Vacation, Vacation, Vacation...OH MY!

This summer, we visited Creede, Colorado for our vacation.  This is the first vacation we've been able to take since we started our business (and also first with Brayden).  We were supposed to go to Gulf Shores last year, but when you own your own business, you sometimes have to sacrifice.  So, we ended up not going due to extenuating circumstances.  But, all that to say, we were able to go on vacation this year, and we LOVED it!

My parents and sister, Joe & Melanie (Nick's parents), Alan, Tovah, & Owen (Nick's brother and his family), Rhon (Nick's aunt), and Jason, Jennifer, Dakota, & Montana (Nick's cousin and her family) all attended this vacation.  There were 16 of us in all.  It was such a fun trip, and one I won't soon forget.  We left on a Friday, spent the night in Dumas, and got to Creede the next day.  We did lots while we were there: jeeping, sight-seeing, museum, lots of eating, fishing, shopping, etc.  Nick, Brayden, and I and my family left to head home the next Friday and got home late afternoon on Saturday.

I'm going to share lots of pictures and put snippets of what was going on throughout.  I wish we could go back right now!  It was so cool and relaxing.  A lot of people say, "It was nice to be gone, but I'm glad to be back home."  I told Nick, "If we didn't have to be adults, run a business, and had an endless supply of money, we'd still be there!"  Just kidding, but it was a much needed, wonderful vacation.

Mish Mash of pictures from vacation.

This first group of pictures are on the way to Creede.

He was a pretty good traveller, even if he didn't nap too much on the way to Creede.

Lunch stop in Wichita Falls.

Lunch stop in Trinidad.

This next batch of pictures are all in/around Creede.

At the Mountain Views campsite.

At North Clear Creek Falls.

My favorite picture from the vacation.  This one will be turned into a canvas soon!

Lots of Ergo carrying happened on this trip.

Shrimp boil at the campsite one night.

There were nights he didn't sleep well at all, and then there were nights he slept like a rock.

Picnic by a lake.

We celebrated Jason's birthday while there.

On Bachelor Loop with the Coffee clan.

Oh what a beautiful morning!

Onto the Bachelor Loop with the Bray clan!

We took a picture in nearly the exact same spot when we went four years ago.  It's fun to look at them side by side.

Picnic at Last Chance Mine.

That's Creede in the valley behind us.

The start of our Jeep trip through the Alpine Loop.

Picture at American Basin.

Family picture at American Basin.

At the summit of Cinnamon Pass.

Mom was pulling a "Sound of Music" moment.  I was afraid she was going to fall of the mountain.

Brayden loved playing the river any chance he got.

Feeding squirrels and chipmunks at the Mining Museum.

My parents and sister offered to watch Brayden one night so Nick and I could go on a date.  We jumped at the offer.  We had a wonderful dinner at Cottonwood Cove followed by sight-seeing up on Pool Table.  We got to see a herd of Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep and a deer.  The date ended with a gorgeous sunset!

This last batch of pictures is from our trip home.

On the way home, we stopped with my parents and sister at the Great Sand Dunes.  This was Brayden's favorite part of vacation.  Nick and I decided that the next time we go to Creede, we'll spend a night at the camp here and let Bray play an entire day.  He LOVED it!

Late night dinner due to staying at the Dunes so long.  Pizza in the floor of the hotel room.  Brayden didn't mind though.  He thought it was great.

Yogurt face at our last breakfast before getting home.

Brayden apparently wanted some cookies.

Leaving you with some "Then and Now" pictures of our last vacation to Creede and then this one side-by-side.  I loved seeing these. Nick and I each have less hair. :)