Farewell to Summer

Every August our family takes a jaunt to Bridal Veil Falls the week before school begins. Its a nice outing where we have a picnic and then plays in the falls. The trail is always cooler, being in the canyons, and the water is so refreshing. It has been a nice way to beat the heat in the past too. I don't know if the rest of you are usually surprised at quickly the summer seems to be over, but somehow I have found myself here again, at the beginning of a new school year.
So it begins...the picnic. We packed PB&Js with plenty of yum to go with them (carrots, apples, juice drinks, cookies). The canopy of trees is so nice and shady.
The water was frigid this year. (Or maybe it is every year but I've never gotten in it before?) It took a little time for Violet to be enthralled enough with excitement over the whole idea to overcome the cold of the water. (Notice how red her little legs are.) She eventually made it out to this rock where she sat for awhile. Aspen is so good to hold her hand and patiently help her. What cuties!





This picture was so funny to me. Elise figured out that if she let go of her flip flops they float! She was showing me that they float away and then she can stomp them, pin them under her feet and then slip them on. She thought it was the coolest thing ever!








Its hard to see in this picture because I just caught the tail end of it, BUT, Bela is making a terribly grumpy face at Aspen because she was reenacting the little mermaid (notice the rock that she's on) and Aspen just walked right in the middle of her "scene". Oh my Bela, will we survive you? She is so funny and so passionate. This picture does make me chuckle though.

Tomorrow Paul goes back to work and then the kids go back on Thursday. Its official...summer is over. I cannot wait to see what the school year brings and enjoy these beautiful girls' interpretations of girlhood!