Back story: While the kids were young, and we were raising them in Broomfield, CO, we began what would become a yearly 'retreat' to the ski resort located on the Grand Mesa, on the eastern edge of the Grand Valley in western Colorado. Powderhorn has great off-season rates, and we rented a condo that sleeps 8 (the number in our family) every Labor Day weekend. This tradition has continued almost uninterrupted for I can't even remember how many years. We blipped last year, and had our annual family gathering in June IN Broomfield, because we had 3 babies expected in late July and early September, so we knew those mommies weren't going to be able to travel that weekend!
This weekend, and this place, has become a sanctuary of sorts for our family. And because we have repeated this every year, many wonderful memories are connected to it. I will list a few below. They won't be in any particular order, just as they pop in to my mind.
*My sprained ankle--about 11 years ago, I twisted my ankle falling off a curb on my first day back to work. Consequently, it made climbing those 2 or 3 sets of stairs to the condo quite an adventure! I spent most of the weekend sitting on a couch with my foot propped up, just reveling in the fabulous chaos that occurs when we are all together!
*Guests--several years we have welcomed others along for this ride, including best friends, significant others, future children-in-laws, and their extended family members!
*Gramps camping out on a stool next to Grandpa's famous home-made salsa
*Just Griffiths--Matthew talked to us about marrying Stef up there, and officially proposed to her that same trip. A year later, again up there, Stef's siblings practically forced her to take a pregnancy test as she described symptoms and denied that there could be a connection....there was. She was. And then they moved to Nashville. The year after that.....Michaela was blessed by her Grandad.
*Sundays--we gather as a family in the morning, with Gram and Gramps (and then just Gram) joining us for our own private church service. (This will be our first weekend without her. Ouch.) We sing hymns (usually picking favorites), share faith-promoting stories, and pray, thanking Heavenly Father for our blessings and asking fervently for His protection of those we love. Then other extended family members and in-laws join us for a big lunch. We always celebrate the September birthdays. Kelli and my dad are regulars, and we've added Matt Thorne and now Lisa's husband, Hondo, to the birthday bash.
*Land's End Road--on Sunday nights, we drive up to the 'visitor's center' of sorts at the top of the Mesa. We try to get up there before the sun sets, because the view is incredible. Highlights--Adam doing his Little Mermaid impression on a stone post, Eric scaring the wits out of me by climbing over the rock wall and pretending to fall over the edge, Adam and Eric staging their little chipmunk play.
Then singing ABBA at the top of our lungs all the way back down to the resort. Chipmunks and bats.
*Mesa Lakes--there is a restaurant, and some cabins, up the road. One year we rented horses and the kids went riding. They love to go up to the lakes and just 'be'. And hike. One year, we took a picture of a kid standing on a large rock at the edge of one of the lakes, and a week later, a freak snowstorm hit the Mesa, and a photo in the local paper showed a mound of snow on the exact same rock! My mom cut it out and sent it to us.
*Cinnamon bears
*Singing--The Von Mahan family singers don't usually need a reason. A couple of years ago, we were fixing dinner and someone started singing something. Almost everyone else joined in, and next thing we knew, the neighbors were knocking on the door, telling us to quiet down. Really?
*More singing--one year, Matt brought up a high-tech microphone and we recorded our family singing. I don't know if anything else survived, but I still have our rendition of "B is for Bubble" on my iTunes. And iPod. And iPhone. Ask me about it. I'll be happy to play it for you.
*From Texas to the Grand Mesa--one year, Adam surprised us in Grand Junction. He was stationed at a base in Texas at the time, and he and his friend (and now 'adopted' son) Matt Thorne drove up to Broomfield, picked up Kara, and showed up at my parents' house the next day! We introduced Matt to Colorado in fine style, driving up Land's End Road to the resort (the LAST time I will EVER do that!), and they did some crazy 4-wheeling up there, too.
*Homework--especially when the kids were in high school and college, the long dining table was cluttered with books, notebooks and other necessary scholastic paraphernalia. And when it wasn't, it was full of food.
*The balcony--Early in the weekend, the balcony is our 'crow's nest'--the kids are on the lookout for whomever hasn't shown up yet, to holler and wave them in the right direction, and then pound down the stairs for hugs and helping to carry things back up. The rest of the weekend, it serves as a cozier, slightly quieter venue for chatting with each other and breathing in the early fall mountain air. We have several photos taken through the dining room windows of various sets of family members standing or sitting on the balcony, enjoying private or semi-private conversations.
Well, I've hit a wall. I'm sure after I post this I'll think of at least a dozen more memories (reasons) that make this weekend special. I hope my family can add to this. This isn't really a post for anyone other than the "you-had-to-be-there" crowd, but it warms me inside to sit here and record a few of these happy moments. (OH! Driving---one year, Holly's first away at college, I think, my dear husband won the mileage award for driving from Broomfield to Provo, an 8-hour trip, to pick up Holly, and then driving BACK to Colorado and Powderhorn, another 4-5 hours....all in one day. I do love that man!)
Thanks for checking in. I hope everyone has a restful and safe Labor Day holiday. You know where I'll be.
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