We landed on the moon!

A few weeks ago my little family packed up the car and headed for the Rockies.  When I say packed up the car, I mean stroller, booster, 3 suitcases, 2 coolers, a baby, a Samsonite briefcase, a bird named Petey and the kitchen sink.  If you travel with kids, you know what I mean.  However, I still lurch at the idea of buying a minivan so we will just settle for not being able to see out the back window of the ole' CRV.

We stayed in Estes Park which is home to the Stanley Hotel.  I have to tell you that going to the hotel was what I most looked forward to as well as my favorite part of the trip.  Grant and I had so much fun taking a Haunted History Ghost Tour.  Our tour guide explained how the hotel {which is still serving guests} is haunted and was the inspiration for a little movie called The Shining!  If you haven't seen it, get it immediately.  It is one of my favorites and as my childhood friend Emily and my adulthood friend Ann can attest to, I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE scary movies!  I was disappointed to learn that the major motion picture was not actually filmed at the hotel, however it was the inspiration for the movie Stephen King's version was filmed at the SH. 



Ah, just looking at this makes me want to rent it right now!  If you have seen it, you may be interested to know that this little number was a picture I took with the flash on at the end of a dark staircase leading up to the hotel's bell tower.  Read it carefully.  Freaky huh?

Also, I did have a ghostly experience in what used to be the children's wing of the hotel.  I won't go into it now, but I'd love to tell you about it over some cosmo's.  Call me.

Another unknown fact to me until I got there was that Dumb and Dumber was filmed at the Stanley Hotel as well.  Please enjoy clips from the movie and how they are oddly similar to the places we hung before the tour began.

Movie version:

Our version:

Movie's view:

Our view:

Movie:

Us:

Last, but certainly not least.  We had a chance to meet up with great friends who also happen to be Everett's future in-laws.  My friend Krystl sucked it up through car sickness to drive through the mountains to eat dinner with us.  Please enjoy our baby's first real date and the genius that is the iPad.  Thank you iPad for giving the adults some time to catch up.  Thank you friends for taking the time to visit us.  I am more jealous than you will ever know that you live in Fort Collins {my favorite place on the planet}.  Like your perfect little genius adorable family needed to get anymore perfect!  I still love you guys very much and miss you even more!