Vacation Wind Down

We're leaving tomorrow. The kids are in bed. The Warlock is in bed. I'm just doing that last load of laundry before we head home. I feel so refreshed. Before the beginning of the vacation I was dreading this next week because I have to pack up my life again and get ready to move. Moving is a lot of work. But now, I feel ready to get back into life. One week for a vacation is just long enough.

The Fourth of July was really fun. If you ever need a fun place to spend the Fourth, I totally recommend rural Montana. Aunty Lollipop and Aunt Kissy slaved all day preparing a wonderful dutch oven dinner: chicken, potatoes, and pineapple upside-down cake. The Warlock and Aunt Pru's husband, Snap had a great time four-wheeling in the morning. And at night, we celebrated being free, free to put on our own fireworks show, that is. The Warlock was thrilled to be able to set off fireworks that could actually leave the ground. Snap ran after the fireworks and snatched them right after landing (he was wearing gloves) so the clean up was, well, a snap. I was glad that I spent my youth in Montana setting off fireworks so I could just sit back and be content to enjoy the show. I loved lighting fireworks when I was a kid, and the Fourth of July was my favorite holiday.

Bardo likes fireworks, too and he demonstrated his comprehensive knowledge of sign language (the more sign) several time throughout the show. Pippi was SO glad that we had our own beautiful fireworks, and she said so several times. Her favorite was the fountain in the pink box that she picked out herself.

And I remembered something about Stacy that I had forgotten. When she was about Bardo's age we went to Deer Creek Reservoir to watch fireworks on the Fourth. She loved the fireworks, and as they burst in the sky she called them flowers.

Today we shopped in Downtown Helena and ate lunch at the Parrot Confectionery. After lunch Dad took The Warlock, Aunt Kissy, Snap and me to the Missouri River (the area between Great Falls and Helena) so we could float on the raft. We weren't white water rafting; it was just a gentle relaxing float down the river with lots of swimming involved. Auntie Lollipop took excellent care of Bardo while I was gone, but Bardo was still glad to see me when I returned. He makes me feel so loved. Mom took Pippi and Fiona hiking.