Family time. Date days. And just good old summer days.

Summer is the BESTEST! I love it. I rarely sit still. We are always on the go. I love to fill my days full of activities until the sun goes down. But today it's just Whitty and me at the house...lounging...relaxing...reading...eating...and napping. We are watching a movie right now called Everyone's Hero. It's a baseball movie and Whitty loves baseball. The neighborhood kids let me borrow it for Whityn. I will let you know how it goes. Until then...I will fill you in a some summer fun we have been having...are you ready?

We went to a beautiful summer wedding. We tried to get a family picture...but the heat..and Whityn's inability to face the camera got in the way...oh well.

The boys have been getting pretty tight. Sometimes I get bummed that Whitty wants to HOLD daddy all the time...but then I am thankful for a break.
Once a week Jordy and I have been taking advantage of a date day while Whityn goes to school. It's been so nice to spend the day with my husband and to just hang and relax together. The last date day we went for a trail run up Teton Canyon (no bears) and ate lunch at the Branding Iron at Targhee and then went swimming. It was a blast. I know it will be coming to an end soon so we will continue to take advantage of it for a few more weeks.

Ahhh. Date Day. And reading.

Meanwhile when we are at the home front...we have been trying to strip Whitty down naked and have him try to pee-pee on rocks...with Jordy...he has been trying so hard and was finally successful last night. He is trying the potty at home and at school. He gets a sticker at school for every try...he usually comes home with 1 or 2. He has a sticker chart at home too. He also has a jar of m&m's too. He has yet to successfully pee-pee or poo-poo since I brought home the m&m's. Funny eh? I know it'll happen in time.

On a mission to find a place to potty.

Last week we brought home this new salmon colored umbrella. I love it.

Check out the Garage apartment...it's newly stained!

Being naked allows for ample opportunities to photograph a baby toosh! I got a winner here the other night.

Sometimes if I am lucky...I also have FRIEND DATES too....last week I saw one of my favorite people 4 days in the same week...that's a rarity since she lives over the big hill and we both have lots of things going on all the time. We got together for a little hike and a swim date....it was perfect!

I always get excited to come home to this little handsome fella! He loves a popsidadadadadada. He eats one almost everyday!

Had another great FRIEND date....to ski lake with 2 other lovely ladies

And we took some jumping pictures...or lack there of.

Just kidding...we got some air.

These two are the dynamic duo that teaches first grade at the Wilson school. I love love them!

Summer is awesome Possum!!!

1092 lodgepole

When not on a bike...or in the woods...we have put in a little time around the house. I love this place. It's so us!!! I like to let the chickens FREE range it while we are outside...they like it too.

They find their way into the tall grass on the berms and go to town! This is HEN #1...and she is the prettiest because she is at the top of the pecking order!

Meanwhile...Whitty is devouring cantaloupe. This kid loves melon.

But more importantly...I-keem!

This is the front of our little cabin...we are deciding what to do with the upstairs dormers...

1. apply larger wood panels so that it looks better or

2. Some type of adobe look or

3. Just stain it and leave it or

4. another cool idea?

Mom and Dad...did you notice all the shrubs/bushes are gone from the front?

We ripped them all out and laid down some sod...now for a little fresh paint on the lower half...

I can't pull Jordy away from my lilacs...he loves to trim them...he wants to MOVE them...but I won't let him.

The daisies I planted in my boxes are blooming...I love it!

My chives are out of control...and my little marigolds brighten up the back deck!

Looks pretty good huh?

Griffins on the move.

Summer should be relaxing right? Not around here...we are on the move. Last week Whityn did his first SIT-DOWN story time at the library while someone other than mommy was reading and he made it 22 minutes...yes I timed it. Then we hit the park at the Alta School and had a picnic...loaded up the mini for a noopie and off to swim class we went. He did great in his first swimming lesson. He mastered ear dips, bubble blowing...and started to float...and also worked on the rocket ship across the pool. I was proud of him. Then...we went home and had i-keem!

Whityn is not the only busy one around here...mommy stays pretty busy too. I just enjoyed myself entirely too much on Palisades lake with some of my favorite girls. I wake-boarded....and tried to get up on the slalom ski....7 times...no dice. I worked on my tan too.

Gotta love a girl day!!!

I just got a new mountain bike and have been trying it out in the mountains...I am 2 for 6 when it comes to staying on the bike. I either go over the handle bars or forget that I am clipped in. I am a big scaredy cat when it comes to going down hills or over big rocks...but I do love it. It pushes at my comfort zone...and you know I love that. The below picture was taking on my 6th ride on Putt-Putt in Jackson.

Almost 2.

Whityn goes around saying "almost 2" all the time while holding up 5 fingers. Too cute.

These pictures were taken back EAST...I am having to recycle some images because I LOST my camera...*story later.

I can't believe how much Whitty McKay is talking. He answers questions...fully disobeys you...laughs with you...talks to the dogs, cat and chickens...remembers when we get close to home and says "almost home and whitty get our of car". He is a blast and tiring all at the same time. I FULLY believe that he is a 2 man job at a grocery store. I dare NOT take him alone unless I want to have a BREAK down!!!!

He is loving summer. We bought a PLASTIC pool...you know the one that you had when you were a kid...we have it by the chicken coop in the back and he does some WATER time every day unless we hit the BIG pool up at Targhee. He is loving swimming but prefers WARMER water.

On another note:

I have been exploring the mountains on Jordy's old mtn. bike and we started to entertain the idea of new mtn. bikes....here's a picture of my old bike shoved in the back of the MINI.

