Halloween

Snow! For Halloween! Who'd 'a' thought.

It was 70 and like this two days ago!

Marshmallow/Toothpick Pumpkin Structure

We took a shot at the Destination Imagination challenge to build a marshmallow/toothpick structure that would hold a mini pumpkin as high as possible. Very challenging.

Sadie Turnipseed

Fina and DCC Middle School Drama open their Fall production tonight! She plays Sadie Turnipseed in Finding Don Quixote. "Sadie Turnipseed is a modern day teenager trying to find her way in the world. She is forever changed when she discovers a buried copy of the classic Don Quixote." These shots are mostly of Fina, of course; all the photos I took are here if you're interested.

Fina and her leading men, taken after closing show Saturday night.

Striking resemblance to Matteo, don't you think?

Fun photo capture.

My favorite show vignette, the arm-pit-fart-noise scene.

Pirasaurs

The twins have taken their first steps into the world of theatre. Last night the whole family watched DCC's first grade stage production of Pirasaurs, "a ragtag team of seasoned pirate dinosaurs looking for adventure and treasure!" What a hoot! More photos are here.

Pumpkin Carving Day

It was pumpkin carving day at the Compound. All the photos are here.

Drama queen.

Nana and Matteo whipped up some pumpkin spice cupcakes using the
pumpkin "stock" Matt made from a few pumpkins that gave their all.

Glen Eyrie Castle

Some of the most interesting things end up being in your own back yard. Glen Eyrie Castle is one of those things. Lynn and Jamie did a little 1-night staycation there and thoroughly enjoyed it. Did the High Tea, took the tour, and lived for one night at the top of the castle in a magical room. Also did one short hike of many hikes available from the property (for guests or with permit), short to long, easy to moderate. And stumbled onto some wildlife as well. Lots more photos are here.

At the entrance (far left) to Glen Eyrie Castle, a family residence built by
General William Jackson Palmer.

High Tea

Stylin' hats were available for the ladies.

We got to pick out our own tea cups. And among the choices was
Noritake "Marywood" - our wedding china! I took that one. Lynn
went for a Lenox red-flower pattern very similar to my Mom's.

Glen Eyrie is just to the north of Garden of the Gods, and the geology is
just as magnificent. Loved this lighter-colored, harder rock layer
dipping from the back/upper area down toward the castle grounds.

Two very old eagles' nests. First bald eagles, then
golden eagles, and now Red-tail Hawks inhabit
these structures. The eagles have long since left.

The view from our room at the top of the tower.

The Creamery, one of the other buildings on the property. General Palmer,
who built the castle for his family's residence, was one of the very first
in North America to pasteurize milk. He made a trip to Europe to learn from
Louis Pasteur himself. One of many fascinating stories about General Palmer
and his family that we learned on the tour.

We saw these big-horn sheep, wild turkeys, and a very large mule deer. We're
told there are carnivores about as well (bear, mountain lion, etc.) but never
caught sight of those. No pets or domesticated animals on the property, but
lots of these natives, who seemed totally indifferent to humans.

View of the castle from Dawson Trotman's grave. Mr. Trotman was the
founder of The Navigators which purchased the castle property in 1953 and
has been managing and operating it ever since as a conference and
meeting facility and, to some degree, a regular bed and breakfast.
This version of the residence was completed in 1909. There were
two earlier versions, both wooden structures, one modest and one large.

Upon advice from our tour guide at the castle,
we visited the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
downtown. Wonderful history museum, and we
learned even more about General Palmer.

General Palmer is in the middle of the lower three. To his right is General
Custer, much more famous for all the wrong reasons. General Palmer had
a quite distinguished military career during the Civil War.

In addition to founding Colorado Springs, General Palmer also founded
the Denver & Rio Grande Railway (D&RG). This photo and the above
photo are in the Pioneers Museum.

Lots more photos from our trip are here.

Change Day for Ronald McDonald House Charities

It's Change Day today at McDonald's restaurants to support their Ronald McDonald House program. Here are two Tracy posts:

"Today Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is having their #DayofChange. While out running your errands drop your change in the RMH boxes (they always have them at McDonalds). This charity means so much to our family. We have had to stay two different times at RMH once in Reno and once at a Ronald McDonald House in Stanford and fingers crossed we will get in at the Stanford house for our third time in December (checkup). When you are away from home during stressful medical ordeals having a place like the RMH is amazing (and saves us from going into debt just to get our kids the medical care they need). Please consider throwing your change to them. They are seriously our home away from home. Every penny counts, please donate. #forRMHC #KeepingFamiliesClose #RMHC"

"Have you dropped your change into a Ronald McDonald House (RMH) box today? Here is a picture of Nana and David at the RMH in Reno 6 years ago. Jonathan and Mommy were in the hospital and having the RMH for Nana and David meant we could all stay close, while Jonathan recovered. #KeepingFamaliesClose #RMHC #DayOfChange #forRMHC Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC)"