The James Ranch - Day 5

No, you didn't miss a day. Day 4 was spent perusing Durango and more swimming. And I opted not to tote my camera around as I was already carrying 18 pounds of baby.

Morning snuggles with Charlie. It just doesn't get much better.

The James Ranch. Nine hundred acres of farmland in the beautiful Animas River Valley. High altitude, irrigated pastures, crystal clear flowing water, 100% grass fed cattle, grazing Jersey milk cows, a spruce tree nursery, an organic vegetable and flower garden...and we got a personal tour (in a covered wagon) of the entire operation from Dave James himself.

The James Ranch patriarch, and our tour guide.

They even had chickens. And their chicken coop was on wheels. Very cool.

I could ranch hand here for a summer. You?

After the morning tour, we picnicked on the grounds and enjoyed a sampling of James beef and artisan cheese. Charlie enjoyed pureed organic apples.

The End.

Mesa Verde - Day 3

Day 3 of the GrisWARD Family Vacation consisted of Mesa Verde, less hiking than originally planned due to the heat, more swimming than originally planned due to the heat, and dinner out on the town. Dining out may not sound like much of an adventure, but trust me...with two boys and an infant, it's plenty exciting.

Our drive to Mesa Verde. Every direction we were surrounded by beauty and God's awesome creation. It's hard not feeling renewed and inspired when you're staring at landscape like this for four days.

Spruce Tree Terrace

My fellas at Spruce Tree. Golly how much I love them.

The whole crew.

Cliff Palace. AMAZING.

Our Family's First Sun Kink

We FINALLY made it to Durango...just in time to jump on a train to Silverton. Henry and Sam were beside themselves. Thank you, Papa Bo. You made two little boys very happy.

We let Papa tag along. The last time I rode this train with my dad I was in middle school (I think)...how special to experience it again with my kiddos, all these years later.

Thirty (plus) minutes to get out of Durango and to the countryside felt like an eternity for Sam.

I promised Henry that if we ever came back to Durango, I'd take him white water rafting. He made me pinkie swear. Rapids are a past time for most Durango-ites (Durangoans?).

Silverton. The ride and the views were wonderful...the heat was another story. We came to Colorado to escape the heat...turns out, we brought it with us.

Goodbye Silverton...until we meet again.

It was so hot in fact, that the track actually buckled from the heat and left us stranded approx. 10 miles north of Durango. Also known as a "sun kink." (You can read more about the event and extreme heat HERE.) Thankfully, a bus came to our rescue and we were home before dinner. And while we waited, the boys had fun being boys and collecting rocks of all kinds. Rocks thick with black soot I might add.

Love my charred-face boys to pieces...taller than the mountains, deeper than the ocean.