An Incredible Week
We are currently on the road to Boulder, heading back east to Kansas, heading home. As is the case every time I leave the mountains, I feel a twinge of sadness to say goodbye to such beauty and grandeur. But I am glad to be getting home, to be back on the open plain where the sun lingers on the horizon and the roads are straight and wide.
The trip went much better than I expected. We definitely had our "moments" when the boys required a stern "talking to," or when they felt homesick and broke down in tears, asking to go home. But compared to previous long road trips, this one earns five stars! It certainly did help to have extra space in our new van, and we could shuffle kids around or even sit in the back seat ourselves to suppress the chaos.
We arrived at our cabin Sunday night and set out to explore Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) Monday morning. We soon found that the boys had the most fun simply climbing and exploring, and will never forget their excitement as they discovered a world very different from their home. Alex and Joseph sought to climb every slope and boulder within sight, and stopped only long enough to pose for the camera. David would rarely entertain my requests for a picture, and busied himself with mountain wildlife. He soon made friends with the native hummingbirds and chipmunks, and learned that if you sit patiently, the little critters will bravely approach you with curiosity. Samuel, who for over a month now asked every morning, "When are we going to the mountains?" was giddy with excitement. His big brown eyes grew even bigger as he took in the Rockies, which he had only previously seen as an infant. And even little Zach squealed with delight at his new surroundings. Steve and I were careful to watch him for symptoms of oxygen deficiency at the higher altitudes, a possibility with his heart condition and recent surgery. But he stayed rosy-pink and did not once tire from hiking, throwing rocks, and trying to take a plunge into the mountain streams!
We spent lazy mornings at our cabin, enjoying our coffee and cooking up a hearty breakfast. Each day we explored different areas of RMNP, and each afternoon the rainstorms set in. The little guys made a habit out of napping in the van, and we would simply pull over and let the bigger boys play while Sammy and Zach recharged their batteries. We hiked around mountain lakes, trekked up to a beautiful waterfall, drove Trail Ridge Road above 12,000 feet and walked amidst the beauty of the fragile alpine tundra. We even went boating! That's right... Steve brought along a little inflatable raft that we launched onto a placid mountain lake, and the boys were brave enough to venture aboard and go for a "row." Aside from the afternoon storms, the weather was perfect, and we were happy to escape the 109 degree days that our fellow Wichitans endured this past week. In the evenings we would return to our cabin (which was about 35 minutes south of RMNP,) start up a campfire, and roast hot dogs or grill over charcoal. It was all a mountain adventure should be. And this year, the boys were old enough to really appreciate the unique mountain setting. They ran full throttle from dawn until way after dusk, and I'm sure they will have lots of resting up to do before school starts in just one week!
We are thankful for the opportunity to spend this time together, for the sweet memories we made this week, and the chance to soak up the beauty of our neighboring state. We are grateful that the boys are better behaved in the car than we remember from our last Rocky Mountain vacation (a hellish adventure to say the least,) and actually look forward to future travels together. A lot has changed in three years!
But we have reached that point in our vacation, as I suppose all families do, when we are good and ready to be home! When the kids are chronically sleep-deprived and drawing crazy hyper energy, instead of calm slumber, from their fatigue. When I'm tired of PB&J or McDonald's everyday for lunch, when there is nothing like the thought of sleeping in our own beds. So home we head, with new stories to tell and many pictures to share, and the sweet melody of "Rocky Mountain High" playing over and over in our heads.
The trip went much better than I expected. We definitely had our "moments" when the boys required a stern "talking to," or when they felt homesick and broke down in tears, asking to go home. But compared to previous long road trips, this one earns five stars! It certainly did help to have extra space in our new van, and we could shuffle kids around or even sit in the back seat ourselves to suppress the chaos.
We arrived at our cabin Sunday night and set out to explore Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) Monday morning. We soon found that the boys had the most fun simply climbing and exploring, and will never forget their excitement as they discovered a world very different from their home. Alex and Joseph sought to climb every slope and boulder within sight, and stopped only long enough to pose for the camera. David would rarely entertain my requests for a picture, and busied himself with mountain wildlife. He soon made friends with the native hummingbirds and chipmunks, and learned that if you sit patiently, the little critters will bravely approach you with curiosity. Samuel, who for over a month now asked every morning, "When are we going to the mountains?" was giddy with excitement. His big brown eyes grew even bigger as he took in the Rockies, which he had only previously seen as an infant. And even little Zach squealed with delight at his new surroundings. Steve and I were careful to watch him for symptoms of oxygen deficiency at the higher altitudes, a possibility with his heart condition and recent surgery. But he stayed rosy-pink and did not once tire from hiking, throwing rocks, and trying to take a plunge into the mountain streams!
We spent lazy mornings at our cabin, enjoying our coffee and cooking up a hearty breakfast. Each day we explored different areas of RMNP, and each afternoon the rainstorms set in. The little guys made a habit out of napping in the van, and we would simply pull over and let the bigger boys play while Sammy and Zach recharged their batteries. We hiked around mountain lakes, trekked up to a beautiful waterfall, drove Trail Ridge Road above 12,000 feet and walked amidst the beauty of the fragile alpine tundra. We even went boating! That's right... Steve brought along a little inflatable raft that we launched onto a placid mountain lake, and the boys were brave enough to venture aboard and go for a "row." Aside from the afternoon storms, the weather was perfect, and we were happy to escape the 109 degree days that our fellow Wichitans endured this past week. In the evenings we would return to our cabin (which was about 35 minutes south of RMNP,) start up a campfire, and roast hot dogs or grill over charcoal. It was all a mountain adventure should be. And this year, the boys were old enough to really appreciate the unique mountain setting. They ran full throttle from dawn until way after dusk, and I'm sure they will have lots of resting up to do before school starts in just one week!
We are thankful for the opportunity to spend this time together, for the sweet memories we made this week, and the chance to soak up the beauty of our neighboring state. We are grateful that the boys are better behaved in the car than we remember from our last Rocky Mountain vacation (a hellish adventure to say the least,) and actually look forward to future travels together. A lot has changed in three years!
But we have reached that point in our vacation, as I suppose all families do, when we are good and ready to be home! When the kids are chronically sleep-deprived and drawing crazy hyper energy, instead of calm slumber, from their fatigue. When I'm tired of PB&J or McDonald's everyday for lunch, when there is nothing like the thought of sleeping in our own beds. So home we head, with new stories to tell and many pictures to share, and the sweet melody of "Rocky Mountain High" playing over and over in our heads.
Can't wait for pictures!!!!
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