The 4th of July!

Well, Miss Mckenzee loved the fireworks and called them stars and hot. She had a great time outside. My parents neighborhood has a rockin' awesome firework show. I really cannot believe people spend so much money on fireworks. My sister and Amanda and Micah put on a show for us in the front yard and then we watched the neighbors. It was nice, and Mckenzee actually told us when she was ready to go and was asleep before we got out of the neighborhood. Mom and Dad made great hamburgers and it was good to see extended family too.

Getting ready

Ready to go to Grammy and PatPaw's

Clapping for the fireworks

with Mommy

with Daddy

with Aunt Sara

with PatPaw

COLORADO: Creede

We left on Sunday morning for Creede, Colorado. We left our dog with my parents because we were staying at a bed and breakfast that did not allow pets. Creede is a tiny little town. When we arrived it was starting to rain and the temperature had dropped to about 50 degrees so I had to change Mckenzee out of her shorts into jeans and a sweatshirt before we could get out of the car. We had lunch at The Old Firehouse Restaurant and then did some shopping, flower picking, and picture taking. After that, we checked into our room and went and got ice cream and ate it on the balcony outside. That night for dinner we had Mexican food at a brand new restaurant and it was so good. Mckenzee was so good too. That night after she went to sleep Chris and I sat on our balcony and looked at the stars.

COLORADO: Conejos Ranch

We left Thursday afternoon and spent the night in Amarillo. The next day we drove from Amarillo to Mogote, Colorado. We stopped in Taos for lunch and were met with a hailstorm. Mogote is the town where my Great Grandmother lived and we used to go and visit her every summer when I was little. The second picture is of her house. It has had an adobe wall put up in front of part of it. Every other year we have our family reunion in this area and this year it was at Conjeos Ranch. There are several cabins there that we rent and then on Saturday night we all get together in the lodge for dinner and country music playin'. I realize now, as an adult, that not all families get together for country music playin'. When I was little this was what we did every time we went to my Grandpa's house. I would sing with my sister and my cousins. We were called the Fabulous Four and every get together we would lock ourselves in a room practicing our singing and dancing for the show that would go on later that night. We did engage in a little singing at this reunion too. Let me assure you I am no great singer. That talent went to my sister, but I can provide some good backup if I am near a strong voice. I like singing country because you get to be real twangy and I think I secretly always wished I was a real cowgirl.

My Great Grandmother's old house

Colorado Cutie

Aunt Sara and Mckenzee

Too cute for her pants

Daddy and Mckenzee coloring

My mom and her brother and sister and cousins (some of them)

The next generation

Grandpa

Grandma Bonnie

My Uncle Jim

My cousin Kris

The Fabulous Four

Grandpa and Mom

Dad and Chris

My cute cousin Colten

COLORADO: The Day Before We Left

Praise the Lord that I lived through this day.
I learned a valuable lesson. A lesson Connie already knew. From this vacation forward my husband will take off work the day BEFORE we leave for vacation.
Mckenzee and I got ready bright and early. We left and headed out first to the post office to get our mail stopped. Then, we went to the courthouse to renew our expired registration on the Tahoe. Remember people, I have to get her in and out of her carseat and every stop and she has to be willing to work with me. Then, we went to Half Price Books. I know this may seem like an unnecessary stop, but Mckenzee loves books and it's a long way in the car to Colorado and I needed to get her some books she had never seen before with lift the flaps. I needed a book for myself too. This little trip started off okay. I put her in her push car and we went in. She stayed in it for a few minutes and then wanted out. I told her she could get out as long as she did not run away. She again did good for a little bit, but then she ran. My hands were full of books, I had her car and this bag of stuffed bowling pins that were too cute to pass up. I caught her, and I realized she had pooped her pants. She stunk bad. I tried forcing her back in her car because I could not maneuver all of my things and the car and her and pay for everything. She was screaming, I mean screaming! She was fighting me with all she had to not get in that car. It took me a few minutes to get her in there. I am surprised no one came to help me. People were staring, it's a quiet place. So after I get her in there, and gather my things, I push her stinky self to the front and wait in line with my screaming child and buy the books. When I get out to the car I have to change her and it is BAD. After we are done I have to put her back in her carseat. This went about like me forcing her in her car. We drove over to the mall and went in and she starting breathing normally again. I needed some clothes for the trip and so we went to Old Navy, and bless Old Navy for having crayons and coloring pages in the dressing room. After Old Navy we sat down in the food court and had Chick-fil-a which was nice. My mom came and joined us and Mckenzee liked that. We went home and had a nap. Then, here's the stupid part, I had volunteered to co-teach vacation bible school that night, the night before we left, so Mckenzee and I had to be at church at 5:30. It was a fight to get her hair fixed and clothes on and in the car again and she did not like me when we got there and was happy to go in the nursery, which NEVER happens. We left church about 8:15. Time for bed.

Home Makeover Series: Hardwood Floors