Sand Dunes Baby!!

WARNING!!!! Hugest picture overload EVER! Couldn't narrow it down folks. They are in the most random order ever, but if I were to try and organize them, I would be here all night! So enjoy the randomness. :)

So- for Memorial day Weekend, we were able to slip away for a little camping trip! BOY did we have a great time! We went with some of our BESTEST friends in the whole wide world- The Wesslers, and we had a Grand old time! Who knew the tallest sand dunes in all of North America were but a 4 hour drive away! We were able to get up a day earlier than the Wesslers to secure us a camping spot- only to get up there, and have the camp ground FULL!!! Ah nuts. So, we drove back to a campground that we saw on the way and set up our tent in the dark hoping that we had picked a good spot! We did not. This camp ground was PURE ROCKS and we just happened to find the camp spot that was the dumping ground for everyone else's rocks! So- we woke up the next morning and packed up camp again in hopes that we would be able to go up to our original camp ground that we were counting on and find a spot that maybe someone had left. Again...our hopes and dreams were shattered. Bummer. So we headed back to Rockville, and actually found a really nice spot. Still rocky, but nice nonetheless. We were right next to the bathrooms, which is nice for a 4 year old, and a 2 year old that is trying to learn how to be potty trained- (which is a whole other story in itself!) Interestingly enough, the campground was called "The Oasis". Boy was it! So that took up our Friday and the Wesslers made it up that afternoon/early evening and we were able to help them set up their camp, and then we made dinner! This place is probably the windiest place EVER! So we had a hard time having a fire and stuff at night a couple of the nights, but it meant for no bugs! So that was nice. The boys were a bit bored with just each other to play with, but they had a great time anyways! They- of course- found all the sticks that they could, and found entertainment in hitting each other with them!
We were able to do LOTS of fun stuff! We went to the Sand Dunes of course- which were seriously a BLAST!! We had SO much fun! It is the spring- obviously- so there was run off, and the boys were able to play in the "river" and they had SOOOO much fun! They could have played there all day! It was pretty hot in the morning, and the boys were pretty tired, so we didn't make it too far on the hike up to the top of the tallest dune. But that night, we got a burst of energy, and made the trek up to the top of the mountain! SOOOOOO COOOOOOOL!!!! SERIOUSLY! It was one of the funnest things I have ever done! It was really hard, but it was so worth it! Even little LIncoln made it the whole way all by himself! Cole had payton in the backpack, and I had Morgan in the Bjorn, so we couldn't carry him much (I say much because Cole was SUPERMAN for a little while a couple of times and carried Lincoln AND Payton up these dunes! I married him for his muscles in case you were wondering!) Anyways...back to Lincoln. Cole and I could NOT believe how awesome this little guy did! It was a really hard hike! I couldn't even walk very good the next day because I was so tired, and Lincoln made it the whole way up! We were so proud of him. The hike was about an hour and a half up- and it took every minute of that! We got up to the top just as the sun had set, so we only stayed up top for a few minutes, then we had to high-tail it down the mountain so that we could make it back to our cars! It was really dark by the time that we got back. But it was SO worth it! All of the kids did so well. Logan (Steph and Dave's cutest in the land son) had a bit of a hard time for a minute, but that's all! All the kids were champs! This was probably the highlight of the trip for Cole and I. We had SO much fun. The boys- of course- had the funnest time playing in the river.

On Sunday we got up and got ready for church and ventured into Alamosa where we were able to go to a nice ward there. After church, we were able to go on a hike to Zapata Falls. It was just about a 1/2 mile hike (which was perfect after the strenuous hike the day before!) and there were some cool river/falls at the end. It was fun, and the boys had a great time. They might have been a little bit tired- hence Paytons tantrum! It took us about 45 minutes to go down when it should have taken us about 10-15! Love two year olds. :) I haven't talked much about Morgan this whole time- that is because she is an ANGEL BABY! She doesn't make much of a fuss! Sleeps through the entire night- eats, sleeps, and cries a little bit when she is not being held- but her major thing this trip was BLOWOUTS! MAN! She had at least 2 blowouts (pooping OUT of her diaper all over her clothes) each day, and I was CONSTANTLY being caught without clothes for her! She went to church wrapped in a blanket in a dirty sweater that I gratefully had in my diaper bag. Poor little peanut! But she really is the best camper ever!

