Wyoming 3-- and home again (sort of...)

Whew.

We're home.

We arrived back in Ohio on Thursday, a day later than expected thanks to  a cancelled flight (see silver lining below), and we have thrown ourselves headlong into summer celebration, with sleepovers and visits from old friends and Alumni Weekend to keep us busy when we're not unpacking or going to estate sales.  Add to that mix a Father's Day Celebration and the longest day of the year and we're all just about too exhausted to stand up right now.  

It's been good, this summer so far.  Very good.

But wow, are we ever looking forward to a "home day" tomorrow, and a chance to sink into true summer break....

Until then-- the rest of Wyoming, in pictures:

hide and seek at the Castle...

girl. road. sky.

picnic lunch at the yurt.

Fishing at the golf course.

(complete with golf cart riding, of course!)

Basketball and playground time...

Pruning trees for Vovo.  It became quite the project, even including a chainsaw...

Our annual visit to the Wheatland Country Store for souvenirs...

A tremendously nice visit to the State Park-- starting with the dam and sluiceway...

... where we had fun posing Ivy's new horses in all sorts of places for photos...

Then venturing up to the sweet little CCC museum at the top of a hill... with a great view of Laramie peak...

... and creepy little dioramas...

Down to the water...

with a boy who could not put his book down..

...adventurous little horses...

... and swimming at Sandy Beach.

A trip to remember, for sure...

heading home...

Super fun park in Cheyenne...

A moment of fun in the Denver Airport, which we came to know all too well after spending 4 hours waiting for our flight... which was cancelled... and then waiting for an hour for customer services... so we could get cab fare...

And visit these wonderful friends!  All's well that ends well.  We were feeling a bit sad to not have time to see them, and so the fates intervened.

Wyatt and Ivy became instant, fast friends.

As did Nat and Porter.

And Jack and Blaine.

And this lion and tiger.  We do so love our friends.

Homeward Bound.

Catch you up on this whirlwind weekend sometime soon...

Wyoming 2

Lots of pictures to share.  Our time in the yurt has ended but we are finding plenty of ways to soak up Wyoming blue sky, and spending time talking, updating technology, and singing along with opera back at the ranch.

As promised:  whittling pictures.

What else to make when you're whittling, than a slingshot?

Today's adventure: our annual visit to the Oregon Trail Ruts.  Walking in history-- always kind of breathtaking, no matter how many times I visit. Thinking about all those people heading into the unknown, braving this terrain with all of their worldly possessions in tow.  How arduous! How terrifying!  How thrilling!  The beautiful green prairie beckoning, and only a few little rocks in the way...

A visit to Burger King for lunch and shopping for some new sunglasses for Ivy...

... and then more time in the sunshine at the pool.  Diving board day today, plus some informal swimming lessons for Ivy from her Vovo...

A quiet evening at home with two pink-skinned children.  Watching the Cavs play the finals, sharing Minecraft with grandparents, eating too much yummy food.  Loving my family so much.