Georgian Bay

To get a break from the Texas heat after we had been here about two weeks so headed up north to Canada for a wonderful family vacation with family friends, the Maags, at their Georgian Bay cottage north of Toronto.  I remember going here when I was younger, and I couldn't wait to share it with Richard and the kids. 

Getting ready for a kayak trip with daddy

 

Kate with nana and nana's longest friend, Heather

Kate loved all the lawn chairs and playing outside for 4 days - no bugs even!

We took a great day trip on the pontoon boat - Brooks loved it!  We stopped for ice cream and lemonade, and Brooks thought he was the captain!

Kate actually loved wearing the life jacket and wanted it on all week.

The kids fought over these little binoculars all week (and really thought they should look in the big end!)

Henry's "tractor" - the biggest hit of the trip.  Brooks was king of the cottage getting to drive the boats and the tractor with Mr. Henry.

A family game of croquet - we used to play this when I was little at the cottage. 

Brooks gave concerts every night and let us all in singing his favorites - Itsy Bitsy Spider and Tiny Tim.

 

Thank you Heather & Henry for a wonderful visit - we loved all the relaxing and adventures!

 

Stage 4: Super 8 to Dallas, TX

After our west Texas adventure, we completed the last leg of our journey to Dallas.  I have to admit it was a bittersweet arrival in some ways.  I was exhausted and so glad to finally be there, but it made the move so official and it really hit met that we were not in Denver anymore.  After two days of taking a deep breath at the Fuquays, we closed on our new house and got the keys.  We liked the house just as much if not more than we did when we made the offer 7 weeks earlier.  I know it is going to be a wonderful home for our family, and we are excited to get settled in. 

Home Sweet Home

7152 Wildbriar Drive

Dallas, TX 75214

Brooks and Kate love the new house.  We had balloons waiting in each of their rooms the first time they came over - they loved it!

Getting to explore the new kitchen - they think every room is the playroom!

We are really happy with our new house.  In many ways, it reminds us of our Denver home - a mid century ranch, about 2500 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and a view of the backyard from the kitchen.  Unlike Denver, we don't have a basement in Dallas so I think the house feels bigger all on one level.  The yard here is a lot bigger and we have a wonderful deck for entertaining (everyone says it will be a great place to watch football this fall and that we "need" an outdoor tv!)  I love the kitchen in the new house and it has been updated with new appliances and cabinets. It will be fun to have holiday meals here and use the double ovens - what a treat!  We are excited to get to know our new neighborhood too - Lakewood.  We are really close to Lakewood Park with two playgrounds and picnic areas and just a 10 minute walk to White Rock Lake - the place to run and bike in Dallas. 

More pictures of before and after rooms to come - we did a lot of painting and still have many rooms to decorate before the place will feel complete. 

Stage 3: Santa Fe to Palo Duro Canyon

By the time we left Santa Fe, I was ready to get to our final destination

 (maybe a few tears over pizza lunch).  The kids were still in pretty good spirits and did well on day three of driving.  For those reading who might be taking on a road trip with toddlers, we totally recommend starting the day after lunch and letting the kids nap in the car.  It was a good way for to get in a 6-7 hour day without too much fussing. 

Our plan all along had been to make our next stop in Palo Duro Canyon State Park about an hour south of Amarillo, TX.  It is called the Grand Canyon of Texas, and it really was beautiful.  We had reserved a campsite ahead of time and arrived in the early evening with a picnic dinner and all of our gear.  Brooks and Richard had done some practice camping in the backyard, and we had determined that we could even fit Kate's pack n play inside the tent with us (and an air mattress!)  Everything was a GO!

 

Setting up camp - it was a warm evening but we even had a fan hooked up to the car!

Kate loved playing in the tent

I hope you are still reading because here's the kicker!  Don't think for a minute that our trip had no roadbumps.  When it came time for the kids to go to bed (late - about 9:30pm) we read books and seettled in. Brooks was so excited.  Kate was not.  Kate started screaming as soon as we zipped up the tent and didn't stop for nearly two hours as loud as we have ever heard.  Sweet Brooks tried singing to her, reading to her and assuring her that it was "time to go to sleep."  With other campsites nearby, we worried that someone was going to get upset.  We all tried getting in the tent and going to bed.  We tried Kate out of the pack n play.  We tried food/milk/rocking/music/etc. 

At 11:30pm we had to abandon our camping night.  I drove the kids around the dark state park until they both fell asleep in their carseats (kate still screaming for about 30 more minutes) while Richard broke camp in the dark.  I drove back to pick him up. We threw everything into the cartop carrier and hit the road.  Feeling pretty discouraged, we landed an hour later at a Super 8 in Amarillo where we all crashed for the night. 

Not the best part of the trip, but probably the most memorable and certainly a story worth remembering for Kate's future rehearsal dinner!

Stage 2: Lake City to Santa Fe

After two great relaxing days in Lake City, we moved on to Santa Fe, NM (a new state for me to check off).  We cooled off in the hotel pool and toured a bit of downtown Santa Fe the next morning. Brooks told us that he only wanted to go to 3 buildings, so we toured the Hall of the Governors, the La Fonda Hotel and San Miguel Mission.  We also snuck in the Loretto Chapel (luckily Brooks didn't hold us to 3!) 

Markets in downtown Santa Fe

Inside the La Fonda having a little snack.  Richard's grandmother went here on her honeymoon (maybe late 40's) - so special.

The San Miguel Church & Mission - the oldest structure in the US.

It might be fun to go back to Santa Fe in the future (without kids!)  This was a crazy tour morning without enjoying the shopping and restaurants we hear Santa Fe is best for.

Stage 1 - Denver to Lake City, CO

We decided that it would be more fun to make the move to Dallas over a few days instead of 13 hours straight. We also wanted to enjoy just a little more of Colorado on our way. First stop - Lake City, CO (just a little south of Gunnison in south central Colorado). We stayed a family friend's cabin for two nights and loved the cooler weather and time to relax as a family.  We did a walking tour of the town (Brooks rode his bike), ate at small roadside diners, hit the town playground a few times and enjoyed short drives to see beautiful scenery.

Stay tuned for Stage 2...

Leaving Colorful Colorado

It is still hard to write about leaving denver even after nearly a month.  We have been so busy with the moving, the road trip, the moving in, and then another vacation.  More posts to come on life in Dallas and all the summer activities...but for now a moment to remember our wonderful home in Denver and all the people and things we are going to miss in Colorado.

Brooks loved our big moving truck and watched as all his special things were loaded.  Even today he was excited to unpack another toy and told me "the hockey stick made it!"  We were so thankful to have packers and movers - they were amazing and did in two days what would have taken us weeks.  We stayed so busy that there wasn't much time to be sad at the end.  Thankfully, em and brad hosted a wonderful farewell picnic for us as well so we were able to say goodbye to many friends at once. 

Denver, we already miss...

your cooler days and much cooler evenings

next door neighbors

our church friends and greenwood couples group

knowing where everything is in the kitchen

having our favorite restaurants

best friends (and their cute kids)

let our next adventure begin...