Monday, October 18, 2010

Colorado Rocky Mountain High

Over Columbus weekend, Solon, Quincy, Baby Bell & I hopped a jet plane and made our way to Estes Park, Colorado via Denver to celebrate Mimi's 70th Birthday with Solon's mom's side of the family. We shared a rental house on the mountainside with 9 of Solon's family members for a truly unforgettable weekend.

(Because I am a dork, and believe that you can't drive through Colorado without listening to some John Denver's Greatest Hits, feel free to turn your sound on, and click play on this video, to experience the song that was in my head all weekend while were in Colorado. You don't have to actually watch the video - it's so old!!- but just listen to the song while you look through this blog post. Enjoy!)


Here are the pictures!

The view from our living room (every room had a similar view)


The view from our room


First thing in the morning

You can see my bracelet tracks on my forehead - I must have slept hard!


Mimi, Aunt Shelley, and Alaina


Quincy's new hat!


Alynsia in the middle of Bear Lake


We weren't really prepared for how cold it was going to be at the top of Bear Lake @ Rocky Mountain National Park - it was snowing on us!


Alex's giant snowball


Me, baby girl & a 400+ year-old tree


Solon jumping over a post

And then showing Quincy how to do it


What a beautiful view





I just thought this was so pretty


All the trees that are brown are dead trees - infested by bark beetles - there are so many of them throughout the park. It's terrible. It's not getting cold enough to freeze the beetles anymore, so thousands of trees are dying.


In front of rock that Grandpa Meredith had posed in front of when we was just a boy - now he's here with his whole family!


Layers upon layers of beauty



Alex's rock


Rob introduced Quincy to the ice-cold water, and he loved it! Totally cried when I said it was time to go

And then he passed out in the car


Solon took Quincy horseback riding! Their horse was Bam-Bam & Quincy had a blast!



Family picture time!










Did we get enough? Okay, here's one more


A very special treat for us was when Patrick "P-Diddy" and his family drove from Colorado Springs to see us. Patrick is pretty much responsible for Solon and I even knowing eachother, so he is very special to us. If he wasn't so darn tall (& handsome), my friends would have never spotted him at that concert in September 2001, and I would have never seen Solon standing right next to him. We love Patrick!


It was wonderful to spend some time with him and his wife Stephanie, and to finally meet their sweet daughter Caroline!!!


We were so happy for Caroline and Quincy to meet & play together!

I love this picture


Here I am about to get some sweet Caroline kisses


Sunday night ended our trip with the celebration of Mimi's 70th Birthday. Alynsia picked out these adorable cupcake-cakes, and they were so delicious!!

I hope I look this great at 70 Mimi!!


One last look at the view before we left Monday


One last family pic (we were a little out of it)


Alynsia & I just realized we never got a pic together when we were dressed up, so this early morning shot was going to have to do =)


Goodbye Estes Park - you were such a beautiful place to visit!