12 Years Celebrating in Durango

This year Matt and I celebrated our 12 Year Anniversary.  We were married December 20, 1997.  We had much to celebrate!  Matt graduated December 18th, Carter was baptized December 19th and we have gratefully survived 12 years of marriage on December 20th.  Since we haven't gotten away together alone, once the children started coming...we decided it was time to get away! 

Matt's mom Polly, and sister Krystal came for all the celebrations and then stayed with us through Christmas, so we had free babysitters for 3 whole days!  We hopped in the car and didn't look back!

Three hours away, we found ourselves in the Winter Wonderland of Durango, Colorado.  It was a perfectly beautiful time to make our first visit there.  We think it is our new favorite place! 

We arrived mid-day and checked into our cute little 1920's hotel and then walked downtown to get some lunch.  It was snowing gigantic snowflakes and the atmosphere was so peaceful amongst the busy Christmas shoppers rushing around us.  We came upon a little place called Carver's where we enjoyed a delicious sandwich. 

After lunch, we headed for the RAPP Corral where Matt had arranged our own Private Sleigh Ride.  That was simply amazing!  As we sat all bundled up on the sleigh, there were even more thick flakes of snow quietly making their way to blanket the earth.  Everything was covered in white. 

This was a couple coming in from a ride.  The fancy lady had a fur hood on her coat and it was frozen solid.  Question:  Who wears a fur coat in the snow? and Why?

Here we are with the owner lady.  She was a sweet and hard-working woman.  It was fun to visit with her and learn of her business.  We would definately refer her as your guide.  She was a great driver!

                                       Some really neat photos we took on our peaceful journey.

Look at the snow on this picnic bench!

Here is the Rochester Hotel.  It was like going back in time!  Matt wishes

 we lived in the 20's!

They have a couple ladies who cook breakfast every morning.  There is a fresh fruit and muffin bar every morning.  They also come and take your order for a special homemade breakfast.  It consisted of something like scrambled eggs with asparagus and swiss cheese.  Delicious!  They had homemade granola and hot chocolate also.  Sweet ladies and very good cooks! 

They even suprized us one evening with homemade cookies.  Yummy!

After the sleigh ride, we went to dinner and then to the movie Blind Side.  Very Good!  After the movie, we went home and it was such a quiet night, we decided to take pictures in the snow.

The next morning we went on the Durango-Silverton Train.  Read all about it here.  It was a 2 hour train ride to where we stopped for lunch.  It was a gorgeous day for train ride.  It was a clear day and because of the snow storm the days prior, the scenery was amazing!  We have hundreds of pictures to prove it.

We loved looking down at the river and seeing how the snow and ice was covering it, but the water still carved its way through.  BEAUTIFUL!

This is where the train had to stop and refill with water.  The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is one of the World's Top Ten Train Rides.  It is one of the few Steam Powered Locomotives. 

I think this is one of my favorite shots.  It is the chain that connects the boxcars looking down at the rail on the train track.  It is blurry because we were moving.  Great explanation, huh? 

Great picture, terrible description!  :)

The base of the train tracks were only 3 1/2 feet wide because of the narrow mountainside.  There were parts of the trip that we could reach out and touch the mountain rock wall.  Of course we didn't, because we're just not that stupid!  But we could have, and that's the point.  Same goes for the drop off on the other side of the train.  We literally felt like the mountain dropped off right underneath the train going straight down sometimes.  I definately didn't get too close to that side!

This is also the same train that takes the kids on the Polar Express during the holidays.  We hope to do that sometime with our kids.  You have to book tickets almost a year in advance though, but it would be a great time!  So, much fun!

The coal.

On the way back from lunch, we stopped and got off the train for a Snow Mobile Tour.  It was so much fun.  Matt and I rode together and we had fun laughing with and about the people we on the tour with.  There were these 3 older siblings.  Two brothers, who wanted to torcher their sister.  This lady should not have been allowed on a snowmobile alone!  We were all in danger!  :)  Thankfully, she agreed with our previously mentioned thoughts, and told the tour guide he had to ride with her.  Keep in mind, he was young and relatively attractive, so a wise choice on her part.  He consented because he knew she was dangerous.

Had to grab a quick shot of this cute little lady.  She really was hysterical!

Ok, this lady was a little obnoxious as well!

After returning home from an exhausting day, we took some pictures of this pretty little pink tree that was outside of a fancy little Yarn Store.  We fell in love with the little frozen drips on the leaves.

Then we had dinner at this Italian Restaurant called Mutu's.  It was really tasty!

Here is Matt the last morning eating breakfast.  What a great place to stay!  We loved the Rochester Hotel and will hopefully have the opportunity to stay there again!

Durango.  Our New Favorite Place.