Our Colorado Adventure...

DAY ONE: We flew on a REALLY late flight, and landed in Denver at midnight. I took the girls on a shuttle to the hotel while Chris got the luggage and scouted out the car that Uncle Doug so kindly left for us in a parking lot close by. By the time Chris got to the hotel, we were asleep. If you are ever in Denver, I was really impressed by the Comfort Inn and Suites there on Tower Road. It was really clean, the free breakfast was hot and tasty and the staff was super friendly.

DAY TWO: The family met up at Water World, Colorado for a day of fun. No one brought a camera, so I don't have pictures of all the fun, but it was fun. Ruby noticed that there weren't many lines, and she said, "Maybe water world is trying to be more fun than Disneyland because there aren't long lines!" Ruby and Mattie held hands all over the park, and the twosome was a little threesome with Pierce on most of the rides. They had a great time. Chris' cousin Matt, and his wife Jeanette met us as well, and it was fun to have so many people to run around with. After water world, we had dinner and headed down to Colorado Springs to stay at the cabin.

Unfortunately, I seriously hurt--maybe broke--my tailbone on the first kiddie ride, so that sort of put a damper on my day because I couldn't really sit down on anything and not torture myself in pain. (It still REALLY hurts a week later.)

DAY THREE: Chris' mom's side of the family has a cabin on a mountain that overlooks Colorado Springs. It is a great spot because we are removed from some of the fancier places, and by the time you get to our little spot, it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere! There is a little stream that runs right through the property, and the kids spent a lot of time playing there. When we wanted to, we took a short drive to the community pool.

Anyway, on day three, we took it EASY. I read Jodi Picoult's book, My Sister's Keeper, most of the day and there was lots of fun by the stream for the kids and some good card games, etc. Pam and Matt made a yummy meal for everyone, and we celebrated Pam's birthday a little early over some SUPER YUMMY tres leches cake that Pam made.

DAY FOUR: We got up and took a LOT of pictures. Pam is the family photographer, and she did a great job of taking pictures of the whole entire family, individual families, etc. Sage and I (budding photographers) tried to pay attention to her ideas and we learned a few new things about our cameras. I don't have any of the pictures Pam took, but I did take a few over her shoulder of the grand kids with Gma and Gpa. I'm really excited about the pics she got of my family, and I can't wait to post them when she mails me the files. She's a master at photoshop as well, so I sat that night and watched her touch up the pics and learned so much! Thanks Pam!

Left to right: Gma Pierce, Pierce, Gpa Pierce, Alice, Mattie, Porter and Ruby with little Zoe in the front.

In the afternoon, Chris' uncle Billy and his wife aunt Eileen brought Nana up to the cabin. Chris' Uncle Bill and aunt Moe from his dad's side of the family also came for a few hours and we really enjoyed having everyone there. (Isn't it crazy that Chris only has two uncles and they are both named Bill?) Ruby has a special bond with her great-grandma, and she was happy to see her for a little while. We are really grateful that we could spend a little time with Moe, as she suffered a stroke five days later and is now on hospice. We are grateful to have seen her at the cabin, full of life and a quick mind. I am always amazed that she can so easily recognize my voice! She's blind, and though I've only seen her a handful of times, she always knows it is me talking and she is always sure to ask me about life for us at home, as she lived here once upon a time.

We went swimming after lunch that day. Nana, Bill and Moe watched as the kids showed off their swimming know how and the men harassed each other with constant pranks and water to the face. DAY FIVE: Fourth of JULY! We had quite the fun-filled day! Pam and Matt and Grandma and Grandpa organized several little games for the kids. They had fun with a treasure hunt (the treasure was some rocks painted gold), a money hunt and collecting some shells by the stream.

The men set up a coke can a ways away and they shot pellets at it. They had some wager, but I am pretty sure that no one ever managed to take the can down.

That night we went to the Flying W Chuck Wagon for dinner and entertainment. The place was pretty amazing, a huge barn that sat like 1200 people for dinner. They had the process down pat, so that everyone was eating at the same time, the food was warm and tasty. I was really impressed, but most of all I just loved the cultural aspect of the night. It was interesting to think about the "cowboy" lifestyle that once prevailed, and is now a dying culture. After dinner, we enjoyed a little show by some really talented cowboy musicians.

After dinner, we drove up to one of the switchbacks on the way to the cabin and watched the fireworks from there. There was quite a show down at Manitou Springs, and we all had fun oooohhhing and ahhhhing at the display of fire.

It was a late night, but some of the family played with sparklers by the stream before heading to bed (not ours, they went to bed and did sparklers the following night). What a nice holiday!

DAY SIX: We took advantage of our last full day together by going up to Pike's Peak. What an amazing journey that was! I was surprised how many people made the trek that day...the place was hopping with people. At the top, Alice was asleep, so Chris and I took turns in the car with her. The view was stunning, the cool air was refreshing and if there hadn't been a major infestation of pesky flies, the experience would have been perfect.

It was cool to learn that the anthem, "America the Beautiful" was written as a result of it's author, Katherine Bates visit to Pike's Peak. After seeing it myself, I can see how it could inspire such feelings.

We had a picnic on our way up. It was hot, and Mattie and Ruby opted to eat under one of the picnic tables. Good idea!

DAY SEVEN: We got all packed up and cleaned the cabin. Then we had a little family devotional as we didn't attend church that day. We said goodbyes and Pam and her family headed south to Albuquerque and the rest of us travelled north to Ft. Collins, where Sage and Mike, and Chris' folks and little brother all live. We had an easy evening of rejoicing over spacious, lengthy showers and clean laundry.

DAY EIGHT: Gpa, Doug and Mike had to work, so my family went along with Gma and Sage and Porter to the most spectacular park I've ever seen. Spring Canyon Community Park is a HUGE, wheelchair accessible park with equipment that can be enjoyed by people of all physical abilities. I was amazed at the concept, and by how many different things there were for the kids to do there. There was a little splash park there, a great huge field and the largest, most innovative play area I've ever seen. We had fun firing off these balloon rockets that Grandma and Grandpa had. They were a hit at the park and drew quite a crowd of interested children. The kids had a good time chasing after the balloons. Such a good time that I am going to buy some here.

Mike and Doug got off work and hit an afternoon movie (Hancock) with Chris. Nana came to the house and we had dinner and enjoyed visiting outdoors for a long time while the kids played on the trampoline. Ruby also organized an "orchestra" and ordered Mike (guitar) and Doug (drums) around while they practiced accompanying her on the piano. She was very insistent that they not play unless she was playing, and some other funny little demands. She prepared the "concert" before dinner and then we sat in the living room and she played six songs with Mike (Doug had to run to work) strumming along on his guitar. She took it very seriously. She gave us each some money before the show started that we were told we had to give back to her at the end of the show. It was really cute and was a fun way for her to show her progress in piano. I was told I could only call her "band leader" at one point, and she told Chris he was the "mission leader". Very interesting.

Ruby, Alice and Porter on Chris. They were having non-stop fun for at least an hour and a half playing so hard together (the adults rotated in and out, but the kids were constant).

It was really hard to leave, but the next morning...our flights were leaving, and we had to get on the plane. Ruby started crying in the car on the way to the airport. I love that her little heart wraps itself around her family in a way that makes her cry when she has to say goodbye. She and Grandma shed their tears and shared last hugs and kisses and we were off.

Thanks to everyone for such a fun-filled trip, for playing with my kids, letting me read an entire novel, feeding us, taking great pictures of us and just for being such a fun family to be around. Until next time!