Aspen Grove 17.0

I've have been going to Aspen Grove for somewhere around 17 or 18 years (depending on which relative you are talking to). Every year, for me, is a different experience. I started as a young teenager, went as a young married person, brought tiny babies, and now have kids that are enjoying the same programs I did when I was younger.

It was a really fun year for a number of reasons:
1. For the first time in 7 years none of my little family got sick and threw up!
2.How do you beat number 1?
3.For the first time the kids really wanted to do their ending program and they did a great job.
4.I got to meet my only niece.
5.I actually got some free time since Livi liked going to group.
6.I got to hang out with some really fun relatives!

Some other highlights:
Frontier Night- Ella took control of the classroom, and the boys seemed happy to let her.
James was willing to run around with Ebby and Livi, because boy did they sure love running,
and running,
and running.

Hiking to Stewart Falls with my fabulous sister Jes. My sister Julia wrote a whole thing about hiking with Jes and I would suggest reading that description. For the record I only thought I was going to die for half the hike (the up hill part). Jes is amazing! She is the energizer bunny of hiking. She is so athletic and fit and I am....not. At one point I thought I was having a stroke when my face went numb, but Jes is really a good sport and was willing to take stops for me. The hike was beautiful and the snow bank at the bottom of the falls, IN JUNE, was something I have never seen before.

The kids showing off their daily exploits. It seemed a lot of days involved face paint. Not normal face paint. Face paint that takes nuclear clean up formulas to remove. I don't even remember how long it took to get Ethan's Darth Vader mask off, but it was a while, and involved two types of makeup remover and some tears.

I thought Livi was trying to make a cute pose like Ella always does, but no.
One of the best parts was seeing Livi just take to my Grandma Donna. Livi and Ebby really loved it when she would blow bubbles for them. Livs still talks about "your mama onna."