Snippets of Summer

Summer Snippets 

Fragments of Time Spent Together

Small Treasures Stored 

As Precious Memories 

Time spent in Colorado with Grandma and Grandpa wouldn't be complete without

sliding down the big rock in Manitou,

trying some Manitou water,

and eating ice cream in Old Colorado City.

These times become very special memories to treasure.

Once everyone gets to Grandma's and Grandpa's house, there is only one thing on our minds:

"Let's go jump!"

Trampoline time with the cousins is always so much fun.

The trampoline is a place to share special conversations, a place where cousins can catch up on things.

A place to perfect new tricks.

The trampoline is where the kids go as soon as they crawl out of bed in the morning.

Bed is a blow-up mattress in the living room.

Three cousins can fit on it sideways.

Hannah opts for the couch.

It is almost a ritual.

Get up.

Walk out to the trampoline.

Once everyone is in place,

grab hands,

and jump.

Good morning, world!

Now let's go make some pancakes.

Mason, master chef, is teaching Gillian how to make pancakes from scratch.

Mason was born just 36 hours before Gillian.

This summer only two siblings were able to be together

at Mom's house.

They spent a few days at their sister Amy's before coming down to Mom's.

Amy had to work, so she missed all the fun, 

or maybe she just had some great peace and quiet.

The patio, built by Jon, in Julie's Garden

is designed to be a nice place to rest between jumping times on the trampoline.

This year, the nest on Grandma's front porch is a huge attraction.

The babies hatched just in time so Mama Bird could show them off to the grandchildren.

The two youngest grandchildren,

born a month apart,

received matching bears on their first Christmas.

Guess which one has been half way around the world twice.

Way too soon, the few days we had together were over.

Jonathan, Samantha, and Atticus posed for a family photo before heading back to Boston.

Soon after they left,

Keicha packed up the car so she could drive back to Utah.

Cousin time wasn't quite over yet.

She took Hannah and Mason to Utah with her so they could spend the week with their other cousins in Utah.  This year Grandma didn't come along.

My husband has a saying when it comes to visits from the grandchildren.

"The headlights are always wonderful,

but the taillights are even better."

Teary eyed, after hugs all around,  with my head full of wonderful memories, I head back to the house towards mountains of laundry!  That keeps me busy for a few days. 

 I then remember something my father always said, 

"I'm not wired for kids anymore."  

He was right.

The visits are grand.

It is also good to know that my children are now adults with lives of their own to live.

I have snippets of  summer caught in wonderful snapshots 

to remind me of those precious times we have together.

I'm amazed at how much the grandchildren have grown and grateful that we've all come so far since last year's Bittersweet Summer.

*Many of these beautiful photos were taken by my daughter Keicha.  Others were taken by my husband.  Thanks for capturing the memories.