A little taste of paradise....

Where do I even begin? We just got home from our annual trip to Jackson, Wyo. I don't know how to really put into words how much we love this place, so many amazing memories. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth in my opinion (minus the mosquitoes of course...they ate us alive!) The kids and I drove up with Domma Barker and Rice. We dropped Nana off so she could be up there for the fair that was in a few weeks. It was just a quick weekend getaway for us, but "get way" we did...from the heat! We heard rumors that back home was hitting triple digits! So we soaked in as much cool mountain air as we could.

Saturday we took a boat ride across Jenny Lake to the base of the Tetons for a hike to Hidden Falls. These picture don't even come close to doing the views up there justice. It was so beautiful!

These two were inseparable. Ava loves her Reegie!

Waching the horses being turned out to the meadow on Buffalo Valley road.

On the wagon ride up to dinner.

Uncle Ryan let Ava drive for awhile.

Poor little Ava was sick most of the trip. She was so "buzausted",as she calls it, that she could barely keep her glazed-over eyes open. But it was hard to fall asleep when there were cousins to play with, four wheelers to ride and pigs to herd.:)


Thanks Castagno cousins for all the fun!!! We love and miss you so much.

Summertime Memories

Morning pony rides down at the barn with cousins.
All hail Caesar. :)

I just love this picture of Karo and Thomas, so sweet.

Ummm, does this pony make me look fat?:)

(Smash,"Annie Jeremy help me." -Thomas.)

Then on to crumpets and tea for lunch.

A neighborhood afternoon irrigation party.

And let's not forget the awesome mud ball cakes with candle"sticks".
...and giving old Fred a nice summer trim.:)
Oh and just yesterday we all enjoyed 3 red juicy fabulous garden tomatoes! It was about time! I think the kids search those plants daily for any sign of red.:) Quick story about our precious tomato plants.... yesterday after we came home from a neighborhood 24th of July party, Jeremy spotted a deer munching away on the tomatoes. I ran out to the garden clapping and hollering to scare the darn thing away. It bolts for the field across the street. At the same time a truck is heading up the street. I think that is when I started yelling OH CRAP! OH CRAP! All that's going through my mind is.... I just killed this deer! I just killed this deer! Somehow.... and I have no idea how??!!... it misses the truck by maybe an inch and jumps the fence safely. We all just stand there for a while looking at each other, Jeremy, me, the kids, and the deer. And that was that. Better stay the heck away from our tomatoes or else!!!

Unexpected Visitor

Last week we heard this sound coming from outside the window. It was a weird ear piercing CHIRP....CHIRP.......CHIRP!!! At first I thought it was maybe a bird being attacked by our cat...(even though a noise that loud could in no way be coming from a little bird). The kids and I ran outside to investigate. Sure enough there was our cat crouched and ready to pounce at any moment on some poor little thing he had cornered in a bush. I quickly grabbed up the cat and threw him in the garage. But the chirping alarm never stopped. I got down on all fours to get a closer look at what the heck was in the bush and came face to face with this...

He was gigantic! It made me laugh to think that our cat had been willing to attack this critter that was over half his own size.

Luke took one look at it and announced, "I think it's a beaver."

Me- "Luke, I don't think he's a beaver."

Luke- "Mom, I know a beaver when I see one."

Okay. :)

Honestly I had no clue what he was, so I snapped a few pictures of our "beaver" and sent them to Sarah. She did some checking and informed me that we had a marmot in our yard. She even found a recording of a marmot "chirp". Yep, same crazy chirping. After our little marmot friend calmed down the loud chirping finally stopped. Then he just stared at us till I finally made the kids go inside so he could scamper on home. Ava went out later to check on him and he was no where to be found. She was a little disappointed, I think she was planning on keeping him as her pet.