Friday, July 29, 2016

Back in Colorado... With Style!

We rolled into Colorado around 2:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon, welcomed home by a lonely dad and the same summer thunderstorms we'd left behind! After unpacking an overly stuffed minivan, my mom and I had a tight turnaround and had to head over to the gym where I'd agreed to sub two classes for a friend. After two weeks of vacation, it was just the kick in the pants I needed!
That night we lit off a few fireworks leftover from the 4th of July-- much to my children's delight. This was Elizabeth's expression while watching them. I think she was concerned, but mostly curious!
Welcome home to Colorado! This was our grand finale that Zach had picked out, called the "Haunted House." It was pretty cool! I gotta say, although I love to travel nothing beats sleeping in your own bed. We spent the next few days taking care of business! Running errands, an overdue Costco trip, getting pedicures (suuuuper important), tending the garden, and enjoying Grandma Joanie for another day or two.
She had to fly out Wednesday night, so I thought it was entirely appropriate for us to have a one-on-one brunch date to Snooze since she'd put up with the 5 of us on THE longest road trip ever. It's a killer breakfast nook just north of us, with amazing eggs Benedict combinations and the best hot chocolate we'd ever tried.  
That afternoon we took the kids to see the Littleton History Museum, which is free, and boasts working-farms from 1860 and 1890. This was a real one-room schoolhouse from that era, and Lucy thought it was so cool-- just like Little House on the Prairie! 
Checking out the little homestead with its primitive kitchen appliances. It was really well furnished with so many great antiques-- it really made you think about life back then, especially with no air conditioning! Phew!
There were 8 little piglets in the 1890's farmyard that were so cute! Stinky, but cute. We headed back home and Grandma made us her famous French crepes for dinner. She flew out that night amidst the Southwest debacle-- and finally made it to Boise a mere 4 hours later than scheduled (at 3 a.m.). Incidentally, Whitney would have crossed paths with her in the sky had things gone according to plan, since she flew into Denver (on Frontier) that night as well-- arriving at 11 p.m.
We went for long walks in the morning, she sewed a quilt as part of her "30 Before 30" challenge, she played with the kids, cooked us dinner every night like a boss, pumped it up in my Friday class, and we even knocked out a few rounds of Bohnanza. On Friday night Jon let us get dinner just the two of us-- as a favor since Whitney would be watching all 4 kids on Saturday night for he and I to go on a date. We went to a super random foodie find called "Fins and Noodles" which featured Italian seafood. I got the second best sandwich in a competition that included all of Colorado!
Cheese!
The next day Jon had to work until 5, so Whitney helped me take the kids to Zach's little league game, and then to lunch at Chick fil A. They sure love their Auntie Whitney! 
That afternoon Leah helped me pick some squash. It is exploding out of its planter box and we came home to 4 zucchini and 2 summer squash. 
Our tomato trees plants are exploding as well-- taller than the fence now and waaaay taller than Leah. It's amazing how much they grew just while we were gone! Now if every tomato we have growing on there ripens and gets picked, we'll have hundreds!
That night Jon and I went to Cirque du Soleil in downtown Denver while Whitney babysat. I'd always wanted to go when we lived in Las Vegas, but we never made it, so when Jon was offered free tickets from a dental specialist, of course we said "yes!" 
The set and music were absolutely BEAUTIFUL, although the story was kind of a dud. It was based around the movie "Avatar," and had lots of potential but the general consensus from us and reviews we'd read afterwards seemed to be that it was kinda boring. We wanted more death-defying stunts and feats of gravity!
Intermission selfie!
At least the final scene was so beautiful! The picture doesn't do it justice, but I personally would watch it again just to see all the different sets... Jon, not so much...
Sunday afternoon we all headed to 1 p.m. church and then Whitney helped me make a yummy Sunday dinner with our fresh garden herbs and veggies. Jeremy and Kylene came over with their kids and we played Whitney's new game "Code Names." It was a fun night!
Monday, Whitney was meeting up with a friend in the afternoon who lives downtown, so she decided before she left indefinitely we needed to find the best burger in Denver. After some help from Google,  in two separate lists, Larkburger was ranked in the top 5. It's a burger bar that started up in Vail, CO, and there are now a couple locations around Denver-- with one right by the temple.   
So we tried it out. And I'm glad we did! They're whole schtick is that that everything is super fresh and homemade-- from the bun, to the pickles, to the real Tillamook cheese. It was a great lunch date to cap off another amazing visit from Auntie Whitney. She headed back to Phoenix to get ready to teach another year of school, and we are trying to make the most of the last few days of summer, as well as get back into a semi-decent routine before the school bomb hits us August 8th!

