We went to Colorado from Aug 4-12. It was a really great trip!
We took the 13 hour drive by starting on a Friday late afternoon. We stopped in Nebraska for the night and then continued driving Saturday and got there in time for dinner. On the way home, we left on a Saturday morning and did the whole drive in one day. Driving went well. Highlights were that the boys loved the ninja turtle toys from Burger King, Dallin peed in his carseat while sleeping, the continental breakfast at the hotel was pretty rad, and we had to stop to fix the AC tube in our engine.
Tablets, notebooks, toys and me reading out loud to the boys helped the time pass. I got tons of planning done for the August summer camps that I taught after this trip.
There was lots to explore at Grandpa Papa and Grandma Nana’s house. Grandpa built a tree house for the boys, and that was the first thing we saw when we got there! They had picnics and played all kinds of games up there! The boys also enjoyed tractor rides, pond swimming, golf course, fire pit, pool table, hot tub, etc.
After church on Sunday, we visited the great-grandparents graves.
Clearing away the overgrown bushes.
You can’t tell, but Dallin is holding the big sheers and trying to cut the bushes.
We got to visit Great-Grandma Robertson’s house and the boys enjoyed playing with all her cool games.
Uncle Lyman, Tina & Dave, Elizabeth & Owen and cousin Ellen were there, too!
Also during this visit, Grandma gave me two of her paintings. She was able to tell me all kinds of things about how she got interested in learning how to paint landscapes. I didn’t realize it is a hobby that she developed in her adulthood after her own kids were older. I enjoyed hearing her stories about painting with her girlfriends and helping manage and judge at various art festivals in the community. So grateful to have these pieces of her in our home!
Denver Children’s Museum
Stacy and her little one joined us. It was REALLY great to be with her again! OMG I miss you, Stacy.
These haystacks were the best investment that the museum made. There are a lot of pictures because we couldn’t get them to stop playing here.
For dinner, we went to Casa Bonita!! We all had a lot of fun.
Mom and I went out to lunch together at this cool restaurant of cheese and yummi-ness.
This is the piano I learned how to play music on growing up. It belonged to my Great-grandma Sarah Higgins whom I’m named after. The boys loved making the player part work over and over again. So that means 5 generations have enjoyed this beautiful piano!
On our way to the lake
It was a little chilly, but the boys had a really fun time on the jet ski. Tanner was the brave one this time, and it took Dallin awhile to warm up to going fast on the jet ski, but by the time we left, they both liked going fast!
Wow, this man is hot!
We got to go out to eat and bowling with Uncle Lyman, Cousin Gary & Cheryl. It took Tanner awhile to adjust to all the noise and lights, but ended up having a good time.
Play day with friends! Stacy came and her little one had fun following my boys all over the place.
My cousin Julianne came over too, with her kids! Everyone had a lot of fun playing together.
My dad actually let the boys swim in the pond. Stacy and I were pretty surprised by that. I guess Grandpa has different rules than Dad.
Whoa, it gets deep!
Our last evening was beautiful.
After roasting marshmallows, we played with some sparklers (everyone loved that) and Dad put on a little firework show for us. He said the next one was a fountain. He lit the fuse. Nothing happened. The thing flopped over, so Dad took a few steps toward it to try fixing it. Suddenly, thunderbolts and lighting were shooting all around us. I had Dallin in my lap and sprang up out of there while he clung to my shirt for dear life. It was NOT a fountain. It was a series of those huge illegal fireworks that shoot 50 feet in the air, one after the other. I wasn’t sure which was more concerning- that Dad didn’t know what he was doing, or that Jeremy just sat there with Tanner while the fireworks blasted right at them.
Here’s our last picture of the trip! Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa for entertaining us so much. The boys especially LOVED it and did not want to leave!!
