Denver

Last Wednesday night we flew to Denver, CO to visit Dan's family there as well as attend the first MLS game for the Portland Timbers. This was the second flight for Elliott and Dan's first with both of us. Let me just say, it's a lot easier to go through the airport and plane ride with another person there helping. Elliott was really good the flight over, just busy. He was excited to run around in the Denver airport while we waited for our baggage. Then, even more excited to see Uncle Lee and Aunt Connie! He was amped up the entire ride back to their house and then some!

Our first full day was spent driving to Breckinridge to walk around the ski town. It was beautiful. Even though there was a lot of snow on the ground it wasn't really that cold, especially when the sun was shining on you.


Horses decked our for St. Patrick's Day in Breckinridge:


That night we went to Casa Bonita for dinner. Dan has been telling me about this restaurant since we met. He went when he was 15, I think, and loved it. There was a lot of talk from the Denver crew that the food was so terrible you can't even eat it - though we were told the sopaipillas were really good. I was starting to get a little worried about how bad it was going to be, I even suggested going elsewhere but Dan would have none of that. This place is like Disneyland! You wait in a winding line to even order, then another line to get your food, then another line to get seated. Connie asked that we be seated near the waterfall so that we could see the divers in action. The food wasn't great, I would rate it as low quality Mexican food, nothing to write home about. The sopaipillas were good though, really good! But, I'm pretty sure no one goes there for the food. There is so much to look at and watch. They have cliff divers, puppet shows, magic shows. Even little while they have a pinata for kids to smash. We went and Elliott really wanted to swing the bat. Thankfully another kid broke it open and the empl0yee said Elliott could have 1/2 of the pinata to take home. Connie even bought Elliott a little light up sword, he was in heaven! If you go to Denver and want to experience a restaurant like you've never seen before, go here.





On Friday we drove out to the Red Rocks Amphitheater. What an amazing place. It had snowed late Thursday night/Friday morning. There was snow on the mountains and it was gorgeous and sunny. We ran around and then ate lunch.




Dan and Uncle Lee:


Aunt Connie with Elliott:


Family Shot, Elliott not liking the sun:


That night Dan's cousins all came over to have dinner with us. It was really good to see all the family. Elliott loved playing with the twins, Hayden and Hunter (age 7) as well as Matthew and Cole (15 and 14, I think). I didn't take a single picture from here on out...

Dan and I went to the soccer game on Saturday afternoon. The Colorado Rapids fan section hosted some pre-game events which we attended for Dan's soccer blog. Elliott stayed with Connie and Lee. He was schedule to have his first sleepover party with Hayden and Hunter! The report we got was that the boys were up until 11:30pm! When Dan and I got home after midnight (we had met his cousin downtown Denver) the boys were all sound asleep. I really wish I had take a picture, it was so cute. Hayden and Hunter were so good with Elliott. I think it helped that they had to be in order to gain access to the iPad! :)

The soccer game was a lot of fun! The Timbers lost, 3-1, but it was very exciting to be part of their MLS debut and the huge crowd of Timbers fans (Timbers Army) that was there. Over 400 Timbers fans had purchased tickets!

Overall, we had a really good trip and it was great to see all the family. The weather was perfect the entire time, such a nice break from our constant rain.