We're Back!

We arrived in Denver safe and with most of our sanity intact last night after a very very long day in the car.  Just in case you don't know: I hate Wyoming.  We had a wonderful week back home visiting family and friends. :)  Our trip definitely wasn't long enough and we didn't get a chance to see everyone we wanted to see nor do everything we wanted to do while we were there, but we're hoping to go home for a few weeks this summer.  Thanks to all who were able to spend time with us and for those who were understanding when we ran out of time to see others.  We love you all! :)

Did I mention that I hate Wyoming?  Why in the heck does it have to comprise a good chunk of the drive from Colorado to Washington?  Ugh.

We took a lot of pictures on our trip (this shouldn't be a surprise to anybody) - below are some of our favorites from the trip.  I have some pictures on my new cell phone too that I want to post on here, and as soon as I figure out how to get them on to my computer, I will do that. :)

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Johnny playing with his new magnetic dinosaur book in the car ride up to WA:

Waiting for daddy to bring us lunch from a natural market/deli in Bozeman, MT:

He got angry and frustrated when I took his hood off:
 

I was trying to give him kisses: 

Someone likes to be silly:

Mommy loves it when the Terrible Two smiles:

Sleeping on the last stretch to WA through MT:

I love the northwest - trees and impressive mountains and lakes and rivers and big smog-free skies (pretty much the opposite of the Denver area):

Talking on his alligator phone:

Running around at a rest area in MT outside of Missoula:

Just happy to be out of the car:

He was sad because his daddy went to the bathroom and mommy wouldn't let him go in the germy bathroom to play:

Daddy's back - now he's happy:

No trip is complete without daddy throwing the little one in the air until he giggles:

Trees! Trees! Trees! Trees! Trees! Trees!  Please invite some of your tree friends to Denver!:

Watching a movie in the car and using my seat as a footrest:

As soon as we got to Grandma & Papa's house, Johnny ran over and started playing with his castle and Papa:

Johnny and his new friend Carson - the first time they met each other they were both having grumpy days, but it got better the next time (the picture below is from the grumpy time):

Johnny and Papa walking through the parking lot to our belated birthday dinner:

Nap time with Papa:

Taking a walk and enjoying the wonderful weather with mommy and daddy:

He was laughing like a maniac and this is what my camera captured:

Are you looking at me?:

Johnny on St. Patrick's Day:

Playing with Star Wars figurines at our favorite ice cream place - The Scoop!:

Does somebody look like he's had enough of mommy and her darn camera?:

Taking a walk and enjoying the weather near The Scoop:

It's been a while since Johnny has seen a tree - I blame Denver - what a travesty!:

I love trees :) :

Johnny loves trees too!:

I'm proud of my little tree hugger:

Save our trees!:

John's wonderful aunt Dora gave Johnny a Blue's Clues toy - Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper, & Paprika:

Apparently it is too much effort to hold one's head up while playing:

A great picture of Johnny, John, and John's grandpa Dale (Johnny happens to share a birthday with his great-grandpa):

Johnny was telling lots of stories (including hand movements) to his grandma (my mom):

A good family friend Eileen and Johnny - he got very excited as soon as he saw her (they have had a special bond since he was a newborn that I think is quite adorable):

Playing with his great-grandpa Joe (my grandpa) and a balloon:

Taking a picture with mommy wasn't exciting enough to warrant him even paying attention:

Eating a banana (I think the 3rd of that day - he is a banana fiend) with his great-grandma Pat (my grandma):

Uncle Joseph and Johnny being silly together:

Johnny conquered Mt. Joseph:

At a rest area in Wyoming on the way home (I HATE WYOMING):

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Things we loved about our trip:

