family fabulous

I can’t hold it in any longer – I have to dish!

We just returned from the most Fabulous. Vacation. EVER. No, we didn’t weekend in New York again. And we’re still waiting to go on a foreign escapade or exotic island adventure.

We traveled to a faraway land of gorgeous vistas, fresh mountain air, captivating scenery and great company: the Colorado Rocky Mountains. We stayed in a lodge at Snow Mountain Ranch in Winterpark and enjoyed activities such as hiking, horseback riding, miniature golf, fishing, lacrosse (trust me), swimming and even roller skating (yes, you read that last one right).

Sounds perfect, right? Well it was. And the best part: it was a family reunion.

I know, I know. Family reunions aren’t exactly notorious for being a “blast” or “the best vacation of the summer.” I don’t deny this. But I will say (my personal biases aside), my family rocks and this was in fact a reunion that won’t soon be forgotten. Our shirts were even cool (no joke, my graphic designer stud of an uncle fancied them up).

So, what, you ask, could have possibly made my family reunion so fun? For starters, it has a name (by which it shall be referred from now on):

SOFFER, aka Second Official Fowles Family (most) Excellent Reunion

and here’s what made it cool:

- staying in a lodge with the family (thankfully I wasn’t in the jumbo 10-bunk kid’s room)
- community meals (thanks mom, the food was de-lish!)
- watching the kids play (lacrosse, checkers, “go fish,” swimming, swinging, football, mini golf, horseback riding, etc.)
- and playing like we’re the kids
- watching old family movies (even though we were subject to the director’s cut which was an hour-and-a-half longer and featured extended scenes of people standing around. I admittedly enjoyed the soundtrack and would recommend it as a sleeping aid for all children and some adults.)
- sitting around and chatting
- watching Sons of Provo with our family (and not getting laughed at for liking it because they’re our family and they love us)
- pranks by grandma and my mom on everyone dumb enough to “fill their water bottles” at the rigged-to-squirt kitchen faucet
- grandpa’s HOMEMADE vanilla and peach ice cream – SOOOOO yummy!
- competitive mini golf
- spotting deer outside the kitchen windows
- eating just because “we had to get rid of all the food we bought”
- receiving our very own copies of the family videos (thankfully not the extended version) and SOFFER soundtrack CDs (one for dinner and one for dancing)

I could really go on forever. You know it’s a good reunion if you come home wanting more. And we definitely did.

Let’s do it again next year! Or in six months?