Rocky Mountain National Park, raspberry tarts, and other delights

A couple of weekends ago we spent the day at RMNP. We live only about an hour away, and I wish it were even closer! It is so, so lovely.

Many of these photos were taken from the car (apologies!) but I think they still show the beauty of autumn beginning to unfold here.

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We hiked in an area called “Hidden Valley” and went really, really high. It was surprisingly cold – there was frost on the ground.

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We met up with DC’s mom and brother’s family there, and had a wonderful day. I wish we could have spent about a week up there!

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I was curious to see the highest stretch of road in the park (and Bear Lake and the other lower areas were super crowded) so we headed up to the tundra at 12000ft+.

I was amazed at how barren and windy it was at the top, almost like another planet. But then see the lakes up there? So gorgeous!

We came back down to near Bear Lake and had a picnic at a lovely spot near a stream. .

All the campgrounds within an hour of the park were completely full. So the boys camped in our backyard!

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Grandma with B&D’s children.

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I think we must be related! :)

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Rosebud and S.

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Mom Baker made us a fabulous Sunday dinner, of course with ice cream for dessert!

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Rosebud and I found a farm in town with you-pick raspberries. We had a wonderful time and came home with 3 pounds (for $9!). Rosebud’s request was to make raspberry tarts, just like Amelia Bedelia. They turned out super yummy. I can see why Amelia Bedelia is always forgiven for her mistakes when she hands these out. :)

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We still try to take a weekly family photo by the temple. I’m hoping to do a time-lapse video of the progress. . .that would be super neat.

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My amateur attempt at capturing the super-lunar eclipse last Sunday. It looked so much cooler in real life!

Um, I’m back.

I would apologize for the extended absence from this virtual home of mine, but I do have good reasons! Maybe I will be able to fill in the blanks sometime. Anyway here are some recent photos! :)

A quintessential summer photo of our Rosebud.

The Angel Moroni statue was placed on the Fort Collins temple from about 8 – 9 am on August 26, 2015, and we were there to watch! A once-in-a-lifetime experience that I hope we always remember.

 

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The following were taken at Back to School night.

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Fluffy is attending there as a 9th grader, Hummer in 6th grade, and Rosebud in Kindergarten.

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I love this sign below on the backboard – definitely gives the flavor of the school! :)

 

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Rosebud’s Kindergarten classroom. (Pix to follow of the first day of school and this sweetheart in her ridiculously adorable uniform.)

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Hummer will be studying the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.

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DC had a birthday, and we celebrated for days!

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Our newest niece with her mom – she was born in Italy this summer!

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The birthday boy! (He’s turning more than 3 :).

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We had a wonderful evening with DC’s siblings and their kids.

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This photo is very sweet of my niece and her daddy, but doesn’t do justice to the cray-cray puppy Hazel. :)

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We had another party at home, too, because chocolate cheesecake.

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I normally don’t love photobombing even if it’s unintentional, but Hummer’s face in this one just cracks me up. .

DC’s birthday wish for us to go all together to the Denver Temple and then to the free day at the Denver Art Museum. We got up real early. . .

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. . . .and had a lovely time at the temple. (Thanks to Exacto for watching the younger ones for us!)

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Next up was the art museum. DC and Hummer had never been there before. The rest of us enjoyed showing off our favorites, like we had made them ourselves. :)

We LOVE this Bierstadt painting of Estes Park. So gorgeous!

Btw, DC was gone for 11 weeks this summer doing a Level II Fieldwork assignment in Prescott, AZ. It was amazing how much easier life felt when he returned! You can tell from these photos that Rosebud was really happy to have her Daddy back.

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A couple of my favorite new finds. . .

This next piece really inspired me. See the bear cub at her feet? Tough mommy!

The Buddhist art was spectacular!