It's crazy to think that three years has gone by and that this last road trip was the last to the mission home. It's sad in a way but I'm also looking forward to trips home. And I mean home, home. I can't wait until this summer!
All of us sisters and my sister in law knew we needed one last hooray to say goodbye to Colorado. One last trip! So we planned and coordinated with my parents and their schedule and made it happen!
I loaded up the kids and the millions of things we were bringing and headed out. We sent this picture out to the family chat to let them know we were on our way!
I have done this drive so many times and I have it down! I know our stops, I know how long each stop needs to be and what and when to give their kids their goodies. It's planned and executed to perfection. It makes the drive so much more doable and easier when I am by myself!
When we hit Kansas it was incredibly smokey from fires. The smell was really strong. It made a haze over the sun and it looked really pretty. I tried getting a picture but I was driving and clearly didn't get a good one. Haha
After 7 hours we made it to our hotel. Yep, we stay in the same hotel every time. We know it, we know the breakfast and what to expect when it comes to loading and unloading the car. I'm smart about packing. I pack a small overnight bag for all of us, so we aren't having to unload the entire car for one night.
I let the kids jump on the beds until they were too tired to stand. They deserve to be rambunctious after that long in a car.
After getting all settled, we headed down to the pool for a swim. Now having June be able to swim and splash around, it makes the pool much more fun and worth it. We spent quite a while down there and headed back to the room for baths and then I ordered pizza.
We always order from the same place, so when I called my name and where we were staying popped right up on their screen. Made for an easy phone call. Once the pizza was ordered and being delivered , the kids bathed, I showered and got ready to eat.
Our pizza arrived and the kids ate while watching a movie.
I let Kate go to town on her own pizza. That girl knows how to eat!
The next morning, we woke up and went to have breakfast. The hotel always has a good breakfast which is kid friendly! After eating, we got ready, loaded the car and headed out for another six hour drive.
It was beyond windy! I mean I was gripping the steering wheel so tight and I went though gas so quickly because it was pushing our car so hard. These two semi trucks were sometimes inches away from hitting each other. I mean there were times where I held my breath because I thought they were going to collide. I let off the gas a little bit and watched from afar. It was just too close. It was scary!
seven hours later, I laid on my car horn to let everyone know we had arrived! My sister Brooke and Meg had flown in a few hours earlier.
We got all settled and waited for my other sister Michelle to arrive.
I always love this view. My dad is a diligent worker. He never calls things "Good enough" or "that should do". It's his all or nothing. I can guarantee you that those missionaries have gotten nothing but 100 percent from him these last three years. I loved seeing him read his scriptures, reading talks or doing missionary business that I don't understand. He is such a good example to me and to my children. I'm really grateful for that!
June calls my parents "Nana and Papa Polly Pocket" because of the collection of Polly Pockets they have. They were mine growing up and have stayed at my parents house. Someday I will take them home to keep but it's fun having them at Nana and Papa's and it's the first thing she wants to do.
There is nothing my mom loves more than being with her grandchildren. I hardly had to lift a finger with the kids this week because she did it all! She is an amazing woman and grandmother. I aspire to be like her in so many ways!
Giving baths is her favorite. Give her a baby and a bathtub and she's content! Kate was pretty content as well!
Let the wrestling matches begin!
My sister Mich and her girls all arrived. My sister in law, Shay, wouldn't get in until the next morning so we were all there for the night and chatted away! We pretty much didn't see the kids for the rest of the week.
My dad was showing us all the stuff he has had to confiscate from missionaries. Who brings these things out on a mission?!! How bizarre right!? We had a good laugh over everything. He isn't holding all the stuff. Just giving us a preview!
The next morning was wake up and go!
My mom keeps a stash of make up bags and old make up that the girls go crazy for! They were covered in makeup before it was time to eat breakfast.
We went for a run that morning and then got ready to go pick up Shay and Livvy from the airport.
Then it was off to the American Girl Doll store and SHOPPING!!!
June had been saving up for a long time to get a desk and backpack for her American Girl Doll. When she reached her goal, it was perfect timing for Colorado. She brought her money with her so that she could purchase it there. She was really excited about it.
It's so fun watching her learn to save her money and get her reward for it. I'm at times careless with money, I admit, so I am extremely grateful that Dan is an advocate saver and handles money rather well. I'm grateful he teaches these principles to our children and me. Hahaha
After her purchase we took all the cousins dolls to the Salon to get their hair done.
Owen and Quinn playing by the ponds outside the store
These three were inseparable!
We took Owen and Quinn to the Disney store since the older girls got grandma and grandpa surprises from the American girl Doll Store. All Owen wanted was a Mickey Mouse spoon and fork. It made me laugh that out of all those toys thats all he wanted. So we got him his spoon and fork and then we surprised him with a Mickey racer so he would have something fun to play with.
We went to the food court to get a snack for all of us. Drinks and cookies!
My parents then wrangled the kids and let us girls go shop on our own for a while. They are kinda the best parents.
After we shopped and all met up, we went to go pick up the girls dolls' from the hair salon.
With their dolls
We were pretty shopped out by the time we picked the dolls up. We headed to the car to get home!
