vacation part 5 - shopping & the park

Well, I guess I should get back to sharing our Idahoan vacation with you.  My parents were here visiting last week, so I didn't spend much time at the computer.  I'll share a few favorite moments from their visi,t at some point, but let's get through our vacation first.  


Picking up where I left off...


The day after the 4th of July brought us girls a treat.

Tiffany and I headed out to a few local thrift stores ALONE.

Shopping without Callan by my side is rare, but shopping with a girlfriend is like finding a diamond in a cereal box.  It just doesn't happen.  So, needless to say, I was thankful for this time.   I'm always in "mom mode", so to let go of that for just a few hours was refreshing.  We left the house around 10 am and were back by 1 pm.  It was a beautiful 3 hours spent browsing 2 fantastic antique/thrift stores.  And I couldn't have asked for better company.  

Once Tiffany and I got back to the house, Travis and Phil headed out to a local shooting range for a little guy time.  The kids went down for naps, so we enjoyed some quiet time.  After the guys got back, we had dinner, and then decided to walk down to the park at the end of the street.  

Q'emlin Park is a beautiful, little park with a beach front, playground, picnic areas, hiking trails, rock climbing, and fishing spots.  

98% sure that these are huckleberries.

I just LOVE towering pine trees.
I'd live in a little cottage nestled in a grove of them, if I could.

This dandelion was, seriously, the size of a grapefruit.

No, I didn't blow it.

But I totally should have.

Little miss being a brave explorer.

Callan, almost always with one something in one hand, and another something in the other.

He makes me smile.so.big.

We enjoyed some time on the swings before heading back up to the house for the night.

Swinging with his pinecone, of course.

His stick was in the stroller, ya know, for safety reasons.

It was an enjoyable, low-key day.

I'd love to wrap up every day exploring a park just like this one.

Good company, beautiful surroundings, a chill in the air.

Darn near perfect.