Making Memories: Family Vacation: Including Moving Vans, Baseball, and Dinosaurs

So last week, we got the chance to make our way to Grand Junction, Colorado to see some of our good friends. Last year, they moved to New Mexico for some school things and they were able to move a little closer for a job. So we decided that we would go see them and help them get settled in their new place. We thought it would be a fun trip. And it was. We got to do a lot of things and enjoyed spending time with our friends. We first stayed at my parents' house Tuesday night to make the trip shorter on Wednesday. We had fun hanging out with them for a bit before we decided we needed to make our way to Moab to meet up with our friends. Unfortunately, while they were trying to find a place to live, they learned that pretty much everywhere in Colorado wanted them to see the place before signing a lease, which meant it was impossible for them to find a house before moving. So they had spent all Wednesday searching with no luck. We definitely said some prayers that Thursday would turn something up for them. We stayed with some of their family in Moab on Wednesday night, then headed to Grand Junction on Thursday to begin the search. It was probably the longest day of the trip. We weren't really sure what the day would bring. It involved a lot of driving around town, a lot of phone calls, and a few stops so the kids could crawl around and stretch a little bit. So we all could really instead of being cooped up in cars all day. Finally around 4:00 that night we struck gold. They found and apartment that was perfect. And they were able to start moving in that night. So we spent the rest of Thursday night unloading a moving van and returning it. Colson was such a trooper all day long. He was definitely not excited to be in a car much after that. He did so good though while he hung out in the hiking backpack as we moved things in. Friday was the 4th of July. Colson's first. So we caught the last part of a parade in the morning, then helped unpack some boxes in the afternoon. That evening, we knew Colson needed to get out again so he could have more space to crawl and walk around. The apartment our friends were in was about a mile away from a park and a minor league baseball field. There was a game that night with fireworks afterwards. We decided that we would go see the game. They were playing one of the minor league teams from Utah. So it was fun to be able to take Colson to his first game. Before the game, we grilled burgers and had chips and guacamole for dinner. We had what we dubbed the "guac-off." Each couple made their own guacamole and we tried to decide which one was better. We couldn't really. They were both super good. Colson has really learned to like avocado and guacamole. Then we headed over to the game. Colson sat and watched for a little bit, but then he wouldn't sit still. He loved walking around, waving and smiling at everyone, and making new friends. Everyone loved him. Seriously everywhere he goes he is getting people to play with him. It is because he is such a happy great kid. I know he always brings a smile to my face. After the game ended, we got to move onto the field since they were launching the fireworks from right behind where we had been sitting. Colson wasn't sure what to think of them at first. He was first transfixed by the sight, then terrified of the sound. It was pretty loud since we were so close. We were trying to cover his ears but he kept turning his head back and forth between hiding in our shoulders and staring at the fireworks. After his ears got covered well though, he didn't mind them. He watched for a bit, but somehow managed to fall asleep while the fireworks were still going! I thought that was pretty funny. It was a late night for him though. One of many on our trip. It was a good fireworks show though. The finale was one of the best I have seen. Saturday we woke up and headed over to a local dinosaur museum. That was super cool. They had a lot of fun displays and lots of neat information. One of my favorite parts was there were some viewing windows where you could see where the paleontologists worked. I know, I'm a nerd right. I seriously left the museum wanting to be a geologist and explorer ha ha. We enjoyed hanging out with our friends the rest of Saturday. Then we packed up and headed home on Sunday. We got to see Ben's family on the way back since they had come up north for the week as well. We had fun hanging out with all of them for a little bit. We enjoyed our vacation, but now are glad to be at home again too. We are looking forward to the rest of summer and hopefully more vacations to come in the future. Now I just have to start getting ready to celebrate Colson's birthday coming up!

Playing at the park in Moab

All of us at the baseball game. Don't we look so patriotic.

This is my new favorite picture of Colson.

Walking around on the field. We may have a little future ball player.

Waiting for the fireworks to start.

At the dinosaur museum. That's a life size T-Rex head. It's eyeball is bigger than my fist.

Skeletons

Ben feeding a dinosaur.

This is part of where the scientists do their work.

Part of the spine in the case is taller than Ben. There were bones that formed part of the legs of one dinosaur that were 18 feet tall. And that's not even half of the total height of the dinosaur!