Colorado Trip 2013: Day 1

I don't think I've ever done a super detailed account of a vacation before, or I'm just too lazy to dig through my archives to see. But this Colorado vacation we took had enough fun/pictures/memories packed into the week to make me want to recount it all. Sorry if these posts are super boring to everyone but me. Feel free to scan the pictures and be done with it, but there are going to be a few of these posts going up as I sort through my Flickr. Consider it like one big 'Day in the Life' series except that it's going to be a week long, with pretty scenic pictures, and not specific times of day. I took notes on my phone to help me remember specific events each day but nothing like my usual DiTL details, thank the Lord, but no doubt these will all be novels.

Wednesday, October 23 (Day 1)

Cecelia woke up at 3:45 am this morning and needed her pacifier replaced. Our alarms were set to go off at 4:00 am and I was not about to test fate by falling back to sleep for just 15 minutes. Isn't that the WORST type of sleep ever? When you just start to drift off into a deep snooze, the alarm goes off and you feel one hundred times worse than before. Hate it.

Anyway, I got up at 3:45 and Nate was shortly after. We made and drank coffee, did last minute packing, and scarfed some breakfast. We woke up the kids at 4:30 and both were super groggy. I thought Truman might be immediately excited upon waking, considering he had a rough time falling asleep the night before and couldn't stop talking about Colorado for the weeks leading up to our trip. But no, he just told me, 'I'm still tired, mommy. I want to sleep.' HA. First time I've ever hear this from my boy! Cecelia was just really confused and quiet, but I rushed to get both kids dressed and Tony arrived at 4:45 am to take us to the airport. I know. We are super lucky.

We left the house at 5 am and it was still pitch black out. Because, duh, it's basically the middle of the night. No traffic, so we made it to the airport in record time and said our goodbyes to Tony. My Lord, we had packed a lot of luggage. Since Southwest lets you check bags for free, we ended up checking four (big) bags including Nate's beloved golf clubs. Then we had our little umbrella stroller and each of us adults had a moderate sized carry on. Pretty soon we will be that family hauling their possessions in one of those gigantic carrying carts. And still, I feel like we were kind of a sight to be seen at the airport.



Security line was long and annoying, probably because they don't have a ton of TSA staff at this time of morning. But we got through without issue and walked up to our gate right as they started family boarding. We had a false alarm for a potential poopy diaper right before we arrived at the gate, and I swore to CC if she decided to pull a stunt on the airplane and unload for real I would be very very upset with her. My bullying her worked and she did not re-introduce me to that hell of changing a baby on an airplane.

The two hour flight went pretty well considering both kids had to be as tired as their parents. We got Truman a new movie for the iPod touch (Cars 1) and new headphones so he was totally set. Literally, barely a peep out of him for the entire flight except for a few 'Are we there yet? Did we take off yet? Did we land yet?' questions. Cecelia was on my lap for most of the time and then onto Nate's for the rest. She was a little squirmy and super tired, but mostly happy. Especially when they brought out apple juice and little 100 calorie pack Lorna Doone cookies as treats. Little girl was in heaven and I never even needed my emergency 'heavy hitter' stash of snacks. Oh, the return flight was a different story but this time the excitement of the front end of a trip won out.

Nothing like watching the sun rise very slowly over the wing of an airplane:


Our crew:


Did not know that Southwest has FREE television! We could track our flight and watch HGTV/Bravo (if it weren't for those pesky kids), which made me extra excited to sneak in a few minutes. Haven't watched those channels since we got rid of cable and definitely miss it!


Still super dark on the plane. And the boys on their electronic devices crack me up.




Nate's turn to entertain our girl.


We landed in Denver and my parents were waiting for us by the baggage claim. I will never tire of seeing my mom and dad after being apart for months. It's like a big sigh of relief, a comfort zone like none other, and a feeling of being loved that I will never take for granted. Except, of course, they are always 50 times more excited to see the kids than Nate and I, but we are totally fine with that, too;)

Mom and Dad each drove to meet us because with two car seats and two adults, we couldn't have all fit into just one car with one of my parents. I rode to Fort Collins with my dad, while Nate and the kids went with my mom. I'm told both kids fell asleep for about 30 minutes of the hour long drive and my dad and I chatted the whole time. First view of the mountains (well, foothills) and I was already in love with their new home town. Love the mountains so much.



