Too Much Fun In Durango

Thanks to Jenny Rogers we had lots of suggestions for great places to eat while in Durango.

We ate at Serious Texas Bar-b-q a couple of times because we all loved it sooooo much!!!

The Texas Taco and cheesy potatoes were the BOMB!!!

All the kids loved it and really want to bring Justin to Durango cause they know he'd love it as well!

Yes I know we look like crazy ladies with this many kids.  Don't worry we got use to the stares.  

Looks like the Paull kids loved it as well!

Oh Angela and Kiersten being silly.  I'm not sure who was having more fun in this picture Kiersten or Angela :)  Angela sure is a fun friend!  We had a great week together and I think we'll even be friends after our trip so that's true friendship if you can survive a week of 10 kids together.

Pizza by the Slice in downtown Durango was another must stop.

WOW the slices were HUGE!!!

And DELICIOUS!!!

Hunter and Logan each devoured their slice!

Makes me hungry just looking at it!  It was nice because everyone could order their pizza slice just how they wanted it.  That made for some happy happy kids!

The day we left Durango to head home we spend some time at the Recreation Center.  There was a pool with a lazy river, a water slide and some water toys.  We all had a fun time!

This is Logan climbing the rock wall!  

He did awesome especially considering out short he is.

Hunter made it to the top!!  Way to go Bud!

Kiersten made it to the top as well.  She was like spider woman!  

Grant thought it was super fun as well……even if mom had to help him.

Yes even the pregnant lady had to try it and I even made it to the top!  It was a good workout!  I really wish we had something like this back in Safford!

On our drive home we stopped at 4 corners.  This is where you can stand in 4 states at the same time…..New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

Or if your like Hunter you can lay down in all 4 states!

Or like Tasia do the splits!

Pretty close to the splits there Hunter….what a silly kid!

Kiersten showing us how its done!

It was a fabulous trip!  It was about 10 days and I was more than ready to be home but I loved it!

So Jack decides he wants to eat the dirt…..this is something we'd expect from Jack!

Not exactly sure what Logan was thinking when he did it next, besides he was trying to make people laugh!  Seriously son you had to copy Jack?

Oh it was fun to spend time away from normal life and make some great memories!

"Ghetto Delicious"

As I was planning our Durango trip, I was at the Safford Dance Academy while it was picture week.  That means there is usually a day or two where we spend hours at the studio taking pictures in all the different company dances Kiersten is in.  Not to mention the pictures the boys are in.  

While I was there I got to visiting with Jenny and her sister in law, who's husband takes the dance pictures.  They all go to Durango every summer for their family reunion.  Jenny's sister in law, reminded her about this little Mexican food place that is off the beaten path.

Once she call it "Ghetto Delicious" I knew we'd have to try it!

La Comida Ranchera in at Vallecito Lake

The words "Ghetto Delicious" really describe this place to a T!

It was a super Ghetto place in the back of a little convenient store and it was super delicious!

After our yummy lunch we went on a hike down to the lake.  Look at this crazy huge mushroom Kiersten found!

All our crazy kids, minus Joe.

Of course the kids had to take their shoes off and put their feet in the water.  How can you not do that when you're a kid so close to water?  It's like a rule!

It was a pleasant little hike which was nice with so many little ones!  Thanks Tasia for helping corral the kids!

There were several of these carvings around the lake which were fun to see.

It was a beautiful lake, a little on the windy side this day so we didn't end up staying long down at the lake.  But I was glad we made the drive out for that Ghetto Delicious food!!

White Water Rafting

One of the main things I wanted to do while in Colorado was go white water rafting.  I wasn't sure how that was going to work with so many kids.  But as is turns out I was brave enough to take 8 kids, including Tasia who was more like an adult in this setting, on a half day rafting trip.

What a crew I had!!!

One small section of the rafting was a level 3.  You had to be 8 years old or older to do it.  So Hunter, Kiersten, Tasia and myself stayed on the raft.  The other kids were escorted around this part by some of the crew from the rafting company.  

It was thrilling to say the least!!!

We got even more vertical than this shot.

We all loved it!  We want to go back and go on a level 3 trip some day.

I have to admit some parts were a little scary since there was so many little bodies and only one me.  Plus this was at the beginning of the summer when the water is the highest creating the most rapids.  But it was super fun at the same time.  The older kids were a big help and really got in to the paddling.

There were a couple of other rafts in our group and I am pretty sure those people figured I was a crazy lady!  I guess you'd sore of have to be to take 8 kids white water rafting……..even with a guide!

