Ski lift and waver

On Saturday we went up to Sundance to ride the ski lift.  I've always wanted to do that.  (Rachael and I rode a tram in Germany over the vineyards one time that was one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had in my life.  I love quiet, peaceful rides in the open air.)  The day was GORGEOUS.

Seb was nervous about it at first but soon became comfortable enough to make ME nervous.  The others weren't scared at all.  Daisy rode in the carrier and YELLED on the way up (so much for quiet and peaceful rides, but oh well).  When we got up to the top, we hiked around a bit.  There were lovely sweeping views and little woodsy alcoves.

I love the patterns the leaves make against the blue sky.  Like red lace.

Bright aspens.  I love their spindly trunks.  Those "tiny" ones down on the right are probably as tall as our house (we could tell when we got closer), so you can imagine how tall the others are.

The cutest thing was on the way down.  Going up, there weren't many others on the lift, but going down many more of the seats were full.  Daisy suddenly decided to put herself out to be sociable.  She'd wait till the people on the other side were close enough, and then she'd start calling, "Iiiiii!  Iiiiiii!" and waving at them.  (This is a new skill, and new word, which she is quite pleased to trot out every so often---but only on her own timetable, naturally.)  Everyone was charmed, quite charmed.  They smiled at her and waved and "hi"-ed back.  Even the mountain bikers, though you could tell they were a bit embarrassed about it.

Cute

These two . . .

and these two.

Pinafore

I took these pictures of Daisy a few months ago, when she was 10 months old.  She's wearing a little dress and pinafore that I wore when I was a baby.  My mom made them (don't you love the smocking on the pinafore?).

Then my mom sent me this picture of me, at 13 months:

So I took a few more pictures of Daisy (she is 13 months right now too) for a more accurate comparison.  As I look at them, she really hasn't changed very much from 3 months ago.  I can hardly tell a difference.  But she is awfully cute.  Even cuter than I was, I'm afraid (sorry, Mom).

These are my favorites--Daisy holding her Daddy's finger and looking up at him

Kypdate

Some things we've heard from this Ky-guy lately:

"Is chocolate milk only for pessalacations, Mommy?" [special occasions]

Mt. Rushmore = "the person-volcano"

Ky: "Why is there a water park called Seven Peaks?"
Me: (having explained it 1000 times) "You know why."
Ky: "Because there are seven mountain peaks in the general area?"

[Holding a marshmallow]: "I think I'd like to call this a 'mousemallow.'"

Sunflowers

I really like sunflowers.  But not so much the enormous, stooping, goggle-eyed kind that you see entered in the state fair.  I like these little delicate, petally ones that grow wild everywhere.  They look kind of like daisies, in fact.  And I think I like them partly because they are so prolific and tenacious.  Such brave, wild, cheerful little flowers.  If you like them too, you are in the right place.  My children had fun running wild themselves in this prickly, sparkly, sunshiny field.

These tiny ones are darling, aren't they?  Just babies.

Speaking of tiny . . .

"Up, Mommy!"

I think Seb is funny in this picture.  That flinty gaze.  He looks like a model. 

I like her worried look here

The sky was pretty