My birthday

Gifts from Coop:

A frame with a photo of us:

A double rainbow (not from Coop, but pretty cool):

I celebrated with the family in Colorado.  Three meat courses:

And three cakes!  Perfect!

Colorado: Family Pictures

The grandkids:

Dinner:

Sisters:

Selfie:

Colorado: Family Activities

It was nice to have a house to hang out in, and the family had some good down-time.  We celebrated Kelly's birthday:

Taught mom and dad to voice text:

Played cards:

I don't even know what this is, but I think it involved Cooper losing a bet of some sort to Vada:

Coop got to sit in a firetruck:

Watched tv on amazingly comfortable recliners:

Enjoyed a cool porch swing:

Colorado: Money Museum, Rodeo, and Cave of the Winds

We went to a money museum, where the kids got smashed pennies:

We went to the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo (and Coop prepared with rodeo clown make-up):

We stopped at the pro rodeo hall of fame:

And we went to Cave of the Winds, where Coop panned for gemstones:

In the cave:

Group photo:

Colorado: Olympic Training Center

Colorado Springs is home to one of the Olympic training centers, a residential facility for Olympic athletes (predominantly summer Olympians) can live and train.

We got to tour some of the facilities, and Mom and Cooper tried out the boxing ring:

In a bobsled (after which I made them watch Cool Runnings):

Colorado: Garden of the Gods

We drove to Garden of the Gods one morning to hike around.  Coop and I got separated from the group (it's hard to find three parking spots together), but we had fun exploring:

Always a clown:

Colorado: Pulpit Rock

For my dad's 70th birthday (in June), we decided to take a family vacation to Colorado Springs (in July).  We rented a house for all 11 of us, and the backyard led out to Pulpit Rock (in the distance).

One morning, this intrepid group decided to hike some of the trails in the area to get to the top:

Summit!

It was really gorgeous and the weather that morning was perfect -- a bit overcast and cool.

Movie making

Cooper has been enjoying using the iPad to make movies.  Here he's setting up for a review of the Lego Volkswagen beetle:

Editing the video:

And he's got his own YouTube channel now, so you can check out some of his productions.  One of my recent favorites:

And another, co-starring Gus and Eleanor!

Starting July...

Cooper and I made this paper fidget spinner thing.  Not bad!

 We went to see the Lawrence Arts Center production of Lion King Jr.  Several of Coop's friends were in it, and we had a fabulous time!

A mongoose, zebra, and hyena.  And Cooper!

With Alan to see The Music Man:

Chigger bites during the camp at the nature center:

Cardboard box construction:

And destruction: