Reflecting on Summer

My intentions to use this space as my journal have fallen way short. I'm so behind now that there is no way to really catch up. It's sad to think that some memories will slip through the cracks and be forgotten. But I'm not giving up.  Snapping pictures with my phone and posting them to Facebook may have fooled me into thinking that I'm recording our family history, but I enjoy writing too much to leave it at that, so here is ( to the best of my memory) our summer.

We spent hours at our neighborhood pool.  The girls begged ( which with me is always a nail in the coffin, but they are still learning I guess) for  mermaid tails this year. A part of me wanted to give in, I mean...swimming in a glittering green mermaid tail! Dream come true. But then I would picture them in the crowded pool with tethered legs and decided to squash their dreams instead. They got over it.

Morgan and Brooke took horse back again. Brooke got her foot stomped on and pinned against a fence between freaking out horses.I lost all faith in their instructors ability to keep my girls safe, so I pulled them out, much to Morgan's disappointment. Brooke was cool with it.

To fill the space where horse back riding was, I let the girls choose another activity and they chose gymnastics. Morgan is so limber she progressed through the first 3 classes in just 2 weeks. Brooke quit and Kate did this

Epic fort! Half the basement! Individual rooms for everyone! A slumber party with friends had to happen.

We made a trip to Yellowstone This year. We met Jon's parents at Bakers Hole campground and stayed with them in their roomy trailer. The kids had so much fun exploring and spying animals.

                                        It was a little toasty and Brooke was feeling it

                                             Kate was Papa's buddy the whole time

There is no other way to camp.

After Yellowstone we headed to Eagle Idaho to spend Independence Day with family. 

It was nice and low key.  I loved our BBQ on the deck and a few fireworks in the drive way.

Julie 4th, 2015

A few weeks after returning from our Idaho trip, we packed everything back up and went to Redfish lake.

Kate enjoying windblown hair with Chelsea. 

This year I realized I am an anxious person who needs to learn to chill. I kept thinking my loved ones were going to die a horrible death every time they went off on an adventure. (Morgan didn't get hit by a distracted driver or stolen by a bad guy)

Jon didn't die a watery death when he disappeared into the frigid water that had just claimed the life of a younger man. There were ambulances, search and rescue crews everywhere looking for the man who drowned, but no husband to be found for a good 2 hours. He was having too much fun spear fishing and lost track of time.  I was 85% sure I had become a widow. 

I was diligent at keeping Kate's cast clean and dry. It didn't slow her down much, she still had plenty of fun.

Beautiful.

Jon and Di. 

Morgan and Abby relaxing on the beach

Brooke with her wilderness headdress 

    Summer is over now. The kids are all back in school. It's always bitter sweet when I send them all off . Schedules and homework replace freedom and adventure. I hope they remember this summer and add it to the memories that are making for some happy little childhoods around here.