First things first: Hallelujah, yay, yahoo, yippee, woohoo, and all that jazz!!!

Okay, now that that's out of the way...Ladd and I are on vacation in Colorado together! Can you tell I'm excited? šŸ˜‚ I am. And let me explain a little bit more about my enthusiasm.

We tried in March to make this same trip. I had already started packing, I was so excited about it. And okay, I hadn't just started packing...I was pretty much packed and not quite waiting by the door since the trip was still two days away, but psychologically I was definitely waiting by the door. But then Ladd was in a terrible accident and we obviously weren't able to go.

Missing our vacation was certainly at the bottom of our list of concerns at the time since Ladd was in the hospital recovering from his emergency neck surgery...but as he started healing and getting better, we had to chuckle that the accident had happened right before our trip, because something had seemed to interrupt our being able to take three previously planned Colorado trips together. We might have just given up on trying, but I'm stubborn and so is he, so we decided to make plans one last time and see if we were able to make it happen.

I was here in Colorado in June---that was the first time I'd been in a year and a half and the third trip that Ladd had to miss (it fell on the same week as some of Todd's football camps)---and I missed him so much that when I got home, I started trying for one last chance for us to get here this summer. Sure enough, there was a cancellation this week and we decided to book it...and then the countdown was on.

But in order for Ladd to be able to make it on this trip, he had to get all his hay cut, baled, and hauled (a two-week process), and he had to wean a bunch of calves, ship some cattle, and tie up a few other loose ranching ends. So the past three weeks on the ranch have been non-stop for the dude, starting at 4:00 am and going into the heat of the day...but we knew that on Sunday, July 18, if everything got done, he and I could blaze out the door and drive to Vail.

I started packing early again because I'm optimistic and also because I was excited. And guess what? Packing early paid off this time, because when he finished working on the afternoon of Saturday, July 17, he walked in the door, saw my suitcase by the door, and said, "Let's leave a day early---does 3:00 work?"

I responded with a robust, "How about 2:30?!?"

By 2:40, we were on the highway to Vail and we arrived before midnight. And we're having a wonderful time!

We were asleep by 1:00 a.m., but of course I was wide awake at 4:30 a.m. because I'm on Oklahoma time and am so used to getting up at dark thirty that I couldn't sleep. Ladd was awake before too long as well, so by 6:30 a.m. we decided to take a walk around Vail Village.

Here I am with no eyeliner (I'm sorry, Pat Benatar), smiling contentedly at the neck brace-free cowboy snapping my photo. Have I mentioned I'm excited to be here with the husband of my youth? :)

ree drummond vail colorado
Ree Drummond

We walked around for a good hour, then went back and changed clothes, then headed to church at Vail Interfaith Chapel, where we decided to be Lutherans this morning because that service fit our schedule best. Ha.

After church we walked around the farmer's market in Vail, where I procured a very large smoked turkey leg.

ree drummond and ladd drummond in vail, colorado
Ree Drummond

I was so hungry after a long day of driving yesterday and nothing but an iced coffee at the crack of dawn today, so this turkey leg sounded like a great idea at the time.

ree drummond and ladd drummond in vail, colorado
Ree Drummond

After one bite, I was glad I'd gotten it, but I asked Ladd if we could take our food back to our room to eat it because, well...because of this.

ree drummond and ladd drummond in vail, colorado
Ree Drummond

(Have you ever heard of meat sweats? I'm just curious.)

I know we're only a few hours in, but we really are having a whale of a time so far. We kinda miss having all the kids here, but we're also enjoying our first non-work related trip alone together since...

Since...

Since I can't remember! So Drummond kids, take care of one another, don't forget your mom and dad, and check this website for updates on your parental units. We promise not to get into too much trouble!

ree drummond and ladd drummond in vail, colorado
Ree Drummond

Back soon with more long-awaited Colorado marital vacation fun!

Headshot of Ree Drummond
Ree Drummond

Iā€™m a desperate housewife, I live in the country, and Iā€™m obsessed with butter, Basset Hounds, and Ethel Merman. Welcome to my frontier!