Our Weekend Trip to Durango Colorado

A week ago, Kirk had to go up to Durango for work and invited me along. Aubrey and David watched Devon and Graham is home on leave from Afghanistan, so I didn't have Regen, so we left on Saturday after my morning class and came home Monday evening. The scenery in the desert has it's own special unique beauty. We went up through Flagstaff and Tuba City and through Four Corners and arrived in the quaint touristy town of Durango.





The next morning we had breakfast at a cute little French pastry shop, I love the hanging baskets of flowers, and the feel of Durango...kind of reminds me of Estes Park.



They have trains that take you to a rustic old mining town called Silverton, but they wanted at a minimum of $75.00 per person, so we drove to Silverton. What an old town, straight out of a old mining town that we've seen in Alaska.


Here are some beautiful fall foliage along the way to Silveron. It was drizzly off and on.

Kirk took this shot, the composition is perfect...for some reason we didn't take any pictures of Silverton :( We at lunch and looked in a shop or two and ate an elephant ear, and then came back to Durango.
On our way home, right outside of Flagstaff, about 30 minutes, is the Meteor Crater. Kirk has been dying to see it. It was really incredble.

The tour guide asked us if we wanted our picture taken at the base of the crater, we were like, sure! He took us around the corner, and there was this giant picture with some rocks around it.

They say that 20 football fields could fit, and play simaltaneously and that 2 million spectators could watch from the sides of the crater.Kirk says it's more spectacular from the sky, it's hard to get the whole feel of how large it is from the side.If you look real close, there is a chain link fence around the huge shaft that they dug. On the fence there is a an American Flag, and a 6ft. tall poster of an astronaut. You'll need a magnifying glass. This rock in the center is the size of a house, so I zoomed in on it.

The rocks nearby all have this interesting pattern on them due to the heat of the meter I suspect.

Fall in Arizona...okay, only in my house

It's September and still feels like July, I'm missing the crispness of fall and the crunch of the leaves and the smell of woodsmoke, so I brought fall inside and around me...ahhh! Kirk and I drove up to Durango, Colorado this past weekend for his work, and I saw FALL, it was so beautiful, I'll be posting those pictures next. If you're wondering what that notebook is, that's where my day care parents have to sign their kids in and out...state regulations. Hope everyone is having a wonderful beginning of fall. Post and show how you celebrate and decorate for fall, Jen started it...thanks for the inspiration to post fall inside. Love to everyone, Debbie

Slide Rock in Sedona

We had a fun Labor Day in Sedona where the temperature was about 80 degree verses 110 degrees in Phoenix, it was so refreshing not to mention beautiful. We attempted to go to Slide Rock when Ashley graduated from high school right before she left for Alaska and eventually Oregon...but we were rained out. This time we had gorgeous weather. Here are all the kids, they couldn't wait to get in, man was it slick, people were dropping like flies, I said there was no way I was going in and killing myself. Kirk, Jamie and I sat and watched and helped herd kids, and play spotter...there were these areas of flattish rocks, and then a mini rapid, the kids can all swim except the three that are two and under. Those 3 did not want to be held or restrained in any way...they wanted in!!!
Kirk and Regen...who wanted in the water.
"Watch me grandma"...we temporarily lost him, he went on his own up a few hundred feet to a higher slide spot and after a scary 10 minutes we found him.
" Look, the water is red!" Cute little Cameron.
Ashley and Regen.... ready, set, I want in! On April's camera I got some cute shots of Regen, she had a blast sliding on one very shallow rock on her hands and knees. She squealed with joy, it was really cute.
This shot gives a better idea of what it looks like, some spots are real shallow, and some are over your head, I watched people just disappear and then reappear, Kris did...he was walking in with Cameron, and sploosh, down he went, he held Cameron up and pushed him onto a flat rock. Crazy. Here is Alanna, Kylee in the foreground and Ashlynn behind Alanna.
Tyler
Bathing beauties
Finally, a shot of Tristen...he doesn't stand still!

Ashley and Regen taking a break...the many rocks made great chairs.

April and Devon...neat idea with the life vest...he felt like he was on his own, but mom had him safe and sound. If you look at all the people, they are stepping ever so carefully. Tennis shoes or water shoes is a must for next time. This is good shot too, you can see how it goes down to one of the mini rapids and then you slide into a pool and you can just keep going aways down the river. We want to go again, that was fun!