June 2017

We drove from Orlando to my parents' for a few packed days in Fort Myers.

These girls hit the pool on arrival and could only be dragged out for food. Their feet were literally bleeding from the amount of time they were in the pool.

...which is why they were wearing swim  shoes in the pool. And why Sarah's swimsuit elastic failed making her swimsuit look more like a wrestler's unitard.

We found this gorgeous live welk that we put back. And sand dollars, starfish, and crabs.

The 86 degree Gulf. I love Colorado. And Colorado is home. But this? This is happiness.

The beach is such a treat when you live in a land-locked state.

Sarah wanted to try a little skimboarding.

This photo implies more success than she ever had. The girl's got persistence.

Cuddle time with Opa.

And getting out my mom's childhood dolls in my childhood bedroom with my old bunkbeds. Still so many treasures when we go home to FL.

We decided to make a turtle and cover it's shell with shells. We were a bit ambitious. Next time, a smaller turtle. 

Or a creation that requires fewer shells. Like this mermaid later in the week.

Someday they'll probably want to lay out. And be 20 feet away from me on the beach. And refuse to wear those swim shirts. But not yet.

This is Sarah trash-talking Pete during bocce, a game she hardly understands with a guy she hardly knows. But it doesn't stop her. Nothing stops this one.

We spent a day out on the boat with Ginny and her dad and the kids. The dolphins were so nice to pop up right by us. 

We docked for lunch where the kids' root beer came in a bottle. It's kindof a big deal.

Naomi helping drive the boat.

Everyone should be so lucky to have a best friend like this over so many years.

And we pray for that kind of friendship for our girls. Maybe even with each other!

5 out of 6 of our kids. And, yes, if I could find a way to steal Benji's hair and make it my own I totally would.

Hard at work at a sandcastle making contest. 

After church with Oma and Opa. 

Nature hike through the slough where the girls tracked down birds, turtles, gators, wild boar, and a cottonmouth snake. 

And if you are one of my Ft. Myers friends who we didn't see, I'm sorry. The trip was short and it was too hard to fit it all in. But we'll be back. And you are of course welcome in Colorado too!

We got home late after a long day of travel. Sarah walked into the house and got quiet. I went to find her and found her asleep like this, too tired to even make it onto the sofa...

June 8... 11 years since  we decided to build a forever together at this spot.

Little Miss is back at ballet this summer.

And poor Boo got a leash. Do you see the look of defeat on his face? I like to spend time narrating what must be going on in head.

But, oh how he's loved.

Father's day picnic at Confluence Park in Denver. People often react to learning we have three daughters with "Poor Clifton." I don't feel too sorry for him. His girls adore him. And for all of our collective stereotypical emotion (and, trust me, we've got it), he's our calm and steady. We need him. The same way his calm and steady needs a little stirring up to get more joy out of life. It's a good thing we've got going.

In awe at the Denver Aquarium

Sharks pretty much never get old to watch.

Taking care of Finnigan at farm. You know you want a Finnigan in your life.

Chicago trip with the Brown and Parsons families! Touching Lake Michigan.

Sarah and Harper passing time on the El. I love that these kids love each other even though they see each other once a year. Also Harper gives the best hugs, so who can blame her? (Also, she loves anyone with a phone to share.)

Parsons and Railsbacks watching the big city go by.

Blogging forces me to be a sentimental fool because I want to capture what I feel when I look at pictures, like this one. I see pretty amazing kids. That are here in this place because of the friendships  that their parents had during residency, which started 15 years ago already. Those were a phenomenal three years of my life, in no small part because of these very friendships. We were pretty young then. We're just slightly less young now. It's so amazing to see how the story plays out.

I mean who else would haul your kid up and down Navy Pier on their shoulders?

And make silly faces to make her laugh like this?

This is such a cool city. We hardly scraped the surface of activities.

Like sitting on any number of Rolling Stones tongues: check.

Thank you, kids' tables...

City life: waiting for the bus.

...and waiting for the train.

And eating hot dogs from street vendors.

Naomi's on top of the world.

We spent half a day at the Shedd Aquarium. Hadn't been there since college.

...when I went with my big brother Chris. Forgive us. It was the early 90s in the midwest, when rolling out  of bed and going somewhere without getting ready was a thing.

We don't need strollers when we travel. We just need Steve and Matt.

The gang.

Because above every oversized pair of creepy metal legs is a little girl ready to take off.