Colorado: Vacation Part One!

I have finally motivated myself to update our blog with our latest vacation (or at least start)!  At the end of June, Matthew finally finished up classes and we almost immediately headed out for our almost three week journey across the Midwest :)!  Our first stop was in Keystone, Colorado where we went for my cousin, Nicole's, wedding/Van Essen Family Reunion!  We had a great five days with my mom's side of the family, full of activity!  I will try to recap it the best I can but let me tell you, our days were packed and we had a blast!

We arrived on Saturday morning (June 27) and met up with my family in the airport where we rented a 15 passenger white van (we named it the Mexico Mission Trip Van)!  We drove up to Keystone and reunited with a lot of family and headed out for the rehearsal dinner/Hoe Down!  We had a lot of fun hanging out with everyone, doing some line dancing, and just catching up!

Cayden playing in a field, trying to find a golf ball!

It was a gorgeous setting, surrounded by mountains and trees-couldn't want anything else!
Mommy and Cayden
Matthew and I
The three brothers!  What a great picture guys!
My cousin Kelli and I (We are three days apart, roomed in college together, and married friends!).
Courtney, Natasha, and Kelli dancing it up (with a few others in the background!)
Matthew and Mark dancing it up (they also roomed together in college!)
Cayden riding the "bull"
Trying to lasso the bull
The next day (Sunday) we went on a morning hike before the wedding.  So beautiful and it was great being outdoors in the clean mountain air!

Grandpa and Cayden trying to make it up the hill!
My Grandma and Grandpa Van Essen-love these guys!
Cayden going for a ride with Grandpa
Kelli, Charlie (her 5 month old son) and I at our destination
I often make my family take pictures everywhere we go, I think they get sick of it but they will appreciate it someday :)  Thanks guys!
The three sisters-so much fun!
The boys (once again forced to take a picture, but it is so nice to have)!
Cayden was exhausted and fell asleep on daddy on the way down the mountain
On Sunday night we went to Nicole and Beau's wedding which was outside surrounded by the mountains . . . so pretty!

Uncle Shaun and Cayden having a ball!

Once again another family picture (2 in one day, yes!)
Our little family picture!
The three girls again!
The next day (Monday) after doing a little shopping in the outlet malls we went to an awesome park that was literally surrounded by mountains, LOVED it!  We then put our competition faces on as we battled it out with a volleyball tournament and then some ultimate Frisbee.  We had a blast!

The Ultimate Frisbee game
Cayden imitating my cousin, Seth, throwing the Frisbee.  I am sure Cayden can't wait til he is old enough to play!
Cayden had so much fun with his 2nd cousins while we were there.  Here is Arabella blowing bubbles . . .
and here is Cayden trying to blow bubbles or maybe just eat them :)!
Tuesday we had so much fun as people either went hiking again or chose to go biking 16 miles down the mountain.  Matthew and I decided to go biking down the mountain and we were the lucky ones to ride tandem :).  This could have been one of the coolest things I have done.  We had a lot of fun and we had the most gorgeous views.  Cayden did not go with us and he went on the hike with some of my other family members (Aunt Natasha) and my Uncle Del volunteered to carry Cayden for us so we could go biking-Thanks Uncle Del!!!!  When we got back that afternoon we were split in teams of four and sent out on the Amazing Race Van Essen's style.  Let me tell you this was intense as we had to figure out various clues and places (sometimes only based on a picture) and travel to these different towns to get our next clues.  It was wild and crazy but so much fun!

It has been a tradition ever since I was little that Grandpa always cut our finger nails when we saw him.  We tried to have him cut Cayden's finger nails but Cayden wasn't having it.  However, Arabella and Inara loved it (Arabella especially kept coming back for more), maybe next time Cayden will allow this!
The Great Grandparents with the Great Grand kids
One last family picture at the place we stayed!
We had so much fun, I almost wish this was a yearly event.  I love to spend time with my cousins and my aunts and uncles.  I love that there is never a dull moment and we are always having fun!  I can't wait til we get to do it again!!!