The woman influence in my life is incredibly strong because of each of these ladies. I learn so much from them. I aspire to be like them. I grateful to be the youngest in my family because I have so many role models to look up to!
The stroller was so heavy by the end of the day. This picture doesn't even do it justice!
When we got home, we were laughing because June's carseat had tipped over and was squishing Reese, pretty much the whole ride home. We had no idea. It was funny!
We spent the rest of the evening playing with all our toys and loot.
Once the kids got settled downstairs and fell asleep, us adults ate, played games and laughed until I was snorting Dr. Pepper out of my nose. My favorite thing to do with my family. We do it right.
The next morning we woke up and headed to the rec center to swim. This rec center is amazing. I think I have talked about it before, but it is so fun for kids of all ages!
Owen loved all the splashing bubbles and kid area stuff.
Sammi and Kate
My cute little niece Sam and me
We love the water slides! June is a huge fan of them. We went down the tube ride together!
Owen and Kate both went down the slides. Owen was not a fan and Kate had a panicked look on her face coming down. Hahaha Owen stayed with my dad where it was nice and safe.
After we swam our hearts out, we got out, showered and had pizza. Then we headed home and had a little down time before heading out on a little hike.
Colorado is beautiful! It makes me miss the mountains and all the things I did growing up in the North.
Own refused to look at the camera. Shock me, shock me.
He looked for Nana and Papa though!!
I couldn't resist but do a little yoga with my sister Michelle while up in the mountains.
Just messing around. I really loved it.
My girl squad
Owen wasn't too much of a fan of the hiking. He LOVED finding rocks though. Everywhere we went he his pockets full of rocks!
Kate the happy chunk!
Owen is holding red little berries on a stick in his hand. He was beyond cute about those berries, keeping them safe, so that he could take them home to daddy.
Hiking up the trail
Like I said, I hardly had to do anything! Kate became Brooke's! I have the best of the best sisters!
My Family. Missing lots of cousins and Mikey!
After the hike we all went to a downtown shopping square. Did a little more shopping and went and got ice cream.
Kate got her very own sugar cone and was inhaling it! It was mostly all over my mom. Hahaha
We came home, had dinner and bathed the kids. Reesey and Kate had matching pajamas! They were cute.
The next day we woke up, went running and got ready to go to the Hammond's Chocolate Factory. My parents arranged a tour for us.
Watching candy being made. They were pulling and curling candy canes here.
After the tour, we ended up in the candy store. We loaded up on all sorts of sweet treats!
That night we said goodbye to my sister Brooke, she had to head out to get back to Utah. Her girls were in dance competitions that weekend.
We got the kids settled and Nana played tea party with them for a while.
Saturday we loaded up and went to play at a park. We scootered, we skateboarded and just played around.
It's been such a learning curve with this little boy. I am learning to not push. That he CAN'T be pushed. It's all on his own time. I have to parent differently with him. He's special in his own sense that I need to focus on different things with him than I do with the other two. I'm learning more qualities about him, because I see him differently. We are working on it together and it has made a world of difference. Blog post about that later.
The kiddos that were all at Nana and Papa's
Megan and Shay, plus their girls, had flights that left later that day. Mich and I drove, so we decided to stay until Sunday. My parents had a baptism, so they took the three older girls to it.
We went outside and saw that Kate's sucker had been on the back of the van since we left the candy factory!
Mich and I did more shopping while my parents and the girls were at the baptism. We spent the rest of the night eating and hanging out. We packed and got ready to head out the next morning.
Saying goodbye to the mission van. We had some fun times in that gigantic van over the last three years. The majority of us could fit in there and the kids always loved riding in it. We will miss it.
We said our goodbyes and headed out for the long ride home. I was ready to be home. The thought of having to stop in a hotel about did me in, but I was so tired that I knew I couldn't make it all 12 hours in one shot. I had to stop.
Our half way stop is at the gigantic gas station with the park. It literally is the best pit stop!! It has everything you ever need!
We made it to the hotel, unloaded and went swimming again. We spent forever down by the pool this time, so when we got back up to the room, we did baths, ate and then went to bed. We were all tired. Sent this picture to Dan to say goodnight. Kate had just got done chomping dinner. Hahaha
Kate likes playing with my phone and I found a bunch of selfies on there.
I can't even begin to tell you how tired we all were. We went hard in Colorado and didn't stop!
Kate had a rough last couple of nights in Colorado, so she hardly slept. I was loading everything up and when I went to grab her she was fast asleep on the hotel floor.
My audio book and unlimited snacks kept me energized and entertained on the way home.
We made it home safe and sound! Dan was there to welcome us and the house was spic and span! He did so much work on the house while we were gone. House blog post to come.
It was a perfect last trip to Colorado. We didn't stop and made sure to get everything in that we wanted to do one last time. It was so fun and we are extremely tired because of it. With the hour difference and day light savings, plus just being worn out, we are in recovery mode. I love that the next time my family will be together, it will be at my parents homecoming!!!!
Thanks Colorado for all the amazingness you brought us over the last three years! We will miss you but are so looking forward to getting back to Idaho!!
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