We arrived at my parents' new 'row house' around 9:00, Colorado time. That's one thing about flying at the butt crack of dawn---makes for a full first day instead of one whole day of travel! We got the tour of the new place (love it), played, at lunch, and then the kids went down for their naps. They both slept for FOUR freaking hours, btw.

My mom and her 'welcome' signs! Happy to see that didn't change after their move.


Mom really got into the menu this time. And general chaos! Vintage 1980's toys that are inexplicably in pristine shape!




Another 1980s gem


Nate had reservations for New Belgium's brewery tour at 1:30, since apparently the slots fill up months in advance. We went with my dad and it was seriously the most fun brewery tour I've ever taken, and that says a lot since I've been to Dublin's Guinness tour! Our tour guide was spunky and hip, we got approximately 6-7 free (smallish) beers during the 90 minute tour (couldn't drink them all, don't worry---some were WAY too hoppy for me), and we learned a lot about their brew. Also there was a giant spiral slide at the end of the tour, Nate and I each won a beer to take home with us for various correct answers to random questions (i.e. did you know that New Belgium is brewing a beer specifically for Patagonia? Apparently I did!), and Nate and my Dad discovered a new sour beer that they both adore. I hated that one and still wish New Belgium made my favorite beer ever, Mothership Wit, but they discontinued it when I was pregnant with CC 'just because the brewers didn't feel like making it anymore. ' Okay, then! Seriously, seems like one of the coolest places in the world to work as their motto is FUN.

So many beers...











And real pictures from my nice camera--I should really Blogstomp all of these but it would be too much work at this point. Bear with me.






I knew it was a cool place when I saw this;)


Each employee gets a New Belgium bike on their one year anniversary. Adorable.


Barrel room was a fave


RIP, my love


Freaking awesome light fixture of beer bottles.


Bottling area was cool




Another chandelier


A fave, and I won this can:


Hops are pretty!


After such a fun event, we wanted to keep exploring Fort Collins. Dad took us to Old Town where Nate quickly Googled an adorable coffee shop called The Bean Cycle. Very college-y with a bookstore/library inside. We all enjoyed another type of liquid buzz on this fairly warm day (cold press coffee...mmmmm).

Old town is so cute:


Loved The Bean Cycle's menu:








Dad drove us to CSU's campus to show us where he works. So beautiful! Next he took us into the foothills, to the Horsetooth reservoir. I was feeling a little light headed from A) lots of beer, B) super strong cold press coffee, or C) the altitude/being up forever/car sickness on windy roads. So I was happy to suggest we get out at the reservoir to snap some pictures. Nothing like some thin fresh air to make things all better.



Trying out the panoramic function on my phone:


And the real camera. Love being such a tourist sometimes:






We headed back home and the kids were (finally) awake and dinner was almost ready. We ate and then the kids played in the amazing battery-powered car that my mom found at a garage sale for $30! Totally dark outside and really scary to see Truman driving his baby sister around the complex but adorable just the same.



Then they had some grandparent time.



We gave the kids a bath and put them to bed pretty late this night, due to the four hour nap.




Then Nate and I stayed up with my parents to watch the Cardinals game, since my mom and dad are big fans. Cannot remember what time we all went to bed but I know that I slept HARD that night and really approved of having Cecelia's crib in my parents' room. Mwhahahaha. That was my mom's decision and it meant that I never heard a peep from my frequent waker! Obviously GoGo secretly enjoyed waking up to give C a pacifier and a quick hug so it was a win for all of us. Truman had his own room in the 'study' on a blow up mattress and Nate and I stayed in the actual guest room. A three bedroom row house can be plenty of room for six people, I guess!

Day one complete. Many more to come.