Colómbia! (part 1)

We got back last week but theboys got sick and then I got sick yesterday, so sorry it’s taken awhile to get pics up. I have a gazillion pictures and was just going to post ten from each day.. but I can’t narrow them down. So…. You’ll have to bear with me!

We had a great time and were sad that we could only stay one week. We went down to celebrate Carlos’ grandmother’s 80th birthday. Almost everyone from up here went down and they had a big three-day party. It was awesome. I’ve said it before, but Colómbia is a BEAUTIFUL country. And, if anyone is wondering…the correct spelling is Colombia, not Columbia…. just a side note…. :)

Amy went with us and was a great help with the kids. I think she had a good time and I was glad to have her company too! Thanks Amy!

We left on Wednesday, August 5th at WayTooEearly:30 in the morning and got to Bogotá at about 8:50 pm, their time (they are one hour ahead of us right now.)

The boys did really well on the trip, considering all the things that I know they are capable of doing. The only major incidents were Zach throwing up on himself and me between Atlanta and Bogotá and Austin having a really bad case of the runs hit right as we were almost finished going through immigration in Bogotá. Needless to say, neither his nor Carlos’ clothes were the same! By the time they got that cleaned up, it was 10:00 or 10:30 before we got out of the airport.

Carlos’ dad, brother and mom picked us up (his mom had flown in the day before) and it was the first time his dad and brother had see Austin and Zach. I was pregnant with Austin last time we went! It took Austin a couple of days to warm up to his abuelo but by then they got along great!

Calling all cousins

 

Who remembers these things?

Richard’s Gap

 

We always rode our bikes into this cement pad.

Sprinkler control box  

 

 Gulley by a dirt road (not pictured) from which I was always positive a headless horseman would come riding after me (while on my bike) in search of a head.  His name escapes me but he’s supposedly buried up there.  Oh, what is his name?  Aahh, it was Pidgeon’s Grave (Bill?).

 

These were my bonsai trees.

 

Another gulley where we played a lot in the winter, sliding down the hills and making snow forts.  If you follow it down there are some really cool places to play in the dirt. 

 

Cactus

 

Indian Paintbrush

 

Road into the trailer park. 

We rode our bikes a lot here -

and everywhere!

  Stair-stepping grassy backyards.

The playground has been removed.

 

 

Booster

 

Beautiful view and another place we would ride our bikes-down that hill.  That wood thing wasn’t there then but it was still a thrill!

 

These seem to be a new addition. 

There were always lots of ants but not a thriving metropolis like this.

This was our life for five years.  We had a great time.  We were able to play outside all day long and explore and walk all over.  We had so many different places to go and play.  Sure it was in the middle of nowhere (I can’t believe how far away it was!) but we did a lot together as a family because we didn’t have any other choice.  We read a lot and learned to entertain ourselves.  We didn’t have TV, so we just watched movies and played Nintendo, but it wasn’t all day long.  Sometimes I wish life were that simple again.

If you ever went to cousin week, you may remember some of these things!

Super Neat Story

This is from a blog from another family whose baby has spina bifida. The whole post was great and there is an awesome story at the end. Check it out!

http://texastriggs.blogspot.com/2009/07/soul-mates.html

America, the Beautiful

I think that the 4th of July party is one of my favorites, too.  I love the food, the homemade ice cream, the awesome program, the songs, the fireworks and the feeling of unity and patriotism that exists amongst us all.  I love seeing family, some of whom I don’t get to see very often.  Thanks so much Aunt Ann and Uncle Walt for putting this on every year!

Here are a few pictures from the evening…..

                      

Updates on the Tree Mansion

Last year, we had some pictures of the tree house that Dad is building.  He has been working hard on it and has got quite a bit done in the little spare time that he has.  Almost all of the side boards are up and the kids had a blast playing in it. 

Here are some pictures of the different parts of it.  It has three different levels.  I know they are almost all blurry.  Sorry.

 

The Tree Mansion

 

 

 

 

The swing set.  Swing and different things can be changed out.  It’s pretty cool.

 

The two ways to get up to the first level. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first level with a steering wheel and a ship’s wheel for racing or pretending.

 

 

 

The higher and largest level.

 

 

You can go down on two different slides…  

 

 

…or go down the fire pole.

 

 

 

 

The third, also lower level.  One of the slides is there.

 

 

 

 

More sand underneath with a bench for us old people to sit on.

 

 

 

Going in from the lawn.  The other side is facing the garden.

Temporary Escape…

The boys and I went to Vernal a couple of weeks ago and stayed for a few days.  We had a great time and it was nice to relax a  little and visit with our family.  We went up to visit Dad at work one day.  Look for another post about it. 

The boys played in the sand and in the tree mansion a lot.  More pictures of it to come.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up visiting Dad.  Jaiden loved that he could throw rocks and not get into trouble!

On our way home, we saw this really cool storm over Flaming Gorge .

At the Flaming Gorge Dam lookout.

Getting their picture taken was not on the top of their list of things to do!

  

Swinging….

A picnic in the tree house!

We were sad to come home but glad to get back and see Carlos/Dad!