Anniversary #6

To celebrate, we took a 5 day, 4 night trip ALONE to Steamboat Springs and Estes Park, Colorado. (Tanner stayed with my parents in Longmont, CO). Even though we visit Colorado at least once a year, we really haven't had a chance to tour the Rocky Mountains. Jeremy has always said he doesn't think there are any mountains in Colorado since Longmont is "so far" from them. I kept thinking he was exaggerating until I realized that 1) Huntington Beach, CA is about the same distance from mountains as Longmont is from mountains, so in perspective, the mountains really aren't that close to where I grew up and 2) We had never been in the CO mountains together except for snowboarding lessons a long time ago. So I made the executive decision that we would spend a real vacation in the good ol' Rockies. 

We toured Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. I didn't realize that it's the only paved highway in the world that takes you along the tippie top of the mountains. You literally drive on the peaks of mountains, enjoying the views 360 degrees around you. It was spectacular! We also saw lots of elk and chipmunks.

On our drive, we found a momma moose with her baby moose!! The baby was about 3 years old.

 In Steamboat Springs we stayed in a nice, inexpensive hotel. We rode the alpine slide, hiked to the waterfalls, ate at some fun restaurants, swam in the hotsprings at night under a meteor shower, rode the gondola ski lift, hiked down the mountain, and simply relaxed.

 We watched this fox for about 15 minutes. He was in the parking lot of our hotel and didn't seem to mind us following him in our car. He dug up a dead mouse and ate him. We were so close, we could hear the bones crunching in his mouth. Awesome!

 Our pretty hike down a big ski mountain.

 We saw a black bear! He's in the middle of the picture.

We met up with Abbie, one of my best friends from high school, and her boyfriend for dinner one night. We made the yummiest pizzas in her cabin!!

Oh ya, Jeremy and I went horseback riding, too!

On the last night, we stayed at the Kokopelli Bed & Breakfast in Estes Park. The hostess had a sign that said "Happy Anniversary" and sparkling cider with chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us in our room!

 In Estes Park we went on a history and ghost tour in the Stanley Hotel. It was really cool! This hotel inspired The Shining by Stephen King, and it's where they filmed scenes in Dumb and Dumber.

I can't believe that I've been married for 6 years! I love you, Jeremy. Being your wife is more amazing than I ever dreamed possible. This was the perfect anniversary trip for us. We really needed the time away (and the extra sleep)! A special thanks to my mom and dad for doing such a great job watching Tanner. 

And now Jeremy believes that Colorado has mountains.