All of our trips with Edward Jones were canceled for the year. That left us with a VERY open summer with still nothing really to do.
Jake was going on a boys trip for the week after Mother's Day so the rest of us decided to get out of town and cool off (it ALREADY was in the 100's 😡)
One of the major routes to Colorado was closed so we had to go through Flagstaff... luckily it only adds 30 minutes and it was nice to see a little different scenery on the drive.
The kids did absolutely amazing on the drive. It's because Everett sat up front :)
I've been wanted to stop at the Colorado sign for so long but it's always at night. This time we got to see it in the daylight. Too bad the 4-corners monument nearby was closed :(
The kids still had schoolwork to do everyday, but it wasn't a big deal.
Everett told me not that long ago that he wanted to live on a little farm. So he had a week of "farm work" ahead of him. The first morning he was rototilling the garden.
Braxton caught a tiny crawdad but we were too chicken to touch it.
(my thumb "nail" would crack and bleed because it was so dry there)
We went into Durango and bought chocolate and rode bikes on the river trail.
We decided to celebrate Roxy's and Everett's birthdays because they were coming up.
Roxy helped make her birthday cupcakes and Grammy bought her a Belle Lego storybook.
We played in the sand by the river a couple of times. Roxy was pretending to be a mermaid!
Roxy and Everett especially had a lot of fun at the river. Breckie isn't such a fan.
For Everett's birthday we made oatmeal cream pies and Grammy bought him some things on Amazon.
The kids were experts at collecting the chicken eggs and one day we went crawdad fishing (and Papa Tim brought some Rootbeers!).
I actually touched a crawdad! I had to prove to Everett that it wasn't so bad!
The girls rode horses bareback. It was adorable! I'm glad they were brave 🙌
Braxton, Everett, and I caught 32 crawdads....
I got to sneak away one afternoon and hike Lake Eileen. In high school I worked at Vallecito and drove by where I used to work. It makes me want to buy a real cabin and live by the lake in the summer.
We've done the hike a few times in the Fall so it was nice to see all the blooms in the Spring.
I got to sit at the top for a few minutes.
Everything is good/great but it's still nice to get away by yourself once in a while.
Jake called while I was up there and it was nice to talk without the kids interrupting! I'm super anxious for things to open so that I can go shopping and we can go on date nights.
Anytime I'm in the woods I miss my Dad even more. I miss him allllll the time even though I still don't feel like he's really gone. I know that doesn't really make sense but it does to me. As I was thinking about him I could hear a squirrel chirping in the trees behind me and it made me smile on the inside :)
I love being in the woods... especially near Aspen trees. They're my favorite.
The flowers everywhere were extra beautiful.
This hike made our time in Colorado that much better!
We were able to play in the sandbox and dig for treasures Braxton and Grammy buried for the kids, I did workouts outside, Tim brought Everett along to the lumber yard and to do chores outside everyday, we rode bikes, played games almost every night with the windows open and were able to enjoy the beautiful Colorado spring. Lilacs were my favorite to see.
After a week it was time to go back home. The drive home was great and I feel like our kids are turning into better travelers!!