For Christmas this year, we took a family vacation to Pagosa Springs, Colorado! We had an absolutely wonderful time!! We took so many pictures that I think it will take several posts to cover our journey. Here are some on our way up there...
Stephen had planned before we left about how long and when we would travel. He wanted to do most of the driving while the kids were sleeping, be it early morning before they woke up, or during naps, or in the evening when they went down for the night. We stopped at parks during the time they were awake and played together, fixed meals, ate together, and played some more. We had some fun times!
When we stopped for breakfast the first morning, we grabbed our bowls, spoons, cereal and milk and headed out the door. We quickly realized we needed our jackets on. We ate breakfast at the picnic table and shivered the whole time. It was so cold! We quickly finished and began playing, trying to expel some energy and get ourselves a little warmer. We played at another park down the road from this one and taught the kids how to play freeze tag. It was rather hilarious to watch them (and Stephen and I) as we were constantly over exaggerating the frozen and un-frozen moments. I think that by the time we were done, they were just beginning to understand the game.
Lydia was snuggled up in a nice comfy blanket Mamageese made and gave to us before we left. It was so fun and festive and nice and warm. Thanks mom!
Martin, Millie, and Bella all ended up with quite a story to tell at another park we stopped at that evening. It is a long story, but I'm sure they made a memory. Here they are resting after their spills.
Papa, James and Lydia all chillin'.
Later on that night we dry camped at Wal Mart. We usually stay in the Wal Mart parking lots on our route whenever we travel. It is a free place to stay with no reservations that have to be made. It works great for us. Then in the morning when Stephen starts to drive again, we usually have what we call a "coffee date". When he fills the camper up with gas, he will grab us a coffee and we talk and drive together in the still quite early morning. Those are some of my favorite memories! I am so blessed by the Lord to have such a loving, caring, visionary husband, who loves to share his dreams with me!
Once we were in New Mexico, we were held up for a few hours due to some road closures. It was kind of exciting, and mysterious all at the same time. We made the best of it though. The rest of the group who had been traveling all night, met up with us that morning at a fuel station. I made pigs in a blanket for breakfast, and we had coffee and OJ and Christmas treats. Everyone at different times joined us in our camper. It was like a dream come true for Stephen and I to have everyone come in and visit with us and spend time together. Stephen is always thanking the Lord for the provision of out camper. It is such a blessing to us and to so many others as well. What fun memories!!
I think we had every seat filled. It was so fun just pausing and enjoying the excitement of our journey. Down in Texas, we NEVER experience road closures due to snow, so it was different for us to just sit there and not be permitted to enter the freeway. Time passed, the roads were cleared and eventually we were on our way again.
We picked up Jacob Burow in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is a sculpture of a horse he worked on while he was waiting for us to pick him up.
This was the kids first experience with snow, and of course, the first thing they wanted to do was eat it. So PawPaw brought them a few hand-fulls to taste after throwing some snow balls at the camper. It was quite exciting for them!
Stephen couldn't help but get out and play with anyone who was out there. They tossed some snow balls around and wrestled a little in the snow. The boys were entertaining the rest of us who were either in the camper or on the sidelines watching.
Looking at the countryside is something Stephen and I love to do as we travel. Seeing God's creativity and diversity in so many ways is awing to us. Just the beautiful hill sides and mountains and frozen ponds, covered in a blanket of snow are so new and different to us and are evidence of the Lord's handiwork in a whole new way. We were blessed to experience all that we did while on this trip.
More to come later :)
2 comments:
How fun! Can't wait to hear the rest of it!
I love all the pix. You've got a picture diary for years to come....When they look at the pictures it will bring back great memories for them....
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