Colorado Springs Weekend Trip

After Ben found out he was accepted to CU for his MBA he decided we needed to go and have a fun weekend! He came home from work early on Friday (April 8), we packed the car and drove to a hotel in Colorado Springs.  We ate deliciously unhealthy food; they had a complementary dinner at the hotel.  Then we swam in the swimming pool. Elizabeth had just started her swim lessons and was excited to show Ben how much she learned.  James had never been swimming before and he loved it.  I taught Elizabeth how to jump on beds and made sure she understood that we only jump on beds in hotels and then we all went to bed early (it's hard to stay awake when sharing a room with two sleeping kids).  The next morning we got ready and went to the Colorado Springs zoo.

James LOVED playing with the baby in the mirror.

James loved swimming.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is built into the side of the mountain.  As you walk around the exhibits you are walking up and down hill and the cages are often below you because of the slopes of the mountains).  They had so many cool things to see; tons of lions (a large male, some kids and lounging mothers), wild wallaby's jumping around, hippos and crocodiles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The coolest thing was the giraffe's; they have a bridge that is up in the air by the heads of the giraffe's and you can feed them (they come up to the bridge and beg for food).  Their eyelashes really are so long and their tongues looked like slugs crawling out of their mouths (they were seriously gross).  Elizabeth was hesitant, because of the massive tongues, but she fed one of them a small piece of lettuce. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While taking a break and eating a snack a pair of peacocks got in a fight between Ben and a fence, so.... on Ben; it was freaky and super funny to watch.  Elizabeth really wanted to see the Gorilla's but when we got there she was super scared.  She said she thought they would hit the glass and come eat her.  Over by the gorillas were the oragutan's and they were amazing.  There was a huge male and a female in a cage together and in the next cage over was a mom with her baby.  I could have stood and watched the baby move around all day, it was so adorable.  

 

 

 

 If you drove past/thru the zoo there was a road that lead up to the Shrine of the Sun.  This is a castle built up on the mountain in remembrance of the actor, Will Rogers.  It had a bell tower that you could walk up (99 steps- Ben counted) and tons of pictures and memorabilia.  There was also a room with murals of the history of Colorado Springs, which were disturbing in so many ways (death, racism, dismember ship, slavery).  It was beautiful and gave a great view of CO Springs.

 

 

 

 

It was a fun spur of the moment trip and has so many fun memories.  I am so glad that we decided to do that and were able to have that fun time together before Ben started school.