At Mark and Laura's Place

I was given a full week off of the pharmacy starting Monday, August 19th (actually they let me leave early on Sunday so I could drive to Orem for the night.)  Dan decided he didn't want to go with me so I took off alone.  I spent Sunday night with Kristi and the kids. Haini was working and Kristi was sewing seat folders for her classroom so I stayed up with her and we talked till about 1:30 AM.  I loved it.  She is so kind and fun to talk with.

I got up at 3:15 and headed to the airport.  My vacation was starting.  I was able to get on the 6:00 flight to Denver where Laura and the kids picked me up.  Then we headed straight for the Denver Zoo.  It was so fun.  I was amazed at all the animals they had there. 













We even saw a baby zebra that was just a few hours old.  He was just then trying out his legs.  He was a little wobbly but so cute.

We rode the train

and the carousel, watched the seal show and the elephant show. Before we went home we even got some cotton candy. What a great way to start a vacation.

Mark and Laura live in a wonderful, new community with parks, recreation center, pool and lots and lots of running/walking trails everywhere.

 

Jace and Annie had their last T-ball practice at one of the parks so we spent some time there watching them. I tried to walk back to the house but ended up missing the right turn and Laura and Brooklyn came looking for me. It made me want to explore the "whole place" even more.
Later that night they treated me to a baby-back rib dinner from Chili's delivered to the house by Mark. SOO good. Thank you!

Tuesday morning Laura went for a run very early. I have to say I didn't even hear her leave the house. When she got back I went for one, too. I went around the rec. center/pool and down to the end of the park where there were new homes being built. It was so fun, I just kept running and running around this neighborhood and that neighborhood looking at the beautiful homes. I came back to the park and took a different trail through it and then back up to the rec. center. I made my way back to Laura's but wasn't quite through running so I ran in and out of her neighborhood a couple of times. It was getting late and I had been gone for an hour so I went on back to the house where Jace and Annie met me.

After a shower we got ready and walked over to the pool. It was wonderful. There was a slide area, a shallow area, a swim area and a spray area all together in one huge pool. Laura and the kids got in the water but I just sat and enjoyed the view.

Needless to say we all took naps that afternoon and then Mark and Laura got some time to go to the temple and I got to spend some time with the kids. We made bread in a "little loaf" pan that held 8 loaves, had dinner and read books. Brooklyn is so sweet! She wasn't quite ready for bed when Jace and Annie were so she stayed up with me and just let me hold her till she fell asleep. They were all in bed when Dad and Mom got home but it had been a good night.



The next morning we walked to the park for one last play time together and then we loaded up the car and they took me back to the airport. 

 So long Nelson's. I'll see you again another time.