a week in colorado with the whole family!

We spent the last week in Colorado. All of us (8!!) flew there. Jordan met us in Denver having flown in from MN where he’s doing construction work for his cousin this summer, and there it was, everyone together, in a 15-passenger van no less (it ended up being the best one–based on price and what we needed for the week–says Steve. I don’t ask questions. Lies! I totally ask questions. And too many of them, Steve’ll tell you.). Steve’s family lives in CO–in Evergreen to be exact–and his nephew was getting married, plus his father was turning 80, so there you go. It was a perfect reason for the whole family to make an appearance. Congratulations Vince and Jezaray! Happy birthday George! It was so nice to be there for both occasions. There’s Jordan at the tippy top of Mount Evans. What a drive it was to get up there–in our, as you recall, 15-passenger van no less. But the views along the way were gorgeous. Mountains and miles of uninhabited land. Is it just me or does it make you totally satisfied, content, verging on joyful to know there are still thousands of miles of land still that no one is living on. No houses, no businesses, nothing but wilderness. It helps me breathe a little easier. Whenever I see new developments, new businesses cropping up, I’m always like, “Do we really need it? Another CVS? Are you kidding me right now?!?” Idaho Springs. Sort of has a wild West feel about it. And the tavern above? Too good to not snap a picture of it with those mountains in the background. We went to Beau Jo’s for pizza, after our drive up Mount Evans. This is Anders and I nearly at the top of Mount Evans–where it was cold! At least twenty degrees colder than it was when we began the drive. (I guess it’s good training for my Everest summit–you’ll only understand that if you follow me on Snapchat.)Someone in Idaho Springs rides a gold spray-painted bike. To each his own, to each his own. We arrived in Vail early in the morning, driving from our hotel in the Denver area. While we didn’t manage to stay in Vail this time, we shall be back. Like I said here the other day, it remains high on my list of favorite places. One of my happy places, if you will. The kids and Steve love it too. It’s got something for everyone and those are the best kind of places when you’re traveling with kids. We started with crepes at Crespelle. Well, after Parker changed into his suit for the day to splash in the little wading pools Vail has scattered about the town (City planning at its finest! They thought of everything.). At the top of the mountain! The views on the other side, man. More of that wilderness that makes me all sorts of happy.  Steve’s Dad and Anders. His Dad is such a sweetheart. His Mom couldn’t make the trip, but we’re so glad we got to see this guy still. He met Anders for the first time on this trip too! Anders’ smile. Still killing me one picture at a time. At the top of the mountain, we got Parker a “Little Explorers” ticket. He could do this bungee trampoline jumping, a tubing ride, and this ropes course. If he were 5 lbs. heavier, he could’ve rock climbed too. The activities at the top have been built up so much more since we were last here, and they’re pretty fun. The adult activities, especially the ropes course looked awesome (and awesome they better be for $90/person–we passed on it). Meanwhile, Nathaniel, Jordan, William, and Lindsey found their own adventure and hiked from the top of the Lionshead gondola to the top of the Vail Village gondola about a mile away where they rode down. They did this after we made and ate pb&j sandwiches at the top of the mountain first–traveling on a budget at its finest! Here he is coming off the chute that brings you back up after the tube-ride down. Look at those views. This is Anders every time we tried to dip his toes in the water. We couldn’t stop laughing. Apparently the water was a bit too cold for his liking.
Steve, his Dad, and his brother. (Not pictured: George’s wife Cindy and the cousins. It was nice to get all the cousins together. They also all got to go to a shooting range together and went white water rafting.)I handed my camera over for a family picture!
Some superhero moves at the top of the mountain as you do. Those views from Lionshead Village. They’re amazing! We ate at Blue Moose Pizza (just behind me in this picture) and it was so good (better than Beau Jo’s IMHO).  I love this picture.  Oh! And worth mentioning that I went to Snooze twice while there. Once with my friend Lindsay (who lives in the Springs) and once with the family. Both times I got Juan’s Breakfast Tacos because they were just too good. But I also split (aka ate most of) their OMG French Toast alongside my tacos because I couldn’t have traveled as far as Colorado and skipped the french toast. I’m a straight-up glutton when I’m at Snooze. Steve wants me to add that he got the B.E.A.T. sandwich and loved it. LOVED IT, he says, indicating the need for all Caps. I’m going to try to replicate it at home.

(A few more pictures from CO on my IG–but somehow only ONE from the wedding. I was not on my game. For those who were asking, the dress is from Anthro last year. Shoes are Swedish Hasbeens from Zappos–yellow on sale here!)

{last time in Vail: part 1, part 2, and our video}