A Rocky Mountain Getaway

We just returned from a short trip to Rocky Mountain National Park in Grand Lake, Colorado!  We had a very relaxing getaway.  I was geared up for lots of hiking and wildlife sightings, but unfortunately got very little on both counts.  The temperature was in the low 30's, and it was very muddy, snowy, and wet.  So, it didn't make for good hiking conditions.  We did hike a little, but just not as much as we wanted.  Eli spent most of the time playing in the snow and thought it was neat had a chance to preview the winter snow, before everyone else back home.  We enjoyed watching him play in this winter wonderland.  We were hoping to see moose and elk.  We didn't see any moose, and we only saw about a dozen elk.  And my photos of the elk didn't turn out great.  Bummer!  It was cloudy and overcast each day we were there, and I am not skilled at taking photos in those conditions.  However, I am pleased with my photo of the hawk (above).  I hope you enjoyed this little peak into our Colorado vacation!

My Swim with the Dolphins

Here I am, getting a dolphin smoochie

I traveled to beautiful Riviera Maya, Mexico last week with my husband and son. We had such a wonderful vacation! We enjoyed many activities such as snorkeling, swimming in the ocean and pool, and also took in a couple day excursions. And most importantly, we were also able to relax and decompress. One of the best experiences I have ever had in any of my travels is swimming with the dolphins. I did it for the first time in 2002, and was lucky enough to do it again a few days ago (Friday the 13th). If you ever have the opportunity to swim with these fun and playful creatures, I highly recommend doing so. To me, they represent the aquatic version of playful little puppies - they are so sweet; only they are more peaceful and graceful. The only bad part of the experience, is that it went by too fast! We swam at a place called "Delphinus" and had an hour in the water. We wanted our son to join in and swim with our group, but he was too standoffish. Children don't realize how large dolphins are until they come close, and they really can be intimidating to a small child. I think he'll be ready in a couple years. I hope you enjoy our photos of our dolphin encounter. I will post more pics from Mexico in a day or two.Our group (they keep the groups very small, average 5 or 6 at a time with the dolphins)

Me doing the "dolphin push". (Two dolphins push your feet so you are pushed across the water.)

My husband getting a dolphin smoochie