Florissant Fossil Beds

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Kid-friendly and budget-friendly activities abound in close proximity to the cabin, and we took advantage of one of those activities—The Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Florissant, CO.

The Fossil Beds is a fascinating place, especially if you’re into geology and fossils. Years ago, large REDWOOD trees existed near Florissant. Yes! Redwoods, like the ones which are now only found in California’s redwood forests, grew in the now-national-park.

When the redwoods grew near Florissant, the climate was milder. A volcano erupted and the mud slide it caused buried the huge trunks of the redwoods, leaving the tops exposed. The tops of the trees died, fell off, and rotted, still leaving the bottom parts of the trunks under the thick mud. Those under-mud stumps’ cells were slowly filled with “soaked up” mineral substances and became petrified. In other words, they turned to rock! A “prehistoric lake” existed and covered much of the valley floor, along with the redwoods and petrified trees, somewhere in the thousands of year’s timeline. Someone eventually came across one of these petrified trees and carefully dug down to the bottom of the tree trunk, exposing a “rock tree stump” with a huge diameter and easily over 10 feet tall. Then they uncovered a few more. I heard one of the park rangers say geologists believe many more petrified trees are buried under the national park, though discovering them and carefully preserving them takes time, and lots of it!

We paid the $6 fee to enter the park ($3 per adult 12 and older), then ate our picnic lunch before beginning on our explorations. The real fun began after our picnic.

Sure, my kids found the “rock trees” interesting, but the most memorable part of the day for everyone was our hike. Madalynn and Justis’s memories will include frolicking along the beautiful trails, noting beautiful trees, animal tracks, animal poop, and wildflowers.

Dawson and Jillian’s memories will include anticipating the end of the trail! Jillian’s Fossil Beds National Park experience started off on the wrong foot, as she promptly fell and scraped her arm on the asphalt in the parking lot. She cried and cried AND CRIED, fearing she was on the verge of death according to the little blood visible to her under the surface of her scraped skin. Then she cried because she needed a band-aid. She was ALL about the first .4 miles of what ended up being our 2.3-mile hike, then it’s like she asked herself the question, “Hey, where are these crazy people taking me, and when will I see a building or something familiar again?” She whined and cried and tried to assert her unwillingness to walk alone by standing way behind us with folded arms and refusing to go any further without being carried—until she really realized we were not going to carry her the whole way. She would then run after us trying to catch up again while crying and screaming, “Don’t leave me, Mommy and Daddy!”

Dawson was a little affected by the altitude and the fact he chose to wear jeans, a long-sleeved western shirt and his cowboy boots to hike in. He learned the hard way that clothes that make him look good aren’t always the most practical or comfortable for the activity he’ll be doing that day. He, too, wanted to be carried and thought this hiking stuff was for the birds. He also refused to smile or look at the camera for any picture I tried to take of him!

Travis and I, needless to say, hiked holding Dawson and Jillian off-and-on during the entire 2.3 miles. Talk about a workout! Whew!

Midway on our hike we came to what the park has named “The Caves.” A beautiful crop of boulders are the source of a spring that Jillian and Justis, who were wearing Crocs, were able to wash their feet in. They got to go exploring under the “caves,” (the spaces under the rocks) and thought that was pretty cool.

The last 1.6 miles were the hardest. We had to explain to Jillian and Dawson that we could not drive the jeep into the park and along the trail to come pick them up, and that we actually had to walk all the way back to the head of the trail. I began encouraging them to anticipate the cold jug of lemonade waiting for them in the vehicle when we got to the end of the trail.

Jillian finally saw the ranger station and lunged to make a b-line and cut across the “off the trail” landscape so she could get to that lemonade faster. I caught her before she ran across the protected landscape and had just enough time to teach her and the other kids a little national park etiquette (i.e. stay on the trails, don’t pick the flowers or try to bring home rocks, etc.) before we got back to the ranger station.

I went into the ranger station to look at the books while Travis took the kids straight to the jeep for some refreshing pink lemonade. I came out finally, and all but half of Jillian’s third cup of pink lemonade was the only pink lemonade left after thirsty Travis and kids were finished. She unselfishly offered me the last of her drink with a big smile.

