4th of JULY MADDEN FAMILY OUTING IN DURANGO

This year, Grandpa Bob and Grandma Jerri wanted to make sure we got together for another Madden Family Outing in Durango. Lucky Uncle Buck (or as Grandma Jerri likes to remind me, Uncle JACK) got to book the lodging for everyone because he lives there. ( : (Thanks Buck and Jo). We stayed in Purgatory, which is much more pleasant than it might sound. We stayed in a house there last time we held the Madden family outing in Durango, but this time we opted for 2 townhomes. It ended up working perfectly. The kids were anxious to get there (big surprise after a long car ride), and were thrilled when we arrived and were able to go swimming.

We were in Durango for the 4th of July, but our family was so tired, and it was going to be a drive to get to and from any major fireworks so we opted to skip out and get everyone to sleep. That was the best decision we ever made, and the kids didn't know any different.

Did I mention that shortly after we arrived, the kids were checking out their room, and in the midst of their checking the comfort of the mattresses (jumping on the beds and from bed to bed)

Brynn missed her landing (I assume) and hit her face on the bed frame...at least that's what I think happened, I didn't actually SEE it happen. She did have a good sized

shiner on her eye almost immediately after the incident, but she didn't let it stop her or slow her down one bit.

7/5 - Grandma Judie got some stacking cups (a.k.a. a box of bathroom sized paper cups) today for Ethan to build a tower. Ethan was so focused and LOVED playing with the cups.

He would build and then knock down his creation. Brynn also did her part in knocking down the towers Ethan built, which was not one of Ethan's favorite things.

7/6 - Today, our family adventure took us to Honeyville, with a stop on the way home to check out the natural hot spring on the side of the highway. First stop - Honeyville with Grandpa Steve and Grandma Judie. We went to watch the bees making honey, sample their work and buy honey in all varieties.

My favorite - Cinnamon whipped honey. YUM. Can't wait to spread that on a big piece of toast.

What is Ethan holding in this picture? That would be a spongy bumblebee keychain that he begged to get before we left Honeyville.

The hot spring was a big hit with the kids. The water wasn't exactly what I'd call "HOT", but it was certainly warm.

We all took our shoes off and enjoyed the water a bit, and Ethan eventually ventured out and climbed to the top of the rock by himself.

He was so proud of himself for

making it to the top, but when he realized that he was actually going to have to get himself down

he got a little nervous.

Scot had to climb up to help him get down, and once Ethan had a little security there he did just fine.

7/8 - We took a trip to downtown Durango today to do a little shopping, get some lunch & just get the kids out for a daily adventure. We stopped by the Durango to Silverton train station in hopes that the kids would be able

to see a train pulling in or out of the station. Someday, we'll probably have to actually RIDE that train, but since it easily takes a couple hours to ride up to Silverton and back... it's not something either of my kids would have the patience for at this point. We were out of luck - the train left shortly before we arrived, but we walked around the tracks looking at the train cars that were there and then wandered into the train museum they had behind the train station.

The kids loved being at that museum -particularly with all the train cars that they were able to climb into and explore. Not only were their train cars, but there were parts of old trains, tracks, spikes, phones, light fixtures, keys, ticket punchers, maps, photos, luggage etc. on display. You name it, it was there.

We all enjoyed the museum and spent a good amount of time there (and in the gift shop) before heading to a delicious little

Mexican restaurant for lunch. (Aunt Jo is in the picture with Ethan and Brynn... Hannah pictured below with Brynn and the horses).

Hannah even hung out with us until it was time to meet her friends to play tennis, or run or whatever outdoor activity she was doing that day. ( : Brynn and Ethan were in heaven - it was the perfect activity for us and we would definitely return to that museum again, no question.

7/9 - Brynn has a thing with pens. She likes to draw on everything, more so than paper it would seem. Today she did some artwork with a red pen all over her legs and arms. She didn't want to get into the bathtub to clean herself off, so she threw quite the temper tantrum. Let's just say, she was rather attached to her body art.