Vacationing in Colorado: Part 4, The End

So I'm finally wrapping up the posts for this trip we took FOREVER ago to Durango, Colorado! Please enjoy the exciting conclusion.  ;) Previous posts, in order, are here, here, and here.

Day 9:

We used our last day in Durango as a bit of a rest day. We went into town and stocked up on snacks, bought some yummies for our campfire dinner, replaced our portable DVD player for the car ('cause Momma wasn't about to drive sixteen plus hours without a working one!), and just generally piddled in Walmart. Then we had a delicious lunch at a "real food" pizza restaurant. 

And, lucky for us, Durango was having some sort of community mini-fest that day, so we were more than willing to participate in a little bounce house fun. Don't mind if we do!

Once we got back to the cabin, we spent time just enjoying the great outdoors. Noah did a little hunting for bones while the others did some finger painting. We made a cute, life-size thank you note for our host, the owner of the cabin. Saylor picked a bouquet for dinner. And Mommy and Daddy got dinner going.

It was a lovely evening.

We are all very happy to be saying goodbye to these guys, though.

The next morning we headed out for the verrrrry loooonnnnnggg journey. For fun, we did stop off in New Mexico to see The Blue Hole.

A two-day trip in the car with four littles takes creativity. Here's how we manage.

1) The aforementioned DVD player.  :)  Currently out of commission yet again.

2) Activities of interest. (Coloring books, car games, scavenger hunts, library books, small action figures, LeapPads/V-tech devices, etc.)

3) Snacks galore...and always apportioned out in serving-size paper cups or baggies. Must. keep. the. snacks. a'coming.

4) Pit stops during which we s-t-r-e-t-c-h and do whatever we feel like doing, even if it makes the car look streaked and horrible, and take our time doing it.

5) Audiobooks and/or Adventures in Odyssey. Daddy doesn't appreciate these as much as the rest of us.

6) Ear buds for at least one parent (you know who you are), sometimes both (if I'm lucky).

7) Kid songs. Daddy definitely doesn't appreciate these! (We like KinderSongs, Veggie Tales collections, anything Disney; we especially like the Backyardigans and the Phineas and Ferb stations on Pandora.)

Even with all that, let's face it, it's exhausting to travel, period. Add kids to the mix and the chances are very great that both parents will be near tears by the time they roll into their long-awaited driveway. Which we were. But it was all worth it!