Showing posts with label On the Road Again. Show all posts
Showing posts with label On the Road Again. Show all posts

Monday, September 5, 2022

A quick trip to CO followed by a quick trip to CO.

 Thursday, Aug 18

Bill and I took a quick trip to CO for a funeral. 

A good friend of ours from Parker - and a work colleague of Bill's - had been killed in an airplane accident (on Mar's wedding day). Bill had talked to him the day before he died. It is so sad.

It gave us an extra opportunity to see these cute granny daughters and their parents, though. That makes me happy.

We made a stop by Hurt's Donut to pick out some tasty treats.

Then we went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

We had to take both of their cars to get us all there... V came along with Gigi and Little Billy in their not-so-little blue truck ;-)


We spent the next day (Friday) at the funeral, then flew home that evening.


Thursday, Sept 1

Bill and I made the drive to Denver to go to a Jack Johnson concert with Zoeanne and Kendall.


It was at Fiddler's Green, which is where Taylor and Britt graduated high school, so it was fun to reminisce about those days {long gone by}. I had also worked a concert here for a marching band fundraiser when Tay was a freshman... I spent the night dispensing on-tap beer. To earn money for my son's band fees. Good times.


I have heard some of Jack Johnson's music. Mar performed Better Together with a friend at a coffee shop for her guitar class. But I realized that I really didn't know Jack Johnson songs haha. 
Only ONE was familiar to me.


There was a lot of pot smoke. And our spot, which seemed pretty perfect when we first secured it, wasn't so great once people started standing on the walkway directly in front of us.


It was a nice evening. The weather was perfect. Jack performed in UT the following night, and I'm pretty sure his dialogue was edited to exclude all the pot talk haha. After the concert we dropped Zoeanne and Kendall off at their hotel (the Hilton Garden Inn - the same one I had a devil of a time finding the first time I drove to Denver solo with the kids to sign on our house). Bill and I stayed the night at Tay and Nae's.


Friday, Sept. 2

Our presence at their house the next morning may have contributed to V running late for school. I went with Nae to drop her off. 


We had to check in at the office, and I was delighted to know that I am still in the DCSD system. They could just print out that visitor tag with my not-so-attractive CO Driver's License photo on it, lickity split.


V had missed a few days of school prior to this day, so it was kind of a big deal to show up... and late. I was so impressed with her bravery. She showed me where her cubby is, then headed into class.


It made me so happy to hear the kids excitedly welcome her back. I know it made Nae feel good, too. Sending your child to school is always hard, and as a mom you just hope that kids are kind.

After dropping V off, Bill and I headed to Castle Rock to meet up with Zoeanne and Kendall. They had invited us to go to their cabin in southern CO for a couple of days. Kendall needed to make a work stop in Co Springs, then we caravanned down south.


We stopped for dinner on the way, and arrived right at dusk.


Saturday, Sept 3


We had divided up meal duty. I can't remember what Bill and I had, but I remember that there were a few mouse nests around the kitchen. Bill set a trap and we caught a mouse fairly quickly. Ick.


The scenery was beautiful. Colorado does not disappoint in that area.





Zoeanne wasn't feeling well that afternoon, so she slept, and Kendall went to town for a few hours to grab some medicine and soda. Bill and I took a walk, played a game or two, and just chilled for bit.






The hummingbird feeder kept me entertained.




Sunday, Sept 4


Bill and I packed up our things and headed out. Zoe and Kendall were staying for a few more days. I think they were hopeful we would be interested in going in as a timeshare buyer (I think Kendall told us there are currently 10 co-owners), but I literally have no interest in timesharing a cabin in a remote area of CO. Especially one with a sketchy outhouse and lots of mice haha. If it was a condo on a beautiful white sand beach, and I might consider it.


I was worried that the drive home would be 12 hours (thinking we had to head back up north before going west), but it only took 8 hours. I love traveling {scenic} roads I've never been on before, so it was a lovely drive home.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

A new baby and a new year.

