Family Dreadunion

Some people have families they love to see and spend as much time as possible with. Some people have sisters that go on weekend getaways together. That's not my family. We're uptight and bitchy witchy when we're all together. The one week a year that we all get together is preceded by weeks of skyrocketing stress, blood pressure, anxiety, and dread for me. I survive the week by doubling or tripling up on my vitamin B (which is nature's anti-stress happy vitamin), ibuprofen, and chocolate therapy. Sometimes even that is not enough. And it usually takes a week or two to process all of that out of my system. This year, I quit and went home a day early, even after shortening the trip a couple days. But I do it for my kids to see their family. It's the one time of year they see the only cousins they've had in my family until March.

Anyway, here's some highlights.

On Monday, I drove up to Denver and met Becky to pass Tommy over to her so she could take Tommy, Erik, and Bode to Dart Warz. I dropped my kids off at Mom's, then went to Costco to buy my chocolate. 

Tuesday, we went to the Aurora Reservoir.

Geese visited our picnic table.

Samson loved the sand and water.

Katie enjoyed burying herself.

Dump truck!

Tunneling

Dancy is proud of her strength.

Sam let Katie bury him, but she forgot to build up enough head support.

Samson was done.

Thora was so excited to finally get time with Momma Lisa again! Lisa made Mat play Pretty, Pretty Princess with them.

The prettiest princess!

Another pretty princess

Tuesday night I went out and got boba with Katie Oliver, a friend from high school, and we talked until nearly 1 am.

Wednesday was a Colorado Springs day. I drove home to pick up a package for Dan, my sunscreen, and double stroller. Then hit the zoo with Becky, Lisa, and Mat.

Dancy wanted a picture with the orange tiger bench. Lisa was highly amused by her pose and had to join.

Dancy and Tommy

{Katie, Tommy, Thora, Mat, Dancy, Samson & Lisa, Becky}

Saying goodbye to Mat before he flew back to Utah. Samson loved playing with "my Mat!"

Thursday, Katie did Jen's morning workout with her.

Mom and I took the kids to Utah park. We met up with Katie Oliver there and Thora played hairdresser with her.

Dancy got creative with a tree leaf in creating a wrap to hold her flower. Tommy copied Dancy's technique.

Swimming in the afternoon. Sam and Thora loved playing with the fountains that sprayed in the 2" area of the pool. The other three were always off with an aunt. When Sam got worn out, he enjoyed all the attention he got from Erik and Bode in the grass.

Thursday night was the boys' night at Spider Monkey, and the girls' movie date with Lisa. The girls saw Incredibles 2.

Shad arrived Friday morning which happened to be my breaking point (the morning, not his arrival), and after the family photo shoot, he and I left with Thora and Sam to go hike with Shad's parents before going home. We let Katie and Dancy stay to hang out with Becky and Jen, and Tommy had a boys' day with cousins and Jake. Then I picked up the girls, Shad picked up Tommy, and we got ourselves home.

Sam and Thora loved the hike with Nana, Bumpa, Levi, and Ryan. We got to a point where we thought we needed to turn back to finish and get Ryan back in time for karate, but Samson begged us to let him keep going. So we continued for another 5 minutes. We found this area with piles of stacked rocks. 

"Take pictures of my mountains, Megan!"

The flat irons

Thora checking out the view with her binoculars.

And then we were home! I remembered to take a picture of Samson at the top of one of the rope ladders. He and Thora couldn't climb these at all until after we went to Santa Fe and climbed all those ladders at Bandelier. Then suddenly when we were back home they were confident and knew they could handle these short climbs.

Rainbow of peace at the end of a frazzling week.