I live in a postcard....

We took a fun family/work trip to Durango, CO this week. It was great to break away, enjoy the beautiful state we live in and all the great options we have within a few hours drive. Durango is such a cute town - lots of fun shops, amazing food (chipotle-rubbed Ahi with mango salsa, yum!), interesting history and amazing scenery. We stayed in this super cute mom and pop hotel that was right on Main street, so Aida and I could walk to everything while Peter was gone for work.

We drove a scenic loop round-trip, which I loved. We've had quite a bit of rain this summer, and I've never seen the mountains so alive - looking - lots of lush ground cover, wildflowers and spontaneous waterfalls. I saw a lot of spots that reminded me of the sub-alpine meadows I hiked through the summer I lived on Rainier.

Aida was a traveling champ, as usual. I think keeping her entertained long-term while facing backwards in her carseat is going to prove an increasingly difficult challenge in the coming months, though. She's not the best sleeper in hotels, which has led us to discover that she is as fidgety sleeping as she is awake, which translates into...bedhog :)

Here's some pics of our time:

Family photo op right above Ouray

"Lion King"-esqu?

The best toy is the one she doesn't have...

Enjoying the beautiful river walk....and looking forward to Aida being big enough to tube down the Animas with Mommy and Daddy!

(Distracted) Family shot

A little chilly

My little water baby - she LOVES it, just like her momma :)

Aida's first steak...

It was a hit!

Secret smile

Refused to look at Mommy through the flowers. Boo.

And the postcard pictures commence...

I loved that it was overcast and misty - a nice change from dry heat

Sunset from our house

Honkens take over MN

Aida and I left Cinci and flew to MN to meet Peter and Uncle Luke for Great Grandma Honken's 90th birthday party! We had a great weekend celebrating Grandma, meeting extended family for the first time and catching up with some of our SC family. Aida especially loved meeting her Carles cousins :) We left Sunday night and drove through the night back to CO. It was a whirlwind, but so fun! Aida was a traveling champ, for which we are so thankful.

The representing Rich Honkens with Grandma Lorraine

Aida getting to know some of her cousins :)

Mia was showing Aida all kinds of cool tricks - but she couldn't really keep up ;)

Aida loved cousin Phoebe!

Two of my lovely SIL

Uncle Luke and Gabby

Sleepy baby all partied out

Carles cousins getting in some play time with Grandma

Sweet Cincinnati

It's been a while - whoops! The Pnut and I headed to Cinci for a quick visit in honor of Aunt Linnea's sweet 16 at the beginning of the month. We had a great few days, always too short though. Aida got to experience many important Cincinnati firsts: 4th of July humidity (yay! - not), swinging in Oma and Opa's hammock, being a surprise birthday present (in a laundry basket, of course), Parkie's Ark Water Park, BonBonerie cake (essential) and her first dose of the fine arts, courtesy of the CCM students at Vito's Singing Cafe. Here's some pics from our time!

Firecracker baby with Oma and Opa

Just after we surprised Aunt Linnea on the 4th - she was a little overwhelmed. We put her in a laundry basket on the front porch of her friends house and rang the doorbell...we had Linnea set-up to answer...Aida was holding a flag :)

Playing with Oma!

My girls :) Don't leave, Sarah!

Water baby

Started Linnea's 16th Birthday out with some pottery painting (I painted a paisley-esqu piggy bank for Aida :) )

Ended it with yummy Italian dinner at Vito's Singing Cafe. All the wait staff were undergrad or grad students at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and perform throughout dinner. Our waitress has just finished her masters and was pursuing a career in opera. Later that night, the cafe was hosting a cast party for La Boheme - the Cincinnati Opera's current production.

Aida was a champ for the two hour dinner

The most amazing rendition of "Happy Birthday" I will ever hear. Perfectly accompanied by BonBoneire cake - The. Best. Ever.

With the birthday girl

Love this picture, even though Aida isn't really looking....alert.

Beating the heat at a Parkie's Ark water park. It was a hit - for baby and adults.

She kept trying to put her mouth over the fountain, silly girl :)

Dinner with Great Oma and Opa

Family shot minus Opa

The trip was definitely too short....good thing there's less than a month till Hilton Head!