Rocky Mountain National Park

The weekend before Joey's accident we were road trippin' through Rocky Mountain National Park. It was weeks later before I even downloaded the photos to my laptop. Then another week before we even looked at them. So I guess it's no surprise it's months before I get around to blogging about it. BUT...In order to fully experience our drive through Rocky Mountain National Park with us, you must first turn up the stereo. If you're reading this through a reader I tried to embed the music player but it wouldn't work, so if you want to get the full experience you'll have to take that extra click to get you there, to my actual site. I know..the horror. But I like to think it's worth it.

Starting point, our guest room at The Longbranch Restaurant in Granby, CO:


Lake Granby, outside the park








Clean up for lunch




While everyone else gets ready to eat, Jewel can't put down her new caterpillar friend.


Stopped at another creek:


This is where I make them stop what they're doing and smile for the camera






Hike to the bridge:

Notice the Swift Water sign?

I had an ambush waiting for me once I reached the bridge:
















Kick off your shoes...


We've got more exploring to do..




Jewel's getting brave.


Maybe not.


The boys are tough, though...they can handle it. they can handle anything.


Well......maybe not Jake...


Just don't go past that big rock.


Not a problem for some.


But of course he can't let his little brother out do him.


Jonas up to his neck in melted Rocky Mountain snow.

Wearing a shirt made the water somehow less cold, he says.

He felt so good about himself he allowed a photo.


We went to Moraine Park Museum next, where we edumacated ourselves on glaciers and mountains and Indians and buffalo and.....and....


We bypassed Estes park and planned on heading home. Then we saw Lily Lake.

Who could resist?


By the time everyone figured out it was longer than they thought, it was too late..they couldn't turn back. Jewel didn't mind at all.


Even Jonas caught the fun walking bug.



I could follow these people forever.



Every once in a while though I get a: Are you coming?

I could have stayed out here forever.


We topped off the day with a poolside room in, I believe, Eagle, CO. I do know for sure it was a Holiday Inn Express (quickly becoming my home away from home away from bus).

We got a nice discount on the room, then the free poolside upgrade, along with the boys' desire to swim and play until pool closing......we splurged and treated ourselves to room service, wonderful room service, including dessert.

As beautiful as the Park was, the kids declared the hotel the highlight of the weekend. I loved it all. Joey just dreams of being able to walk across mossy rocks in swift water again.

After rereading this post I realized there's not one mention of how it was crowded as hell and we couldn't get a parking spot at any of the major sites. The only way to see the the most popular parts of the park was to take the shuttle bus....and that wasn't happening. It also rained a lot. The massive people is what I remember as my biggest turn off for the park, but we quickly found cool, off the beaten path places and had a great time, probably even better than the key tourist places. I took a gazillion pictures this day, and thankfully!! because when we looked through the pictures on the computer we had COMPLETELY forgotten about swimming in the icy cold river and hiking around Lily Lake. All I remembered was we were there, and there were too many people. ( Joey's accident turned everything else into a big blur)The pictures bring it all back for me and each one has it's own story behind it. Not a story with words, just a lot of good feelings. Feelings that we can't wait to get back to someday...soon.

Estes Park on Dwellable

Long Overdue Update

The main thing everyone wants to know is How is Joey doing? Joey wants everyone to know that he is doing good. It's been thirteen weeks since the accident and he's happy with his improvements and he's enjoying the down time, dreaming and plotting our future. He's been in physical therapy three weeks now and reports back to the doctor end of January, to check on his progress. His arm is all they're focusing on at therapy, but that doesn't stop me from giving him a hard time when he still grabs a cane or a crutch to walk with. He's actually walking again! Something he was sure would never happen again. He's not pushing himself, rather letting himself recover one day at a time.

Once Joey started getting around on crutches he felt he could build some things and try selling them, so we, Jewel, Joey and myself, made a quick trip up to Colorado to get his truck. We were barely home when my best friend from grade school was only two hundred fifty miles away visiting family, that we had to make another road trip to visit her. Last week we were invited to family in Dallas, then over the weekend we had a family gathering here for family I hadn't seen since I was a baby. All this with therapy three times a week, Christmas shopping, keeping my mom entertained, baking, and trying to keep everyone healthily fed.....we've been busy.

I've had many of you reach out to us, offering support and encouragement, and I can't say with words how much it has meant to us.

I'mmmmmm Baaaaack

My mom has been offline about as long as I have and wrote the following in an email to all her peeps. Being the slacker I am, I figured I'd steal it and add some photos.


Okay - - - much has transpired since last we chatted. Vicki and Joey are here - - trip here was good and the weather here has co-operated quite well - - high 70's low 80's. Upon the arrival of the Watkins' crew, it was noted that we had a very useable chicken coop (hand built by my Dad and nephew)BUT there was a definite lack of chickens.

Sooooo, even though we have "chicks" on order, we were requested (what Vicki wants, Vicki gets)to answer an ad on Craigs list for 6 week old chicks. That said, - - we now are the proud parents of "Brownie" and "Princess".

They do make nice pets - - and they are very accepting of our accommodations for them - - - Good job Victor! Next was the request for an outdoor activity that the kids would use all the time - - - now we go on Craigs list and find a trampoline for a steal of a price. Having said that - - it was quite a sight with everyone trying to put it together - - - it is nice though. And as promised, does get used by the kids every day.


Approximately a week later Our granddaughters, Jewel and Lillian,

came running in to the TV room - - - - Papa - - Papa - - Papa - - - you gotta come outside - - quick - - you gotta come with us. Papa, having been summoned like this before, inquired as to the "why's and for what" - - its a parrot - - its a parrot - - - its outside!! He goes outside - - see's it on the edge of the roof - - - he stays there while the Grandaughters fetch him a chair to stand on - - He was able to step on the chair and grab hold of him. He came walking into our bedroom with a bird on his shoulder!!

I couldn't believe it. I was reading and watching TV - - never heard a commotion - - Now - - what do we do? First order of business was to build a small cage for him to sleep in. Then the following day we would check with the neighbors and inquire to see if anyone was missing a bird. Having found no takers, we were again back on craigs list looking this time for a cage. We ended up with one taller than me - - about four feet wide and three feet deep. He is definitely a mans bird! (Bites women!) Jewel and Papa went to PetsSmart a few days later and came home with a "what the heck is this?"

- - - in actuality it is a tadpole - - - BUTTTTTT - - - a Texas SIZE tadpole - - - luckily we still had a fish bowl up in the barn from Vicki's last trip through. It was a freebie - - the girls liked Jewel and it made its way in with the goldfish shipment, so he wasn't inventoried. His name is Jeff.

Joey went to the doctors Wednesday - - he took Joey's cast off his arm and took pliers and pulled the pins/screws out!!!! Joey said he was glad he didn't know the night before that he was going to have the screws pulled out, - - he would have probably been a "no show"!! He has a brace on his arm - - - and is requested to do exercises both with his leg, arm and hand. Vicki has some homeschooling, on the road, friends that have met up with them and are here at the present, for a couple of days. They also have a converted bus.


From Green Acres, Carole