Vacation I

Apologies for the looooooooong delay in posting. Vacation took precedence and then we came back from vacation and life was suddenly...busy again. Weird. Anyway, we're back from two weeks of worry-free bliss, whether you or I like it or not. And we have these pictures to show as proof.

Vacation Part II will arrive shortly, I promise.

Hazel spent the first week of vacation at her Grandma and Grandpa's house, where Mom and Dad are convinced she watched Disney movies and ate candy all day. They didn't mind much, since it was one whole week kid-free and grandparents are allowed to indulge their grandchildren. She could have eaten twinkies all week for all they cared. We have no pictures of the week, however, so we start our little photo journal with the halfway point of Hazel's vacation: meeting Mom and Dad at Grandma and Grandpa's cabin in Central Washington.

It was finally hot enough to take the boat out. Hazel's choice of boat attire: PINK.

Family boat portrait. Oddly, the only family photo we took on our entire vacation.

After meeting Mom and Dad at the cabin, everyone took off for points unknown in Northern Idaho AKA the south end of Lake Coeur d'Alene, where the famdamily camped for three nights.

The batteries in Hazel's headlamp died, so she got a reflector as a substitute. Easily visible by cars, deer and fellow campers.

The 72-mile Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes passes Heyburn State Park. The Barker family of course, had to indulge, utilizing all of the 4 million bikes we brought on vacation.

Days on Lake Coeur d'Alene looked like this: Wake up, eat, play, beach, swim, beach, eat, swim, beach, eat, campfire, bed. And maybe some ballet lessons on a log on the beach.

Hazel quickly figured out how to turn the faucet at our campsite on and off and on and off and on and off...hours of wasteful entertainment while Mom and Dad relaxed around the campfire.

What? You've never had a sponge bath in a too-small plastic bin? What's wrong with you?

When canoeing on Lake Coeur d'Alene, Hazel likes to help paddle for all of a minute. Maybe. Then she likes to just take in the scenery.

Pretty representative of Barker family vacation.

Vacation Part II will arrive shortly...