Summer began with the slip and slide.  I think everyone has fond childhood memories of the slip and slide.  In the south, we had a wet banana :)

 Spending as much time outside is what summer is all about.  Picnic dinners on the deck.

 This little guy potty trained by day and night in one week.  I can't say how proud I am.  No more diapers ever!!!!  Wow!

                                                             He has to pee like papa and big brother.

 I had to enlarge this picture a little for you to see.  This game involves a bat, ball, football helmet, and a fireman's helmet.  Names for the game please.

 Summer friends and marshmallow time.

 As you all know by now.  Kai is constantly dressing up.  He came out dressed like this one day.  Face painted brown and said he was an Indian.  God love him.

 Jeff and his band played at Mountain Fair this year.  Little Isaac played the egg shaker.  Musician in the making.

 Jeff officiated his first wedding this summer.  He did an amazingly beautiful job.  This was a picture taken at the wedding.  First time EVER Jeff has worn a suit and tie.

 Nana sent us Jeff's old Cub Scout uniform.  Kai is being a good scout by burying a baby bird he found. 

 Unable to find his other croc, Isaac decided his puddle boot would be fine.  Summer brought on a lot of naked time.

                                                                Rainbow Uke Boy!

                            Sir Kai.  Note his helmet.  Handmade with a diaper box.  This kid has imagination.

  June started out with an adventure or two a week.  First adventure was a hike around Dinkle Lake, at the base of Mt. Sopris.

 The boys both have Plasma cars which is a super favorite way to pass the afternoons.  Eating Popsicles while riding is the best. 

 Another adventure we had was in our backyard.  We love hiking up the creek and discovering all there is right here in our own backyard.

 Adventure 3 was to Rockbottom Ranch.  A super fun ranch with lots of animals to pet and see.

 Our fourth adventure was to our friend's house - Daisy, Wren, Valery and Kearns.  We got to go horse back riding.  I think Isaac might be a natural.  They both loved it.

                                    Nothing quite like taking in the view of Mt. Sopris naked!

 July started with a family trip to City of Rocks Idaho.  Always a family favorite. 

 Oops, bunny picture accidentally got mixed in here.  These guys were just hanging out in our driveway one morning.  Cuties. 

                                                             Back on track now.

                                                      Kai had his first experience top roping.  He did great!

                                                             The boys in the pop-up camper

                                          Isaac named this little piece of rope ropy and carried it around everywhere he went.  It was his pet and best friend at City of Rocks.  He was always right near  by us while we climbed yelling out the same commands. "On Belay?"  "Climbing"

                                                  Mama made it to the top :)

                                              Our super awesome campsite.  Look at our amazing cave.  This was key to nap in during the heat of the day.

 Isaac observing the beauty of the evening.

                                                 At the anchors.  Whoot, whoot.

                                                Grillin' weenies for the 4th of July.

 We made a mad dash out of the City of Rocks.  We left a day ahead of time, packing in between massive downpours and calls for tornado warnings.  Adios!  Pop-ups and tornados didn't seem like a good idea.

 We arrived in Salt Lake to a safe hotel to see this beautiful sunset.  I took this picture to remember what Isaac said.  "Whoa, whoa, look the beautiful sky.  It is lellow and orange."

 Back home floating handmade boats down our creek.

                                 A trip to the Carbondale rodeo with mama and Unchi.

                                    These hot springs are 5 min. from our house.  This was the day after a huge mudslide rainstorm.  Lots of silt and mud.

 Mischief makers.  While paying for our food, the boys got into the stickers.

                                             Making mud pies in the river with good friend Aiden.

                                              We picked so much fruit this summer.  It was a crazy fruitful summer.  Raspberries, apricots, peaches, rosehips, chokecherries, and service berries.

                                                         Kai made a fun shirt at Mtn. Fair.

 Oops, a little out of order.  This is Jeff getting ready to officiate Jen and Andrew's wedding.

 August brought us around the entire state of Colorado.  We called it our Colorado adventure. We started in Denver where I had my third triathlon.

 Walking around the reservoir at Cherry Creek State Park.  Isaac thought these were all weeds and decided he needed to get to work.  He is used to garden living.

 Denver Tri for the Cure.  Super fun.  Every year I get a little faster while raising money to fight breast cancer.  A good race for a good cause and lots of fun.

             From Denver we drove south to Pueblo.  This man has built this castle single - handedly.  Bishops Castle.  Look it up.  It is a crazy cool place.

                            We climbed and climbed up one of the towers to the tippy top.  Not a very good place to be when you hear thunder close by.  Yikes!

 From Bishop's castle we drove to Valley View Hot Springs which is part of the Orient Land Trust. There are something like 10 natural pools all throughout the woods.  We love it here.

                               Then on to the Great Sand Dunes.  The boys loved it.  Who doesn't love sledding and rolling down big sand hills.  The boys also got their first Junior Ranger badge here. 

 So this whole trip we camped.  The boys are great helpers in setting up the pop-up.

 We met our friends Erik, Roni, and Tzuri in Pagosa Springs for a fun hike to a beautiful waterfall.

 Then on to see our friends Ted and Susan who took us to Mesa Verde.  The boys loved climbing the big ladders, climbing through tunnels and exploring the ancient cliff dwellings.

                                        The received their 2nd Junior Ranger Badges here. 

 Then started back home through some beautiful lands.

 But....One more stop in Black Canyon National Park.  It is so close to us and I had NO idea what we were in for.  Our favorite thing, and part of earning another Junior Ranger Badge, was attending an astronomy class.  The Black Canyon is the darkest National Park in the Nation so it makes for amazing star gazing.  We even got to look through telescope and saw Saturn - RINGS AND ALL!  I am still in awe.  We also saw lightning bugs.  I haven't seen them since NC and TX.  What a treat.

                                    This little guy was a poser.  We saw him on a hike we did in the Black Canyon. The boys got their 3rd Junior Ranger Badge here.

 And to finish off our trip, I got them these packs.  An adventure well traveled.

 As one last summer hurrah, Unchi took Kai fishing at the Flat Tops with our neighbor.  Kai caught his first fish.  He had a blast.

 That leads us to the end of summer and the first day of school.  August 28th.  Isaac's first day in Preschool and Kai's first day of his last year of Kindergarten.  Ahhh, how does it happen so fast. So far both boys LOVE school and look forward to going back next week. 

Until we post again.  Wishing you all a wonderful beginning to fall.  With love, The Jacksons