“Did you have fun?” I asked her. “Yes, ma’am!” she said. I guess pink lemonade can make all of a 2-year-old’s dilemmas disappear.

We got home tired, but a happy tired, and Madalynn, Justis, Dawson and Jillian took refreshing baths and put their PJs on.

Getting there is 1/10 the fun!

New Mexico's northeast corner is a very beautiful place. I was in awe of the scenery and couldn't believe I grew up living just about an hour from the beauty most of my life and I hadn't ever seen it!

Getting to our vacation destination, my grandparents’ cabin in Lake George, CO, required the following:

• 20 hours of driving (10 hours each day)
• 1 hotel stay
• Four meals out
• LOTS of pit stops
• The van’s DVD player for the kids’ entertainment and all of our sanity
• 3 fresh pairs of panties for our potty-training Jillian
• Daddy’s special seating arrangements for the kids to keep the peace
• 55 gallons of fuel at around $2.50 per gallon

Travis and I have surrendered ourselves to the fact that we won't always leave the house for the time we plan on account of getting four kids ready. That was the case Thursday, June 25, when we left for the first leg of our trip.

Our travel goal for Thursday was leaving by 8 a.m. and getting as far as Wichita Falls, TX. We ended up leaving at 10 a.m. and, since we weren’t set for an arrival time in Wichita Falls, we arrived at the hotel around 9 p.m. with an attitude of leisure. Arriving at a hotel happy, instead with an attitude of frustration from not meeting an unnecessary deadline, is divine. We all went to bed, woke up fairly early, and got a good start for day two of driving.

We left Wichita Falls, TX, around 9 a.m. and arrived at our destination, Lake George, CO, around 9 p.m.

We had well-behaved children (and parents) overall, no car troubles, beautiful scenery and 20 hours' quality time in a confined space. What more can a family ask for?

To Chi Chi

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(Disclaimer: This is Travis writing, not Jae)
Prov 17:6 "Grandchildren are the crown of old men, And the glory of sons is their fathers."

Dad,

I have been thinking all week what to get the richest man for Father's Day. This is what I came up with...

As I dug through picture, memories of you and the past flooded my mind. I remember the trip to Worlds of Fun, just you and I, because I needed to talk to you. I remember the time that we went to Montana and Wyoming and the hours that it took to get your snowmobile unstuck. I remember the long hard talks we had in the basement that were tough for both of us, eating frozen pizza when it was just the two of us, and you growing a goatee once because I had one. Remember the early morning call to come and get me in eastern Kansas after a near-death experience and then the car ride back? Full of joy where the summers spent working with you and our hunting trips together. I looked forward to penguin kisses and penguin hugs every night as a child. Dare I mention the McDonald's drive-through incident? Swimming together before bed on hot summer nights and looking up at the stars, and going out to eat every time I had a birthday were a couple more little things that made a big impact on me. My list of wonderful memories could go on and on.

I want to say thank you for the time and love you invested in me. But all of that is pale in comparison to introducing me to my Savior, Jesus Christ. You strove to live the life that you preached about, even during the tough moments in your life. My identity is in Christ, and for that I thank you. You are the best dad that I could have ever asked for, and for that I thank God. I pray God blesses you on this wonderful day of celebration, even though I cannot be with you.

Love,

Travis

Dawson's "Solo" Kansas Vacation

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Dawson enjoyed his first flight with Aunt Holly to Kansas for his first solo trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa Davis and Holly IN Wichita. Kansas prairies, riding a horse, shopping for authentic cowboy duds, attending "Studio Go!" VBS at Asbury Church, swimming in the pool and going to the zoo with friends were just a few of the highlights of the trip. He LOVED it!

We decided it was Dawson's turn to go on a trip alone, by simply determining whose turn it was to have their first airplane ride. Dawson was on deck, as Madalynn got to fly with me to North Carolina to visit our friends Justin and Gi when she was about three, and Justis got to fly with Travis to Illinois last year for a daddy & son business trip.

I am not ashamed to say having my four-year-old leave me was harder than it's ever been for me to leave him (and it's always hard for me to leave any of my kids). Madalynn, Justis, Jillian and Travis missed him equally as much.

