Summertime

Is the best.  Except when compared with fall, which has started to touch our mountains and our air.  Makes me realize that it's now or never for these summer memories...

Summer started with softball this year.  Lucy's first organized sports team experience.

She loved it.

And it occasionally brought tears of love to my eyes to watch her athletic little self play so well. She's her daddy's girl in so many ways.

When softball season ended, we headed north for so many wonderful days of non-stop swimming and puzzling at Grandpa's house.  

(During which time Spencer finally ditched his water wings and learned to swim!)

 There were some tender moments,

(Mom's headstone)

 (Uncle Boyd's funeral)

And some happy reunions.

There was an epic California beach trip with the Campbells.

As well as some particularly notable, HAPPY events:

(Baby Otis!)

(Sam & Annalia!)

August was summer's grand finale...

(Pioneer trek weekend with the Crippens)

(Lucy and Spencer's first visit to Lagoon!!)

(Hiking Elephant Rock)

(Campfires in the canyon)

A few things of note:

*How much of a trooper is my 79 year old dad??! ( i.e. after our full day and night at Lagoon, I found him on the kitchen floor teaching my kids how to play Jacks.) 

*How grown up are Lucy and Spencer that they could stay up until 10 or 11 pretty much every night of summer??

*How much fun were our Monday Night Musicals?!!  My kids hadn't seen any of the classics, so we watched them all... from The Sound of Music to Seven Brides to The King and I.  

Such great summer memories!