Michigan Sunset

While Mary is home holding down the fort, I am back in Michigan visiting family. As my mom, brad, and I got into MI from denver, I was able to get some really great sunset pics. The clouds are so different in michigan!

All pics taken near St. Johns

National Parks Road Trip

Hi all! Here is a collection of pics from our most recent road trip to three National Parks: Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, and Canyonlands. We made the trip with Justin's mom and boyfriend, and it was a great time! It took four days and two nights.


Canyonlands National Park in Utah

Justin and a really big rock.

Mary and a pretty view of the "needles" of Canyonlands.

Mary and Justin and the needles.

The Continental Divide

Mesa Verde National Park

These ruins could not be accessed without a National Parks tour - which cost money - so we enjoyed the view from the overlook :)

Inside one of the ruins where they used to keep fires to keep warm.

We could get right in these ruins with about a mile hike down.

We are pretty sure that we weren't supposed to be all in the ruins like this, but no one saw us so it is ok!

Great Sand Dunes National Park

You might look at these and think, "Oh, they are not that big..." but just wait until you try to find the people in the pictures below.

You can see Brad and Denise in the bottom of the shot, but can you see the other people?

A person at the top of the dune.

Walking on the sand... it wasn't too hot that day.

We had to cross this cute shallow river before we got to the dunes.

Funnel Cloud!

Saw a funnel cloud today from right outside our house! Sirens were going off, and the clouds were rotating all around us, it was pretty intense! Luckily none of the funnels touched down! Check it out...

Bolder Boulder!

For quite a while now, Mary and I have taken up running. We have been pretty successful. About a month ago, we both ran our first 5K, and completed it along with erica (mary's sister). Unfortunately, we don't have any pics of this, but 2 weeks ago, Justin ran in the Bolder Boulder with Carter and Erica (carter is good and was in a faster heat, and erica and justin ran together for the whole thing). We did such a good job, we ran it in 67 minutes without stopping, and we hope to improve on that for next year! Below are a few pics from the event, and mary even got an action video! Also there is a link to see the professional photos taken throughout the race. Enjoy.

Link for Professional Race Photos:
http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=48138&BIB=HB008&LNSEARCH=1&PWD=

After race photo

The finish line was inside Folsom Field on the Campus of CU. Lots of people were there!

Mary and Jen were trying to find us for a very long time during the race, and they eventually did towards the end! I just went through a slip 'n slide, there were lots of neat activities during the race!

Memorial Day Road Trip

Over memorial day weekend, we decided to pack the car up with snacks, the dogs, and ourselves and head north! Once we got up to wyoming and got sick of farms, we then turned right into south dakota. It was from here that we managed to see mt. rushmore, wind cave national park, and badlands national park, with a brief stay at the infamous wall drug! Then we headed back south through a series of backroads (and not to mention a series of thunderstorms, as well). All in all it was a pretty good way to spend the weekend. Below are some great pics of our adventure. Enjoy.Tired buffalo at wind cave national park

Mary & Jen at the entrance to wind cave national park


In the cave, it wasn't as windy as the name led us to believe

Wall Drug!

Mary & Justin on a jackalope!

Justin's baby looks just like him

Mt. Rushmore, it's a lot bigger in person

This mountain goat found a good eating spot on top of the parking garage at mt. rushmore. More people were taking pictures of him, rather than the very large sculpture...hehe

Can you spot george washington?

Now I know why they are called the badlands

The rock layers were incredible

Mary is in this picture, can you see her?
(top left corner, in gray & black)

That's jen, don't tell her mother

We got to see the layers up close!

Visitor's center

A lot of the formations look like castles

Driving home after a big thunderstorm!