Durango 2011

Boy oh boy - what a trip! Thank you to Marie and Glen for hosting such a FANTASTIC week in Durango!!


You see, my father in law turned the big 6-0 back in April and Marie booked a rental house in Durango for the week. They flew out from CT, we drove up from AZ, and the Osborn's drove west from Castle Rock.


The drive was perfect. The hottie and I were up late packing and getting everything ready - so of course, we overslept. But - we still made it on the road by 5am. We made it to the "vacation house" as we would soon call it by 1pm, Colorado time.


So...what did we do in Colorado?


Well, we...

• Played baseball - the boys (and girls) played lots, and lots, of baseball.
• Watched movies - Glen and Marie brought 2 Red Boxes and watched them late at night while the kiddos were sleeping laughing upstairs in the bunk room.
• Read books - I got a good start into The Help and finished it on the way home. It is SO good!
• Ate - we went to the grocery store like a million times and made nice dinners at home. Delish! Everyone (even me) was responsible for a dinner. It was SO perfect!
• Went fishing. All minus April, Charlie, and Me...that's when we had our adventure.
• Visited Honeyville - a Bee Farm. We tasted Honeyville Honey wine (super sweet) and learned a bit about bees. I also bought a bottle of wine, some honey, and some AWESOME lotion.
• Silverton Train Ride. Rode a 4 hour train from Durango to Silverton. Silverton was the adorable old mining town that now thrives on tourists. So cute!! I wish we had a little bit more time before the train ride back. Surprisingly, the kids were very good on the train ride. Thank goodness!
• Visted Mesa Verde. We drove around and saw several different lookout points and ruins. Amazing and beautiful. We even hiked down to one of the ruins. Loved it! But, whew - what a hike. I was a nervous wreck walking with the stroller as we went up and down the steep path. But - we made it!
• Elk watching. The place we stayed was called Elk Hollow because of all the elk around. The elk came out the first night (we were not there yet) and then once during our stay. So awesome. We just don't get that out here in Gilbert :)
• Shopped and browsed around downtown Durango. Such a cute little town. Seriously loved it.
• Ate Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Chocolate. I think they pretty much knew us in the downtown Durango store!!
• Went out to Dinner for tacos at this cute mexican restaurant where you order at the counter. I will say - it was DELICIOUS! And we KNOW our mexican food!!
• Had a water balloon fight. OMG!! Justin and April brought water balloons and the kids had a fight one afternoon. It was one of the highlights for me - even if it only lasted for about 10 minutes. The kids were hilarious! Even when Lil got wet and freaked out!!

Mostly - we were able to relax. The house was amazing. We were so lucky to be able to spend the week with Bryan's family that we really do not get to see enough. It was so much fun. The kids absolutely loved it. And, so did we. Definitely a trip we will not forget.


Thank you Marie and Glen!!
And, happy birthday to both of you!!

Marie and Glen on the train to Silverton

The kids outside the train station

Brady looking for the queen bee at Honeyville...they put a red dot on the queen. We never saw her.

Charlie and Bryan on the train getting ready to take off.

A.J and Brady on the Silverton train before we left the station.

Beauty taken from the train as we choo-choo'd down the tracks.

More beauty from the train.



More beauty. Probably my favorite.



A view of the Animas River from the train. It was really moving!

A view of the train.

More Animas River.

More beauty with a little bit of train smoke.

So pretty...even snow up on the tips.

Snow capped mountains from Silverton.

Lily posing in Silverton.

The boys posing in front of an old taxi.

Our Master Brakeman.

Yep - there were people rafting in the Animas River.

Balloon Fight!!!

Ready...Set...

Bryan watching the balloon fight.

Go!!!!

I LOOOOOVE this one. The boys had so much fun!

Lily before she got wet and cried.

Lily - trying to give it to the boys.

Seriously - she wanted pictures all the time.

The lone elk that came out one night.

The Osborn's

The CT Campbell's

The Gilbert Campbell's

From atop Mesa Verde.

Walking up to the highest point of Mesa Verde.

Marie and Charlotte at the top.

The Osborn's.

The Campbell's

The 5 kids looking out.

The hottie and the Cuties.

Proof of the 1996 fire in Mesa Verde.

AJ down in the "basement" of some ruins.

Brady exiting the "basement"

Hayden exiting the basement.

Lily and Bryan going down into the basement.

Lily exiting the basement.

More Colorado beauty.

The Campbell's in the ruins.

A view of one of the many ruins that have been discovered at Mesa Verde.

A view of the Elk Hollow Retreat. We stayed in the house on the left. The house/garage on the right is the owner's house. It is about 200 yards from the Elk Hollow Retreat. 17 acres. Sooooo beautiful!

I couldn't stop taking pictures of the trees.