Estes Park

At the end of July, we took a family vacation to Estes Park YMCA camp and had SO MUCH FUN! Mom and Dad rented a huge cabin that slept every stinking one of us in a nice bed in our own rooms so we could play games, eat, and enjoy all the ymca camp offerings with napping babies, hangry kids, and bedtime routines. Grayson probably took advantage of all the free activities with the most gusto...he was gone from 7:30 -6 playing flag football, capture the flag, basketball, gaga, archery, rock walls, kickball, etc. There was also an art center and a ton of nature hikes. Family game nights were so much more fun when we could all stay and participate because the kiddos had nodded off to sleep. And the absolute best part was hanging with the cousins...they are just all so cute.

Our kitchen was large enough to have 2 refrigerators, 2 dishwashers, 2 tables and with all those kids, we needed it!

Matalley participated in an anthropology dig

The girls participated in a treasure hunt and I love how Lola just inserted herself between the counselors feet to get a view of the treasure.

 Millie and Henry did a good job of holding down the fort.

Lola got to ride a pony with her cousins

 So I let Millie hop on at the end...she's squeezing big sis, broken arm and all.

And this is the big group pony pic. Notice that Molly also has a broken arm...what are the odds? Molly got hers first and the day I called Amy to ask her about it, Millie broke her arm. It's amazing what kind of judgmental looks you receive when your daughter has a cast...they all want to know what happened and when you explain that she just fell on it wrong, they give you a sideways glance like I am lying to them. I want to tell them that it is very common and I wasn't even in the room but that doesn't really help my case either so I just smile and move on.

Then us bigger kids went on a horse trail ride.

Grayson rode ____ and Matalley  rode _____. Her horse was a little feisty and Matalley was amazing with her. She had to lead her back onto the trail numerous times and one time was almost bucked off after Grayson's horse bit her. Matalley was just calm and easy going about the whole thing. I was most impressed!

Our last night we decided to take family pictures in the tie dye clothes the kids made. The Lanohas chose pink and blue.

 We had raspberry, fuscia, colbalt blue, and navy.

 and the Dodds picked orange, purple, green and pink.

 Gathering everyone for a big picture was quite an ordeal

 And getting us all to smile for the camera was even harder but still memorable!

 

Our family explored the National forest a little on the last day.

 It was gorgeous

but our 30 minute hike turned into an hour with all the little stops we made.

 

And when we finally made it to the lake, we were sad we had to turn around and go home.

It was just a really great family trip. Thanks YiaYia and Bompa!