Summer 2013

 Emma's last day of Kindergarten!  

 I adore this picture of Emma - SO excited that she lost her big front tooth!  As of the date of this posting she has lost 7 teeth - the latest JUST TONIGHT!

The day after school got out we all packed in to the truck and drove out to Michigan (me and the girls for three weeks!).  We were able to stay at Elliott's mom's for a few days with Jason, Holly and the girls, visiting form SLC.  We were all out for the week to celebrate Grams' 90th birthday!  It was such a fantastic time.

After Grams' party we headed up to Mackinac Island for a week of relaxation/chaos:)  Olive and Skylar hanging out...

Skylar and Olive practicing with the bike pump - can you guess who showed them how to do this?  Hmmm... Elliott Patterson.

There was a butterfly house on the island, and Emma seemed to have the magic touch!  At one point she had five butterfly's on her at once!

The boys and their girls.

After our fantastic week and a half with the Patterson side, we headed over to my Dad's, who lives only an hour away.  They have a pond in their backyard, and Emma LOVED fishing, putting the worms on, taking the fish off - BRAVE GIRL!!!!

Chilling out with Papa Jim

AFter a week at my Dad's Elliott flew back out for a weekend stay at the Hunting Cabin that my dad is a member of.  So nice to have him back:)

Big girl!!!!!!  

Watching a the rain storm...

A trip to Como Park with the girls and we were fortunate enough to see the gorillas out and about.

In the summer rain storm, the whole neighborhood came out to play!  It was SO much fun to watch all the kids together, doing exactly what kids should do.

 A moment I'll never forget...  At Como Park, Emma was watching the gorillas at the glass, and one walked over to her, put up his hand and she matched hers to it!!!!!!!!!  It was amazing.

Sweet girl in her first piggy tails.

FINALLY!  WE LISTENED!  Emma has been asking for a year to get her hair cut.  For some reason, we finally listened.  She had grown it long enough that she could donate it, and while Elliott and I got teary eyed, the smile on her face was priceless.  This is a moment I will never forget.  I can;t believe we waited so long, as the short hair now seems SO HER!  I adore it - and her.

At the end of August we took a last final fling getaway with my mom and Denny.  We rented a cabin up on the GunFlint trail, as far up in MN as you can get.  20 miles off the main road, then 10 miles in on a gravel road!  Talk about quiet.  These pictures are from the beautiful Gooseberry Falls, where we stopped on the way up.  So beautiful - can't believe I have not been there before!  Will for sure go back again!

The view from our deck!  Utter solitude...

Evening campfire - our little pyro enjoyed every minute!