Vacationing in Colorado: Part 3

I was looking through old posts and JUST realized that I never finished our Colorado trip from 2011!! What in the world?!
Alright, I've been a bit behind schedule in every.single.aspect.of my life, I guess. So in case you've forgotten where we left off, here are the first two installments in our vacation series: Parts ONE and TWO. Go review. We'll wait.

Day 7:

We needed a more restful day today, considering the LENGTH and the physical strain of yesterday's train adventure. Today we decided to DRIVE into Silverton, as we didn't see much of it the first time around. You know, besides the inside of a semi-warm restaurant where we scarfed down some grub during our very limited allotted time. So today on the way into Silverton, we stopped at a little place called "Honeyville," because we knew our little bee lover would love it.

Yes, those are bees in that tube.

Their hive is in the middle of the little store.

Honeyville makes and sells all kinds of honey-related products. And if you time it right, you can watch something being made.  That is, unless the worker is busy being puppeteer.

There's no better role player than Atticus, so he just naturally decided to join in on his side of the glass.

Poor things. It was a little bright out.

Then we headed on to Silverton. The drive is...well...scenic. To say the least.

There's the old mining town of Silverton nestled in the valley there.

The "Old West"-looking part of the town is kinda cool to see.

And y'all, there wasn't much to see here whatsoever. In fact, at one point I looked at Paul and said something to the effect that I just don't understand why the entire nation likes to pick on Arkansas being so po'dunk and backwards...when, man alive!  Paul then said he was JUST thinking the same thing!!

Anyhoo...our final destination was yet to be reached, as we were just traveling through Silverton to go on up the mountain to an old gold mine there.

Two thumb-suckers and their "silkies." Necessary for going into a deep, dark hole in the side of a mountain.

Panning for gold. We left disappointed.

On the way down the mountain??? It snowed. Shocked our socks off! I mean, it was September 15th, for goodness' sake! And it was actually not that easy to drive the winding roads. Scary!

But. We also saw a rainbow. Beautiful, adventurous day.

We finished this day with Mexican food, and the kids had their very first sopaipillas.

Day 8:

Another must-see in the Durango area is Mesa Verde. Do NOT miss it. Astounding is what it is. It was only a forty-minute drive, and I'm so glad we made it.

He didn't want in the group picture.

Once the monkey, always the monkey.

Precious.

Underground.

Atticus and I had some work to do on the path, while the others explored underground.

Is it just me, or are the clouds prettier in Colorado?

Again--only 3/4 of the group.

We were in Colorado one more full day and then began traveling back to Arkansas. I'll post the tail end of our trip tomorrow. Promise.

The Blog Post I Never Thought I'd Write

Hope that title didn't freak anybody out. It's just that, well, I never did.

MY expectations were that a) we would FINALLY sell our beautiful home in the Villages of Wellington (which we did in May of 2013), b) we would buy some land (we didn't--long story), and c) right about now, we would be in our custom-built, just-the-way-I-wanted-it home on our lovely land, off-the-grid, with a cow and some chickens and ducks milling about and me wearing a vintage apron and canning homegrown vegetables. We were MADE to be homesteaders!  ::sigh::

God had other ideas.

Instead of life in the country, He has for us............life in the city of Dallas.

Yes, DALLAS!!

Uh........BIG. Difference.

This Arkansas-born-and-bred gal is actually moving to Texas, of all places. 

Paul got a job there, so here we go. We leave behind our two Arkansas hometowns (small as all get-out), our extended Arkansas families, our beloved college where we met, and all the wonderful friends we made (who have BECOME our family) here in Little Rock where we've lived for the last seventeen years. 

Not until now did I realize just how deeply I had planted my "roots."

Understandably, I am quite apprehensive, and my heart is heavy because I love so many people here. In fact, a giant CHUNK of my heart will be left behind! But I'm also a little excited to see what all the Lord has in store for us. Besides, I'm ready to be reunited with my man. He's been working there during the week for two and a half months now, only coming home on the weekends! And let me just tell you, raising four kids alone isn't at all natural. Or lovely. Or desirous.

So despite not having found a home YET in the DFW area, we gave our (flexible) 30-day notice yesterday to the company that manages the rental home we are currently in. 

Which means the clock is now officially ticking.           !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone needs me, I'll be elbow-deep in boxes and bubble wrap.

The kids on their first trip to visit Dallas, enjoying their first-ever game of mini-golf
#watchthedavidsonsmovetodallas

Throwback Thursday - Winter 2013

I left off with my rewind posts around the holidays of 2012. (This sad excuse for a blog is depressing, I know.) So I'm picking up with the winter of 2013. Let's breeze through right quick!

We started the new year with a plan: to prepare our house to sell...once again!! DEEP BREATH........

We spent lots of time clearing stuff out, organizing, and shopping for household items to help us "stage" our home a little better this time around. Certainly, some of our candid photos reflect that. And we had some heavy duty remodeling done, as well.

Good riddance, shiny black granite tiles! I have never loved you.

Early February, we actually moved OUT of our house, while we got it ready to sell. (We were refinishing the front door, painting most of the interior, refinishing our huge retaining wall, blah, blah, blah. It just wasn't conducive for actual LIVING.) And I highly recommend doing so, if you can swing it financially. We were blessed to be able to stay in the guest house where our good friends, The Rackleys, had just been staying while on furlough. For THREE WHOLE MONTHS we stayed. I'll admit, though, I was swamped with getting us moved and trying to do school remotely with just a little of what we own. Who knows where my camera was? I often had to snag a mere iPhone photo--when I remembered to get IT out! Pitiful, I know. It was just craaaaay-zaaaaay. But while we were definitely busy, we also did regular ol' Davidson stuff.

Like play. (still in our own home)

And school. (Yep, still in our own home...prepping this room for staging DURING class time, 'cause I'm amazing that way.)

Ballet. (Isn't she lovely?)

And Scouts.

Our last-minute (as in, we made it the night before) Pinewood Derby car creation ended up winning second place overall!! What in the world?!

We took a couple of family outings to see the Bisons play basketball--and Cousin Claire play in the band.

We had a special Valentine's Day luncheon. At Old Mill. Yum!

Uh. And in case you didn't know, when you are remodeling and packing and perfecting your home for numerous onlookers, you eat out a lot. Sad, but true. So...

We ALSO had a special Valentine's Day dinner. At Larry's Pizza. And the kiddos opened their luv cards from their grandparents, which is always fun.

Stay tuned for our spring activities and final pics of our house at its most spectacular.