Denver/ Dillon Reservoir, July 2016

My gorgeous niece Kayla got married in Denver.  Todd couldn't make the trip, so I asked Casey and Megan if they would join me in Denver, then spend a few days at Dillon Reservoir...  And they said yes!  We brought Charlie and Rylee along with us.  It was nice to have playmates for my kids, and for me as well!  :)

Eye see you!  We gave the kids lots of surprises during the 8 hour drive.

The wedding was beautiful.  Simple, sweet, short, emotional, and Avery just LOVED getting dressed up.  Avery and Lydia were the stars of the dance floor till we left for the evening.  They danced the night away.

The bride and her dad.  They have done this dance since she was 6 years old!

Little dancer

Little dancer 2

My cute parents

 

After Denver we drove to Dillon Reservoir for a few days, which was mostly rainy.  It was very beautiful and we had a fantastic view of the water.  We pretty much just took it easy and walked along the lake, hot-tubbed, and ate good food while we were there.

 Avery takes her tower building very seriously. lol

Besties share headphones

Avery's favorite part of the whole trip: the rice krispies!

Great way to start a day!

Here's the night sky over Dillon Reservoir

Thanks Dillon Reservoir!

Elephant's Perch Backpacking [Sawtooth Mountain Backpacking]

Myself and Heather and Emily Baros backpacked to the Elephant's Perch in the Sawtooth Mountain Range!  It ended up being about 8 miles with a HUGE elevation gain.  We had a fantastic time and it was SO beautiful that we decided to make it an annual girl's trip with any nieces interested. :)

Photo credit: Heather Baros

Photo credit: Heather Baros

Photo credit: Heather Baros

Photo credit: Heather Baros

Photo credit: Heather Baros

Photo credit: Heather Baros

Photo credit: Heather Baros

The hike was beautiful and the lakes pristine and clear.  We swam on day 1 and then huddled in our sleeping bags in the sun for an hour to warm back up.  We took night star photos and told stories and enjoyed our ramen and freeze dried dinners.  

In the middle of the night we woke up to a lightning storm, and because we were on top of an exposed granite cliff, literally tied to two trees, we broke camp and wandered through the dark forest trying to avoid being struck by lightning.  We found a somewhat less exposed area and plopped down our stuff to try to get some sleep for the second half of the night.  It rained and soaked the girls in their hammocks, so they both shared the bottom one and hung towels on the top hammock to guard against the rain.  The dog slept shivering underneath my legs during the rainstorm.

In the morning the girls looked like half their bodies were against the ground, with their legs and heads lifted in the ends of the hammock.  It was a night of little rest, to be sure! 

 

In spite of little sleep it was a wonderful trip.  We hope to repeat it next year, with more backpackers and less lightning.

Avery and Lydia

Avery is in Preschool!  She's in a Spanish Immersion school and LOVES it.  (So do I!!)  I hope her little brain can absorb some espanol before the year is over.

She's becoming a "big girl" so fast.  She can spell her name, recite my phone number, and knows most of the sounds the letters make.  She loves to draw, play, swing, eat treats and watch shows.  She is delightful almost all the time and my best buddy.

First day of Preschool

Still not too big for daddy's lap

Lydia loves this blanket from Grandma Pinnell and practically buries herself in it at night

Cecret Lake

Lydia is getting big too. She can walk a few steps unassisted, or across the room with a walker. She has 4 teeth, with 2 coming in right now. She screams when she wants something and loves to climb anything and go down slides. Both girls are great swimmers and do well underwater (though Avery needs her goggles to feel comfortable under water.)

Boy do I love these girls!  Life is sweet. :)

Meteor Shower

We went up to Albion Basin to enjoy the meteor shower.  Though we saw some meteors, I didn't get any on film.  It was fun to snuggle up with the kids and look at the nigh sky!

 

See the big dipper?

Need a Good Laugh?

Step 1: blowdry hair with round brush.

 

Step 2: try not to drown in hair

 

Step 3: flat iron and enjoy!