Seven States Later... Big Road Trip part 2

After we left Selah Saturday morning, we headed towards Caldwell, ID, where my mom's side of the family was having a barbecue. The kids were so ready to be out of the car, and there was a trampoline, sprinklers, tons of good food, lots and lots of second cousins of all ages, illegal fireworks, and this cool little boat to paddle around on John and Cindy's pond. H-E-A-V-E-N!
The algae is a little creepy, but thankfully nobody fell in!
Lucy was happily reunited with cousin Eva and second cousin Ellie!
Zach found his niche with this gang of wild boys, and I basically didn't see him from the time we got there until the time we left. Apparently they were killing zombies all night long.
The next morning everyone headed to church but me, because I was letting a very overtired Elizabeth take an uninterrupted nap. Zach was NOT happy that he couldn't stay home with me-- and I was making him go to primary! Whitney snapped this picture of him in class, and it totally cracked me up. It looks like I sentenced him to prison!
Monday night for FHE we walked over to Delsa's and got the kids ice cream. It's a tradition! Leah and Sophie are such cute cousin friends-- it makes me so glad she has a little playmate all her own.
Eva and Lucy having some deep chats about school.
Completing another tradition, we had our 3rd annual Girl's Tea Party on Tuesday afternoon, which is Lucy's ultimate favorite thing to do in the summer. She looks forward to this all year!


With Zach and Grandpa Tom Tom off getting lunch together on a "Man's Date," the girls were able to feast on tea sandwiches, crudites, a cheese plate, chocolate covered strawberries,  cupcakes and cookies, and of course, herbal tea!
Mmmmm! I think we are better at making dessert than making savory things, ha, ha.
Wednesday afternoon Whitney and the kids and I drove out to Meridian to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Charlie. They are so cute with my kids, and the kids love to visit and play with their toys, and there's usually a few gifts given and a little spending money involved too (wink, wink). 
My Grandma sits each one down on the stool next to her, and asks them all about school and what they like to do, and my Grandpa tells them funny stories. I hope they will have some good memories of them both.
Thursday morning we headed over to eastern Idaho to our family cabin in Island Park, ID. Of course it meant more driving, but it's always worth it. The kids couldn't wait for a canoe ride with Grandpa Tom Tom who grew up with the Indians themselves.
I don't ever get tired of that view! See the little canoers out on the river?
Friday morning we drove the 45 minutes over to West Yellowstone, MT (state #7), and entered the park. Lucy and Zach had been excited about this for weeks! It's not every day you get to see geysers and hot springs and buffalo! Here we are at Mammoth Geyser Basin.
Funny Story: So, everywhere there are pictures and signs warning you to STAY ON THE PATH. The top layer of soil is obviously thin and crusty and people who have strayed off have fallen through and died. Lucy and Zach were totally freaked out about it, but inevitably, somehow Lucy got tripped up and ended up falling off the path! I have never seen a person in my life, move so fast to scramble back up onto the boardwalk as she did!! I think she thought she was doomed to die, and ended up holding somebody's hand the rest of the trip. And as legends are prone to do, this one evolved into that one "time Lucy fell in a geyser at Yellowstone!" 
We always have a picnic for lunch and name our sandwiches, to be read as they are handed out. It's a weird tradition and I'm not sure how it started... I think "Whitney's Husband Luring Boy Catcher" (something or other) hoagie won.
A post-picnic walk with Grandpa Tom Tom to see the stream nearby. 
Next we drove over to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone which was magnificent. It was giving me goosebumps and the willies just looking down at it! 

