Colorado....

A group of us ran off to Colorado this past weekend....the trip was to go for a conference, but of course, we were going to try to pack in as many things as possible. CC, LM and I headed out of town and we met up with my friend HS from Colorado. We got in town just in time for the Astros / Rockies game. The weather was FANTASTIC and our seats were right behind the Astros dugout...did I say third row? yep. If not the weather, and the great game, getting to see all the players up close was absolutely worth it! ha, ha.

The next day we went up to Estes Park and went to Rocky Mountain National Park. It was absolutely Gorgeous. The weather held up for us and we got to hike around and see lots of great scenery! Below, the Alluvial Fan - one of the waterfalls right when you get into the park.

One of LM's things that she REALLY wanted to see were animals....and we got some fantastic shots. You know when there are animals around when all the cars pull off on the side...because everyone wants to take pictures. Here were some elk that were just hanging out...sunbathing in a field just by the road. Their antlers just look so cool - because they have fur on them!!!

And when we were hiking, I made a new friend...we saw him and were taking pictures - then as I walked along the path he kept on running around my feet and along the rocks trying to keep up with me. It  kinda freaked me out! ha! Can you see all the stuff in his mouth and that he is holding an acorn in his hands? He was REALLY cute!!!

We went up to another area in the Park - Bear Lake and started hiking from there. There was another lake about 1/2 a mile away, Nymph lake....and did I mention that first 1/2 mile went up about 225 feet? Yeah, that hike was really like just climbing stairs the whole way. But it was soooo gorgeous. Here was a picture of one of the streams coming out of the mountains and one ofthe lakes running down the mountain. I wish I could have just sat by this for a while...it was so beautiful and calming!

After we hit Nymph lake, we went up to one more lake - which was about another 1/2 mile away and I'm sure up another couple hundred feet. When we got there, the snow was packed down...it was awesome.

Here is Dream Lake....by the time we hit that lake, it was 2:00 and the storms were starting to roll in - so we hightailed it back down the mountain. And when I say hightailed - I mean, almost RAN down the mountain. We didn't want to see what a storm would look like up there...

Here was a picture of the trail we were on...yes, that is a sheer drop with no railing...or rocks...or anything. And yes, I am afraid of heights. Dont think I wasn't hugging that rock on the left!!!

and here was the view from one of the vantage points on the mountain...with the beautiful blue sky and puffy white clouds...before the dark ones that rained on us came in!

We spent Friday night and Saturday at the Deeper Still conference -- which was put on by Lifeway and was absolutely AMAZING. The speakers were Kay Arthur, Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer -- who each in their own way spoke to us. It was awesome to have such great speakers and to be with some amazing girls where we could dissect and discuss everything we heard, learned and what really spoke to us.

And after the conference, we went out to celebrate our last night in Colorado....

...with some bubbly, of course! And a fabulous meal. Here is CC and I at dinner...I loved getting to spend some good quality time with her!

and here is LM and HS and I....I am SO glad that HS got to meet these two girls and get to hang out with us...I think it was what all of us needed, all in different ways, but it was a great trip!