Fish anyone?

Kids are ready to go. Fishing on some private land for trout this
morning. Stay tumed for video of the kids catching trout on a fly rod.

Grandpa vs. The Grandkids

This is the result when you take on 4 kids after about 2 hours.

Hello from Durango

Eat your heart out. This is my parents view every morning.

Korbin making a sand angel

Taking a break

We didn't make it all the way up. But half way with 4 kids is pretty
good.

Almost midway

Water. Water. Is that water I see?

Great Sand Dunes

We have arrived

Well we are in Durango now and the first nights sleep in a real bed
was nice. 4 more nights and we head back. But we leave the three
oldest kids here for another 2 weeks. Aaahhh sweet silent bliss. Stay
tuned for some pics.

Bryan Sheppard

Adios Alamosa

Well we spent our last night in the pop-up camper and tonight we will
be in a real bed - praise the Lord. We are going to the Great Sand
Dunes National Park. It is bigger than a sandbox, but smaller than the
Sahara.

Stay tuned for some pics of the dunes.

Poor Kendal

She was crying and sad until she found out we were headed out for
Mexican for dinner.

Don't Shoot!

Kids having fun at Fort Garland in Southern Colorado.

How sweet they are

The prettiest setting for a playground.

This was an off the beaten path playground in Red River, NM

Kids on an old firetruck

Although the ghost town was "closed", we did get to climb on an old
firetruck.

Way up high

You could even feel the bridge shake as the trucks went by. It kind of
freaked out a couple of the kids.

The Rio Grande

Now that's a bridge

Bridge over the Rio Grande

Adios Taos

We are off to Alamosa now. So long Taos. Of course it wouldn't be a
rod trip if we didn't have to fix something so....guess what we did
this morning. You got it! And 1 sway bat hitch bolt and a new
electrical connector completed our stay in Taos.

Who knows what the next leg of our trip will bring. Stay tuned to find
out.

1,000 year old pueblo.

Now that's an old house.

Anyone have an extra long turtleneck?

The kids amongst the fur

Speaks for itself

This would be the Oreo Crew

As you can tell, we had an up close and personal tour of the alpacas
at Victory Ranch. It was really cool. Over 200 alpacas and they were
all named. Memory nightmare

Aaahhhh it's Chewbaca

We're on top of the world!

Atleast we feel like it. Finally a picture of Shelley and I. Way to go
Kyce.

Another pic of the San Fran Church

At the gates of San Francisco de Asis Church

This is the most photographed church in the US (so I hear). It is an
actual functioning Catholic Church.

Kids at campground in Taos

Wasn't expecting that!

OK, so it started last night when we realized "boy is it getting a
little chilly". Little did we know that in the middle of August that
we would be dealing with temps in the 30's. Yeah that's right. 38
degrees to be exact.

Now when you pack for a SUMMER vacation, do you bring Winter clothes.
That's my point. Luckily my mom and dad never take anything out of the
camper. So praise the Lord for a space heater. I never knew the boys
were sooo snuggly at night. Wish we were smart enough to bring Hot
Chocalate instead of Iced tea.

Our new home

Well maybe not. But it was pretty cool.

And this is where the ghosts sleep.

Or maybe the pigs.

I guess this is where the ghosts live

Ring that bell boys

Wake up the ghosts with the ring of a bell. If it's there and not a
figment of our imagination.

Ghost town church

Walking through a ghost town

Now that's a bone

Big Dino bone from somewhere in NM

Welcome to New Mexico

We are officially on New Mexico. The sign is actually a lot bigger
than the picture shows. Time to go see some ghosts in a rikkity old
town called "CUERVO"

See ya laterAmarillo

Well we are all packed up and heading out. Cuervo ghost town is the
next stop. I guess too many people "ate the worm". We'll find out when
we get there. After that it's off to Victory Ranch where we will see
what real alpaca farmers do. Then on to Taos for a couple of nights.
Stay tuned for some pics to come.

Ice Cream at last

Well it's the end of the day Saturday. What a great way to end it.
Change of plans puts is in Taos for the next 2 nights. Hitting a ghost
town and an Alpaca farm tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Yep. Been there done that!

Spent the afternoon at the SPLASH waterpark. Rode "the Taco" a couple
of tea with the kids. It was quite a ride and quite fun.

At the Amarillo zoo

Oh what a feeling

This is what it feels like after sleeping in a pop up camper when it's
been raining ALL night and you finally get to take a shower. Aaahhhhh!

Stop 1 - Amarillo

Wow! We actually made it to Amarillo and got the camper set up. See
Dad, I told you so ; )

Shelley's cooking dinner right now and then we swim a little and gear
up for tomorrow. We plan to visit Palo Dura Canyon in the morning and
then to the water park. Yes mom we brought the sunscreen. : )

Lunar lander

Off she goes

OK. So she thinks she's an astronaut.

Kids at the space museum

We stopped in Weatherford, OK at the Stafford Air and Space Museum. It
was fantastic. Lots of cool space shuttle and ticket things, even
actual rocket engines used on shuttle launches. COOL.

2 shy of a 6 pack

This is the navigation crew of the Sheppard 1 shuttle bound for
Amarillo, TX. Picture taken from the command center.

Hooked up and ready to roll

We officially have NO TRAILERS in our yard. We pulled out at 9 am on
Friday and are headed to Amarillo for 2 nights.

Well we are off in the morning. 6 nights in a pop-up. Can't wait. Thank goodness Shelley is smart enough to bring fruit for the kids, DVD's, a good book, and the all important BEEF JERKY. It wouldn't be a road trip without beef jerky.

We will be driving to Amarilo on Friday and spending 2 nights. We'll see if we can get the camper to cooperate.

Africa Trip In November

Well, Shelley and I are actually going to go on a missions trip. As much as we would love to take the kids, the thought of hauling a 9, 7, 5, and 3 year old half way across the world to a small orphanage outside of Nairobi, Kenya doesn't seem like a whole lot of fun. Sorry guys, maybe next time.....

There is a slideshow to the left that shows photos of the trip my mom took to HOREC in January. The story is amazing of how 1 woman's down-right tenacity to help the children whose parents died from AIDS have a place to grow up and be educated. Is there anything that we are going to let keep us from helping these kids? I don't think so.