Nathan and Family visits: Colorado and Indiana

Rocky Mountain National Park:






At Amussens:








Donald Duck:


The gangs all here:

Catching fire-flies:



In Shipshewana, Indiana:

Update from Mia and Carrie

Well, not too much to report here but I thought I'd fill you in on the little things going on in our part of the world.  

Mia is as cute as always, and with the weather being warm and sunny lately, she gets to spend more time outside.  I've been going hiking a lot with a friend, and we take her when we can (some trails don't allow dogs).  We found a trail off the beaten path a few weeks ago, and since we were strapped for time the first time we hiked it, we didn't go as far.  Last weekend though, we were exploring the mountain for a good 6 hours or so and managed to find the actual trail we were supposed to be on, since the first half we were on the side of the mountain climbing up, down, all around, until we found the trail (it was quite the adventure trying not to slide down the mountain to my death).  We found a little cave with a stove and water tank and it looked like someone had been living there or was living there, and I wish I had taken a camera so I could have taken pictures so you could all see it, it was pretty cool.

Mia doesn't have to be on a leash, as she stays close by and she even stops and waits for me when I have a hard time going down the steep mountain, attempting not to slide down, and it makes me laugh because she looks up at me with her tongue hanging out looking like she has a huge smile on her face.  At one point in the trail, we had to climb over an enormous pile of huge boulders to get to the other side of the trail, and Mia made it almost all by herself - I had to pick her up and help her out once cause she's so tiny and the rocks were so big - but she didn't need help on the rest of the trail, which was pretty impressive because once the trail ended, we literally climbed UP the mountain to a lookout rock to eat lunch, and it was tough climbing through the brush and trees with your feet sliding out from under you (again, it's a miracle I didn't fall down the mountain at some point...lol).  Needless to say, as soon as we got home she curled up on her blanket and took a nice long nap!

All this hiking has gotten me into trail running a bit more, and I found a GREAT place on Monday.  I had gone running on some of the pathways that start at the same trailhead, but they were paved trails that ran along I-215 and went towards Sugarhouse.  The trails I "discovered" recently went up east on the mountain, some along I-80 that goes up to Park City. 

I attempt to run as much of the uphills as possible, and while I'm not in awesome shape I'm in decent shape, but wow!  These trails are tough, and after I run as far as I can until my legs burn and I can't handle it anymore, I can hardly catch my breath when I stop to rest.  I thought my cardio was pretty decent too, but looks like I have a lot to improve on!  I went yesterday as well, and ended up doing some off-trail climbing again to the ridge of the mountain.  My camera phone started acting funny, so I only got one picture from the top but it was an amazing view of the Salt Lake Valley, with the sun setting and everything.  I was able to run a little bit more yesterday than I did Monday, so maybe I'm already improving.  I'm hoping by Fall I'll be able to run the majority of the mountain and conquer it!  :)

This last picture cracks me up.  I'm trying to give Mia kisses, but that look on her face says otherwise...lol.

Hope you are all well in your part of the world, wherever you may be!