The trip started last Tuesday afternoon. My parents kindly drove us to the airport and wished us luck with two boys who had never flown on a plane before. The Lime was excited, then nervous, then scared, and excited again after we passed through security.
We had enough time after we arrived at the airport, and before our plane left, to grab a bite since we wouldn't be eating on the plane. It was one of the most expensive Mexican dinners we've had and the least tasty. But it was food and it helped keep the cranky children at bay.
Doodlebug and The Lime couldn't eat fast enough. The airplanes were much more interesting and so they ate their food at the large windows overlooking the runway.
A little more waiting and it was time to board the plane. As soon as we got on, the staff said hi to our boys and LaVor mentioned it was their first trip. "After everyone is seated, come up to the front and we'll let you check things out!" they said. The travelers couldn't get in their seats fast enough; the boys were excited!
The captain let the boys press buttons, pull levers, and talk over the loudspeaker. I didn't realize the whole plane could hear them until we were on our way back to our seat and everyone smiled and oogled over them. LaVor said The Lime sounded more like a little girl but what do you expect from a six year old?
Before long, we were sucking on our candy and taking off. We flew over our house and saw a fire upclose that we could see from our house.
For the most part, the boys were okay on the flight. There was some fighting over the iPad and other toys but nobody had to tell us to be quiet or give us dirty looks. Towards the end, the crew said the airport was so backed up that we needed to keep circling until there was room for us. Unfortunately, the plane didn't have enough fuel to do that so they were worried we were going to have to make a detour to Cheyenne to refuel. I didn't have enough candy for an additional landing and takeoff so you can imagine my relief when they said a space opened up in a matter of minutes. We landed and sat on the runway for about a half hour until a gate was free. We anxiously departed the plane and found LaVor's parents waiting for us. They drove us to his sister's house where we happily crashed for the night.
Doodlebug wakes up early and being on vacation means nothing to him. We were excited to wake up and find LaVor's brother and his family also arrived safely in the middle of the night. The boys jumped right in to the cousin fun as if there had never been any time apart.
After breakfast and showers, we met the rest of the group at LaVor's parents house before heading to a Rockies game. Day games aren't our favorite but it was their last day in town before heading on the road.
Down the street from the stadium, I saw a man motion to a homeless man to follow him to a nearby hot dog stand. The Lime asked what I was doing when I grabbed my camera and I told him I wanted to document this act of kindness. Warmed my heart!
We're not Rockies fans but we were excited to see they'd be playing the Blue Jays, the team of former Athletics Josh Donaldson and Jesse Chavez. The boys and I walked down to the field level seats in hopes of getting a glimpse of either one but no such luck, even though Doodlebug did find a penny.
It was a warm one, and we bought nearly every cold/frozen treat they had. The Lime isn't a huge breakfast eater so he was feeling the heat/lack of food harder than everyone else. A cold slushee seemed to fix everything, as well as lemonade, cold water, and frequent trips to the shade.
They had a little playground above our section, where the boys had a chance to play and get out their wiggles.
The game seemed to go on forever and the kids were getting restless. Some climbed on Papa, others tried throwing popcorn into the mouths of others. Thankfully, Doodlebug got a good nap in and before we knew it, the Blue Jays won and we were on our way to dinner.
LaVor's family grew up going to the Spaghetti Factory in San Jose and thought it would be more than fitting to celebrate our first dinner together at the one in Denver. The kids got their own table and so did the adults. It was so fun to catch up with one another and stuff our faces silly with bread, salad, pasta, and ice cream.
We all met back at LaVor's sister's house where we played a cute little game. Everyone anonymously wrote down a Disney character and we had to guess who wrote what. I ended up winning with "Meeko" which nobody knew who he was :)
The night wouldn't have been complete without Doodlebug wrestling someone. Papa was his unfortunate victim.
Thursday was a low-key day. Some people went up to the ranch to play with horses, others went shopping, and a few went to breakfast. I stayed home with Doodlebug so he could get a much needed nap. But first, he jumped off furniture with his cousins, played outside on the swing set, and loved the dogs to death.
Most everyone went swimming in the afternoon and once again, we all gathered at LaVor's sister's house for dinner. LaVor and I were in charge that night and made steak tacos and fajitas. There were only scraps left over which was a sure sign that everyone enjoyed it.
As the sun went down, the s'mores came out. Everyone grabbed a stick and began roasting.
After treats were consumed, the kids were put to bed and the adults chatted outside until the fire died down.
Friday morning seemed the most promising for clear skies so we ventured out to take family pictures. I brought our tripod and nervously shot photo after photo in hopes of getting some that were flattering of 25 people. I think I got a few.
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| Not one that we'll be sending out in Christmas cards but it's always fun to get silly |
We separated for lunch and enjoyed burgers and custard at Culver's. It was the perfect cold treat to a warm and hectic morning.
Everyone went swimming that afternoon and I stayed with Doodlebug so he could nap. That night, the kids stayed home and the adults went to dinner at Saltgrass Steak House. Our waitress was from Amarillo, Texas and did a great job making sure we were well taken care of.
Saturday morning was a cold and drizzly one. We had plans to head to Colorado Springs with a pit stop at the ranch on our way. LaVor was in heaven with the endless amounts of open space. He imagined our boys running free, playing with the animals, riding the horses, and being boys. I told him there wasn't a Target close enough :)
As we continued on our drive, the rain cleared up and we arrived at the Garden of the Gods to a jam packed parking lot. We roamed through the Visitor Center and learned about this majestic area, as well as the poop of the local animals.
We drove through the park and ended up at Balanced Rock. The kids, minus Doodlebug, had a blast jumping from rock to rock and exploring their little hearts out. The Lime was in heaven and could have stayed there the rest of the day.
Uncle Rob is a treat to be around and showed The Lime some cool little hideouts. He also scared the snot out of his girls when he jumped from one rock to another.
We all worked up a big appetite and stopped by Rudy's for lunch. We ordered a little bit of everything and ate our weight in barbecue. We came to the conclusion that LaVor's is still our favorite.
I really wanted to take The Lime to the Air Force Academy so on our way back, we made an hour long pit stop to check things out. He picked out a slap bracelet as his souvenir, we roamed through the Visitor Center, hiked to the chapel (where a wedding was taking place), admired the Liberator statue, went potty, and made our way back to LaVor and a sleeping Doodlebug in the parking lot.
When we got back, LaVor went shooting with his brothers and brother-in-law while the rest of the group went swimming (minus Doodlebug and I). When we were done, we went back to LaVor's sister's house for sandwiches and games.
Before we knew it, it was Sunday morning and time for us to head back home. You know it's a good trip when everyone cries at the airport.
We are grateful to be back in our own beds but definitely miss our family. We just hope it's not another seven years before we get together again.