All this gorgeous "yellow stone" is how Yellowstone was named. What a view!
The kids wanted to see a few more hot pots and geysers, so we headed over to the Dragon's Lair. I think Lucy found it to be pretty stinky.
Now, I have a confession to make that you may or may not know. I love buffalo. I think they are my spirit animal. They are so ugly, I find them to be really cute, and by this point in our journey we hadn't seen a single one!! I was getting really worried. So I sent out all kinds of good buffalo vibes, and worked on my "manifesting" skills and sure enough, they turned out for me in droves! 
Suddenly they were everywhere! We saw at least 3 by Dragon's Lair, and then several out in a field nearby, and I even got my selfie with one of the little cuties.
And ta-da!! As we were heading back home, we stopped at a souvenir shop for my kiddos to buy some rocks and gems, and there was another buffalo! This was getting crazy.
And I'm pretty sure Whitney definitely thinks I'm crazy for my affinity for the bison.
All day Lucy had been working on earning her "Junior Park Ranger" badge, which consisted of completing a 15 page study guide, hiking some trails, and attending a ranger lecture. They told us it takes most kids at least 2 days to complete it, but dagnabbit, through pure perseverance and elbow grease the Luce did it! Here she is being sworn in at the end of the day!
That night as we were getting back from Yellowstone, Sarah P and her kids were just arriving from Boise. That meant it was time for cousins, a campfire, and s'mores.
Man, I love this place!
Saturday we took a picnic with everyone to Harriman Ranch, a beautiful state park with pristine views of the Tetons. It was a picture perfect day!
We headed home just in time for the older kids to float the river by our cabin. Sophie and Leah mostly stayed inside and played Barbies, but decided to check out the dock to see the floaters about halfway through.
They'd start down at the main public dock, and then float to our dock, hop out, and do it again. And again. And again. So many times I lost count!
They had SO much fun floating it together! Even if the river was dirty and stinky and full of seaweed and smelled like fish.
Big breakfasts at the cabin are always a big hit. I can still remember sitting at this very countertop with MY cousins when I was little and eating breakfast together. I wonder how many generations of cousins have been doing this very thing? 
Quick picture after church of all the grandkids with my mom and dad, before we all headed our separate ways! Grandpa and the Morris grandkids back to Boise, Whitney to Utah, and Grandma (who was kind enough to escort me home) and the Cardons to finally finish up the epic road trip back home to Colorado. See you later cabin!
Our route took us over to Jackson Hole, WY, which has easily got to be one of the prettiest drives on Earth. I wish I'd snapped some pics of the Tetons along our way.
I hadn't been to Jackson since I was pregnant with Lucy, so we stopped for a bit and let the kids look around. Here's the world-famous antler archway right in downtown Jackson.
And Zachy stumbled across this huge grizzly bear! Glad we didn't see one of those in Yellowstone.
And of course, for being such good little troopers and car riders we had to check out a few more rock and gem stores for their "collections." How amazing is this geode?? We loaded back into the car and were barely on our way, when we got to our highway that was supposed to take us the rest of the way home and it was CLOSED!!! I about died. There was a forest fire that had just started right along the roadway, and the entire highway was closed to all cars!! So thanks to a helpful gas station attendant, and a detailed map of Wyoming (of course my phone GPS couldn't get service around there), we skirted around the forest fire and through Star Valley, Afton, and Cokesville, WY to get to Rock Springs for the night. Only about a 4-hour detour, no biggie.... 
I gotta say, there is not that much to look at in Wyoming. But at least there was the Little America to save our skins and feed us dinner! And a beautiful sunset to drive into as the end of our epic two-week road trip finally came to an amazing end!