Denver Trip Day 4--Tuesday

Randy, Landon and Annie Kate were busy working on the puzzle again when I came upstairs on Tuesday morning (I tend to take my time getting ready before I surface).

We thought we were going to have to take 2 cars to the city, but we decided one of the kids could cram in the way we used to when we were growing up (remember clanging around the back of a station wagon?). Whitney wanted to be the one and ended up sitting on her knees packed between Randy and Sally Jane, it was way more fun driving all together.

We passed Denver's Friendliest Laundromat on the way to the Botanic Gardens, I found this funny.

We also passed a Cannabis Care Center...what the?! How did I not know Marijuana is legal in Denver?! Weird.

While searching for free activities to do in Denver I was thrilled to find out that July 19th was a free day at the Botanic Gardens! I enjoy going to places like this, but don't ever want to pay $40+ to get all of us in.

We started out feeling optimistic as we checked the map and headed out with the hordes of people who were also taking advantage of the free day.

I love flowers!

I love this shot!

These are cute.

Landon was excited to add another jumping shot to his collection.

I seem to be drawn to this color of Daylilies.

It soon became apparent that it was way too hot to be outside. Surprisingly I was in good form and not feeling oppressed, but the kids withered quickly. We saw some interesting sun hats, but this one was the biggest and best! I don't know that I could get away with a look like this, but I need something.

Kristi took her girls to find a restroom, so we found some shade to rest in while we waited.

I love this picture of Whitney.

 

Kristi called me from the main building to say her girls needed to regroup and get something to eat, so we decided to do the same. The food at the restaurant there looked good so I ordered a roast beef panini that ended up being so heavy on the blue cheese I thought I was going to be sick.

This is my favorite picture of the day.

After lunch we decided to check out the children's garden and then to leave because it was just too stinking hot to function. I'm telling you the clouds here are works of art!

The children's garden is on the roof of the parking structure and is more of a desert theme (i.e., no shade trees) so it was NOT fun. We shuffled around in the crowd and then tried to find Caroline and Whitney (they were seeking shade in a cave). It was oppressively hot...like buzzards circling hot.

Randy found a few feet of shade and huddled there like a desperate animal on the savannah.

We finally decided to leave, but then the little girls needed to use the bathroom. The building with the bathroom was tiny, so we had to step outside to wait for them and felt like we were going to die (no drama here). Seriously, it was ridiculous. There were huge groups of people with strollers and kids and everyone was red-faced and sweating. It seemed like there should be water misters, people handing out water bottles and ambulances standing by.

This is our heat stroke self-portrait.

We passed this interesting marquis on the way out of town.

Randy and I immediately fled to the cool comfort of the guest suite for a nap to help get our core temperatures down and to regroup. Of course I ended up with a headache. Randy recovered nicely and joined Landon for some basketball later.

Hours later I went with Kristi and Annie Kate to pick up some pizza for dinner. The rain had rolled in by then and cooled everything down. The rain here seems bigger than the rain we're used to in Utah, it seems to be a big, determined rain. It came down like it couldn't land fast enough and there were huge puddles everywhere.

But 20 minutes later it was clear again.

The pizza, salad and watermelon were so good!

The adults got to hang out and talk while we ate dinner.

There was more jumping to be done.

And some talking on the swings.

Later Kristi made an absolutely fabulous dessert! She toasted coconut and then pressed it onto the outside of a ball of vanilla ice cream, then put it into a waffle cone bowl and drizzled homemade chocolate sauce and homemade caramel sauce on it...oh baby!

It was fantastic!

Everyone lounged and ate their desserts together.

It was really a day of extremes with the weather. We were only gone for 4 hours, but felt like we'd been through the ringer. Either we're super wussy or just not acclimated. Kristi said she felt dehydrated for the first month of living here, so maybe that's part of it. Good times.

**Did you know marijuana was legal here?

Do you have a high tolerance for heat?

What's the most overheated you've ever been?

Have you had this dessert before?**

Comment Window Tidbit: Being on vacation is such a time-warp experience, but I guess it really should be because these days shouldn't feel like normal days at all.