Ahhhh Summer

I didn't used to fully understand the phrase, "long winter." 

But, now I do. 

Though we love the sun and our fresh powder skiing weekends,

we do not enjoy a dreary, grey wet spring. 

So, when summer made its debut with temperatures in the eighties a few weeks ago, we were really all like

ahhhhhhhh! 

Thank you summer for coming. We love you. Stay long. Let us play in your light. 

My sister in law and her adorable kids came here last week and left this morning. 

They were supposed to leave yesterday, but after sitting in our airport for three hours due to delays at their connection in Denver, we brought them back with us and played a little more. 

I've know Jen since I was 17, so we've watched each other grow from "sometimes too sure of ourselves" teenagers to "not always so sure of ourselves" twenty somethings to wives and mothers and now it seems we both sit very comfortable in our own skin.

We both live in the understanding that family time is a rare, good thing and not to be squandered.

So, we lived it up. 

We played Pink's "Raise Your Glass" a little too loud in the car and danced with our kids.

We hiked and talked about the hard and good things of our lives. 

We watched our kids play together.

I had the joy of soaking up some girl time with these two gems.

Aunt B, How did you meet Uncle J?

Aunt B, did you know my mom in school?

Aunt B, did you know that Kesha used to hide in her mom's guitar case when she was little?

Aunt B, I texted you. Did you text me back?

Aunt B, I want to stay another week, but I have cheerleading so I can't. I wish cheerleading started when school starts. 

LOVE THEM!

They endured Jackie boys six game state baseball tournament as only family could.

Then we took off to Glacier National Park for some hiking.

And Little Bear, who wanted to hike all on his own very slowly, got a fun ride from Aunt Jenny to keep our group moving. 

The trip was too short as it always seemed. 

But, we fit a lot in and soaked each other up. 

We ziplined. So MUCH FUN!

And I only screamed a little bit on the way down.

okay, maybe a lot and wasn't too great at following the signals, but I made it

The kids even went alpine sliding. 

These two are close. 

I love watching how they love each other. When they were three, they tried to sock each other out. 

But now, they have secret handshakes and tear up a little bit at good bye.

 Thanks for coming summer. 

Thanks for coming Aunt Jenny, Natalie, Michael and Michelle.

We may have eaten too much and played the music a little too loud. 

But, we really had some good times. xo