LadyLockUp: Colorado July 8-12

We left at 11 on Tuesday, July 7 to drive to Colorado. We made good time, and arrived at my Aunt and Uncle's house around 7:30pm. The next day, we met up with a friend from my March 2006 board at a Spray Park in Aurora. It was a lot of fun, but the kids were ready to head after a little more than an hour, and she graciously invited us back to invade her house to let the kids play. We had never met up with Tara and her kids before, and she was every bit as wonderful and real as I thought she would be. Her older two kids are Zachary and Sarah's age, and her youngest is now 1.

We left there and headed to Sheila's house. Sheila is a friend from my December 2000 board, so I have "known" her almost 9 years at this point! The first time we met in person was July 2002. Our December Babies were 19 months old, and her youngest was 11 days old. We were also fortunate to meet up with another Mom at that time who lives in New Jersey and was in Denver for a doll convention (Shameless plug for Debra ~ www.debrasdolls.com). Ever since the, we try to meet up with Sheila whenever we are out there ~ at a restaurant, a park, her house, wherever ~ even if it's only for a few minutes. She kindly invited us all to stay for dinner, and we had a wonderful visit. It was hysterical though. Joshua and Malia were outside trying to roast marshmallows on foil in the sun. And they got out the goggles and squirt guns to put out any fire that might happen.

The 10th, we headed to the mountains. My cousin Jarrod got married that weekend, and it was in Beaver Creek. We rented an amazing duplex in Vail, on a golf course, with an incredible deck, and an indoor hot tub. The kids and I, my Mom, my Grandma, my sister and Nate, and my Aunt Becky and Uncle Dennis all stayed there. The wedding was a 3-day event, and it was nice to have a big place to hang out. Saturday as everyone else came into town for the wedding (which was actually Saturday night ~ Friday was a dinner and Sunday was a brunch), they came and hang out with us too.

These are the view off the back deck and the hot tub (which Dennis and I got some use out of Friday night!).