Our 4th of July did not go as we planned... In March we booked a cabin at Jellystone Campground in Estes Park and planned on spending the weekend camping with our friends, the Franks. So on Wednesday, the day before we were supposed to head up to the mountains, I spent TWO AND A HALF hours at Super Walmart getting stuff for the trip -- planning the menu, preparing things ahead of time, getting a few new toys for the boys and camping gear, etc. Later that evening Patrick went for a run and I sat out on our deck while Daniel and Caleb played in the back yard. The minute my back was turned (isn't that when things happen!) Caleb was up on the bench that goes around our deck and had fallen off the highest part onto the pile of rocks below. I have to admit my first response was not, "Oh, no! My poor little boy!" I think I actually rolled my eyes and said, "oh brother..." (Our kids choose the most inconvenient times to do these things!) Anyway, he was screaming and then Daniel started crying and I started freaking out and everyone was a mess. Snot and tears going everywhere. I thought Caleb was crying so hard because he did skin his face and head up pretty good and it was an hour past bed time. He finally calmed down after about 30 minutes, but would start wailing the minute he left my lap. When Patrick got home we realized one wrist was swollen and he didn't want us to get near it. So I called the doctor who said take him to the ER, especially since he had fallen more than twice his own height. The doctor at the ER said he was fine and sent us home, but we did have to wake Caleb every two hours to make sure he didn't have a concussion. It was quite obvious to me the next morning that his wrist was hurt. So we went to his pediatrician. Several x-rays later we saw that Caleb did indeed fracture his left wrist. And that put an end to our camping trip since we had to wait until Saturday to get a cast on after the swelling went down.

Caleb sportin' his new accessory, which was not purposefully coordinated to his outfit - purely coincidental!

But the holiday weekend was not a complete loss. We ended up going to Tiny Town, which is exactly what it sounds like. Caleb LOVED it. Maybe because he feels dominated by Daniel all the time and this was his chance to be the Big One.

fee-fi-fo-fum!

We also took a spontaneous drive (no pics from that because the camera battery went dead...) up Hwy285 into Fairplay and then Hwy9 into Breckenridge for dinner. All I can say is Colorado is gorgeous!! My only regret about moving here is that we didn't do it sooner. Truly God's country. So... we just need to move family and the Tennessee Vols to Denver and it would be perfect! On Sunday we got to do a little hiking before the Summer thunderstorms rolled into the foothills.

Daniel and his treasury of sticks, which somehow made it home with us!

All in all, it was a good weekend. We got to see some great fireworks off our back porch and used our grill quite a bit. And we are eternally thankful to the men and women who have laid down their lives to keep America free! Happy 4th of July!