• Family & Friends! :)
• Not driving all in one day on the way to WA
• Belated birthday presents - John got an espresso maker and I got a bunch of craft supplies!
• Lunch with my friend Christina :)
• Dinner with our friends Stephanie and Holton and their adorable little girl Chloe (who I got to hold!) at Tomato Street (our favorite!)
• Mass at St. Anne's - we still consider this to be our home parish :)
• A Family Dinner for our belated birthdays and my cousin Jeremy's birthday
• Shopping with my mom on two different days :)
• Spring!!!!!!! 
• No snow
• Going to the movie "Remember Me" with my mom - SADDEST MOVIE EVER
• St. Patrick's Day!
• Eating corned beef and cabbage at my parents' house - yummy!
• Getting to watch a televised GU basketball game and seeing them win :)
• Trying Caruso's for the first time with my mom and having a great BLT
• Learning to use the sewing machine my grandma gave me with my grandma's tutorial
• Bruchi's chicken cheesesteaks and fries
• Coffee with my friend Courtney
• Getting a new phone - I love it!
• Going to the movie "Avatar" in 3D with John (our first date with just us two in over six months - since before we moved to Denver)
• Ice cream, paninis, and conversations with my cousin at The Scoop! :)
• Dinner with my grandparents at a local Mexican restaurant 
• Catching up with my old professors at GU and going to the Flannery Lecture with my friend Christina and listening to a Theologian speak (I'm so so so looking forward to going to grad school and getting to do these things again!!!)
•  Lunch at the Olive Garden with John's cousin Zac and his girlfriend Lydia - tried the unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks for the first time and loved it! 
• Visiting John's grandpa Dale and his aunt Dora :)
• Taking walks in the nice weather
• Trees!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially hugging them and taking pictures of them! :)
• Shopping at Learning Is Fun and getting some cool educational toys for Johnny (they need one in Denver!)
• Johnny playing with Carson, my brother's girlfriend Angy's nephew 
• Coffee & knitting with my friend Anisha at Rocket Bakery :)
• Coffee, conversation and book recommendations with my best friend Katherine :) 
• Johnny getting hugs and a stuffed dinosaur from his godmother Katherine
• Finding Johnny's lost walrus mitten from our last trip to Spokane outside (thanks Katherine!)
• Introducing Johnny to Blue's Clues from tapes and a toy that John's aunt Dora gave him (we don't have cable so Johnny has only really ever watched shows on PBS)
• Hanging out with family and having a BBQ our last day home
• An awesome sale on scrapbook paper at JoAnn's
• Going to a Fred Meyer (they don't have them in Denver) and taking advantage of amazing sales on yarn, seeds, and CFL light bulbs! 
• Johnny getting more and more comfortable with talking to people and using sentences (example: "How are you?" to his godmother Katherine) 

Things we didn't like so much about our trip:

•  Not finding time to get coffee at Thomas Hammer while we were in town
• Only getting to be home for a week 
• Johnny getting a fever from his molars and a subsequent heat rash from the fever; he's now peeling after recovering from the rash
• Having to cancel plans with some people we really wanted to see because of limited time and Johnny not feeling well
• Having to leave
• Packing and now having to unpack
• Driving 1100 miles each way - 2200 miles total
• That we have to wait 4 months until we go home again
• Not getting a chance to go to Station of the Cross or spend more time at St. Anne's
• Coming home to warnings of snow tomorrow in Denver - blech.
• Not remembering where the food co-op was in Bozeman that we liked
• John having to spend a lot of time reading material for his classes that started today (who assigns 2 books and a bunch of articles to read BEFORE the class even starts?!) and not getting to go visit his friends at his old work place
• That our trip didn't coincide with Easter :(
•  Having to say goodbye and Johnny crying when we were about to get into the car to leave

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Even though we were only home for a week, we tried to spend as much time as possible with family and friends.  We loved seeing everyone and those that we didn't get a chance to see will definitely be a priority the next time we are back home this summer! :)  We love you all and we are so very grateful that you all contributed to making this trip a wonderful one filled with family, friends, laughter, relaxation, and fun!!

Now I'm off to unpack, do laundry, and get ready to go to the grocery store once John gets home from his first day of classes... At least it is sunny and warm outside today. :) Hope everyone is having a great day!