Vail, Colorado, Part 1

We traveled to Vail, CO for a week-long vacation in the mountains with Nana and Papa, Aunt Carrie and Kailyn.  This is a view from our balcony.  We stayed in Lion's Head Village at Vantage Point Condominiums.  We had a beautiful view of the mountains and enjoyed watching the gondolas travel up the mountain.  And watched the extreme mountain bikers and runners on the mountain. 

Here's a view zoomed in on the chairlift.  We waited all week to ride up to the top of the mountain.  This time of year the gondolas only run on the weekend. 

Pirateship Park

 We spent two afternoons playing at this park -- it was unique and had a peaceful setting right along the river.

Hannah rocking on the little boat.

Jacob climbing on the funky crocodile.

Luke poking his head out the port hole.

 It was fun to be together -- it had almost been a year since we saw everyone!

 Aunt Carrie and Kailyn arrived on Monday.   Sophia was eager to climb in Carrie's lap -- but wasn't very eager to smile for this picture.

Kailyn and Hannah didn't miss a beat -- they started playing together right away and played well together the whole time.

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
We visited the gardens on my Mom's birthday before going out to dinner together.  The gardens were gorgeous and there was a really fun park adjacent to the gardens where we stopped afterward.

These were my favorite flowers at the gardens!

Group shot at the little waterfall.

Sophia and I were pals at the garden so I have a lot of pictures of her by the scenery.  She loved to find flowers laying on the ground to carry around because she knew that she couldn't pick the flowers.
It looks like she's pretty close to picking something in this picture.....

  There was a old log cabin on the grounds of the gardens.

 Dad and Mom at the gardens

Funky Tree at the gardens

There were cool rocks carved to look like birds.  The kids (big and little) had fun climbing on them.

Mom and Carrie with the bird

Hannah and Kailyn on the bird

Some really cool park features I had never seen before....

Civilized teeter-totter for little ones

Luke really loved this park!

We had dinner out on the town and then stopped at this fountain on the way home.  Sophie was fascinated.

Time to celebrate Mom's birthday with fresh strawberry pie!

and presents to open.  It was fun to be with my mom on her birthday.  That doesn't happen very often since we are so far away.

This blog entry is getting so long -- and so overdue that I've decided to call this "part 1" and post it tonight.  More pics of our week in Vail to follow.