Another fun thing that we did was to go to the Alligator Farm in Mosca, Colorado. It was WAY cool! Really dirty, and pretty trashy, but it was really cool! The boys thought it was awesome. The best thing that happened to us while we were there was Morgans hat flew into one of the Alligator Ponds!!! Ahhh! I LOVE that hat, and it is the only one that she has right now that fits her, so I went and fetched someone that worked there (1 of 3 people that were working there that day) and he hopped the fence and rescued it before it got gobbled up by a hungry alligator. Phew! The boys were QUITE concerned about their sister's hat, but luckily Danny rescued it. Thanks Danny.

That was it for the excursions! For the rest of the time, we just hung out at camp! We ate lots of good food- it might have taken us a while to cook all of our meals, but we ate good!- had lots of good conversation, but most importantly, we cooked LOTS of s'mores! MAN! There is something about a marshmallow roasted over a fire that has my mouth watering even now! But add some melty melty chocolate and a yummy graham cracker, and you've got a little slice of heaven! Yummy! We had every intention of putting the kids to bed each night, having a little fire, then playing games- but not once did that happen! It's all good. We play games with each other here at our own homes. So we weren't too put out about it all. But THANKS SO MUCH WESSLERS for coming with us! We seriously had the best time. The boys (and Morgs of course!) are still talking about it, and about how much fun they had. Let's do it again!


Hot Dog Man...this dude would sneak into Dave and Steph's tent- lay on their bed- and just eat his dog! Silly naughty boy!

The Fam at the top of the Dunes...COOLEST HIKE EVER!!!

Group shot Someone up at the top took it and couldn't believe that Link made it all the way to the top! So proud!

ALMOST THERE!!! At this point, Lincoln- and let's be honest...all of us!- were having a hard time! But it was so worth it!

Can you say SHERPA??!?!?!?? Seriously! He is carrying a 2 and a 4 year old...Like I said. Married him for his rippling muscles. :)

I know what you're thinking. Supermodel. This is what you get when you don't shower for 4 days! Beautiful! Morgs sure was a champ though!


Link trying to convince us to go back DOWN the hill! Why were we trying to hike up?! Such a handsome dude.

Such a beautiful setting! These dunes were seriously SO COOL!

Getting pumped up for the start of the hike

Like I said, the boys were a bit bored just playing with each other- so on one of our trips into Alamosa, Cole picked up some squirt guns- and I was in a war with Lincoln and Payton! I was apparently trying to save Aunt Jemimah! This was my improvised hat- lost the other one in the alligator hole-remember! Doin' the best I can here!

Aunt Jemimah

We got to hold a little Alligator and have our picture taken. It was cool! The boys weren't that keen on the idea, but I thought it was pretty sweet!

Stephers is one of my nearest and dearest friends. Seriously, if you don't know her, you are MISSIN out! The most amazing person ever!

We were told to bring our sleds because you can really get cookin down the dunes! It was a bit too hot, and not recent enough rain for some really good sledding, but Link still thought it was pretty sweet!


View of the Dunes from the parking lot- well, I'm not exactly sure about that! View from somewhere! :)

Here's my little Angel! She's in her PJ's- and is my little bear! SO ADORABLE! Man- I make cute kids. But I might be a little bit biased.

The boys are really into climbing trees! So fun that this cool climbing tree was right in our camp! Link was in it almost the entire time we were there!

Roastin Mallows. Lincoln actually got quite good at it! It is SO fun now that he is getting older that he can do all of these things by himself! Such a stud.

One night we had tin-foil dinners and my pick little eater here won't even come NEAR anything that is in those, so we tin foiled him up his own little dinner- Chicken nuggets! They are actually REALLY GOOD cooked over the fire! Try it sometime!

So tired!

Havin a tantrum! He had had it by this time of the Zapata Falls hike, and decided that he wanted to sit down and display a little drama. So,being the good mom that I am, I took a picture!

Throwin rocks at the falls. Quite the highlight!

Another improvised hat. Such a sweetheart

Ahhh...they really DO love each other!

Gator Gator Gator


This was a really big dune. It doesn't look so big, but if you notice the little black specks on the hill, those are PEOPLE! It was bit- trust me. My legs will witness.

Don't you just want to squeeze Payton! And Cole too of course, but sorry folks...he's taken.

Sand Angel. Lincoln was in HEAVEN! Biggest sandbox ever!


EEEWWWWWW!!!!


Wessler Family lookin good

Anyone for some Froot Yoops????


So do you think I should get LIncoln some bigger undershirts? I'm really wanting him to practice his belly dancing moves! :)

Look Mom! No legs!



The big deal for the boys right now is playing Dinosaurs! Right here, they are playing "Pachycephalosaurus" which consists of chasing each other around and banging into each other with their heads. Whatever.

Cookie comin your way! :) (For reading and making it to the end that is!)