A Slice of Summer

Carter loves spending time outside, unfortunately it's usually either WAY too hot, or too windy , but lucky us, we had a perfect day for popsicles in the front yard!

Cherry is most definitely her favorite flavor...just like her mommy!

Carter is ALL GIRL! She's a melodramatic queen of attitude, and LOVES to wear her pretties! She sashays around the room so her dresses swish around her, loves to put on her necklaces, and mommy's bracelets....and she loves to look at her self in the mirror!

I know, it looks like she's strangling her self, but no...she's just showing us her bling!

We often get the itch to go adventuring, a few weeks ago we had a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and decided to take a drive through the south hills. We started in Elba, and took a gravel road that connects into Oakley. We found quite a few old homesteads that we wanted to explore, but thought better of it... (ok, mainly it's because i'm SERIOUSLY afraid of snakes, and have a deep/slightly irrational fear of coming accross a rattler as I go tromping about!)

Trying to get a quick family photo...some of us just weren't too willing to pose!

We picniced at the park in Elba, and then relaxed by a stream...Carter loves, water and was quite content to sit and watch the stream go by....of course she was very diligent at pointing out every little thing that also went floating by!!! She's VERY observant and loves to just watch everything around her, she often has the most serious and contemplative look on her face.

Of course Daddy and Carter found a nice big tree to climb together!

We had the chance to take a quick day trip to Craters of the Moon. It was actually sunny, the wind wasn't blowing...two rare happenings around here lately! We took our time getting there, John stopped to fish a little while Carter napped in the car and I soaked up some sun with a book two of my favorite things! We hiked up and down a lot of trails (ps: that are not stroller friendly no matter what the ranger says!) It was beautiful and exhausting day! The biggest highlight was getting to climb through one of the caves...I was surprised how well the three of us faired considering we had to pack Carter through the whole thing!

No, that disgruntled look on Carter's face is not from having to "Stay on the Trail"...she had an allergic reaction to something, her face swelled and got red patches all over... she looked pretty sad, but was still a little champ!

Mommy and Carter....I still don't see any of me in her!