No Pets

We used to have a lot of rules in our house. But over the years it has come down to only one: NO PETS. Craig's allergic to them. Especially if they have fur or stink. In the thirty-plus years that we've had children he has put up with gerbils, mice, pet rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, more rabbits, iguanas, turtles, hamsters, killer hamsters, hedge hogs, fish, snakes, frogs, frog eating snakes, a cat, cockatoos, budgies, hermit crabs and even flying squirrels to pacify whining kids that said things like, "but it followed me home, can't we keep him?" or "but he was going to be so lonely so we HAD to buy two and they're brother and sister so there won't be anymore."

Now that the kids are grown and mostly gone, Craig was happy to only deal with roaches, spiders and mosquitoes. Then Anna moved back. She brought with her a husband and four of the cutest, furriest and stinkiest little sugar gliders.

Below is a picture of another reason why Craig has a No Pets rule. It was taken about 2 a.m., in our bedroom. You may think it's really cute but now he has nightmares about sugar gliders in his bed. It's not funny. One night he tried to throw me out of bed thinking I was a sugar glider burrowing under his arm. So this is a warning to any sugar glider who may want to wander into our room at night: You are not safe!

Taylor

Dan took this of Taylor.


We grabbed a few people and drove down to see Dan and family, especially the new little one.


He sure is cute!


He took all his new visitors right in stride.


Anna's turn.


Dan


While I took this picture...


...Anna was taking this picture. Poor Guille, from all sides!!!


No family resemblance here! Unless I build up my muscles and quit shaving my beard.


Then it was time to play outside.


Avery on the tire swing.


Paola, Tucker, Sierra, Storie, Avery and Anna


Where's Paola?


Calling it a day.

July was so hot!

The only way to stay COOL was to stay inside and play with your grandma's makeup,


go outside and stay drenched,


OR put on awesome sunglasses.

My Warrior

When I dreamt of my knight in shining armour, this wasn't exactly how I had him pictured...but it will do !

You, too, can have a picture made of your warrior if you go to this link. Two of their current exhibits right now are Genghis Khan and the Terra Cotta Warriors. You'll not want to miss this one.

July was SO hot!

That's Tiffany's garden behind her, she and Paul and the kids did an awesome job with it.


Tucker "hiding" from the uncles.


Rush wouldn't be anywhere else.

Unless it's controlling the water.

Paige, Storie, Anna, Emma

The power boosters are Jeff and Anna, boosting Emma

Eliora

Emma walking on water

Jeff's turn, with Ben and Anna as boosters

Now it's Ben's turn


Avery


Eliora

Paige

Emma again. The kids could have done this ALL night!

Miller and Tiffany

Sierra and Sadie

Sadie, Ben, Abbie

The Grand Finale!

Philmont - Friday

Our last morning on Baldy.


Sometimes, strange things came in the mail to the staff.


Staff stays busy with projects. This became a castle, complete with a gate that raised and lowered and used at the Commissory.


We're thinking of using this for our Christmas cards this year. If I can just get them sent out!


I'll miss this scenic little walk to the Red Roof Inn.


The inside of the Red Roof Inn. So glad it wasn't a Pilot to Bombadier!

Miranda

It always amazes me how much room is inside a teepee. We stopped here to pick up a young scout that had damaged his knee and unable to continue on the hike. He rode back to base camp with us where there is an excellent medical facility on base. Volunteer doctors come here, mostly from the University of Kansas.


Staff lodge at Miranda. Crews make pack lines whenever they come into a camp.


The porch talk gives them important information about activities to do and camping procedures.




Crews are logged in, and logged out.


Inside is every mountain man's dream store.




No electricity, no gas lines. All meals prepared the same way as 100 years ago.

Head of Dean

Unexpected detour to Head of Dean. Another injured scout needed to be picked up but by the time we got there, he was already headed to base camp on a comp truck.




Gorgeous view from here as well as Baldy.


We're almost back to base camp. Looking towards Baldy Mountain whose top is in the clouds.


Outside the museum at base camp is this carved rock, carved by Kit Carson.


We've left Philmont and are on the way home. After living in a forest for 21 years, I love seeing the open sky.


So much to see all at once!


The colors are so different as well.


At first it looked like a sun doggie but it wasn't.


It was a real rainbow.