Colorado Day 1

Colorado Day 1 - Saturday 8/5

The time has come! Our Colorado vacation is finally here!!  Estes Park holds a special place in our hearts.  We started going there when we were kids with Mom and Charles.  This was always our major summer vacation growing up.  We took a hiatus in high school and college, Kyle's deployments, and so on, but now we are back on track.  Our first time back was in 2012, (D and I were newly engaged, Ali and Eric only had Aslynn and Hud), then 2014 (Eli was 8 weeks old, and Ryder was 1), and now 2017 with 5 cousins (Everley's first trip to CO), and Kyle joined with his girlfriend, Pallyn.  Love this family, and love all of the memories we make on this trip to literally last a life time!  And let's face it, who doesn't love to get out of the 100+ degree heat, and come where the high is in the 60s.  GLORIOUS!!!!  So let's get to it ... Day 1.

Up and At'em!!  Let's back up to Friday actually.  Friday was the last day of my quarter at work, and just a crazy week all together. This means, that we have to stay in the office until 8pm to book every last penny.  Luckily, the company had great quarter and was ahead of the game, so I left Austin at 5 and drove to Mom and Charles' house.  Derek and the kids already left Austin earlier in the afternoon so we could break up the drive.   Let's be honest, a 13/14 hr drive sounds a lot better than 17!!  I am pretty proud of us.  Even with a crazy week, we had everything packed and loaded the night before so we could all leave straight from work.  Derek didn't even forget Sienna, (our cat).  HA!  #TeamWorkMakesTheDreamWork

Saturday morning rolls around,. Eli was my alram clock at 3:30, trying to hop in bed with me. Instead let's get rollin!  I think we were on the highway by 4:30am.  Here we go!!

Overall the kids actually did well.  We had a lot of books and coloring activities, and a couple movies to keep us going.  Plus all the blankets, pillows, and their favorite stuffed animals to play peek-a-boo and tickles games for hours.  Gotta love those sweet giggles. 

Good boy awards!!

We may or may not have tried to convince mom to stop by a dispensary for us. We also may or may not have called this so called dispensary a distillery for awhile. Rookies.

I was driving when we came into Colorado so I couldn't get our view, but we came in a little different route than the others (photo cred to my sis).  Google Maps took us through the corner of Oklahoma to enter in the SouthEast side of Colorado.  Little 2 lane highways are not great with 18wheelers, especially when trying to pass.  But when we did get into Colorado, it really was the great plains.  Our sign said, "Welcome to Comanche Grasslands".  It literally looked like we could have been on the set of Dances with Wolves.  I kept on laughing at myself and thinking of the dumb and dumber scene. ... I think I was starting to get a little road weary at that time - ha!

Me with all of the trucks - ha!

We finally made it to our destination - YMCA of the Rockies.  14 hours later.  WE DID IT!!! So proud of my little family.  I think I was the most worried with 2 toddlers aboard (3 and 17months), but they did absolutely amazing.  And so did Derek ;)

Our beautiful cabin with amazing Mountain views.

Aunt Ali and Evi.  Despite what the picture might look like, Yes, Everley is MY child.  I think she just has some good/strong Gist genes in her.  We all look alike ;)

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Meadowview Cabin. 

Crazy Uncle E!

Ali and Eric Elk Excursions: 
(*Side Note: I feel like they need British accents to commentate like a National Geographic documentary.  If you read it like that, its much better - ha!)

So y'all. The Elk. They were huge, and at one point 30-40 feet away from me. I was definitely the cut off man. I mean, they were on the baseball field!  At first, they were rutting around with each other and it was amazing to watch. I didn't get there in enough time to video that. But, I did keep inching closer and closer for some amazing pics.  

Kelsey handed me the Elk Safety literature when we arrived back from our walk. Timely.