Everyday Life

Sorry, sometimes I just can't think of a creative post title. 'Everyday Life' lately has consisted of some hiking, berry-picking, climbing (or, chasing toddlers at the crag), and riding bikes on the driveway.

Not sure what the face is but it's kinda cute.

Yes, of course tractors go berry picking.

K and buddy in the muck.

K hiking down the Snow Lake trail.

Isabel and Isaac, climbing.

Kye bouldering.

Little Boy's Paradise

K is pretty fortunate to live where he gets to see semi-trucks, tractors, giant snowblowers, graders, and such on a regular basis. Since they are working on the new chairlift project, there have been even more pieces of equipment about. Here's a sampler.

We went to the zoo. K's opinion was that the animals were pretty cool but the tractor was by far the best exhibit in the whole place.

 K and his buddy drive the groomer

A whole line of tractors?!?!!!!!

[Apparently, his excitement got the best of him.]

Happy Birthday!

As K's birthday approached, we asked him how old he was going to be, to which he replied, "2 August". Nobody knows who taught him that. He'd also hold his pointer finger and thumb out, to indicate 'two'. Pretty cute. 

His birthday was a series of 'things K loves', starting with watching 'Cars' while momma made him a breakfast of hot cocoa, waffles, banana and huckleberries. 

I don't really do fancy so this is the decoration for K's bday. Simple but cute.

After nap, we went to the lake to go swimming- 

another favorite activity

K didn't have a lot of requests for his birthday but he did mention balloons. 

Hanging them from the beam was a hit as he could run through them.

Thanks Pinterest! :)

A cool new John Deere from Grandpa Don

New books, read by Gwammy Ellie

I wish I had captured a shot of his face while we sang to him...

he just beamed.

Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake and Molly Moon's Homemade Salted Caramel Ice Cream, 

following Mac-n-Cheese with Bacon...it was a good day!

Kid Heaven

My dear friend Stephanie just moved to a 5-acre farmhouse with her family of four children. We stopped and camped there one night on our way home. This place is heaven for kids, with tractors, fields to run in, a nice big lawn, a tire-swing, play-house, and a large deck full of toys.

Kye had a great time playing with Steph's kids and it was nice to catch up a bit...in between wound-care, diaper changes, naked babies refusing diaper changes, potty training, eating, naked babies refusing to eat, temper tantrums, bedtime routines, etc. Ahh, parenthood. :) We have it pretty easy with just the one.

Kye with Abbey and Caleb

Kye and Caleb

Apparently Matchbox cars are interesting to older boys too.

 This pic cracks me up b/c I was trying so hard to keep the kids from drinking the 'pool' water

and, in the moment that I snapped the picture, they all managed a drink.

Whatever, pee water is probably good for you.

Kye and Caleb

The Way Home: Bozeman and Butte

With no open camping in Yellowstone, we loaded Kye up in his carseat after watching Old Faithful and drove to Bozeman, crossing our fingers that our favorite dispersed camping site would be open (on a Friday night, chances were slim). Pulling in around midnight, we were pleased to see our site was completely open!

Kye plays in the creek near our camp

We each got to ride to Emerald Lake, a trail we had to turn-around on a few years back due to snow and incoming lightning. This time, a storm threatened but never really came. It was a fun ride with a pretty lake and beautiful wildflowers.

 Emerald Lake

 I know, it's wrong to pick wildflowers, but I couldn't resist 

and they made a lovely camp arrangement.

 Monster truck & bus take a bath...

 ...and drive some heinous terrain.

We made the short drive from Bozeman to an area called 'White Hall', near Butte, for an overnight and a couple mountain bike rides. 

I rode a loop from Beaver Pond to the Continental Divide trail; it was pretty fun but, for some reason, I was creeped out about bears and cougars and didn't enjoy myself that much as a result. One thing about riding in Montana is that you often go without seeing a soul on the trail. It's pretty great to ride without having to dismount all the time, however, it does give you a sense of vulnerability and wildness, which is both good and scary. 

B left camp early to ride the next day. The second he left the camper, it started to downpour and didn't stop for quite some time. He was hating the ride, but then the rain let up and he got on some awesome single-track and thoroughly enjoyed himself.