fun with family part 2

Here is another long post of pictures from our trip to Colorado. We kept plenty busy and had a wonderful time.

The kids thought it was cool when it "snowed" cotton from the big cottonwood tree out back.

Drake and Avery got to open a few birthday presents from family.

This is just a shot of Avery's lovely morning hair.

While I personally didn't do much but visit with family and keep the kids out of trouble, others took it upon themselves to do a lot. Have you ever tried to remove a door while holding a small child?

Once the door was removed, and the washer and dryer moved out to the backyard, the project of tiling the laundry room floor began.

These are "before" shots.

There were two different layers of linoleum that needed to be ripped out.

Then Shad diligently went to work on getting the new floor put in.

Avery didn't like the noise of the wet saw.

And I forgot to take an after picture, so my mom sent me these.

While Shad was doing the floor, my mom took on her own updating project.

This is her lovely dryer "before".

Several coats of paint later...

and voila---a "new" appliance.

While we're on the project kick, here's another one. This little group of aspen trees by the mailbox needed to be cut down.

A few of the kids gathered to watch the action.

The Landons made quick work of this job.

And the audience grew.

Ta-da! No more aspens.

The last of the projects was taking out an old pine tree.

It's harder to tell the difference, but it did look much better.

Avery was having fun helping Grammie in the kitchen.

Cute kids.

Newest member of the extended family.

Just swingin'.

Avery sporting a new-to-her hat.

During one of our afternoons, we decided to meet up with one of Shad's cousins who lives in the area.

The place we decided on was Belleview park, or as we called it growing up, "Airplane Park". Landon and Austin took the first ride around on the train.

We played a little frisbee before getting on with everyone else.

The cousins.

The train went around the park once.

Our family with Eric and Camille and their family.

Kids these days.

Our family with some of my family.

After the train we walked to a nice area by the stream.

The adults talked while the kids played.

I'm glad we got to see Shad's cousin and his family while we were out there.

For dinner one night we roasted hot dogs.

And even though it was sprinkling rain, some roasted marshmallows for s'mores.

Playing catch.

Here they were all pretending to be asleep. Avery was the least convincing... they stayed this way for at least three minutes or more. I began to wonder if they had actually fallen asleep.

Fun with sticks.

Cousins chillin'.

Writing on the window.

On our last Sunday there, Landon and Melissa blessed their little boy Cody.

I got a great family picture of them...

And I don't know what this was about, but Lincoln is too cute to not show this.

Some of Landon's family was able to make it down for the blessing and afterwards we all had a delicious dinner prepared by Cody's proud parents.

Even though it's usually a full house when we go out to Colorado to visit, I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's fun to visit family and keep up the special relationship you have with people you've known and loved your whole life.

I'm not sure when we'll be able to make it back out, but I'm glad we were able to go this time.

I'm always grateful to my parents for putting up with us. And I'm always grateful to be able to see my siblings and siblings-in-law and let our kids play together. Every time we get together I think of how nice it would be to live closer. But living far apart makes me that much more grateful when I do get to see them. Great times.