The US Aussie Footy Championship

Colorado Springs, CO

One of the things that Mark really likes about living in Austin is the fact that he is part of an Australian Rules footy team. A group of Aussies and Americans that get together regularly to play Aussie Rules. October 11th and 12th were the US National Aussie Rules football championships in Colorado Springs. Loving Colorado we were eager to go but weren't sure about going on a trip until our house in Florida sold. Amazingly enough we closed on our Celebration home on October 9th!!! YEE ha...

After some last minute travel planning we were on our way....only to arrive in Denver to lost luggage and cold weather predictions for the weekend. Up until that point Colorado Springs was experiencing daytime highs in the 70's...well doable for our warm weather loving clan. So of course it was my suitcase that went missing....so off to the mall to shop for everything from contact solution to socks...they weren't sure when I would get my luggage and ballet flats and a t-shirt were not going to cut it!!

Saturday we ventured to the US Air Force Academy for Mark's first game....of course our kids only own "hoodies" which I wouldn't classify as real jackets and about 2 minutes after getting out the car - Joshua (wearing a long sleeved tee and hoodie) proudly proclaimed that he was cold....so was I and I had way more clothing on!! I decided it was best to take the kids back to the hotel so Noah could nap and Joshua could dethaw and we would venture to REI on the way back to get some winter wear. Poor Mark...wearing shorts and being extremely lean decided that this was the craziest thing he had wasted money on!! After learning they would play two more games the following day he broke down and decided that yes he did need to buy some under armour and maybe and winter jacket!!

Though it would have been a stellar event with some sunshine and warmer weather we still really had a nice weekend. Monday was our free day and the kids got to explore the Garden of the Gods and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Our friends Ron and Phylis Campbell live in Castle Rock on the way to Denver from Colorado Springs and we had the good fortune to catch up with them as well. It must be the intoxicating scenery as I always leave Colorado thinking I could actually live here....a bold statement coming from the girl who loves the warm weather!!

Trying...and I mean trying to get a good picture outside at the world famous hotel Broadmoor (no we did NOT stay there...though I wish we had)
Feeding giraffes at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Entering Australia...well kind of!!

Joshua's new friend the Grizzly Bear!!

The Austin Crows Aussie Football Team