a day to demolish

Demolition comes with a sense of accomplishment and cleansing but leaves one wanting more.

First, remove any structural pieces.

Second, take off the plastic sheathing.

Third, push it over!

Fourth, throw it in the dumpster.

Kids dug up unnecessary bricks and cleaned up wormy apples.

Kris and Papa enjoyed dumpster diving.

mountain bluegrass

Bluegrass on a summer evening with good friends...can't beat that!

poem for the bike

Elk in the way

Butterfly crossing

Lactic up hills 

White knuckle downhills

Bugs in mouth

Quiet flats

Better than this:

let the games begin

All was good on the frontier this morning.  Tucker was ready an hour early, ready to get to school and score goals with his friends. 

Kenedy was a little more nervous about her first day back, slept late but was a huge help in putting everything together on our first day back.  She selected a new t-shirt and skirt.  Fluorescent pink tennis shoes completed the ensemble.

Ready for the games to begin with a parade to the bus stop!

back to school

Tomorrow is the first day of school.  It is a bittersweet and anxious moment for parents and kids alike. We have been on the go nearly every weekend this summer!  

The kids have been fishing, paddle-boarding, playing in the water, climbing trees, horseback riding, touring museums, on the train, at family gatherings and in the wild.

But those free, active, blissful summer days are coming to an end as soccer, climbing, homework, work-work and school send us in different directions.

Fortunately we have a few weekends to transition.  Home is so sweet as we settle back into routine after all of those magical summer adventures.  

Up next: concerts, holidays and skiing (woot!).  And maybe a few more trips into the wild. 

12 years

Saturday was our 12th wedding anniversary. Our wedding is surrounded by birthdays (Kenedy and Grandpa) and this year we were in the mountains for Kenedy's big birthday adventure: horseback riding!

I couldn't ask for a more beautiful place to celebrate another year of adventure with Kris.

falling

The sky is falling.

We are such a mess getting ready for school: a million pieces, all delicately, tenuously, balanced, wobbling...might just come falling down.  Hopefully we can put them back together again.

little monkey

Climbing team practice started today. 

We'll see how it goes but there is love in those fingertips.

Go! Volcanoes: remnants

I am mourning our glorious time on the road, off-grid, as just a family: no work, no projects, no soccer, no camp, no calls, no texts, no email, no bills, no cleaning.  Just us!

But there are still small reminders laying around in unexpected places that bring a wistful smile.

...and all of those thousands of pictures (still waiting to be downloaded and sorted). Dread and excitement! 

I cherish our time off so much. But let's be real.  It had to end.

Maybe I'll just wait to hide those last few reminders for a few more days.