What we did on our summer vacation in Colorado

Do you need a recap? End of July, head to Chicago. Erik, home. Cathryn and kiddos to Albuquerque. Erik works, then on to Albuquerque as well. Then we took a Westbrook family vacation to the mountains in Colorado. I lobbied afterwards to get a vacation house up there but couldn't get anyone to jump on board with me. :) Something about money...

The boys fish, the girls and kids through rocks. Look for this to be a recurring theme.

The big kids got to take a train ride on a 1920's steam locomotive through the mountains. Poor Matthew positively loves trains, but was happier napping at home I suspect.

At this point I think Erik 'shrieked' :) "are those train cars tipping?" I believe he also stopped leaning over the edge to take pictures of the river thousands of feet below!

How to keep babies entertained for part of the long drives and flights. Hey, you get desperate.

How cute is this picture of Papa and the Little Man?

More rock throwing... I told you there was a theme here!

Turn the hot tub temp down and it is like a giant warm outdoor baby pool!

Snuggles with the chosen ones on the trip, Aunt Sara and (Uncle? ;o) J.J.

Seriously, my baby almost got attacked here by rabid chipmunks who apparently other people find fun and cute to feed. But the baby can't defend himself! It was crazy. Grace also slipped on pond scum trying to get the perfect rock to throw into the lake. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of the wet underwear and shorts drying on a stick in the sun like a white flag of peace for the chipmunks.

The boys fish.... Lots of travel and lots of fun, but still good to be home too!

What we did on our summer vacation

I am ashamed that it has been so long since I blogged. I really don't know where our summer went. Oh, yeah. We did this a lot at home:

Then we all drove to Chicago and met my parents there for a wedding. Man, we miss Chicago. It is too much fun!

Then we went on to Albuquerque and had some lady like fun at a tea party at Gram's house, where Bear also got a new coat. We went to the Albuquerque zoo (love those reciprocal memberships!) and saw some kangaroos and got to ride the train.

We got another 5 generation photo, even if the Boy doesn't quite fit in with that line of ladies.

Then we had a little unorthodox fun, because, after all, we were at Nana and Papa's house.

Like, reading Christmas books in August (Grace's request). That is Aunt Sara and boyfriend J.J.

Swimming naked, because they can. And eating in the pool, because they can. And getting a bath, in the pool, because they can. Hey, I said it was unorthodox (but fun!).

Painting rocks, naked. Again. I promise, they really were clothed most of the time. Why wash out paint when you don't have to?

"Uh, this posing for pictures is such hard work."

Grace and her adored (or is that adoring?) Aunt "Sasa".

And get this: Matthew and Grace both decided swimming in an icy pool was fun after all! They didn't know that Papa puts warm water in the baby pool at home. What service.