Mountain Vacation

 It was time for a family vacation.  There is nothing easy about packing up a family of eight and traveling to unknown lands but it is a fun part of our childhood memories and we want to make those same memories for our own kiddos.  We decided on Colorado this year and we hadn't explored the Pikes Peak area in a while.  So we found a house to rent (for a family of eight it is actually cheaper than hotels) and we made a plan...a very very detailed plan because mom can't survive without a plan.  After making a long list and checking it twice, we packed and

packed for more than a week until we could fit no more.  Monte always thinks there won't be enough room but I have total confidence in his ability to fit lots of things into small spaces and he delivered once again (he has perfected the art of large family travel).  So off we went.
On the way there I had lots of fun activities planned.  The kids play a charades of sorts with pipe cleaners, snacked, played travel bingo (looking for items along the way) snacked, read, and snacked some more.  We had a progressive breakfast of sorts where each person had

 a cup and mom kept filling them with fun breakfast treats (most of which we don't typically eat at home)  cheese curds, powdered sugar doughnuts, fruit, pop-tart pieces etc.  They had fun waiting to see what came next.  We also stopped at at least two parks at small towns along the way to stretch our legs and run off energy.  I will admit I had purchased a new DVD player for in the car but was pleasantly surprised that we didn't need it much (until the trip home which is a story for later).

Jackson enjoying one of our park stops.  Prior to our trip he had not been a good traveler and rarely sleeps in the car.  He didn't sleep much but he was a happy traveler and we were so thankful!

We arrived to this beautiful secluded cabin a few miles from Divide, CO.  Our driveway was about a 1/4 mile long one lane winding road down a valley and back up the hill...

...and the view of Pikes Peak  from the front of the house was breathtaking.

  The inside of the cabin was perfect for our family.  It had two bedrooms and a loft with additional beds for the boys.  The kitchen was fully furnished.  To save lots of money, we typically make our own breakfast,  eat picnic lunches on the go out and about, and pack along freezer meals for supper.  We try to plan a few special eat-out times along the way.  My other requirements for a house/cabin is a washer and dryer.  We did at least one or two loads a day and came back with mostly clean clothes which makes a huge difference when trying to settle back in at home.  I am also happy to pay the cleaning fee and not deal with having to clean at the end of our week.  This home was very family friendly and also had a pack and play, hiking pack for Jackson, high chair, boosters, toys, games and books for the kids.  We still packed along some personal toys etc but it saved lots of space in the Yukon, which Monte was thankful for.

At the House we enjoyed baking together...

watching the humming birds on the front deck...

exploring the property...

watching t.v...

playing games on the deck...

and just relaxing.  I would like to say that I got lots of time to sit and relax but that was far from the truth.  But it was well worth all of the work.

 Finding free activities in the area is always high on the agenda for our large family.  Who can resist a playing in a park in nearby divide with a beautiful mountain backdrop in the fresh mountain air?

Conner is practicing his Superman moves.  He heard that Superman was from Kansas and adopted too!

Garden of the God's is always free and is just beautiful.  It was a short thirty minute drive from our cabin.  It has some really nice paved trails that are easy to push a stroller on.  We enjoyed watching the rock climbers.  Vaeh declared that she wanted to climb the rocks too.  We said she could when she got bigger and she continues to ask daily if she is bigger yet so she can climb!

Walking through the wardrobe into Narnia.

Another great free family activity in Colorado Springs is Focus on the Family.  We could have spent an entire day there.  They had a really fun area for the kiddos to play.  We felt quite at home with many other "large" families.  During our visit, Bentley, Payton, and Conner got to make a radio show episode of Adventures in Odyssey in a real studio.  Payton did sound affects while Bentley and Conner were the characters in the show.  We received a free CD to take home.

While we were waiting for the "bigs" to put on their radio show, the "littles" enjoyed the play spaces.  We realized that Vaeh found a puppet that looked exactly like her, shirt, curly black hair and all.

Our next stop wasn't free but we got a price by the carload so is was relatively cheap for our large family and one of the best memories.  We drove to the Summit of Pikes Peak.  It was a beautiful drive.  When we reached the top it was very cold and very very windy but we had to make a pit stop outside to take a quick picture before heading inside. We purchased a CD from the Rangers Station at the bottom and enjoyed hearing about the history of Pikes Peak and things to watch for.  The CD did a good job of narrating our trip.  At one point it said this is where you will often see deer and Bentley said "look there they are" and sure enough there stood two deer!  We got a good chuckle.  The CD also told of the famous Big Foot siting on the mountain and we joked about it the rest of our trip.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the way down in a quiet roadside picnic area.

Another day we headed to Cripple Creek to ride the train and learn about Gold Mining in the area.  It was a beautiful drive and was a highlight for Gracen who loves trains.  We had planned on Monte and the older kids returning the next day to tour the Molly Kathleen Mine but plans changed.

We had to say goodbye a day early.  Monte became very ill at the end of the week from dehydration and altitude.  In those moments as I packed up the troops I realized that  I was all alone with six children and a very sick husband.  I have become very accustomed to close family support and I missed them dearly.  I hid in the closet, tears streaming, and called my mom and texted my sister, who encouraged me and I prayed over and over for God's strength.  I knew that we had to get Monte hydrated and out of the altitude and I couldn't get packed up fast enough.  I was just hoping we could make it home without a visit to the emergency room.  Bentley and Payton's help was invaluable and after hours of frantic packing, we raced down out of the mountains.  After just an hour of traveling into lower altitude, his fever broke and he became much more alert.  I knew that I was on my own getting us home as he was exhausted.  So we drove hard.  This is when that DVD player I talked about came in handy.  We were traveling just in front of a big band of heavy storms and we had to boogie.  In my old age, I have become a wimp about driving in the rain and in the dark.  I will do either one (white knuckled) but I don't like it and both heavy storms and dark didn't appeal to me so we were motivated to keep moving. The kids did great and after only stopping for a total of 45 minutes (a record by far for us) we made it home safe and sound.  Bentley and Payton took turns entertaining Jackson the entire eight hours home without complaint and I was so thankful.  At the end I declared that I was officially traumatized by vacation and was "never going again." But time, pictures, and good family memories have softened my heart and I am sure that all will soon be forgotten.

I am reminded of Psalm 121 and I am Thankful.  Thankful for God's beautiful mountains, thankful for "our cabin," thankful for the memories, thankful for my babies, thankful for God's protecting hand on Monte (and all of us as I drove wildly out of the mountains), thankful for the Yukon making it there and back without incident, and thankful for our families who support us even from afar.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

 

My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

 

indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

 

the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

 

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore. Psalm 121