Gems and Minerals

So I feel a sense of urgency this summer about some things...mostly spending time together.  Which, then I have to remind myself, is silly because this is probably the last time until...RETIREMENT...that we will be able to spend a whole summer together as a family without any obligations or anything.  I guess I just want to make sure it is memorable - that we make the most of it.

However, we don't have a lot of money rolling around here.  Like pretty much none.  So...we have to make our own fun.  Which I actually don't think we have much of a problem doing.  But I did find all of these "free days" that they do here in the Denver area for different places.  Seriously...where has this been the last two years?!  I am so excited!

Anyway, so now we have an entire summer packed with all sorts of fun things we can do - or not do - it's great!

Today, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science was having a free day.  We had been here once before when Daniel and Teresa and their family came to visit and we loved it - so we were excited to go back.  Of course, it was pretty packed but we still had a fun time walking around the different exhibits this morning.  Plus, now that we know about the "free days" we don't feel like we have to spend a lot of time there to make it worth it - we can just see what we want and then check out the rest another time.  WIN-WIN!

We checked out the wildlife exhibits but we definitely spent the bulk of our time looking around the gems and minerals exhibit.  They recreated a mine shaft that takes you down into a recreated Mexican silver mine where they have white gypsum crystals and stalactites.  We thought it was pretty cool. 

Then they have this huge wall of rhodochrosite which is Colorado's State Mineral.  It's really pretty.  the largest rhodochrosite was found in Alma, Colroado and is called "The Alma King."  It's huge.  

"The Alma King"

The one kind of a bummer was that they had no traveling exhibit there today.  I guess they don't have any coming until October - but there is still PLENTY to see and keep us busy.

On the top floor of the museum you get this SPECTACULAR view of the city park and then downtown Denver.  Combined with my two favorite boys - this a pretty great picture :)