Colorado Trip - Day 7-10

Day 7

Our mission for this day was to take a family picture. It wasn't easy. Not all of us are feeling our prettiest these days but we were determined to get a picture with all 4 of us suitable for framing. We had given Grandma Ruth a picture last time we came to the condo with the siblings and we wanted to do the same for this trip. I won't put all the pictures here - there were some pretty awful ones but here are the two we can stand.

After our picture session we had some lunch at Smokin Moe's and then tried to do a little shopping. Drew found a toy store and ran out with 2 toys when Jared told him we weren't going to buy them. I had a talk with him and he thought he could go back in and be nice in order to find 1 toy. After we had a repeat of the above (and a elderly man told me I was teachin' 'em young to shoplift...ugh!) we decided it was nap time!

A good nap put our little guy in a much better mood and he spend the rest of the evening enjoying Mr. Potato Head and the playground. Spaghetti and french bread for dinner and packing our bags finished off the day.

Day 8

We packed up the car and headed off to Denver to visit the zoo. Fun day. A little warm and there were a few stressful moments...finding a place to feed McKinley, Andrew getting hungry and tired, Mom getting hungry and tired (the night before was a little rough with sis) but all in all we had fun.

Drew said the carousel was his favorite

Huh?

Had to throw this one in...what a difference 2 years makes!!! Cutie!

~Success at the gift shop~

We left the zoo about 3pm and headed to Colorado Springs where we planned to stay the night. At 4:30 when we got there both kids were asleep and we decided to keep going. At around 7:30 we stopped in Trinidad and fed McKinley and ate dinner at Wendy's. We debated stopping for the night but honestly we were just ready to be back in Paducah so we kept on. A few hours later we stopped at a rest stop in New Mexico somewhere between Raton and Clayton and feed sister again. Drew was still awake and talking...wish we had taken video of that!! Anyhow, we keep on getting gas in Texline and a restroom break in Amarillo. We finally made it to Paducah about 3am and crawled into bed. Well it wasn't quite that simple but we all eventually went to sleep =)

Day 9 and 10

We all thoroughly enjoyed our time with MawMaw and Popi. We learned all about sunflowers, vultures, the four 6's and triangle ranches, Mr. Hart, Quanah Parker and so much more. We loved watching video from their honeymoon until their youngest was a teenager. Popi said of his 3 daughters "what cute little girls they were and what beautiful women they are" and he was right. It was so fun to watch my mom and her sisters as little ones!!

Mawmaw, Jared and Drew went to feed Spring, the horse and had a big time in "the country." Andrew got to visit the Paducah pool and we all had an excellent dinner at Longhorn Ranch Steakhouse to celebrate my birthday.

Andrew wanted to make sure he was ready to color when he woke up!

Don't ask =)

This morning MawMaw made strawberry shortcake, eggs and biscuits for bfast!! We were sad to leave but after 10 days we were all a little ready to spend the night in our own bed and see our sweet dog Harley. We had to stop once in Wichita Falls on the way home but the drive wasn't too bad.

So here it is Sunday night...loads of laundry to do, two sleeping kids and husband well on his way. I already miss the freedom of a small condo with no washer and dryer or bills stacking up or hot weather or places to be and things to do. I will always be grateful for this trip and the time it allowed me to bond with my family. The ability to play, laugh and talk with my kiddos without anything in the way. I am thankful to Jared for taking the last month off of work and for all that he has done to help me and to make caring for two children seem like a vacation!

I won't lie, part of me dreads the next weeks and all that they will entail but I feel refreshed and rejuvenated. So bring on the swim lessons, dr's appts, potty training (yep that's a whole other blog), p90 (exercise program,) dieting, overtime for J, and so so much more cause that's what life is all about. I just hope to remember to carve out some time to watch my children grow because you know what they say...they are only young once!