Back in the Picture

Just scrolling through our trip pics,

and am excited to see that Mark and I are back in the pictures.

It's been a long time since we had a trip with several pics of us taken together.

On this trip there are at least three!

Shocking.

I guess it's because two out of the four kids can be trusted with the camera for a moment...

and that is a good thing.

Here are some more good things from the trip...in complete random order...

Our "B & B" in Vermont for two nights....

Mark's aunt has the coziest sweetest home along a dirt road nestled in the mountains...

Sofi's orange leg amongst the others...

see?

Another pic!

Yes!

On the ferry boat crossing Lake Champlain...

No lack of confidence here!

I don't think I've ever posed so confidently in a swimsuit! :)

Sofi proudly rowed me around Aunt Mary's pond...such a sweet ride

There is so much more to this pic than meets the eye...

Sofi was so proud to catch and hold a frog.

After a few days at our campsite she ventured down to the pond,

crutching herself down here.

See her crutches?

She was so happy.

I love the dirt.

The peely chipped nailpolish...

and of course the frog.

When I was 8 and 9 years old I caught frogs in this same pond in NH,

I had quite a thrill watching my girls catch frog after frog!

One day I saw a middle aged man crouching around the pond like Elmer Fudd.

In his hand was a large net attached to a long pole.

He spent an hour just moving through the long grass,

swooping his net in and out of the water.

Each time it was empty.

He was hoping to catch a frog for the weekly frog jumping contest.

No luck.

Meanwhile,

Sofi and Izzy caught frog after frog with their hands and their net.

Perhaps not my best shot,

but this was a very fun moment.

Carl signed the two of us up to jump on the blob together.

I was nervous for most of the day.

It's a huge water trampoline out past the deep end.

I survived.

We had an absolute blast.

Here he is helping me prepare to be launched.

I have a confession.

In College I could eat a whole pint of Ben & Jerry's.

Today I can't even touch the stuff.

Sad.

I'm lactose intolerant, and it's no longer a good thing.

But we took the tour anyway....

and the rest of the family had ice cream almost every day!

We tent camped for 7 days,

and Mark, Carl and Linnea backpacked for another two days.

Here's Izzy at the Beaver Pond down the road from Aunt Gretchen's home.

And the mountains.

This is what we saw outside the kitchen window each day in Vermont.

Remind me,

why do I live in Illinois?

Each time I come back I'm not really sure why....

-julie