Friday 12.27.19
Mar and I made the drive to Alabama.
Lex was getting close to delivering her baby (dilated to a 5), so we knew it wouldn't be long before she went into labor. Mar wanted to experience a brand-spanking-new baby, since she hasn't had the opportunity before, and I wanted to help Jason and Lex with Emmett... AND hold a brand-spanking-new baby. We checked flight prices only to discover that they were sky-high, so decided that the 17-hour drive was totally doable in a day. We also had a small window of decent weather, so we took it.



Saturday 12.28.19
We went to a nearby mall to check out a few after-Christmas sales, shop for missionary items for Mar, and get Lex walking/moving/laboring.


Emmett loved the merry-go-round... until the ride went a bit long, then he was ready to get off haha.



  



Sunday 12.29.19
We went to church, took a nice Sunday drive, and worked on this puzzle.
(We finished it on Monday.)



Monday 12.30.19
A low-key day... haircuts... taco night.
Oh, and we finished the puzzle... twice {shout-out to Emmett}.



Tuesday 12.31.19
New Year's Eve
Lex had a doctor's appointment in the morning, but when she told them about her contractions she had been experiencing through the night they sent her to the hospital.
We played with M and patiently WAITED for some news, and were so excited when she was finally admitted.



We went to the hospital in the late afternoon. Lex hadn't had the baby yet, but was so so close.


Emmett + a hospital room = lots of buttons to push and cords to pull, so he and I spent some quality time in the lobby, hallways, and on the stairs.


He found the gift shop... and some balloons, so I bought one for him. BEST purchase ever.








Lex was ready to start pushing, so we went to grab a quick dinner, then to drop M off with Ryan and Karlie, who were celebrating the New Year with some friends in their ward (= kids for Emmett to play with).

When we came back... ta-da!... Brielle was here!


There is literally nothing better than holding a new baby.







We held, we cuddled, we oooohed and ahhhhhhed over Brielle, then Mar and I picked up big brother, took him home, and put him (and ourselves) to bed. He would get to meet sissy tomorrow.


Wednesday 01.01.20
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Emmett patiently waited to meet Brielle (I'm sure he didn't even know his life had changed FOREVER). Lex called to let us know when would be the best time to come visit.




The time finally arrived. It was so fun to watch Emmett, and even more fun to watch Jason and Lex as they realized HOW BIG Emmett is in comparison to tiny Brielle.



M played peek-a-boo with sissy... so sweet.




"Dis... is my new baby!"

We spent some more time cuddling that precious girl...




...and M and I spent some more time enjoying the lobby.





Thursday 01.02.20
We ran to Hobby Lobby and Costco to grab some items to welcome Brielle home. We weren't sure exactly WHEN Lex and Jason would be home, so we made ultra quick work at getting our balloon garland together.




And finally she was HOME.
I love the pic below because Brielle is oblivious to her rowdy bro... and M was being his usually busy little self. We all had to keep a close eye on our little bubby since his baby etiquette was unrefined (I'm sure it's getting more and more refined every day haha).


The next couple days were pretty much spent taking turns holding Brielle and playing with Emmett. The time went by so fast.

Friday 01.03.20




Saturday 01.04.20


We enjoyed a couple of walks, one around Jason and Lex's neighborhood, one to the neighborhood across the street to see some model homes similar to one that Ryan and Karlie are in the beginning stages of building. It was very rainy most of the time we were there, so it was nice to grab a little fresh air, even if it was a tad windy and nippy.


Sunday 01.05.20





This was the last day before our drive home. That evening I didn't want to let Brielle go, but eventually had to relinquish her to Mar.


It was a blessing to be there.
And I really don't mind the drive.
I loved spending time with M and B (and their parents).
I am so grateful for these precious little babies/children that I get to call GRANDS.
I love them.

I'm sure Lex will get around to posting B's birth story in detail (but give a momma some TIME), so watch for it - the link is in my sidebar.