We had the BLESSING of being able to take a family vacation to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in early August. We left from Littlefield the morning after our niece's wedding reception and headed to cooler temperatures and beautiful scenery. We met my parents there - they had come a couple of days before we did - and had a GREAT time relaxing, enjoying nature, and just being together.
On Monday, Donny, Colby and my Dad played a round of golf while Brady, Tyler, Mom and I went on an adventure hiking up Treasure Falls and driving to the Continental Divide. Colby had never played "real" golf before...I think we discovered another sport that our middle man might be interested in. He did all 18 holes and LOVED it. That afternoon we spent some time at the pool, then had a fun cookout. Tuesday was a "hang out at the house" day....we went on walks, played games, swam, played baseball behind the condo...just a fun, relaxing day. That night Mom and Dad treated us to a BBQ Wagon Ride Dinner that was SO fun. We rode a wagon up to a cabin (with lots of other people) and had a BBQ dinner that we ate outside, then had "campfire" cowboy songs and a sing a long. There was a burn ban, so no actual campfire was present, which meant you couldn't roast marshmallows, but they had some to eat if you just wanted a plain marshmallow! We had a very fun night.
Mom and Dad left the next morning, and our family had one more day before we left the following day. Colby and I enjoyed walking and finding geese to feed, and our whole family enjoyed some racquetball time and more swim time at the recreation center. That night we had our traditional home made pizza night where everyone makes their own pizza's.
We were all a little sad to have to leave beautiful Colorado....Colby said he wants us to move there for a year. I would do it in a heartbeat. At least spend the summers there...after a record number of consecutive 100+ temperatures, it was an awesome break from the heat! We are so thankful that Mom and Dad provided us the opportunity to get away, make some memories and enjoy a part of the country we aren't usually surrounded by! Thanks, Mom and Dad (aka Nonny and PawPaw)!!
View from our hike up Treasure Falls...so peaceful! Amazing.
Cute little baby chipmunk that was scurrying around at the base of the falls.
Me and two of my little men on our hike!
View of the falls from the base.
At the top of the trail...Brady and Tyler walked together down to the little pool. VERY cold water! I loved how Tyler made sure and "took care" of Brady walking down (i.e. dragged him).
Snack time with Nonny at the top of the trail
At the Great Divide that marks the spot where water from major water sources flows east on one side and west on the other. Boys were NOT impressed with the bees there...they posed for one picture then hid in the car while Mom and I enjoyed the view. Wimps!!
Mom had a 1000 piece puzzle that she had started working on before we got there...the first night Brady decided to "help" by taking pieces apart. Oops. He learned you don't mess with Nonny's puzzles!!! He was a true "helper" after that. Donny and Mom share the puzzle love in our family. I didn't get that gene!!
But Tyler shares my "book love" gene! He enjoyed lots of reading time. Especially when we could just stay in our pj's and relax!!
Donny taught the boys to play his favorite game, RISK - the game of world domination!
Brady and Colby LOVED playing baseball right outside the back porch next to the golf course!
This is from our wagon ride up to the cabin for dinner. We have done the same ride a couple of times, but always in the winter where it's a SLEIGH ride and an inside dinner!
The buffet line right outside the cabin
For some reason, Colby became VERY interested in his chicken bone. He ate the meat, cleaned it off, and insisted on taking it home with all his other "treasures". I'm happy to report that he decided it wasn't worth keeping by the time we packed up and headed home.
Getting ready for our "campfire sing-a-long!"
This guy was pretty sweet...and so was his wife who accompanied him as well. Their two daughters were there serving, and the driver of the wagons and his son are a part of the staff as well. Fun fact: There were lots of their family members there at the dinner who had come for a wedding that weekend of the singer's daughter and the wagon driver's son! By the end of the night we felt like friends who should be invited to the wedding - we knew all about what was going to happen...hope they had a good time!!
Brady got to be a "cute kid" volunteer to howl like a coyote on "Home on the Range".
And this is what Tyler did to his marshmallow instead of eating it. Stuck it to his fingers until there was nothing left. Awesome. Thankful I had some wet wipes!!
Horseshoe throwing with PawPaw
Here's another "treasure" Colby found...some random feather. And no, this one didn't make it home either.
Gorgeous sunset when we got home
This is our back porch where we had breakfast every morning...notice we had to have sweatshirts or blankets to stay warm? Yes, 48 degrees feels AWESOME in the morning!
View from our back porch - golf course hole right behind our place.
I am fascinated with hot air balloons. Riding in one is on my bucket list. This one went up for a ride every morning first thing. LOVE.
Last morning with Nonny and PawPaw after breakfast...just savoring our time!
This was a VERY happy place for me...blogging, usually drinking coffee, and watching the boys play outside.
Breaking all the rules vacation style! Lunch in the living room!
Some days there just isn't much you can do with this hair...you just have to let it have it's way.
Make your own pizza night!
Delish
This was to document the random blue hose coming out from our unit...there was a hole in it right by our place, and the first day we timed it - water squirted out from it every 1 min, 58 sec. Hmmm....
I LOVE this little man!
I REALLY love this BIG man!
Cute little guys out on our front porch
This was our unit...my parents had one just like it in the building right next door. We were very spoiled with LOTS of space!
All 3 boys one morning...this was Tyler's bed for 2 of the nights and Colby and Brady's bed for the other two. There was a bedroom with full bed attached, then Donny and I had a whole big room with massive jacuzzi bathtub in separate room, full kitchen and living room. NICE! Thanks, Nonny and PawPaw!
