full circle

there is something about watching my children play from the porch of the cabin i performed "concerts" on with my cousins as a kid, that makes me feel so blessed.  the same cabin i cleaned (for money, mind you) in college.

there were times my sister and i would look at each other during this trip and laugh, as if to say, "well, isn't this something?"

estes park is my place.  a second home.  where my daddy vacationed as a child.  where we vacationed every year of my life until i got married.  where i lived and worked one summer in college.

this year, we decided to go back.  except this time i was the parent and not the kid.

we've been home a week and my boys already want to go back.

me too.

you can see why.

                              

it was a cozy ride.

obligatory.

a columbine.

making friends in cuchara.

chai lattes by the river.

our pit-stop.

our view from the porch.

crosby and monkey made themselves right at home.

mimi and grandpa.

little cowboy.

giddy-up.

nose-picker.

on top of the world.

trail ridge road.

some people get real mad.  even on top of a mountain.

dick's rock shop.

cracking geodes.

this is mimi's happy place: mcdonald's book store.

learning how to blow glass.

glassworks studio and gallery.

reliving our childhood with the kids.

go-carts and the slide.

that sky and that river.  every day.

mountain breakfast at glacier lodge.

my former boss and friend, karen.

rocky mountain national park.

hike around sprague lake.

look!  it's my mom!  in a picture!

back to texas, where the air is hot, the land is flat (and has grafittied cadillacs sticking out of it).  totally normal.

since we've been parents, chris and i often discuss to pros and cons of vactioning in the same place every year vs. going different places.

we both love the idea of showing our kids as many different places as possible.  but pulling into estes park, a calm and an excitement came over me, which can be attributed only to my familiarity with the town.  traveling with kids is stressful, and i now see that going back to a favorite place each year can eliminate a little of that stress.

what are your thoughts?

did you grow up vacationing in the same place every year?  did your family switch it up?  what was your experience?  i'd love to hear.

love,

coco

p.s. thanks for your patience with me, dear readers.  based on my blog stats, i've lost a lot of you since i stopped posting as regularly.  it means the world to me that you're still here.  feel free to say hi in the comments :)

xoxo