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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Colorado Trip

How to successfully drive 11 hours in the car with your 2 year old:

1. Buy a cheap table for the car seat for coloring, playing with cars, eating, and movies:


2. Buy some new toys like this sweet Curious George magnet set:


3. Make your own flannel graph:


4. Plan to stop for a long time at a rest area to let your child get their wiggles out.

5. Disregard all previous plans.  -- Leave home at 3:30am, drive straight through without stopping and never play with any toys... then let your insanely calm and precious 2 year old just sit there, enjoying the scenery for hours on end. Bask in the glorious silence. OK, so our drive back wasn't as crazily calm as the drive there, but we never even played with the flannel graph. Didn't hurt to be over-prepared. I call that a success.


      Our 10-day trip to colorado, including a 3 day camping excursion was incredible. It was refreshing to be around so much family, in such a beautiful place. Mr Boy doesn't have many friends his age here in Sioux Falls and is pretty skittish around other kids. So it was a blessing to see him connect with all his cousins, two of which were born just weeks away from Mr Boy.

Tickling his new best friend, cousin Z

Grandpa time
BFF time
Camping near Longs Peak

climbing rocks with some of the many cousins

bonding with his cousin G

roasting his first marshmallow




We took many walks to enjoy the mountainous views


There were many, many, many hugs with cousin A

dirty camping faces


This camping trip would not have been possible without Dave's parents' "house on wheels." I just blended up Mr Boy's meals before we went and kept them in the fridge in the camper. Easy Peasy.

Showing his first blood drawn as a result of rugged play outdoors, instead of from doctors. 
We were so proud.




The video shows how muchMr Boy connected with the family. It doesn't really seem remarkable unless you know just how shy and defensive Mr Boy used to be around people. He used to react to people like an abused puppy. But here you can see just how he's been blossoming lately. We are so proud of him! Praise the Lord!