And here is a picture of my new bike....Jordy got one too except his is WHITE. So exciting.

I haven't gotten on my new bike just yet because of course they had to special order it...but have managed to DEMo a few bikes here and there and I have this little issue with flying over the handle bars...hopefully I will improve!!!!

Saturday night was an awesome night...we all went up to Targhee Music Festival til around 6pm and then Jordy took Whitty down to a babysitter and came back up for Franti....oh what a night!!!! I was front row!

Love this man. See him if you get the chance.

Good friends. Great music. Sunshine. Food. Beverages. Love. Summer Rocks!

The only bummer is while having a great time at the Franti show...I was jumping up and down and jumped my camera right out of my pocket. UGH. So, I will be begging, borrowing and stealing pictures until FUrther notice....

WE HEART summer!

Since we've been home...we have been exploring...hiking...running...rock hunting...biking...buying...EATING...playing and LOVING SUMMER!

Nothing like a naked toddler in the yard.

the trip continued...

so after a great week in Vermont...

We made it to Buffalo, NY!!!! Wendy (Jordy's stepmom) had a little welcoming dinner party for us...but little did she know that she was going to be surprised with an EARLY 60th birthday cake.And you can guess who loved that!
He even go to enjoy in a little EARLY b-day cake too!

And then he had to go to bed.

The following day we headed out to the Rock Quarry that Wendy *aka Cha-Cha owns...and gave Whityn a day to remember. He got to see HUGE dump trucks and even ride in them! Uncle Bruce...Cha-Cha's brother works at the PIT and gave us a FULL blown tour that included rides...views...reviews...rock crushers....facts and MORE! Whityn never even closed his mouth...he was in such awe and shock...he loved every minute of it.

Check Whit out in this 18 ton dump truck...

While in New York, Jordy's sister Blair *aka Beezy met us there...she came up from Palm Beach. She couldn't get her hands off Whityn. She wanted to eat him up. Who doesn't right?

Beezy took us to Smallwood Park...we carried on like kids and had a blast...it was hot!

Whitties didn't want anything to do with Beezy at the park...

cause he had things to climb

and bridges to walk. He was busy. He worked up a real red face and bossed us all around.

The next day...we all hit Buffalo Zoo. It was awesome. I sometimes have a hard time with the zoo, but I have to give credit where credit is due....GOOD ZOO! Whitty's favorite was the Polar Bear Exhibit maybe because they were giving a good show...swimming and fighting...and eating. Whitty didn't want to leave until we told him about the elephants.

Whitty made a little zoo friend...his name was Enzo. One of Beezy's friend's brought his little boy to meet us at the zoo. It made for some laughs and lots of chasing!

The zoo had this little digging area for kids called Dinosaur digging and we had a little family dig session...then beezy was ready to go...so we moved on. :)

to ride the pig.

And the carousel...which was Whitty's zoo highlight!

round and round he went with his daddy because mommy would barf.

after the zoo we got invited to ETS bike Enzo's daddy because his family owns the joint...we got to EAT up and Whitties had his first taste of rootbeer. I don't think he liked it. If you are ever in Buffalo....GO TO ETS!

the next day was a special day for jordy..he took me and whittles to Point Abino in Ontario, Canada where he spent summers with his grandparents...he loved showing me the house..the lighthouse..and telling me all about it. The following picture is the guest house where Gramps and Lol would summer. I loved it.

this is across the street.

and this is across the street to the right...this light house holds a special meaning to me even though I had never seen it...I had envisioned what it might look like...while I was pregnant with Whityn Jordy was writing a book about a girl named Diggory Clover who had to go and spend a summer at the light house with her grandma...however she wasn't so happy about it....I would read the story as Jordy typed along through my pregnancy...and towards the end we considered the name Diggory if it were a girl...because I loved the story so much...so I wanted to see this lighthouse and learn more about the inspiration behind the story of Diggory Clover. The light house at one time was pretty spectacular and is now being renovated and restored...more on that later.

by the way...the house where Jordy spent summers is for sale...anybody wanna go in on it?

here's the main house!

After walking around and listening to Jordy reminisce...we went to Crystal Beach to see Lake Erie and do what Jordy did as a kid.

We had fun just splashing around...digging...looking around and checking out the Canadian beach way.

Then we tried to get back on the bridge to the USA...but it WAS a line that looked like a day wait...because we happened to be in Canada on Canada Day! Oops!

So, we drove over to the falls...and ate lunch a snapped a few shots!

then we hoped in the line to head back home and we were there in 10 minutes or less....

The last few days were spent swimming and relaxing and EATING of course!

The last night in Buffalo we went over to the hospital where Jordy's dad Paul did his chemo treatments...and saw what Cha Cha had made for him...

This is the waiting room for patients who are in treatment...and it's a happy room!

Then we ate at Chefs...my fav!

CHa Cha turned on the back yard "prinkler" and off Whitty went.

More front loaders.

back on the road to see the parents for the 4th!

the 4th.

We went to a town in Vermont called Warren...where they have a creative...funny...and organic parade...and boy was it hot! We met up with Allison, Matt and their little boy Oliver.

The Reilly's used to live in Jackson and they moved a few months ago to Vermont so it was good to hook back up with them.

after the morning in Warren...we took it back to Stowe and did the local thing!

and Whit got a BIG RED BALLOON

from the balloon lady.

we took a wagon ride.

we beat the balloon.

And we had a great evening...we tried to stick around for the fireworks...but just couldn't do it...so we hit the grocery for the ben and jerry's and lit some sparklers and called it a night! What a fantastic trip!