How We Bask In The Awesomeness of the Universe

Ahhh Waterfalls . . . .

And Hiking!!!

As our vacation came to a close we ended as we started: visiting another of the Favorite Places: Bushkill Falls, PA.
Elijah helps everyone with a drink before starting out

We visited last year, and now I am sure we will go again before fall (and probably during fall!)


We left so much undiscovered (to explore another day), and yet we left SO FULL of everything that we saw and experienced, it seems impossible that we could have fit anymore in!


Token touristy shot (on chairs made of tree stumps still in the ground):


Sharing a hug on a bridge (Jonah was keeping Dad company as the rest of us were on a viewing pennisula that had a limit of 6 people. The rest of us were already on the spot, and Jonah could have come too. But he didn't want to leave Mike alone. Sweet Boy).
and a chat:


Two boys contemplating:


My Family:

During last year's visit, Garrett set up this shot of himself (and it came out beautifully). He decided he wanted an updated version!

Meredith in her backpack (quite the way to travel!)
Elijah Resting:

One of my "Artsy" Shots--just a little snippet of the beauty:

Checking out the river (Ryan and Jonah are engaging in a "gravity experiment" as they spit over the side of the railing:

Daddy and Elijah checking the map

One of the very very few pictures of me (I am usually behind the camera) as we stopped for a rest and a snack

Elijah engages Jonah in a chase around a tree:

It ends with Elijah grabbing Jonah's hand and saying : "You gotta go this way Jonah. Take my hand, I'll help you because you are my friend". This sums up Elijah's personality perfectly.

We end our day at the falls with ice cream and fudge at the Hershey's shoppe (our family-created tradition. We end most things this way!)
I know how you feel kiddo!



Grandma's Pocono's Palace!



We extended our vacation to take a trip to the Poconos to visit Grandma and Grandpa Sirotkin.


Here they are taking a stroll along one of the lakes











Grandma Sirotkin welcomes us!


















Ryan gets a hug from Meredith












Peace!













Garrett and his cousin, Jack, find a cricket














Ryan comes to check it out.













Meredith chasing bubbles.













Cousin Will shows Meredith his new game












BEACH DAY!!!!












Meredith stops for a snack (little monkey ate 3 bananas!!)









We LOVE visiting!! They live in an area that is just teeming with things to do and see.

The boys LOVE to explore the forest/ravine that is the backyard!


CAMPING!!!!!

Oh My God We Love Camping!!!!!

We took a shorter Camping (in My World, Camping is a pronoun deserving of a capital--as is My World) trip this year--Meredith still a bit young for the full week. But we still had The Most Fun Ever.

Nick's Lake in the Adirondacks is on of our Favorite Places.













Our campsite was lovely: close to the beach, playgrounds, and showers! (New bathrooms/showers!!! YAY!)-- By the way: this is NOT a picture of our campsite! But it is a lovely shot of one of the picnic areas near the lake.
















We hiked,












ate Smores (with Rolos and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups),


























played (with planes, bubbles, sticks, the girls in the next campsite over . . .),













read (Sage's note: yes this is me reading Jen Lancasters Such a Pretty Fat--hilarious, btw--with a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat-yum!- in one cup holder, and the top of organic potato chips in the other. At least they are organic. LOL!!)








and explored the glory of nature and ourselves away from all technology (and energy vampires who will remain nameless).

Happy Kids!





In a word: AWESOME!