Voss/DuRoss

Team Voss came to visit Team DuRoss for a two week Park City adventure.  Ruby and Owen loved having their big cousins and Aunt Tina around to play, read, and join us for a lot of mini trips.  We started on the first day with a hike in the backyard (pictured above).  Ruby created a map before we left that she is proudly showing the camera above.  We painted with watercolors in the woods- what better inspiration for beautiful artwork than the great out doors!

 

Snack time!

We got everyone in! 

  

So many outings!  Lets see- one of our favorites, a bike ride into Park City and up the "big hill" to the Java Cow where Ruby and Owen love to get cow cookies (we usually share one and they like to stake which body parts they are going to eat far in advance...but this was a special occasion), and there were lots of other treats to be explored in our several trips there.  Monkey Mt, of course, and swim lessons!

 

We all got out to go camping for a couple days at Smith and Morehouse.  This was Evan's first time camping and not something Tina guessed she would have been a fan of.  However, by the end, we were planning how many and what size tents they should get so that they could do this at home.  This is one of the things I loved about this visit.  Team Voss threw themselves into whatever it was that we came up with-present and engaged. :)

 

A-dorable.  Can we photoshop John in for the Christmas photo?

 

 

It is impossible to get us all looking, so three out of four smiles aint bad.

All in again- we are getting pretty good at the selfies.

This was a disaster gone brilliant.  I forgot to get the chocolate for smores....I know, not like me.  However, in the meantime we had acquired an addiction to pretzels and Nutella earlier in the vacation.  Evan quickly told us to stop fretting about not having chocolate, that we could use Nutella instead.  I think we were all converts.  Great thinking, Evan!

Endless good group shots. :) All DuRoss/Voss cousins here.

 

 

Fire was a big deal. Had one going almost the entire time we were there.  We got poured on (luckily tents were already set up), hiked in a thunder and lightning storm, and rowed the boat around

Okay, we made it home.  Now, off to the zoo!

 

 ...and the lake.  Chip and the kids got busy on a really cool mud/sand castle while Tina and I swam a lap to the buoy and back (well, she did lots of laps and I did one, but who is counting?) 

 

City time- Farmer's Market and then to Gateway for Hawaiian Ice and play time in the water fountain there.

 

Check out the size of these! That would explain the photos below- some of my favorites.  Gotta love those two. :)

 

 

Aunt Mindy arrived just in time for another ride into Park City for the Park Silly Market. 

 

The girls.

 

Aunt Mindy was recently in Hawaii and brought Ruby and Owen adorable souvenirs.  I wish they made this dress in adult size.  And, Owen was sporting the very cute surfboard shirt and short combo in the above pictures.  Thanks, Mindy!

We hit the splash pad a few times, this time with Mindy.  Ruby and Owen love it...and playing soccer in the field afterwards to warm up!

Ruby's signature break dancing move.  Owen does it too actually.  Hilarious.

 

Soccer turned into a dance and workout session.

For Evan and Madeleine's birthdays we treated them to a handful of rides at the Park City summer setup.  They did the zip line, the alpine slide, and the alpine rollercoaster. whoohoo!

More randomness- Evan and Madeleine (Evan especially) got addicted to riding downhill on the roads in our neighborhood.  In fairness, he did also ride on the trail up and down a few times with Chip (and Mindy).  Tina's favorite discovery of the trip were the cookies at the Ruby Snap.  They were divine...and they have a cookie named after me so, that is pretty cool.

Madeleine did Ruby's hair almost every day- she loved it.  And, Madeleine also figured out how to do a hair-wrap on her own, and did one for Ruby and Aunt Mindy. Nice work, Madeleine!

 

Thanks to Tina, Evan, and Madeleine for taking all that time out of their busy summers to come hang out with us, do life, and create some awesome memories.  We love you SO much!

Wydahio

Whoa- welcome to a week in Victor, ID....or Idaho, Victor as Ruby said all week. Owen thought "Idaho" was the house.  If we were out and about he would say, "Are we going back to Idaho?"

 

Our one group photo from the whole trip....and it is a good one. We are at the top of Jackson Resort.  We all got on the tram, rode to the top, and hiked/explored the peak. 

 

This is a collage of all 400ish pictures that were taken...a representation of all the activities, love, and thought that were put into this week-long summer camp.  Thanks Nana, Papa, and everyone else for coming and making it a great time. :)

 

Ruby helped Nana make cookies too later in the week and I didn't get a picture of that, but this one was just so cute.  Owen and Nana are making meatloaf...or at least the sauce that goes on it.

Selah doing a little log walk on our hike.  The "big kids" were so cute- beyond excited to get out on a hike in the mountains- watching out for bears, moose, and whatever else their eager little minds and eyes could come up with.  It is truly an honor and joy to see the world through the eyes of child, eh?

There a few activities that us aunts and uncles contributed to the fun including this one- face painting!...which really evolved, as you will see, into body painting.  I loved the reckless abandon with which everyone dove in- adults and kids alike. :) 

 

"Thanks, mom, for the mustache.  That really completed the look I was going for."

