Family Vacation - Estes Park

For the first time in nearly 5 years I got back to Estes Park and the Rockey Mountains, someplace that I have always and will always cherish. More importantly though it was a family vacation. There was 12 of us roaming around and perhaps one of the last times, even though I hope to be wrong, that we all will be able to coordinate a trip such as this.

My mother was brilliant at making sure that it was planned to ensure that we all got to do nearly everything together (very hard to do and keep everyone happy) but also planned to where we didn't feel that it couldn't be enjoyable and relaxing. Lets face it part of the reason we go to the mountains is to find peace of some sort and relax; at least I do.

----more story and pictures after the jump----



This vacation was also very important to me because I got to share a place that I have loved since before I can remember with Michelle, Matt, and Braelyn (Stephen was with his dad during this trip so I owe him a trip to share it with him as well). To be honest I was a little anxious about having my 18 month old daughter in the mountains; or on any prolonged vacation for that matter. She hasn't been away from home, or her own familiar surroundings to be more specific, for as long as we were gone but I was pleasantly surprised that she did better than I expected; with the exception of eating out for dinner during which time either Michelle or I would be standing while eating or walking back and forth back and forth across the parking lot so she could run about.
On the second day my father and I went on a photographic tour with a wonder guide Paul. This was a special side trip for me as my father is the one who inspires my photographic interest/passion and who has taught me so much about the art. This also allowed time to take the pictures I knew I wouldn't have the time to take with the number of people on this trip. My dad and I don't get to do many things like this together so it was certainly a highlight of for my part of the vacation.
Here is one of my favorites that I took of Sprague Lake while on this tour (notice the duck...I love happy accidents)
While at Sprague Lake, where we had our family picnic, there were a family of ducks that were very interested in seeing what we had to eat. Needless to say Braelyn had the time of her life, even if at the ducks expense, chasing them around. Here she is investigating a couple of baby ducks.And Matt pointing to what we told him was evidence of a bear being near by (gotta love first timers in the mountains).