Our Wall Family Reunion Trip Post One

Daddy and I really weren't looking forward to this trip. We were just there last summer, when everyone decided to have a reunion for this summer. We really wanted to go somewhere amazing like Cancun, or on a Cruise, but we sucked it up and planned our trip not knowing that this was where we needed to be and that we would be glad in the end. Family is so important. It's where our roots are and we are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives. Yes, there are some who drive us crazy during the process, but we are truly grateful to have such a close connection with everyone. Our first stop was to Colorado. Daddy took us to the Sand Dunes. We started Friday afternoon around four P.M and he drove all night and arrived at two A.M. We parked in a super market parking lot and sleep for a couple of hours, or at least he did. I was terrified someone was going to come knocking on our window, or someone would try to break in so I scanned the parking lot the whole time.

The Sand Dunes were AMAZING! No wonder Brent loved this growing up. We had to cross this river....it was iccccyyyy cold water that was coming off the mountains from the winter snow. It was very wild and sometimes there would be a small stream but not even a few seconds would pass and a rush of three inches would be running over your feet. The boys loved it. Ethan was crazy. Dad said he reminded him a lot like Uncle Bryan (his brother) Uncle Bryan would run crazy and was always goofing off...that's Ethan!

We had so much fun running up the mountains of sand and sliding back down, and running back up and sliding back down and running back up...man I'm tried just thinking about it. Owen had a blast! When we got home we bought more sand for the sandbox. He's out there all the time now. Trying to relive the moment.

















































Dad had so much fun with you boys. I loved watching you race up and down. We will definitely have to go back!

I had this great idea, that if I packed some food, it would save us a ton of money! Right! Nope, after adding it all up when we got home we realized that a couple of meals out was not going to break us. (it was the gas money that got us in the end!) Here's a picture of us picnicking at the Sand Dunes before we headed to Athens. I kept looking for bears. The food was out and I was worried! I know, a little crazy, but I have heard stories!

So, we just got out of heat and sand and to our amazement.....SNOW! Can you believe it! I was so excited and so were the boys! They wanted to get out and play in it so I let them for a little while, but we did not pack to play in the snow. It was so neat to see people skiing in the middle of JUNE! It was beautiful!

Ok, so we get to our hotel in GlenwoodSprings, Colorado and we were goofing off and came up with this video. The boys have me do this skit over and over and Owen thinks its pretty funny....

The next day we head to the bike shop and take a bike ride through the canyons. We did this when Justin was six months old and it was torture for him as a baby so I was a little worried about Owen. He was great! All the kids really enjoyed it. Jake and Ethan rode there bikes the entire 16.2 miles. The view was breath taking. I kept telling the boys to look! Its not every day that they get to see such beautiful mountains and rivers! I love being outdoors! I love nature, I am just terrified of the bears! Another picnic and another worried Mom...Jake had thrown a piece of his sandwich out in the grass because he didn't want it, here's how the conversation went. Mom-Did you just throw that food, do you realize that if you leave food around bears will come and eat it and then when other people stop to rest here they might get attacked by the bear that ate your bread...Jake-(didn't say anything....just looked at me like "what ever mom") I made him pick it up and eat it. Dirt and all. We had watched a documentary the other day about tape worms so he was mostly worried about getting a tape worm from the dirt than a bear:) Here are the pictures from the bike ride.

That night we went to Subway, had Marble Slab ice cream and called it a night. We got up the next morning and headed to UTAH! This is going to be a long one, so I will do a continued post.