Murray Family Fun: Colorado Springs

Brynlee couldn't wait to go on vacation to Colorado Springs because she knew there would be a pool there and she couldn't wait to swim!

Bryn and Ridge had a lot of fun in the pool with dad.

They both loved jumping off the side to him.

Nash on the other hand liked lounging better than swimming

Garden of the Gods

Very beautiful cool rock formations

The boys with their indian headbands and dream catchers

Meme displaying hers

Bryn next to a bald eagle

One America had some great parties with lots of fun entertainment for the kids

Bryn picked out masks for everyone. Nash's was a Tiger but he didn't want to wear it.

Bryn's beautiful bird face painting

More swimming

and lounging

and relaxing

and a little napping too

We visited the Cheyenne Zoo (in Colorado Springs)

and had so much fun on the ski lift looking at the zoo from the air that we had to do it a couple times.

It's a cool zoo built right into the side of the mountian

The giraffe's were super friendly

and actually let us feed and pet them

Nash liked feeling its super long tongue

Bryn made friends with a chipmunk

And got to pet a baby walabee

Nash made himself right at home watching the otters, he thought they were really cool.

The kids and I got separated from Brady for awhile but we finally found him in the Grizzly bear viewing area with his face up against the glass, mesmerized by the bears fighting in the water 3 feet in from of him. He was totally enchanted and literally glued to the spot during all of the action. It was pretty awesome, they are incredible animals!

It was neat to feel like you could just reach out and touch the bears and fun that they put on sure a show fighting over a fish in the water

Nash was happy to keep his distance

Finally the bears got tired and climbed out of the water

The kids crawled through a "wolf den"

Bryn took this picture of a turtle and you can probably guess...she would really like us to get a pet turtle now.

Stylin' Ridge!

Just hangin' around

at the playground

some sliding

some exploring

Brynlee was still and quiet and patient enough to befriend a butterfly

The fountains were a hit with the kids

We had a great time exploring the resort grounds and even enjoyed a little summer rain storm

Brynlee really wanted to see the insect museum we had read about on the Internet when we were looking for things to do in Colorado Springs so we made the 40 minute drive outside of town to this tiny little museum in the woods. The boys fell asleep so Brady stayed out in the car with them and Brynlee and I went into this little museum. You pay your money and then they let you walk behind this curtain into a maze lined on both sides with cases of dead bugs. As soon as we got behind the curtain Brynlee saw a big case of spiders and imediately started crying and wanted to go back out. I carried her past the spiders and once we got to all of the butterflies she was fine, she kind of liked the beetles and stick bugs but certainly preferred the butterflies.

After touring the "museum" we hiked up to the giant beetle they have next to the highway to draw people in.

Next we hit the Olympic Training Center in downtown Colorado Springs. Our little olympians look great on the podium!

They had some fun things to look at and an inspiring little film about the Olympics

Nash loved the bobsled and didn't want to get out

Brady and I saw that middle torch when we went to the Olympics in SLC right after we had started dating...so romantic to see it again.

We took a tour of all of their lovely facilities...I loved the inspiring quotes they had hanging everywhere.

In this pool they can hook you up to a harness that will pull you through the water so you can see what it feels like to swim at the speed of Michael Phelps...that would have been cool to try!

On our last night in Colorado Springs we went to a very entertaining ranch that I can't remember the name of something like the Double R ranch but anyway it was fun!