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Last week my Dad and my little brother (geez....he's almost 16 and he's my "little brother" - can you hear my bones creak) came out for an unexpected visit. I seriously did the happy dance all over the restaurant supply store that we were in when he called and told me that they were coming.

Other than my husband, my Dad is one of my closest friends. Well, my mom too - but they are such different relationships. But my Dad lives in Colorado, and especially now that Anna is here, the distance is hard sometimes. We talk atleast once each day - but I still miss him so much. There are very few people in the world that
understand me as he does. And there are very few people in the world whom I admire and look up to as much as I do him. Well...."very few" is understating, I suppose - he knows me pretty damned well (for better or worse).

Anyway - there was a cabin that we went to every summer when I was growing up that was owned by some family friends. It's at a place called Snow Mountain. It is so removed and quiet. As a kid I loved exploring and finding animals and playing with my friend (more like sister) Tracy (who we always took with us). As an adult, I can see the attraction of the quiet and the peace there. So, we took a visit while my Dad and Will were here. The cabins have been completely rebuilt (since the 1900's ones were lost a few years ago in a forest fire), so it doesn't have quite the same "rustic" charm, but they are beautiful.

It was so special for me to be able to see Anna do all the things with my Dad that *I* did with him when I was a girl. Chase lizards, look at snakes (from a distance, however, for me....and Anna too it appears), watch the deer in the yard, ride the tractor to mow down the weeds with my Dad. It was just such a special time to have up there with him, and I'm so glad that Anna got to share not only in the place, but to share it with my Dad and I. Ahhh....what a sap. Anyway - here's a few pics.