Hunter loved visiting with our guide.  He asked him so many questions.  Our guide was wonderful and never acted annoyed with the questions.  He seemed to like explaining things to Hunter.

The water was pretty darn cold so I was very grateful I had invested the extra $12 for everyone to have wet suits.  It would have been miserable other wise.

These two were quite the rafters.  Well Jack was a little less into it, but Grant absolutely LOVED the rapids!!!

I can't wait to do this again!

I think Justin would have loved this……..maybe not with this many kids but he would love to try it someday.

We stopped about 2 hours into the trip and they fed up oranges, granola bars, apples and drinks.

Everyone gave it a thumbs up!!!

It was really neat to hear the history of the areas we were rafting past.  We did the Lower Animas River tour.

These girls were experts by the end of the trip.  The guide would tell us when to paddle, how many times to paddle and either forward or back.  The older kids liked being involved in the rafting.

Such a fun experience and my prayers were answered no one fell in.  Heck Jack even fell asleep the last half, so that was one less kid I had to worry about since he was in the middle of the raft pretty secure.

Ouray, Colorado

Ouray is also called the Little Switzerland of America.  That name is perfect to describe this amazing little town!!!  One of the first days the Paull's were there we made a little road trip to Ouray.  It was an amazing drive on what is known as the Million Dollar Highway because of it's million dollar views.  We traveled through the town of Silverton which is also a cute little place.  There is a train ride you can take from Durango to Silverton up through the mountains which would be fun to do sometime.

Much of our trip to Colorado was off of ideas from Jenny Rogers.  Her husband, Issac is from Durango and they go there at least twice  year.  It sure was nice to find out all kind of great things to do from someone that knows the area so well.  

She made me a whole list of things to do……..it was great!

One place they recommended was eating at Maggie's Cafe while we were in Ouray.

It was a cool little place……..you get to sign your name on the walls or tables, which the kids just thought was awesome!!

While eating lunch I realized we would get LOTS of funny looks with 10 kids and two adults in our party.  I can't even count the times during this week that we were asked if they were all our kids!

We just had to laugh!  I told Angela I was going to start telling people we were both foster parents. :)

Grant had been wanting a "Real" cowboy hat for quite some time.  You can imagine his excitement when we found one for him in Ouray!  Great souvenir choice I thought.

One of the things Ouray is known for, besides being gorgeous, is it's natural hot spring which they have turned into their community pool.  It was so awesome!

I was so glad I bought a water proof camera for this trip.

The pool had different areas that were different temperatures.  The main pool area was kept around 92 degrees, then there was a huge "hot tub" area which was a warm 106 degrees.  There was a lap pool section which was much cooler at 80 degrees and then a deep section where they had the water slide and some water toys for kids.  It was also kept much cooler around 80 degrees.

The water is all naturally heated and they actually have a very sophisticated water system which allows them to cool the water down to the temperatures they want.  The water naturally coming from the hot spring is up to 150 degrees so it needs to be cooled down.  Pretty amazing!

The kids had a wonderful time!  Look at the view we got to enjoy while enjoying the warm water.

Kiersten, Tasia and Olivia

The kids had fun taking pictures under water!

If you ever get a chance to go to Ouray please do it.  Such a fun little town.  There was snow on the peaks of the mountains surrounding the town.  I could have stayed at that pool all day.

Jack, Calin, Angela, Joe and Olivia

The kids thought this blow up race course was fabulous!

Hunter and Kiersten having fun racing each other.

Wow it's neck n neck! 

I have to admit I even took a couple of turns racing on this.

There is Logan having his turn.

I'd say by the looks of Hunter's face he thought Ouray was a pretty awesome place….wouldn't you!

What cute kids!

I sure enjoyed experiencing Ouray!  It way exceeded my expectations.  We have to go back some day with Justin for sure!

Calin, Jack, Olivia, Grant, Hunter, Tasia, Logan and Kiersten

What a group we have…….and we are missing Joe and Issac from this picture.

Before we went to the community pool we enjoyed walking Main street and looking in all the cute little shops!  The kids all got to pick out a candy a the candy store.

Love my "two girls"!

It's nice when you can please a kid with a tootsie pop!

Hunter had never seen an Astro pop.  When I told him they use to be my favorite sucker when I was a kid he was thrilled to get one.  He wanted me to take a picture and send it to Justin to show him as well.
So glad we made it to see Ouray!