptu road trip and spend New Year's weekend in Colorado!  I've mentioned before that we plan to move to Colorado at some point, so what better place to start out 2011?!  Unfortunately, Josh came down with bronchitis just before and ended up staying home, but the rest of us drove up anyway.  (I don't think he really minded 3 solid days of video game playing anyway).  Megan and her boyfriend came with us too and we loaded up the Jeep and went on our way!
  

This time we stayed in Castle Rock, Colorado.  Boy was it cold!  Two degrees in the morning and a high of 10 degrees the first day!  But we made the most of it and went out to dinner at a local brewery and then swam in the hotel's indoor swimming pool.  We are big partiers and stayed up until 9 on New Year's Eve! 

New Year's Day we headed up to Denver to visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  We have never been there before and it was very cool.  Alex was all about the dinosaurs, of course. 

Aurora liked the Amazon exhibit with the fish tanks, giant snakes, and art projects. 

I wish I had taken a picture of Aurora's face in the Egyptian section when I explained the mummification process! 

I really liked the animal sections, which were all done up with dioramas that looks SO realistic and had buttons you could press with the sounds.

Daddy missed the very cool space section with a shuttle dock simulator and moon rocks to sort.  It's a good excuse to come back!

In the afternoon we drove back to Castle Rock and braved the Castle Rock Outlets!  I got the kids out long enough to get them some new shoes at the Stride Rite Outlet, and then we tucked them in the Jeep with Megan's boyfriend to watch a movie while we speed shopped.

After another night of dinner, swimming pool, and games, we headed back on Sunday feeling relaxed and refreshed!