Pason started 1st grade on Thursday. He is excited to be back in school with friends. Carter is lonely but we are doing pre-school at home and he is enjoying that. Mom can't believe how fast summer went and is looking forward to getting back into a regular routine!
We did make it camping once this summer. We drove up the road a little ways and couldn't believe what we saw. If you have never been over the Beartooth Highway, put it on your bucket list. I can't believe we've lived so close for 6 years and never took advantage of the beautiful scenery and campgrounds. I won't even post pictures of all the lakes because my pictures don't do it justice but it was awesome! It was Eli's first camping trip and we invested in an infant backpack so we could do some hiking. It was a fun weekend filled with tinfoil dinners, smores, hiking and mosquitos. Can't wait to go again next year!
Carter really wanted to learn to ride a two wheeler this summer, so earlier this month we took him to the church parking lot and off he went. He still needs a little help getting started, but once he's going...look out!
On our way home from Idaho we decided to go through Yellowstone Park and make a day of it. We told the boys no dvd's because we had to watch for animals. They weren't too happy about that at first, but we gave them a map that also had all the animals you can find in Yellowstone and the search was on! We saw elk, bison, pelican, deer, chipmunks, and yes....even a bear. It took all day and a couple near misses. We just missed seeing a grizzly wtih 3 cubs at one point, and another time there were two adult grizzlies and two cubs, but they were too hard to see without binoculars. We had pretty much given up on seeing a bear and we were headed home when we came upon traffic stopped right in the road. Jared told me to get out and see what it was. I got closer and realized there was a black bear right on the side of the road. I am not a bear fan so I hurried back to the van and Jared, Pason, and Carter got out to take pictures. Hooray, we could leave the park with no disappointment! The boys also really enjoyed seeing all the thermal features. We did Old Faithful and then walked about 3 miles around the loop to see some of the other geysers. They did pretty good, but towards the end they had to take turns getting shoulder rides from dad. Pason asked if we saw everything and when we told him there was lots more to see, he asked if we could go again. I am glad that we could tell him we would definately do that.
My baby is already one! It is so unfair how that just happens so fast. It was crazy getting ready for his birthday because we only got home from the lake a few days before. Trying to figure out what to get him was tough. With 2 older brothers it seemed like we already had all the cool boy toys. Luckily we had gone through the toy boxes a month or so ago and thrown out some old and broken toys. So we no longer had any firetrucks. It was perfect! He loves pushing cars and trucks around right now. We also got him some stacking cups, a book, and pajamas. Grandma and Grandpa Rowan came up from Idaho to celebrate with us. They did the same thing they did for Pason and Carter, and got Eli his first teddy bear at Build-a-Bear. Pason and Carter really had more fun than Eli did...so did Mom! Now we have Bernie, Bagley, and the newest edition, Baxter! Eli was more interested in the cake than the presents. I made him a puppy dog cake, (sometimes I call Eli "Puppy" because he likes to crawl around with my slipper in his mouth!). After we sang he very hesitantly stuck one finger in the frosting. After doing that a couple of times he stuck two fingers in the frosting, then four fingers, and when he realized no one was stopping him he went for it with his whole hand! Isn't it funny how any other day that would just be a mess, but for a first birthday we take pictures, and laugh, and encourage it! Shortly after the party was over Grandma and Grandpa left, taking pason and Carter with them. So Eli got to be the center of attention for a whole week. He is my little buddy, at least when daddy's not around, then he's Daddy's little buddy. We love him so much!
We really debated whether to go to the lake for the 4th this year. The weather forecast was more like early May than the middle of summer, but since we stayed home last year we decided we would brave the cold. It didn't really warm up until the day we left, but we had fun anyway. As always there was good food, family, chatting by the fire, golf, boche ball, boating, fireworks, and injury. Jared tried his hardest to make it to the ER, but thankfully came just shy each attempt. The first night we were there he reached into the cosmetic bag and took off the very tip of his finger on his razor. Then Sunday morning he used the wrong contact solution and burned his eyeball. Luckily there happened to be an optomotrist sitting in front of us at church who gave us his cell # and looked at it later that day (yes on a Sunday, and on a holiday, and didn't even charge us! what a saint!) Anyway despite the injuries Jared still skied off the dock 4 of 5 tries. What a stud! Pason and Carter also had their first taste of water skiing. They put the trainer ski that Jared's cousin brought to good use. Thanks Katie and Matthew! It was really nice because they didn't even have to get wet(the water was only like 58 degrees). They both did good and had fun, but it seems Carter is more daring than Pason. He kept wanting to go again and even learned how to use his weight to turn. Eli kept everyone entertained with his jibber-jabber and he even learned how to climb stairs. Yikes! We didn't spend hardly any time in the water obviously, but I think everyone still had a good time. Maybe next year summer will arrive on time!
