Welcome to Grand Junction, Colorado!
By the time we hit the hotel, kids and parents were equally exhausted. My family hit the Wendy's next to the hotel and after eating and running around the hotel room a bit, we quickly put the kids to bed. Ahhhhh. David decided to lay down with Nathan to help him settle in a room where his sister was yelling, "Nate! Nate! Nate! Nate!" and once David's head hit the pillow, I didn't see him until the next morning.
After everyone was settled, Emmy had to go on a search for a non-ugly (as opposed to serious ugly) bathing suit.
In October.
In Colorado.
It seemed like a Holy Grail mission, but I am ALWAYS up for an adventure! We drove around Grand Junction looking for Ricky Schroeder-no, that was just me-looking for some sort of a store that might have something one could call a bathing suit for not a gazillion dollars. And oh yeah, we started this whole adventure at 9:15pm. On a Saturday night.
Hello K-Mart! Land of fun toys for our kids (walkie talkies for Nathan and Alexis) and presents for our friends (Amy, do you still sleep with Johnny Depp in your bed?) and Things-Your-Husband-Wants-You-to-Pick-Up-But-That-Really-Should-Be-HIS-Responsibility-to-Remember-to-Pack-if-He-Doesn't-Want-to-Have-Another-Baby.But no non-ugly Bathing suits.
Ahhhh, Target. Why didn't we come to you sooner??
We stormed the gates, split up, shopped and shut. the place. down. Emmy found her non-ugly bathing suit. We were happy. (Well, our hubbies weren't all that happy because we kinda hit Cold Stone before we went home and didn't bring any home.)
Once we got to our cabins in Colorado (and by cabins I mean apartments with logs on the outside) we had the opportunity one night to go to the Swim Spa. We put the kids down to sleep, pooled all of our baby monitors in one cabin and asked Damon's dad, Larry to sit and listen for any signs of escape. All 6 of us hiked up to Swim Spa.It was late. It was fun. And we even got in TROUBLE! David and I were later than the others because our two kiddos did NOT feel like going to sleep when we decided they should so by the time we got there, Chris and Kristen and Damon and Emmy were already extremely pruny. They hung around for a little bit but Kristen was getting tired (it was well past 10pm) so she and Chris got ready to leave-dreading the 40 degree weather and the semi long walk back to the aparbin. (Apartment+cabin=aparbin! OK fine, I won't use that again.)
At some point a dare was brought forth. To Chris. And if Chris had passed, then this whole post would be about what a wuss Chris is. But, much to your delight, Christ accepted the offer.
$20 from the Cooks
$10 fromt the Zabs
And Chris runs naked back to the cabin.
David and Damon supervised to be sure that he followed through and even Emmy and I made sure we saw a little cheek. His trunks were handed to his wife (who was almost to tired to be embarrassed) and he was off. Emmy and I were laughing so hard. The guys were cheering him on!
When he got back to his cabin, Damon's dad had decided to step outside for some fresh air right as Chris rounded the corner. He jumped into a nearby bush as Kristen came up to the door. He had to wait outside until she said goodbye to Larry, thanked him for coming and could then bring him a robe so he could finally enter the house.
Back at the enclosed Swim Spa area, we were still laughing. Our joy had risen a couple of decibels so when he first walked up, we didn't hear him.
The door slammed open.
Caught unawares, Emmy and I screamed.
There stood a man in his own bathrobe, white hair on his head and face.
And he was mad. Really really mad.
"It is after 10pm and you woke me up! Quiet down!" (I don't have enough exclamation points to convey how angry he was)
It took about 3 words into the yelling before we realized he wasn't kidding. I mean, we are adults (never mind that we weren't acting like them) was he really talking to us like this?
He finished the verbal smackdown and slammed the door to leave.
I remembered where I had seen him. He wasn't a guest at the place we were staying but a caretaker/manager. When I first saw him as we checked in, I remember thinking he looked a lot like Santa Claus. I smelled cookies, wondered if he knew elves and if he would make the kids a little toy boat.
Yeah, not so much anymore.
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