The best thing about being on vacation up in the forest is that the kids just love it. Everything is exciting to them. Grandpa teaches them how to identify different trees, they see more animals in one day than in an entire year down here in the city, and they can pretend that Pokemon are behind every boulder and in every tree.

Also, the boys got to see Elle for the first time in several months. There was much joy and rejoicing. And water gun fights.

Van discovered the beauty of throwing rocks into the lake. He sat there at Grandpa's feet for EVER, and I had to keep replenishing his little rock pile. If it ran out, he would sit and grunt at me in increasing urgency until I did as I was told.

(dad doesn't always carry a gun, that was just in case of bears and stuff)

I bought the boys some authentic sheriff and marshall star badges at the Weaverville Motel, where my sister works, and they had a few days of fun with Aunt Jacquie pretending to capture each other and collect bounties and put people in jail. Ah, the good old days!

The sun has finally come out in L.A., so we might be taking some summer pictures here pretty soon - now that we can play outside without shivering!