Rocky Mountain High

Dear Baby Waider + Little Brother Too,

*I realized that I never published this entry! This trip was from July 2016. WE return to the Rocky Mountains July 2017 as well.*

A couple of weeks ago we went on a most outstanding adventure to the Rocky Mountains. It wasn't our first big vacation as a family of four as we did that in 2014 when we went to visit Jay and Jeremy in Omaha. It was our first camping trip deep in the mountains, however. For as long as I can remember I've loved being outside. I've always loved a little adventure and some travel. When I was a kid Grandma and Grandpa Halter always had us doing something. Picnicking, hiking, fishing, or sight seeing pretty much every weekend. One of my favorite and most memorable vacations was to Yellowstone National Park. We got to experience all of the grandeur on that trip and I was instantly hooked on the national park system. The older I got the more I grew to love being in the woods. I've told many stories about working deep in Custer State Park as a waitress at the Blue Bell Lodge. Following my first year of teaching Auntie and I took an amazing cross country trip to California and Mexico including Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Forest, The Redwood National State Park. The following summer we worked by the Snowy Mountains. During that time we did hundreds of awesome hikes. Throughout all of these experiences I always thought in the back of my mind how nice it would be to camp in these places. In fact in Yosemite we were at a store in the park (translate=super high prices) and we looked at buying some camping gear. Determining that it was just too expensive to start camping on a whim I kept it in the back of my mind as a possibility for some day... Plus I'm not too sure Auntie was too into the idea of tent camping.

So you get the idea that I had always been interested in camping and wondered if I actually had what it takes to be a camper. Enter your dad. A real live mountain man with the Eagle Scout badge to prove it. He had a tent and all of the necessary gear to make my camping dreams a reality. We went first to Pactola, then the Big Horns, and finally the Snowy Mountains. I liked camping. Don't get me wrong. It just wasn't the magical experience I was hoping for. Tents don't offer much protection and I remember the very moment I retired from it. We were in the Snowy Mountains in mid August. Summer everywhere else in the entire world. However, in the middle of the night it started snowing, hard, and I woke up freezing. I couldn't get warm so I started crying. A. LOT. Like I couldn't quit crying. I finally warmed up and at that moment I believe I said that the next time I went camping it will be in a camper. 

After two years of searching we were fortunate enough to find the perfect camper. We drove nearly to Canada to pick it up and then went into Canada to camp. We traveled most of that summer and camped all over the place. We loved our camper! The next summer I was pregnant with Baby Waider and rarely left the house. 

We couldn't wait to take Baby Waider camping, but your first summer was MISERABLE. We took a trip to Cousin Jennifer's wedding and it was so incredibly hot we had little desire to go camping ever again. We also went on one short trip to the Game Lodge Campground but again it was so hot we couldn't do anything. 

The following summer was a disaster. Dad broke his ankle and I was pregnant with Little Brother. We ended up going on one camping trip to Mobridge which was really terrific. The next summer we were able to go a little bit more, but stayed pretty close to home. We went to Custer State Park constantly, but also had the opportunity to go to Omaha, Nebraska. I was a complete wreck the entire trip with a baby and a three year old. We went to the Zoo and again, it was pretty hot so it made it tough to do too much. 

When Little Brother was born my good friend JoLisa Hoover suggested that we try to travel to all fifty states before both of you graduate. I am so excited to make this dream a reality. I decide to add the idea of going to all of the national parks as well. The natural start was to go to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Dad is from Colorado and that's where Grandpa Marker and Mary live. The result was pretty much pure magic. The Rocky Mountains were such a fun place for both of you to explore and enjoy. You hiked like little troopers and you even got to earn some badges. They were having a discovery days where you were able to do a ton of fun activities. You also became junior rangers. We loved Estes Park and found lots of fun things to do there, but by far Baby Waider's favorite store was the Hallmark Store. The candy store was fun too and walking around Estes was a blast. 

There is something about camping wayyy in the wilderness. Where there are bears and tall trees. We just loved our time there and extended our trip. We almost immediately decided to plan a next year's trip there as well. One of your favorite songs to sing is "Rocky Mountain High." I love it because like John Denver I think that the Rocky Mountains are the cat's pajamas. Below you will find some photos of the trip that are also immortalized in magnets, pictures, and a photo book. 

Love,

Mom 

P.S. I just finished this two weeks before we return to the Rocky Mountains this year

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