Trains, chicken eggs, and a few hundred alpacas

Monday morning, after sending Grammy off on her drive home (2 days of driving, on her birthday?  bummer), we met up with my friend Whitney and her two children to go to the Alpaca farm.  The owner of the farm used to run a knit shop in Fraser (the town next to Winter Park), where my mom was a frequent customer.  When the owner moved the shop to her own land, my mom recommended we should go check out the Alpacas for ourselves!  To me, they look like Llamas, and they're super friendly and really kind of cute.  There was one llama in the bunch but I can't remember if I got her picture.

 

While we were feeding the animals, we noticed a train sitting on the track behind the farm.  We followed a dirt road to get to the crossing, and the boys were content just sitting watching it (the train wasn't moving...easy entertainment).  After a few minutes, the conductor opened the door of the train and told us he was waiting for an Amtrak to pass before continuing his trip. 

 The headlights of the approaching train...the double track merges to one at this point.

 All three boys loved the loud dinging of the trains as it approached...and waving to the train as it passed!

After the Amtrak passed, the coal train started up again.  There were many empty coal cars, and the train had a total of 3 engines working to pull the train  up the mountains!

After the alpaca farm, following Whitney's tip, we went out to the barn at Devil's Thumb Ranch.  We left our camera in the car but I have a few pictures on our phones (if I ever get those downloaded).  There was a donkey, and two baby goats, and the boys were allowed to go inside the corral to pet them.  While we were playing on one of the wagons, a wrangler came to talk to us and asked the boys for help.  The chickens are completely free-range at the ranch, and therefore lay their eggs wherever they please.  The wrangler had the boys crawl back underneath some farm equipment in the barn in order to gather the chicken's eggs--probably 15-20 in total!  He even let the boys pick one egg to take home, and they were thrilled. 

Naturally, 15 seconds after this photo was taken, I told Sam not to step in the mud.  He stomped up and down and said "but I WANT to step in the mud" and the egg fell out of his hands and CRACK, landed on the ground.  Tears followed, as we loaded the kids into the car (lunchtime anyone?).  Fortunately for Sam, Scott stopped by the barn and asked for another egg...such is life with toddlers. 

The next morning we cracked the eggs and made "sunny side up" for the first time for the boys.  Sam loved his, and ate not only his own, but Charlie's as well.  Charlie wasn't too sure about it.  The yolks were such a bright orange!  And delicious. 

Devil's Thumb Ranch

We started our adventure on July 26th--driving, for the first time, to Colorado.  I have "driven" out several times before (as a child, and as an adult with my mom) but it was a first for Scott and the kids.  Roughly an 18 hour trip, we expected it to take closer to 20 or 21, and planned for a stop in Manhattan, Kansas. 

Friday morning we loaded the car and set out...realizing pretty quickly that I left behind a bag of new books for the kids, and a "roadtrip" printable game that we had used on our drive to NC.  Oh well, so much for good planning.  We made better time than expected, and arrived at our hotel in time for dinner.  We walked a few blocks away to a fun pizza/beer place, and afterwards let the kids run around the fountains before all crashing in the hotel beds.  We are fortunate enough to get a "associates rate" for Marriott hotels and snagged a Fairfield Inn for less than $40...after tax.  Score.

The next morning we woke early to get on the road.  While we hit a little rain, it was mostly good weather and we made good time again.  The kids were generally content--happy to watch a DVD here and there (our van's player only works on LONG car trips, ha), reading books and just looking out the windows.  Both boys finally fell asleep an hour outside of Denver.  After a bit, I heard from the back "Mom, I see MOUNTAINS!!" from Sam...and Charlie's eyes flew open.  

Mom decided to stay a few extra days in the house so we would overlap--and the kids were very excited to see her.  And Scott and I were happy to sit on the back deck with beers!

Our second night (and mom's last night) we went out to Devil's Thumb Ranch (we've been in years past and it's a favorite) for happy hour and dinner.  The adults enjoy sipping on the beer on the porch (23 ounce microbrews for only $2??) while the kids love running around, feeding the horses/cows and playing in the dirt.  Per usual, I attempted to take a few pictures but the sun proved to be too bright.

 

Charlie's pointing at "Devil's Thumb", a rock formation in between the two peaks in the mountain.  Scott and I hiked it once, in pre-children days, and Charlie can't wait until he's big enough to head up there (umm, at the rate he hikes these days, he'll be 18 before he can check it off the bucket list)

 

 The kind person who offered to take our picture, failed to tell me that I was hiding Sam!

  And the kids favorite part of Devil's Thumb---s'mores by the fire!

 

Another beautiful evening for the books...

Six Months!

When Julia was born, we were gifted an adorable tutu, hairband and bracelet...but we already had her newborn pictures taken.  So I've been saving them, and decided to try the ensemble on last week, and realized it is a bit too tight!  She's now sitting and I thought it would  make for some good pictures.  As you can see, it was a challenge to keep Julia's fingers out of her mouth; so while she had some really cute smiling pictures, I had to choose one of the "finger" ones for her official 6 month picture.

In the past few weeks, she has mastered sitting as well as moving/scooting forward!  She can cross the whole room if she sees something that she wants (usually, my phone or one of the boy's toys).  She also can almost go from her tummy back to sitting by twisting sideways.

We haven't really started foods (honestly I can't bear the thought of adding one more thing into the schedule) but we gave her mashed up avocado last week (not a huge fan), chunks of banana a few days ago (not sure what to think) and peas last night (enjoyed pushing them around her plate but couldn't keep them in her mouth).  Also we tried a little oatmeal but she didn't like it, I'll make it with milk instead of water next time.

I love watching the boys interact with her.  I love watching her play and reach out for things.  She is such a joy, almost always smiling and usually cooing and laughing right along with the boys.  I'm not sure I'm ready for her to be fully mobile!!!