Devil's Thumb Ranch

Our trips to Colorado have not been fun this year.  They've been heartbreaking.  Stressful.  Completely needful, and I'm not sorry for one second that we made those trips, but they weren't for us.  Chris and I had been planning a Colorado vacation for this summer, just kind of in the back of our minds.  But after going three times in three months to deal with the illness and then death of my grandfather...  We weren't sure if we really wanted to do it again.

But, eh.  What the heck. 

So, we did.  Loaded all those wild heathen in the minivan.  Again.  But this time we did something new.  Something I thought they only really did on sit coms.

We went to a dude ranch.

Okay, calling it a dude ranch is maybe a bit of a stretch.  There were dudes there.  I brought some of them.  But it was really more of...  a resort and spa.  Like...  that's what it's called.  A resort and spa.  

Totally my kind of dude ranch.

This is my cousin Jasmine and her husband Travis.  We like them.

Jasmine and I really couldn't be more different.  

She's a color coded list kind of girl.  I have delusions that someday, maybe when I'm a grown up I will also have color coded lists.  That I not only make, but also check item off.  With relish and satisfaction.  But for now I'm really more of a, "Oh, crap!  People will be at my house soon and there's junk everywhere!  Quick, boys!  Put on pants!  Help Mommy put all this laundry in these trash bags and into the closet!" kind of girl.

And yet, somehow...  I end up making the vacation plans.  I'm not sure exactly how it happened...  Yes I am.  It happened like this.

Jasmine-  "So what do you want to do while you're here?"

Me-  "Oh, I don't know."

Jasmine- "Do you want to go anywhere?"

Me-  "Hmmm...  I hadn't thought about that..."

an hour later...

Me-  "Hey, I just booked a cabin for the eight of us.  It's someplace I've never heard of.  But it has resort and spa in the name.  Cool?"

Jasmine- "..................................yeah.  Cool." 

I have no idea why she goes along with my schemes.  But she always does.

And that's how we ended up at the Devil's Thumb Ranch.  

Resort and Spa.

Seriously, one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

They had a flippin' movie theater.  Our kids are going to be so warped.  This is NOT the vacation of my childhood.

And will someone please.

PLEASE.

Do me the kind favor of reminding me before I go on vacation again, to PLEASE hand someone my camera???  There is virtually no proof that I was on this vacation.  Or that I exist.  Chris looks like the best single dad in the whole wide world.

These two photos from Jasmine's phone.  This is it.  The only proof that I have ever been to the Devil's Thumb Ranch.  

Resort and Spa.  

Awesome.