Memories of Layla:
- She is the mecca of all bloodstreams. So say all the mosquitos this side of the Mississippi. She wanted braided dreds (sp?) for the first part of the trip...and LOVED the "curliness" (a.k.a. frizz) when we took them out a day or two later.
- Eagerly awaited glowstick time from gramma every night, in which she added to her collection and got enough to make a ball and/or a garden's worth of glowstick flowers.
- Look at that mosquito-puffed hand (above). Poor thing. We read "Charlie & the Great Glass Elevator" every night in our tent, and Addie would remind us to read family scriptures. Layla loooooves to read as a family.
- She wanted to be adopted into Jordan & Katrina (& Evy's) family, I'm pretty sure. Stuck like glue to little Evy at every chance possible. Cute.
- Doesn't love s'mores (???) but does love all other treaty-treats. Like licorice. And fruit snacks. And anything sugar-enhanced. Just like her mamma. Likes to prepare and then announce to everyone that she & cousins are putting on a "show"...no one really delivers as far as the acting goes, but it's quite exciting to Layla to get it all planned out.
Memories of Carson:
- Hiker extraordinaire. Loved this trip "better than Disneyland." Loves his tie-dye and wants a thousand more like it (maybe exaggerating on the "thousand" bit, but maybe not).
- He was the best at asking me, "Mom, can you take pictures of this?" because I had told my family beforehand to remind me to take pics, because I wanted lots. Carson is a sweetheart and helpful. He & Lincoln found a ground squirrel hole right near our camp and were pretty excited about that.
- It rained all night and the next morning/day...and our tent was leaky. Paul & I jimmy-rigged some protection, but it was still scary. Carson went on an extra "big-kid" hike with cousin Ella, grampa, me, Michelle & Shay, and Jordan. It was probably 6-7 miles. He rocked it, despite being super tired at the end. What kept him going? Singing and making up rhymes to "Riding on that new river train" by Raffi.
- The kids loved the rainy morning, reading their books and playing card games and hanging out in their pajamas. Carson kept asking me, "Mom, isn't the Tetons the most peaceful place?" "Isn't the air sooo fresh?" "Isn't it so beautiful?" "Don't you love camping?" "Breakfast while you're camping is the BEST breakfast ever."
- Chose 3 spirit stones from the gift shop. (Layla chose a 3D bookmark, so beautiful, and Addie chose a stuffed mountain bluebird she promptly named "Beaver" but which actually sounded like "Beebuh.") He loves rocks and shiny stuff and all things treasure-ish.
I think Carson would make an excellent park ranger. He loves the great outdoors. Now if he would only stop scratching his mosquito bites, he'd stop looking like a recovering chicken pox sufferer...or a leper.
Paul & I had good times. We packed our memory foam mattress top and slept like kings...and queens... We each carried Addie about 1400 hours, I'm pretty sure. Love beef jerky and putting the kids to bed in the tent. It's kind of a magical time, reading and chatting a little before bed. Til the rain hits, anyway. The the magic dispels.
- Layla gets her mosquito-loving self from Paul. It was pretty miserable for all of us, but especially those two, until Paul got serious and found some 98% DEET magic. BAM. See ya, suckahs. (Pun totally intended.)
Love you, Paul.
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