Glorieta, New Mexico!!

Last Monday we headed out of Seymour at 6 am to go to Glorieta, New Mexico for a week of youth camp/vacation!!

This little princess saw her first sunrise!

We celebrated our arrival at the Holy Grounds with some ice cream!

Smile!!  ("OH Mom! The sun!!!)

Much better :)

Camp was great - we didn't get to do as many of the activities as I'd hoped - kids under 5 weren't allowed for the worship services, etc. but we still had a good time.

We rode paddle boats one hot afternoon 

We did lots of playing by the lake - throwing rocks and sticks, trying to catch fish with bare hands, watching for snakes and ducks, picking flowers - lots of fun!

And the best part of the trip - Aunt Dee and her new husband Uncle Spencer came down to Santa Fe to spend a couple of days with us too!!  We were so happy to finally meet him!  We went for ice cream on the square....

and to the Children's Museum - Reese had a BIG time painting her own face.

The more paint, the better!

The boys tried it out too!

They had fun building,

drawing, 

climbing,

and putting on a puppet show!

And we had a couple of amazing meals here -

complete with dessert!

Camp finished out with the mega relay - the kids and I watched from up the hill - they thought it was awesome!

Overall, a very nice week of relaxing and fun time with the family!

This year...

Last time we were here 3 years ago!

Time is flying by!

Africa - The Animals

One of the really cool things about traveling to Africa was seeing all of the animals that we usually only see in zoos or children's books and movies.

Before we were a mile from the airport, we saw 3 baboons cross the road in front of us.  Baboons!!!

This hornbill was hanging out in a tree outside our window the first morning we woke in Africa.

There were beautiful birds everywhere.

There were also some not so beautiful creatures...like the wildebeest. 

As we finished up our trip, we were thankful for the opportunity to travel through Etosha National Park.  We drove about six hours to get through it, and the animals we got to watch in their natural habitats were so magnificent!  

Springbok

Impala

Giraffes!!  I think they are some of the coolest animals on the planet, and clicked about 3 dozen pictures of them right away.  David had told me, "By the time we get a couple of hours into the park, you won't even get excited about them anymore - there's so many!" 

The excitement wore off some, and I quit taking pictures of every single one I saw, but I still think they are just awesome!

I love how they bend and position themselves to drink!

OK, last one...kind of.

The zebras were great too - my favorite colors!

I loved how these two kind of hugged.

There are SO many kinds of antelope in the park, and I have spent some time looking up pictures to help identify these, and most I'm positive what they are, but a few I just don't know.  This is one I don't know at all, but isn't it beautiful!?

One last giraffe picture, but the kudu in between the two is the main attraction.  It was massive.

Warthog family

Gemsbok Oryx

A rhino - it never got very close, but it was cool even at a distance!

The best part - this beautiful giant.  It was huge and majestic and a rare sight.  He walked right in front of our van as he crossed the road. 

Male lions sleep around 18-20 hours a day, so seeing one walking around was a special treat.

There is nothing like seeing these animals in their element.  God has made some amazing creatures!!