End of Summer, Birthdays, River trips 2013

Ok, here is the truth. It is now 2015 and I have fallen behind. I love this blog and looking back over the years. It is a digital journal for me and I have no excuse that looks good once I type it out. I will do my best to recap the last year or so and then move on to current events. I will mostly stick with photos and a few captions for now, the long versions will resume down the road.

We live an amazing life. SO many adventures, so much fun, so much to learn!

Dylan did his first Rock and Roll Academy and loved it! He loves to dance and sing whenever possible.

Durango Discovery Museum is always a good time>

Father's Day Boggy Draw bike ride and we brought home a new pet horny toad. Toady lived with us for much longer then we thought he would.

 

Finding balance is always important.

Colter's pallet garden. We love being down valley where things will actually grow!

I love this picture. Happy hula hooping at the campground.

Myth Busters Science camp in Durango was a big hit.

Another summer of skate parks and new tricks.

Colter was so happy with his giant radishes.

Balance.....lots of practice and they haven't even seen Karate Kid yet.

This is my business partner and a force to be reckoned with. He will do great things.

Happy little artist painting with friends.

Happy Birthday Dylan! For his 6th birthday, he chose a mining party in Ouray.

We;had a great time exploring the mine, panning for gold and eating the Minecraft inspired block cake that he and Colter helped me make.

The boys always had a captive audience while playing around the house. The chickens liked archery the best.

We really enjoyed our summer at the "Redcliff House" and have fallen in love with living down valley.

It is always and adventure when Kathleen and I are together. This time we decided to take the boys on a little camping and rafting trip on the Upper Colorado. Kayaking with these 3 is a lot of fun and as always, busy.

This is how we roll in the minivan from Illinois!

Colter's first flip and swim series.......before.

and after. Big swim and still smiling.  It took a few minutes and Kathleen's magic swim chocolate, but he got back in his kayak and paddled on. He even drank his bootie root beer later on.

The quiet before the storm, literally......

We went to hike Hanging Lake, you know a nice afternoon adventure.

and a little cool off along the trail.

And then, for the second year in a row during our time together, the sky let loose with an epic massive storm.
 

We led tons of people down the trail, Kathleen helped rescue a grandma with a broken leg, SAR was called in for people stranded on the trail. It was definitely one for the record books.

These three boys were total rock stars!

even with a nasty wasp sting.

So the next day we went to the skate park.

We did lots of mushroom gathering with friends. Colter is a great mushroom finder and identifier.

Dylan's first day of Kindergarten at TES. His teacher was Ms. Thompson///she is amazing!

Colter decided to have a pasta making, tree fort building, movie watching sleepover for his 9th birthday. He is growing up way too fast. The tree house ended up being a multi level structure that went about 30 feet up the tree!

Yet another awesome weekend adventure in Moab. We started with a floating circus. We were so outnumbered by little people in little boats....it was crazy! It was so hot that we were jumping in and out of the river all day. The kids did great and had so much fun chasing each other around, exploring the shores, just chilling out floating and talking. I love days like this! We were with the Blakney's and  Jackson Aplin for this one.

Cool shot! the kids just blast thru the little wave trains.

A little surf training.

The big kids have just as much fun goofing off as the little ones, someone has to show them how it's done!

After a trip to the ER for Colter's first stitches (5 to the chin) from a fall at the skatepark, we decided to go to the big sand dune. The kids thought it would be fun to kayak down it...turns out they were right.

They also had a great time launching themselves off rocks and doing all sorts of tricks, the landing is very soft and forgiving.

And the final run down to the car is the best feeling, a bit like flying and skiing combined.

Ok, I will end with September. I still don't like the feeling of being so far behind on this project, but I do love looking through all these pictures! I cannot believe how fast time is flying by. We are having so much fun with these kiddos, I just want to soak it all up!