Colorado Week 3-Keyser Family Reunion

Saturday and Sunday: arrival days

Doug's family has a house up in the Winter Park area so we thought it would be perfect to do our family reunion there.  We all met there on Saturday and Sunday for the week.  The boys were so excited to see their Dad after two weeks.  Ok that is not entirely true.  James was really happy to see his Dad, Michael I guess was really mad at his Dad because when we got there Doug picked him up and he screamed and screamed.  After awhile Doug played with him and he was forgiven. 

Doug reading the boys a bedtime story.

Monday: Grand Lake

On Monday we drove to Grand Lake.  First we hiked the trail to Adam's Falls.  It was a short hike perfect for the little kids and my dad with his healing ankle.  

Me and Mikey at the falls

Family Picture by the waterfall, James just wanted to go.

Further up you can play in the river, the boys loved this part the best. 

After the waterfall we went to the lake for lunch and swimming.  The boys loved getting in the water but I thought it was freezing.  

Mikey playing in the water

James kept trying to go over the ropes that separate the swim beach from the rest of the lake.  I ended up getting pretty wet going after him once.  

Tuesday: Girls/Boys activities

Tuesday morning the girls all headed back to Grand Lake to do some shopping while the boys watched the kids.  We had lunch in this place that served crapes and cheese.  It was really good, but they didn't have half the stuff on their menu.  When we got back the boys headed off to go golfing while we watched the kids.  Doug says it was a lot of fun and a really nice course.

Wednesday: Rocky Mountain National Park

Wednesday we drove through Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes Park.  It was a really pretty drive and fun to see the mountains and everything.  

We had to stop a few times because they were doing road work. 

The view as we were going up.

At the top they have a gift shop.  Mikey found this Elk bank and dragged it around the store by it's antlers. 

We stopped for lunch on the way down.  Mikey and James loved playing in the river. 

Dad and James in the parking lot at Estes Park.

On the way back we drove the Old Fall River road which was really cool.  We saw a beaver and some elk, but not too much wildlife.  

Thursday: Putt Putt and Devil's Thumb

Thursday morning we took James and Mikey over to play Putt Putt and the YMCA.  James did not like it too much.  He kept wanting to go on the holes that had "dark in here" (tunnel) and he couldn't always do that because of the other people.  In the afternoon Doug, Brandon, Jordyn and Blake went and hiked Devil's Thumb.  I stayed home with the boys so James could have a quiet afternoon and hopefully calm down a little.  Doug says the hike was pretty hard, but awesome at the top.  On the way back they saw two moose.   

Friday: Pictures and Bike Riding

Friday morning we were doing family pictures.  We hiked up this trail to find a good spot.  We had warned the photographer, who is a family friend, beforehand that James would probably not cooperate and we would just have to get what we get.  The plan was to get everyone situated and ready to snap the picture and then jump in with James at the last second.  But James did awesome!  It helped that she brought a lot of noise makers to get the kids attention and her husband helped the most by being pretty silly and making everyone laugh.  I think if we lived in Colorado she would be our permanent family photographer. 

James hiking up to get the pictures.  He always loves to grab a stick, and loved carrying his  "blue back jack"

A mom and son were stopped here to have a snack so of course James had to join them.

Everyone standing around for the pictures. 

I got to carry Mikey down while Doug followed James. 

In the afternoon we went to the YMCA and rented a bike trailer for the boys.  Then we rode around some trails there.  It was pretty hard work, but fun.  Mikey hated it when we went of the roads and onto the bumpy trails, so we stopped and went and played putt putt a little.  Then we drove Doug up this rode he used to ride down as a kid and hooked up the trailer again.  Doug and James rode down the rode while me and Mikey followed in the car.  When we were loading up the trailer at the bottom I think we stopped in a mosquito nest because they were everywhere and we all came away from that with several bites.
That night we played some Minute to Win It games Doug and I brought and it was hilarious!  Too bad I didn't get any pictures or videos.
Overall it was a very fun week and we all wish we had more time to do more things.  They boys were pretty happy to get home though.