I now live in Longmont, Colorado, with my husband of 15 years, Jim, and our five-year-old (excuse me, five-and-a
half- year-old) daughter, Brooke Hollis.  Our Pekingese pooch, Tinker Bell, just moved to
our family's farm in Ocala, Florida, but we still our our uppity Siamese cat, Miss Tess.
We came here one year ago after living in the Orlando area for much of our adult lives.

I've discovered some major differences between life in Florida and life in Colorado, mostly
the change from 100% humidity to just about the most arid climate imaginable:  Lotion, H20,
and Chap Stick are main staples of our household. Another outstanding difference lies in the two
states, themselves; while people flock to Florida for its theme parks (Disney World, Sea World, Universal-MGM Studios,
Animal Kingdom, et al), people who visit Colorado seem to view it as a natural theme park, in and of itself. 

The seasons provide endless "to do" activities.  Spring and summer months offer hiking, white water rafting, camping, horseback/
trail riding, and plenty of hot springs in which to soak.  Fall and winter months offer skiing, ice skating, and snowmobiling.  Due
to all the mountain mining towns, there are also plenty of ghost town tours for history  buffs.
Colorado also promises frequent sightings of wild elk, beautiful golden aspen leaves,
cute little Prairie Dogs, and a range of mountains that include Longmont's very own
Twin Peaks (Long's Peak and Mount Meeker).  There are also plenty of festivals, including
the Rocky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival, film, music, and food festivals.  Towns which
we've visted (so far!) include Vail, Breckenridge, Denver, Boulder, Estes Park, Colorado Springs,
Winter Park, and Fort Collins.  There are so many places to see that our family plans "mini
trips" that allow us to enjoy sightseeing without ever having to leave the state.

Jim and Brooke, paddle boating on Grand Lake, 2004.

Planning a trip to CO? Check out this sightseeing guide: ColoradoSightseeing