Summertime Fun

High mountain peaks, shimmering aspen trees, gurgling mountain streams, high adventure, family, and calorie-less desserts. Sound like the perfect vacation? Well, it was, except for that part about calorie-less desserts, that is a fib or a dream.

The kiddos and I packed up and drove off to live it up where the air is thin and the mountains majestic.  We had to leave T behind working (the only down part of the trip. sigh.).  

On our looonnngg journey, we stopped to see family that we miss and love bunches. Our Aunt D helped us make survival bracelets/bands. 

My sister and her kiddos were able to overlap their visit with ours, so everyone could visit and play! 

L whacking X-man while D, the camera abhorring guy, strikes a pose!

The boys had fun playing 'Hop, Flies, and Skinners" (a form of baseball??). They tried using their "Boys ONLY" team to gang up on A's one-girl team and win the game. When she wouldn't leave base, we could hear grunts of "no fair." Wanting to even the field, I suggested the boys turn the water hose on A. to see if that might help loosen her hold on the base. One problem, in their excitement to "cool" A. down, they let go of the hose! Of course, A's fast reflexes kicked in and she grabbed the hose and doused the boys.  Girl: homerun. Boys: sopping wet. Me: laughing my head off. 

Miss S, L, and X-man. 

Four-wheeling with all the grandkids. 

They thought that trailer was the next best thing since PopTarts.

And their Bumpa?? even BETTER than PopTarts! WOW! 

Of course, we had to have a hot dog cookout followed by s'mores!

Here's my beautiful, kind, wonderful mother along with her helper, B, whipping up one of those calorie-less desserts!

 Easy-going summer daze!

Bumpa fashioned a good ol' fashioned tire swing for the grandkids and X-man gave it a swing.

But it can't be all fun and no work. 

Bumpa and the girls went to work hauling rocks to place on the hillside.
Again that trailer really saved the day. 

That girl is on FI-Ah (fire)! Not really.

We ended our visit with the cousins with sparklers.

While the kids played, my sister, mom, and I were able to go on some evening walks through the countryside and catch up. One day we ventured downtown to see what this very rural town had to offer. My! It has changed since I've lived there. We were surprised to see a man taking a nap on the sidewalk outside a store with his hand flung over his head clasping his wooden flute, his hair and scragging beard his only pillow. 

 My sister was able to photograph this neon pink "Cotton Candy" tree which someone had spray painted and then decorated in their front yard. The pink tree had quilt batting of all colors (some with sparkles!) tossed into its branches to hang where're it fell.

Shortly after my sister captured this remarkable tree on film, it was abruptly chopped down. 

So the town of my youth with my memory of ranchers and farmers and coal miners now has become much more of a people-watching place. So interesting. And dare I say it?? A bit Weird??  Yet, still so fun to visit!