We didn't let go of summer without a fight. We decided to squeeze the last drop right out of it. David and the biking guys decided to do a little trek of a ride up in Colorado on the Continental Divide, getting us home just hours before the first day of school. It's pretty near our dear friends' amazing family cabin, so the wives and kids got invited up too. Ok, let's be honest, the other wives ride as well, so I got invited to join. I wish I liked riding bikes more than I do. It would make our friendship group a much better fit. I'm grateful they don't seem to mind too much. I do like doing lazy little rides with the kids on flat, paved ground. But I have absolutely no desire to go beat myself up over a rock on a single track trail in the mountains. Nor, do I have any desire, to ride on a city street with cars streaming past me, only inches away. Just give me those little 45 minute bike path rides along the river, or through the desert, and I'm good.
Suffice it to say, I didn't bring my bike. But, we all had a really great time. Grace did bring hers and she and her little BBFF (boy best friend forever?), Dallin, took off on dozens of little rides by themselves.
I did enjoy the 2 little hikes we did. We bush-whacked our way to the top of the ridge above the cabin one morning and then hiked to an awesome waterfall the next morning.
Dallin and Grace at the top of the ridge.
My girls and Dallin - overlooking the cabin below.
Crossing a little stream. Thanks a lot (GRACE) for getting all the rocks wet BEFORE mommy crossed. Unlike you, I didn't want to fall in.
My good little hikers. They really are great.
Grace and "Papa Sego" (Dallin's grandpa happened to be up there for the weekend)
riding his antique tractor.
I got very lucky and he let me drive it too. Fun stuff!
I just love these two pictures of Dallin and Grace. Look at the way he looks at her. They are the most darling of friends. Muffin (his mom) and I keep wondering when it will get weird as they head into the pre-teen years. But for now, they really are just fast friends and love doing the same things. They get together and just talk for hours, like adults. I hope they can make a smooth transition and not lose this friendship as they get older.
Leaving the high-tech world of gadgets behind leaves you time for complete imagination too. I'll have to ask Grace what they named this pole of wood. It was something like "big mamma." They tried to break it in half for 2 days. They never succeeded, but in the process, figured out, that it made for a great home-made teeter totter. The funny part was watching them try to get each other off the ground. Great science experiment too - they learned a lot about pivot points and length of levers. I was just a tiny bit relieved that they finished the project without flipping it through one of the car windows or impaling themselves. I'm trying to let go of things like that...
These photos were also taken at the waterfall. You can't see the water, but the rocks they are standing on are in the middle of the river. Grace with Dallin, and Harriet with Sam.
I have to include a little story... They were playing with these same two boys a couple of weeks ago at their house. When I went to pick them up and put them in the car, Dallin had packed a bag to come home with us (complete with bow and arrows), hid it in my car, and tried to hide himself too. They really thought it would work and Dallin would come home with us. When we finally got Dallin and his stash out of the car, my girls burst into tears. They cried all the way home. Grace was crying because she wants a brother, like Dallin, who likes to do all the same things she does. (Little sister won't do.) Harriet was in tears because Sam had played with her so well and she wants her own brother who will play with her and be nice to her (Grace hadn't been doing those things much in the past few days as summer was winding down.) I tried to explain to them that I had provided them each with a sibling - a SISTER and they better be grateful for it because the brother was just not going to happen. They think we need to adopt 2 boys their own ages. Sometimes, it does sound like a good idea.
More than anything, it was just SO nice to be at this beautiful cabin with friends. I could hang out, chatting and eating good food, forever. The surroundings were absolutely gorgeous to boot. It was great to unplug from the world too. It is a rare place these days, where you have absolutely no internet connection or phone service. So, we just turned off our phones, left computer and ipad behind, and had no connection to the outside world for 2 days. Don't let that fool you into thinking that I didn't thoroughly enjoy the fact that the cabin has nice beds, running water, flushing toilets, showers, and heat. My kind of camping.
I'll say it a million times. We just love living here, so close to the mountains and opportunities like this. We are so grateful for our good friends here too. They make life so much sweeter.
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