Mammoth in June

Eden had her last day of school last Wed so as soon as she got out, we picked her up with the trailer and stole her away for a quick trip to Mammoth. It seemed to take forever to get there (I think it was harder on me than the kids), but once we got there the smell of the pines overtook us and everything was as it should be. We let the kids stay up way too late that night fishing and exploring into the wee hours of 9pm /: Eden paid us dearly for it the next day which made life a bit harder but it was to be expected. And even with a grumpy child and all of the things that can and do go wrong while camping, I feel so fortunate for these trips. They recharge me so profoundly and I am grateful beyond words for the time we get to spend in the mountains.

Eden rushing away on our first evening there - eager to catch a fish.

The first morning Eden slept in (after her late night) and missed the early morning fishing round where Jonny and Zi caught 3 fish. Her disappointment was profound and it stayed with her for the rest of the day. She is so much like Jonny in this way who has a bad day if he sleeps past 6am and there weren't any missed fish...

Waiting for a bite

Cleaning the fish

If Klamath could talk (which he sort of can) he would tell you his favorite fish is trout.

Fire-roasted trout and potatoes over a bed of greens.

This trip Eden started setting the top-ropes with Jon {you can barely see their heads at the top}, Jon says she was getting pretty good at setting them by the end of the trip.

Is there anything better than fat mountain catapillars?

June lake was windy and cold. Almost too cold for me to bother with taking pictures. But it certainly did not stop Zi. Water is his element, no matter what the temperature is.

Jonny showing the kids that surfing can be done anywhere - here he is surfing on the wind.

Tandem

Here he goes....

He's saying, I can do it better than any of you...

Edens obsession

This bike ride down to the Village is one of my very favorite things to do in the world. I can't really begin to describe how or why it brings me so much joy but it does. Eden astounds me on her bike too. All I could think about this trip was how little she was when she first did this ride on her balance bike. She was so small and determined and proud to do it on her own.

Relaxing in the Village

Waiting for the trolly

While waiting for the trolly Zi made up this game of climbing up the stair rail and sliding down. As soon as the game caught on and all the other kids started doing it he was over it. After observing this Jon pointed out how Zi just does what he wants to do without a care for anyone else, whereas Eden is much different, she won't do anything new till she has seen it tried and tested. They make for an interesting and beautiful match.

Eden spent a lot of time collecting old fishing gear from the lakes edge and using it as her own any chance she got.

This pan-seared trout was the best trout I have ever tasted.

Jon and Eden setting the rope

 Here Zi is on a catapillar hunt

Someone posted a pic of this very same rainbow anomaly on FB taken in Dana Point on the very same day. I wonder what it was???

Tioga Lake

Zi sand-crabbing around, because he is a sand crab.

Eden is such a strong and wonderful helper...

Here Jon was showing Eden how the smooth rock surface made for a great slide. This rock is so smooth that she is able to slide down in her bikini unharmed. 

Eden had fun climbing this day. It was such an easy climb that she was able to literally run up it by the end. She probably did it at least 5 times.

Fairview Dome, something Jon and I did long ago. And for the first time this trip, I did not miss it as much as I cherished the memory of it. For me, that's growth. (:

Zion was so tired after our long exhausting day. All he wanted to do was snuggle with Eden. All Eden wanted to do was enjoy her ice cream cone without being touched. It was really pretty hilarious.

The last day we headed out to mosquito flats. It is an incredible hike out of Rock Creek. You literally go one mile (which might be as far as we have ever gotten /:) and you feel like you are in another world. I could spend days and weeks here. Someday we will make it further than one mile (:

The Common Blue (Spring variety) which we know due to Eden's trusty butterfly book that she loves to take everywhere - thank you Grandma Kathy (:

The Common Blue (Summer variety)

Zi taking the polar bear plunge - this water was icy cold, and so was the air but the kids were determined to "go for a swim".

Zi (of course) hammered his nose on the way down the steps on our hike. When I bemoaned to Jon that he absolutely has the worst luck with his face, he scolded me, saying that Zion makes his own luck. Then he proceeded to explain to me that Zi was doing pirouettes down the stone steps at least 40 feet in front of him and what else did Zi think would happen? And as much as I wish falls like this would sway Zion's decision making for the better, history has proved that they don't. God help me in getting this child to adulthood. 

Eden and Jon scouting rope setting potential.

One last ride to the Village before heading home