Jillian wanted to know where her napping buddy was the first day we went to read a book and Dawson wasn't there. She asked, "Is Dawson going to nap, too?" I had to explain to a teary-eyed Jillian that he was going to be gone for a week, so it would just be me and her reading books. Madalynn and Justis seemed lost without their little fun-loving and laid-back partner in crime. They got into some pretty intense arguments and had to re-learn how to play well together while Dawson was away--just the two of them. I was thrilled that Dawson was having fun, so I put my motherly woes aside for a week. I honestly think, however, that Travis missed him the most of all of us and selfishly (I can't blame a daddy) never wanted him to leave in the first place!

Dawson specifically told us about going to the river at a prairie near Pretty Prairie, KS, for a special night of praise and worship called "Prairie Fire." He was in Aunt Holly's class at VBS and we were told by Holly he was a little too comfortable with her as his teacher a couple times and got a little rowdy. The VBS was at Asbury Church in Wichita, where we were married. The kids affectionately call it, "Raspberry."

Cheryl made special arrangements for Dawson to go "cowboy up" and ride a horse at a local 4-H stable she has connections with. He, at first, was a little intimidated by the young pony's size, but then threw all caution behind him once he was up in the saddle.

Our little "Garth Looks" also went cowboy clothes shopping and got a real cowboy shirt (complete with snap buttons), a new pair of jeans and a belt with a REAL (big) belt buckle.

Dawson sported his goggles and was taken aback by the chilly pool water at Scott and Cheryl's as he splashed around in the shallow end.

He went to the zoo with Aunt Holly and our friend Bridget and her two kids, Morgan and Carson on Friday.

He flew back to Louisiana Saturday with Scott and Cheryl, who stayed with us until the next Wednesday for a visit.

I'm sure he will never forget his special first solo trip away. I feel so blessed our kids have both sets of grandparents to experience the irreplaceable fun of doing special things with!

VBS Montage

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Happy Trails

The "end of the trail" for this year's VBS is bittersweet, as always. The kids and the helpers don't want the fun and fellowship to end, but both parties are admittedly sleep-deprived!

Madalynn, Justis, Dawson and Jillian woke up around 5:30 with smiling faces each morning and came home with the same smiling faces (dark circles added). We left the house each day at 7 a.m., getting home roughly around 1:30 in the afternoon.

Madalynn and Justis were both in small groups, as they are "officially" old enough to participate in the VBS itself. Jillian and Dawson, however, also got the royal treatment. A couple ladies wrote a wonderful curriculum for the 4s & 5s and Dawson got to see each day's skits, worship and lesson in the big auditorium with the rest of the kids each day. He felt so big. Jillian also felt all grown-up and proudly showed me her drawings and projects she made each day. She told me today, "I had 'VBS kids' class, too. We maked pictures!"

Lilly, Madalynn's friend, spent two nights with us. She is such a sweetheart and she, Madalynn and Justis came home the two days she was here and just played, played and played. Sleep was sweet and about all we did all week was VBS, nap, eat, sleep.

Lesson learned? Food and sleep are all our we need to sustain our souls and bodies for a week when God is center stage!

Wagons West!

[10:40 p.m.] My house is quiet and I'm about to head for bed, because tomorrow is another rockin' day of VBS 2009 at our church.

Church of the King's 2009 VBS theme is Wagon's West: Uncle Jed's Bible Adventure. This year's theme builds upon last year's "Discover the Adventure" western theme. Uncle Jed and Paco, both hilarious and popular characters with the kids, are back for more antics and fun Bible lessons.

Madalynn is a 3rd-grade "Colt" this year, Justis is a 2nd-grade "Bronco," and Dawson is again a "Pony." Miss Jillian will be in nursery when she goes Wednesday. Scott and Cheryl are here until tomorrow, so I'm leaving her with them tomorrow again for some 1-on-1 time, like I did today. I am leading a 2nd-grade Bronco's group. Nine of the 12 on my roster were there. The church was packed out, and I wish someone could do a decibal level "reading" when all of the kids are in the huge sanctuary for program/praise and worship! Loud!

We all got in the car excited but completely exhausted and we were practically yelling at each other because, not becuase we were mad, but because our ears hadn't adjusted back to normalcy yet. I'll post some pictures tomorrow. Until then, good night!