Denver!

So, Jeff signed up for a training about working undercover, which happened to be in Denver. Since they are required to have so many training hours, it was approved that he go on the department's dime. They gave him a company car and gas card, and the training company paid for his room and $39/day for food. It lasted for a whole week, so we were originally thinking we'd sneak along with him, then found out he was bunked with another guy. We couldn't work out lodging for us, and especially transportation there, so we decided to stay home and miss him lots. Then, the night before he'd be leaving, he was told people bring their families all of the time and he could just call and request his own room. Booyeah! So, we were treated to an impromptu, 100% free vacation last week! The short version goes something like this:

Sunday: Drive there with minimal stops, check in and be impressed with our hotel suite. Girls did pretty well - only needed one huge playtime stop at McD's in all the 8 hours there.
Monday: indulge in free breakfast (made-to-order omelets, french toast, pancakes, bacon, sausage, potatoes, muffins, fruit, cereal, yogurt, every morning) swim at the hotel, naps, dinner at Johnny Rockets, Fro Yo, and HUGE richie mall playplace
Tuesday: Mom and girls went to Dinosaur Ridge to see real fossils and dinosaur replicas, nap in the room, lunch at Chili's, dinner at Golden Corral.
Wednesday: puzzles and nail polish in the hotel, leftovers for lunch (we had plenty!) Little Caesar's for dinner, movie time in.
Thursday: Mom and girls hike Red Rock - challenging with 2 babes but gorgeous and very fun, naps, dinner with an old bestie from FL Sarah and her entourage, then hanging out at her place.
Friday: packing up, swimming (with daddy this time,) lunch at LePeep (love it!) and overpriced, overly amazing desserts from D Bar (Keegan Gerhard ring a bell anyone?) then headed out of town. We just so happened to be hungry right at the same McD's from our trip in... not much variety in Wyoming, I'm afraid...

Seeing as we were there by ourselves, I didn't have anyone to steal pics from, so I have a precious few that I stole quickly with that SAME LAST bit of battery power on my camera. Visual highlights:

digging for fossils, and life-sized dino replicas

the girls' first hike!





And my $4 brownie. Yes, I'd pay that again, it was so good.

Textual highlights:

• Alisa is swimming adventurous - or suicidal! She kept me on my water-logged toes, while she climbed out, ran around and walked right off the edge of the pool over and over. Luckily I caught her every time.
• At Dinosaur Ridge, they had signs warning for rattle snakes. While the girls were digging for fossils, Amie looked in her bucket and said, "look, mom, a snake!" I instantly grabbed both girls by their shirts and jumped us up out of the fossil pit, much to the startling of everyone around us. Then I looked back in her bucket and saw... a worm. Awesome.
• Hanging out at Sarah's house, the girls were mesmerized by their large German Shepherd, Koda. They both wanted to play and pet lots, but would get scared, too, as he was taller than them. In bed that night, Amie told me "Mom, it was fun at Koda's house."
• While swimming our last day, Amelie met a little girl and followed her around relentlessly, saying "Best friend! Come here, best friend! Let's swim, best friend!"

Overall, it was just a great time to get away. Between the gas card, hotel, free breakfast, and Jeff's per diem, we didn't even spend a dime! I figure that us going on the vacation actually saved us money, cause we didn't use our car, gas or usual utilities the whole week. How sweet is that? Gotta love a free vacation - and the 3rd we've had in the past 7 weeks! With 1 more coming up, Woohoo!