One Summer Day

All taken yesterday

Mimi and Demaree hanging swimming laundry
 

Charlie's latest tooth.  He hates pulling them, so it's always
waiting until the bitter end and they (FINALLY) fall out.

 

What happens after three hours of swimming and no nap =
Waking her for a rough dinner time


After dinner activity - learning to mow!
(Unseen is very happy father on the sidelines!)

 

July 4th

We stopped in to see John's brother, Sam, his wife Barbara
and his mom, Kay.

We managed to have some good laughs playing Just Dance.



July 4th Parade

 

 

 

 

The Cabin

I've been coming to this cabin since I can remember.
I love that my children love this place as I do
and are busy every summer making their own
memories here.

No school reading here.  Note the bag of chips...


The view from the deck

 

Good forts can be found all over...
even UNDER the deck

 

The dress code is flexible


Lots of whittling going on and weapons being made

 

Their fort.

That is NOT the peace sign. 

Charlie informed me it meant

two people made the fort.

 

The creek (right behind their fort)

 

Angry Indians

 

 

Estes Cone

Our final hike was Eugenia Mine/Estes Cone.

 

 

On this hike, our plans evolved.  Mom, Machen, Demaree, and I
were going to climb Estes Cone (below),
while the four men would take the littles back.

 

This was a "mini" Longs Peak.  It's a tough hike
 (altitude is always tough)
and the last bit is actual climbing.
Demaree DID NOT like the heights
(despite her lovely smile in most of the pictures).
 It was a challenge for her but she rose to it and
 I was really proud of her and Machen finishing
something this challenging.

 

 

 

My Mom had done this hike the summer before 

and was an excellent tour guide and cheerleader.

 

The guys woke at 2am the next morning to climb Longs Peak.

For my dear husband, who is terrified of heights, this was 

a huge accomplishment.  It's a challenging hike and the last mile

is climbing... I was so proud of him!

 

 

Ypsilon/Chapin Hike

This hike was amazing for so many reasons.  The views were
spectacular.  The hiking was HARD for two reasons - lots of rocks
instead of actual hiking and the altitude.
We only hiked several miles but traveled 2000 miles UP. And we felt it.
We all hiked together and then my brothers and I went on to Ypsilon,
which is 13,000 feet, while the others hiked up Chapin( which is a mere 12,000 feet!).

Amelie had a pretty sweet ride... Uncle David took her up.



Charlie struggled on this hike - it was hard and he's learning
some endurance lessons.  John stayed with him as they traveled
slower than the rest of the crew...

 

My view from Ypsilon looking at everyone climbing Chapin.



I have great brothers - they went slower for me and still let me come!

 

 

 

The marmots were everywhere and Jonathan touched this guy's tail.

Colorado - Wild Basin

After partying in Omaha, we headed to the glorious mountains of Colorado.
I love that my children are making memories in the same cabin I grew up going to.

For girly girls it's not impossible to be both practical and feminine.

 

Boys camped out one night

 

Our daily schedule is usually to get up and hike, return to reading
 and resting on the deck and a more leisurely afternoon.
Keeps us busy but with plenty of rest time.

Day 1 we headed up the Wild Basin trail.  We did most of it
last year but couldn't go all the way to the falls because they'd
had so much rain.  Not this year...