Rainbow Sweater - THANK YOU!!

Green Concoction Delight

 Ah ha, the perfect project for food that's way past expired in the fridge...let the little one 'cook'! I gathered all the things who's expiration date is too embarrassing to print and voila, the green concoction surprise, and lots of fun to go with it.

What to be when I grow up

A: "Mommy, how can you touch the planets?"
M: "Well, you have to fly a spaceship into space and land on the planets. It's a very long trip into outer space."
A: "Ah, right. You have to be a rocketgirl."

A: "How can I be something when I grow up?"
M: "Well...you can decide what you want to be and then go to school for that. If you want to be a nurse, you can go to nursing school; if you want to be a doctor, you can go to medical school, if you want to fly an airplane, you can go to school to become a pilot...(and on and on I went with lots of different options)"
A: "No, no, no...I don't want to do any of those things...I'm going to be a princess, a mermaid and then a cowgirl, like my Grandma Kathy

A: "...But you'll have to drive me to school for those things..."

A: "Mom, but how can a mermaid go to school if there's no water there?" (hmm, good point)

It was eventually decided she would just be one thing, a cowgirl like Grandma Kathy. :-)

A short hike to Mossy Cave (technically part of Bryce, but off of Rte 12)

Red Canyon

Hoodoos!

Loved all the layers of color

Camping in Escalante

 We spent a night in Torrey and two in Escalante, camping in town. Had a great time although weather prevented us from doing a couple hikes we really wanted to. Nonetheless, it was relaxing and very pretty. We saw a terrific rainbow one night - the whole semi-circle was visible plus much of the 'outer' rainbow - apparently always there, but not always visible.

The little one's favorite part of our camping spot was the chickens that resided in the coop onsite (below).

Adding our rock to Rock Tree

Look carefully, this tree is covered in carefully placed rocks!

A few additional snippets from VT and Maine...first Vermont

My computer isn't letting me select multiple photos at a time (very very annoying!) so I can't add all the pictures I want to without tearing my hair out. Here are a couple. Hopefully more to come when I can fix this little issue.

At the ice cream farm...actually, it was an apple orchard and a petting zoo, but let's get right to the point.

Learning how to toast the perfect marshmallow from her Aunt.

View from our rides and runs

Reporting for duty

Cousins getting their next clue on the treasure hunt.

Seeking the next clue together on the treasure hunt.

Family hike to Sterling Pond

Downtown Burlington atop one of many bears on display

At last, peace with Sophie this year...

My crazy cousins loved my barrettes!

Aren't they cute with a little sparkle in their hair?

...then Maine

 Great trip to Portland, Maine to see our friends Jeff and Monica

Meanwhile, back on the ranch...

JP did a few hikes of his own to Mt. Timpanogas and Escalante.

Family is a confusing concept for a 4-year old

AKP: "Mommy, what will you be when I grow up and marry Daddy? Then I'll be the Mommy and Daddy will be Daddy and what will you be?"

Me: "I will always be the Mommy and Daddy will always be the Daddy and you will always be our daughter. And when you grow up, you won't marry Daddy. You will find someone else that you love and want to marry."

AKP: "I don't want to find someone else. I love my Daddy." So sweet.

Crowning Mount Sophie

Enjoying Camp

Secrets