Family Time at Fun Valley

So this summer marked the third year that Jody and I have made the trek to South Fork, Colorado for the annual Been family gathering. We left early Saturday morning, August 6th and got to Fun Valley before anyone else arrived.

It started out a bit roughly, because the night before we left Eu-mi got into some gluten-free hamburger buns. Everything seemed fine Friday evening; we packed after I got home from work and we went and visited Sam and Britt (who had just bought a little dachshund pup that I just HAD to see!). But on the way to Fun Valley the next morning, we discovered that Eu-mi had left us a little present in her crate. *sigh* So first thing we did upon arriving in FV was to get her bedding cleaned at the laundromat. Little did we know that we would be cleaning her bedding 4 (yes, you read that correctly - FOUR) times due to disasters in the crate. But I digress...

Right around lunchtime everyone began to start arriving: Pam and Alan, Lindsey, Lindsey's parents Jimmy and Brenda, Lindsey's brother Justin, his wife Isabel and their daughter Deana, Lindsey's uncle Jimmy and his wife Angie and their two kids, and (finally!) Brad and Lindsey's friends Clint and Carla Taylor. So it was a crew of 16 people and 4 dogs! 

I was a bit curious to find out how everything was going to work out, since people were not all staying for the same amount of time, and for some this was their 10th+ time to come to Fun Valley and for others it was their 1st time... But, in the end, it was a good time and I think everyone had a blast! The dogs had much to snif, the kids were able to ride bikes and run around FV, and the adults could sit and talk or sleep as much as they wanted. It really was the best way to spend a week away from the "real world."

Here are some of the top reasons why I love Fun Valley SO MUCH!

1. It breeds relaxation. After the stresses of this season, there is no gift greater than REST. When Jo and I arrived at Fun Valley, one of the first things we did was pull out our ENO hammocks and set them up for the week. It became the new routine that there was 'hammock time' right around 3pm. That afternoon sleepy time. Absolutely heavenly!

2. Eu-mi is welcome, too. On so many vacation trips the biggest stresser is, 'What are we going to do with Eu-mi?' But at Fun Valley, there is plenty for Eu-mi to do, as well. So, so thankful that we can bring her along. 

3. Family Meal Time. I don't know about you, but growing up in a big family I learned to treasure meal times around the table. All 10 of us, sitting around talking over each other (haha) and hearing about the events of the day. There is nothing more precious than being able to spend time together over a meal. And this year at Fun Valley, there were so many of us that it really felt festive to have a reason to bring all 16 of us together.

4. Daily Walks / Train-Riding around Fun Valley. Fun Valley is not enormous, but it is large enough to satisfy the need for a nice walk. Or a ride on the Train. SO MUCH FUN! Most every day Jody and I would take Eu-mi for a nice, long walk around Fun Valley, and we got to see some fun dogs, say 'hi' to some of the friendliest people in the United States (good ol' manners from Texas and Oklahoma!), and see if there were any fish in the ponds. Such a relaxing time, especially in the cool mornings. If you ever go, you should ride the Fun Valley train. :)

5. ICE CREAM O'CLOCK! Carla led the way for us all in establishing that on vacation, calories just don't count. And as the week progressed, I realized she was right! I have spent so much time focusing on getting healthy, that I realized it was wearing me out a bit, and it was time to take a break... for just a week. ;) Soooo, we began to take daily walks down to the Snack Shack to get an ice cream! What fun! I have to say, it made my day. This and hammock time. Love me some ice cream and hammock time. Did more good for my soul than months of counseling and unpacking the past few years. 

6. Fire (S'more) time! Right after the afternoon nap time, it was about time to get a fire going. That might mean running up to the Fun Valley store to buy some more wood or some lighter fluid (because starting a fire on vacation should not be hard, right?). And then, we'd get the fire burning nice and hot. And we'd get to cooking and talking. I have to say one of the highlights of this year was watching Deana cook hotdogs and s'mores over the fire for the first time. Deana and her mother Isabel are from Honduras and have lived in the States since Justin and Isabel were married a few years ago. Watching both of them grow in their English abilities as well as in their knowledge and understanding of American culture have been so much fun to watch!

It was a good week, and I'm so thankful for the memories!