We've had great times with friends this summer...

One of the highlights was the return of the Kelsos from the "wilds" of Atlanta. We are so happy to have them back in the state! The buds are separated no more............now if we could just talk them into homeschooling!

The Beach was Fun too....

once we knew it was safe to go in the water! K2 first saw a suspicious fin...

but we soon knew it was a pod of friendly dolphins!

And we swam and dug and played in the surf.....

Our flat friends enjoyed themselves, too.
Snowman on the beach!

Our attempt at gardening was............

for the most part, SUCCESSFUL. Now I knew I wouldn't have the time to devote to it that I should, but it felt important to get started. While the zucchinis and summer squash produced a few HUGE specimans, they were not prolific plants. But it was fun for the boys to see such a big ones. The tomatoes produced a lot...and we have been enjoying them. I made a tomato casserole that was wonderful. Go ahead, try it. Trust me, it's DELICIOUS. Kalani loved, loved, loved the tomatoes. He ate them like candy and would just go snatch them off the vine and eat them like apples. Our watermelons put out two tiny fruits and stopped. Next year, it'll be better! ; )

Finally, the report....

We've been back for over a month, but I just haven't had time to go through the aproximately 1500 pictures we took while away. The beauty of digital photography is that you can take all the pictures you want; on the other hand, you then have to come home and decide which ones are worthy of your scrapbook and/or your blog. What I really love is that my screen saver constantly displays pictures from all those on my computer: the good, the bad, and the ugly... I love watching my screensaver! Anyway, back to the trip. I'll break the trip into three or four chunks and display a few pictures from each. Anyone interested in more can stay tuned for the link to the slideshow which will contain more--- but most definately not all 1500.

I think the most fun was watching the boys eat up all the new sites and spend precious time with their Carolina cousins. They really love those kids and I think Keona had a grand time hanging out with his big boy cousin Tony. The strong connection became really apparent after we got home and noticed that Keona was sporting a lovely, thick southern accent. We pondered it a little while until K explained that he was talking like Tony. Duh uhhhh! It really was pretty obvious. Kalani spent his time just trying to keep up with them all. I was a little dismayed watching them climb the steep hill next to our cabin in Custer...thinking that Kalani would just stand at the bottom crying at being left behind. However, I looked up a few minutes later to see not left behind, but trudging right up the hill just fine. If he had a past life, he must've been a sherpa! I don't know why I was surprised because I've felt the strength of those little legs many times. He did take some spills down the hill over the next few days, but nothing that stopped him from going right back up. We had to admire his spirit.

Rocky Mountains

After one long day of travel, we arrived in Estes Park, Colorado just on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. It was as fabulous as I had imagined. Keona still talks about it and says we have to go back to the first place we were on vacation. Oh, we definately will. I need more than a day and a half there! Castle Mountain Lodge is located right on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, which must be heaven. On a hot, hot day, we went an played in the snow. When we were finished there, we went "home" and cooked our own dinner on the grill right outside our door. We played shuffle board and had a swing with the Rockies in the background. And that night we went to bed with the soothing sound of Fall River that practically ran over our doorstep. We did not meet any bears, though we were warned we may. I did not want to see one up close, but I was hoping to see one picking its way along the side ofsome mountain. On the morning that we left, we did see two beautiful bucks right outside our cabin. This was a special relief because one of our flat travelers had gotten very excited when we found deer poop and I wanted him to see the real thing! I got some photos though many of them did not come out as I'd hoped because I was so excited, I didn't realize until too late that the camera was on the wrong setting.

Rocky Mountain vistas....

Flowers of the Rockies...

Apparently all these flowers are smaller versions of those found below the treeline. Their size is an adaptation to survive the rugged climate.

More from the Rockies......

A personal favorite. I thought he might just climb right up my leg!
This little guy lives above the tree line near the Alpine visitor center.
A herd of Elk. One of my favorite things about the trip was seeing herds of animals roaming free.
A ground squirrel that lives under this rock in the playground at Castle Mountain Lodge.
Elk just roam aroung the town of Estes Park.

New York City...things you don't see every day...

There we were driving through Wyoming enjoying the largeness of this beautiful country of ours. Daddy decided it was a great time to play "What do you see in the clouds?".



Daddy says, "I see Nemo in that cloud. And look over there; there's a whale. Wow, I think I see a car in that one. What do you see, Keona? "



"No daddy, I don't think it looks like a car, I see NEW YORK CITY!"



"Oh my."



And of course we are relieved that Keona is now using the potty...fully. Well, one day after he had just finished a more than adequate morning "constitutional". He looked into the potty and exclaimed, "Wow, now that's something you don't see everyday!" LOL.

June snowball fight....

Sadly, Kalani was asleep for the big snowball fight...but the rest of us enjoyed the benefits of the frozen tundra.