"It's only fair, dad."  What a good sport.

 

 

A heart and fireworks- Selah's ideas, my handiwork. 

Mercy's hand and arm...love it.

I think those might be mountain town gang signs they are throwing, but it hasn't been confirmed yet.

 

Alright- moving on.  The Palisades Reservoir is an hour drive from the Victor compound, so not an impossible drive, but feels pretty far when you arrive and realize that we forgot the keys to the motor boat....at the house.  Nana and Papa offered to go back and get them, but we unanimously decided that we had enough toys to play with and that a day without motors on the lake shore would be just fine.  And, it was better than fine- one of our favorite days for sure.  

We did return to the lake for a second day of fun, this time including the boat.  It was pretty awesome too.  Ruby and Owen rode with mom and dad in the tube, Chip wowed everyone with his impeccable slalom form (seriously is there anything that guy is not good at?), and all of the kids got a lesson on "driving Papa's boat".

 

This kid's happy place.  Lots of "tools", sticks beyond the mind's imagination, water to dump, splash, and swim in, and endless castles to "destroy".  A quote that Derek picked up on and makes me laugh out loud right now as I recall Owen saying it- "I will capsize you down!"  Visualize his arm outstretched thrusting towards you as he utters this eloquent phrase.  What two year old even knows the word "capsize"?  And, it is funny, but why so aggressive?  That is a conversation for another time.

Hangin on the dock.

Lunch!

I recommend clicking on all of these collages (if you didn't already know that)- there were just too many great ones to post them all separately...so many good ones!

Western DuRoss- Wilson Clan family photo

 

Another auntie activity- painting nails this time!  So stinkin cute.  Nola held the stillest of anyone and had the tiniest little hot pink nails.  Too much.  Owen was just as excited about this activity as Ruby.  His toenails are still aqua.  I think it will be tough to convince him to take it off.  I also love this picture of Hope and Ruby.  The awe and interest in both of their eyes.  They totally bonded.  Ruby misses her special time with "Auntie Hope".

 

I miss all of these little hands and toes! 

 

This precious dude is so photogenic.  Are those eyes for real?

The Tram- felt like we were on top of the world!

 

Ruby- like her mom- not that shy or reserved.  Hey, if you have an itch or just need to air things out for a sec, what is the big deal?

 

 

Notice how Judah is holding onto the boundary line on the right.  Well, he let go...

launching Ruby into the air!  A little scary (pretty high, dad on his own...mom taking photos of course), and hilarious...especially that we caught it all on "film".  Love Owen's expression too...such a slavena...he probably whispered to Judah to let go. ;) 

Owen is tricky to photograph lately.  He is really focused on rocks, sticks, and the like.

My favorite.  A path towards beauty and a great reminder that we are all on it and should keep walking towards it.

 

Western DuRoss- Crestview Clan family photo

Eastern DuRoss- Eldridge Clan family photo

Did a few laps on the alpine slide at Snowking Resort.  My first time on one of these.  So fun!

 

Check out that smile.  Think she liked it?

 

Horseback riding. First time for all of the "big kids".  They did great and loved it. The "little kids" went to an art class in Driggs for a few hours and...

Nana took Chip and I on an adult ride.  Chip was sore for days afterwards.  He really got his horse running for a bit.  And look at this cowgirl- she fits right in!

 

 

Nana captivates the kiddos with a story about Jedediah Strong Smith and the Crow Indians.  Funny thing is, there is a map hidden somewhere that no one has ever found leading to some treasure intended for Mr Bridger.  Wonder if we will "discover" it??

 

 

Well, we did!  And, man, did we have an adventure!  Walked for miles, searched for clues, followed a treasure map, had to get in the car, wear our mountain men (and women) hats, and what do you know, found a wooden treasure box filled with goodies in the woods! What luck. :)

Ice cream in Jackson.  Antler collage.

Coolest park ever in Jackson- bouldering walls for kids and adults.  Ruby was quite good and got to the top of one of them...not without mom yelling for dad to hurry up and get over here to spot her!

Despite all the activities....maybe BECAUSE of all the activities, the kids went to bed WAY better than I ever imagined they would at night and we were afforded some nice hang out time each evening. Ahhhh

 

More hangin

 

And, the rodeo.  Kids weren't in bed until almost 11pm this night, and it was so worth it!  We got to see the guy who took us on the adult ride (and is ranked 6th in WY for being a bareback buckin bronco) compete, got to watch from super close, and Ruby and Selah even competed in the dance contest...video to follow. :)

This is a framer.

Yehaw!

Such boys. :)

Love this one of the three of them- the light and expression on Ruby's face, Nana looking into the distance, and Papa sneaking in with a smile.  So sweet.

I just couldn't quit.

Ended the evening with some sparklers in the parking lot afterwards.

 

We love and miss you all! 

-Team DuRoss