Strater Hotel

Thank you James and Stacie for helping us plan our vacation. They told us every park and city to visit and they really knew their stuff. We have loved every stop! Stacie recommended the Strater Hotel in Durango, CO. It's a historic building and according to our guest log, the room is haunted. We have a picture in the room that is a little creepy.
Nate started feeling very sick at dinner. We were so nervous he was getting a stomach virus I brought him back to hotel during dinner, his request. Turns out, I think he'd just starved himself all day. Please don't think I'm not taking good care of them. I'm making Bryan stop to eat every few hours whether anyone is hungry or not. But we had some strenuous hiking at Mesa verde and then he got too hungry. When we got to the room I made him eat a pizza...now he feels great!
They must all feel pretty good because one minute they're fighting and the next loving! We have a train ride in the morning at 10. Only 2 days left.....so sad.

Mesa verde

Mesa verde is where the pueblo people built their homes about 1500 years ago. These cliff homes were discovered in the late 1800s and made a state park. Boys loved it and earned another junior ranger badge. Canyou tell who was too exhausted to get out of the car for a picture at the national park sign?

Junior ranger

All the boys have been earning their junior ranger badges at the national parks but Luke is taking it serious. He used the money his grandparents gave him to buy this junior ranger vest. It has 14 pockets (really) and he's wore it ever since.

Big sand dune

As we were driving, we noticed a bunch of cars pulled over and a crowd of people playing on this giant sand dune. We told the boys, if they ate a good lunch (which was a given because it was almost 3) they could come back and play. They had a blast. They all 3 climbed to the top. Henry stayed up top and Nate ran down and then worked on digging a cave. We had a hard time getting Luke to come down. Of course they were covered in red dirt but it was worth the mess!

Arches

Whew! A nine day vacation with three little boys is not for the weak. Especially when you're moving cities every day or two. Especially when you're in a one room hotel with 2 queen beds. We started our day at the Love Muffin cafe. The boys liked their bacon. They ended up eating 4 orders and still wanted more. Then we headed to Arches national park. It did not disappoint. The boys loved windows arch. You can see them hiking in some pictures below. They were on some very steep cliffs. I had to leave the area and not watch, it was dangerous! They also loved sand arch. There was a hill with a big pile of sand under the arch. The boys would run down the hill so fast they would fall and roll. Luke and Henry made sand angels. Nate and henry jumped off a rock that was probably 12 feet off the ground. i just knew they would break a bone. The boys could've stayed all day climbing on rocks and cliffs, but we hadn't planned well and they needed lunch and bryan and i had all the excitement we could handle so we hurried through the rest of the park. It was awesome. I felt like I was in another country. It's amazing what wind water and sand can do to a landscape.

Made it to Moab

Driving all day was rough but we made it to the #1 hotel in Moab according to trip advisor, Red Cliffs Lodge. Glad I booked the best hotel. The view was by far the most impressive part. We have 2 nights here, that may be a mistake. Tomorrow we will go check out Arches National Park. I am enjoying my family so much. Even with the little squabbles and grumpiness, it's wonderful to be together. I really don't want the week to end.