VACATION/REUNION Days 3, 4 and 5

Day 3 of the vacation/reunion was July 4th. We started the day by having a group breakfast of breakfast burritos. They usually go over well and are easy to do. After the clean up we parted to do our own thing for awhile. Eugene, Liz and I drove up to the highest point in the park. Kasey, Laura and girls followed along. Eugene and Liz wanted to hike to the top of the knoll. Makayla didn't want to be left behind, nor did Kasey and Laura. I stayed behind with Ellie and we wondered the gift shop and visitor's center. We went back to camp to start lunch/dinner, also known as linner. The kids had requested a dutch oven dinner. We cooked chicken and potatoes. It was a big hit. Here's a picture of Eugene cooking. :)

He really did do most of the cooking. He was resting while it cooked. :)

Here's a couple of pictures of Grandpa and Ellie. Ellie LOVES her grandpa!!!

The next pictures are of Grandpa and Ellie coming back from one of their many walks.

Here is a picture of Shawn playing football with Makayla while waiting for the food to cook.

After we ate our fabulous dutch oven meal, we went into Estes Park for some family fun. We went to this great fun park. We rode bumper boats, bumper cars, go carts, some of us played mini golf and others went to the batting cages. It was great fun. I didn't have my camera so I have no pictures. Makayla went on the bumper boats and the go carts twice with Katie. I think she had fun. She liked the mini golf too. After the fun park we found a grassy spot, spread out our blankets and settled in to watch the fireworks.

On Saturday we went on a tour of the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. It is a haunted hotel. The ghost hunters have been there and have determined it is haunted. The Stanley Hotel is the hotel from Steven King's The Shining. Following are some pictures of "ghosts". We didn't see them, but they showed up on our pictures. See the white orb on the ceiling? Weird! (click on the pictures to enlarge)
The hotel is beautiful and the history is facinating!

After the tour, Eugene, Liz and I went back to tour more of RMNP. There is an alluvial fan that we went to see. It was caused by a dam failure. Here is a picture of the creek that runs through it and a picture of Liz sitting on a huge rock that was deposited when the dam failed.

On Sunday we packed up and left for home. It was a very nice vacation and reunion. I figure the reunion was a success because there were no fights, no one blew up at anyone, and we all left friends. :) Our next reunion will be May of 2009 at Lake Tahoe for Katie and Shawn's wedding.