colorado!

so, long story short, i took the kids on vacation to colorado for a week. thank goodness for uncle b! the kids and i flew to colorado for a vacation. i know. i knew as soon as i booked it that i was insane. but it wasn't as bad as i imagined it would be....but i have a very vivid imagination!

needless to say, the kids were thrilled to take an airplane! and really, if i had a big suv or minivan, i would have driven. but i don't. and i couldn't imagine the drive....so we flew. and the way there was WONDERDFUL! the flight was terribly bumpy, but the kids were amazing. ellie slept the entire way.

we did so much in our time there....i felt like we hardly slowed down to catch our breath! but it was a great time. MANY of the pictures are stuck in my camera, and i will try to upload them at some point this week. but above, the little kids are riding on polar bears at the denver zoo's merry go round. the kids loved the zoo. especially the polar bears, seals and jackals. the dallas zoo is great, but we don't have anything like that. oh, and the hippo was a big hit too.

the big kids are outside the denver aquarium in this picture. most of the pics from the aquarium are also stuck in my camera. but the aquarium (while crazy pricey!) was one of sweetpea's favorite things! so it was a good time!

b and the children of the corn at casa bonita. casa bonita is something everyone should experience. its just something else. its pancho-esqe food....most everything is all you can eat....and the quality appeared to be about the same. (for me, thats a drawback, but i do know some people that love them some panchos!!!) but then, there restaurant is clearly the attraction. there just aren't words. there are puppet shows, and a pirate cave, and an arcade, and a mercado...with sweets and everything. and there were a bunch of light ups for sale. and tables everywhere. and little melodramas with captured princesses and pirates. oh, and don't forget cliff-diving. what's mexican food without a cliff-diving show while you eat it??
and of course, i took little mama to the american girl store in denver. she had to go. and she loved it.

and i am leaving tons out. we saw cars 2. we saw the pirates exhibit at the museum. aquarium. zoo. dinosaur ridge (which was REALLY REALLY cool) met some of b's friends. visited rocky mtn. national park (which was wonderful) and also got to spend an evening with my bff from college, mary, and her boys. which was a great night....

so all in all, a surprisingly good vacation. a little drama here and there, and a few time outs, but overall, not as bad as i pictured. but, i am in no hurry to do it again either! haha!