I’ve

lived in a lot of neat places in the last couple of years – 15 minutes from the entrance to Yellowstone, a mile down the road from one of the most well-known peaks in the area, a block from the ocean – and this is the first time in all these moves that my family has made it out to visit me. I’m not mad about it, they’ve lived vicariously through pictures, but I am extraordinarily grateful that they made it this year. And I hope that they continue to make it every next year or place I live.

My Mom, Dad, and little brother (see them both in the background below? one’s wearing neon green and the other’s wearing orange) came out earlier this summer and we took FULL ADVANTAGE of everything that Colorado has to offer. We went horseback riding… twice, drove through Rocky Mountain National Park, went hiking (on several occasions), went to Fun City, and took a tram to the top of a mountain. It was wonderful… every… last… minute of it. 

I get to see my family once a year in a normal year, twice a year if I’m lucky, like this year. On the other hand, I talk to my family almost everyday. I’m a talk-and-drive kind of gal… and I drive a lot. My Dad has taken up my hobby since his new car has handy-dandy bluetooth… it rocks! So while I don’t get to see these people very often, I’m very close to them and get seriously sad when I go too long without talking to or seeing them.

My Mom, especially.

She’s very much like her mom in the sense that she AVOIDS being in pictures at any cost. Or she sabotages them thinking that will stop me from ever using them. Joke’s on her. Things here started out pretty good. I made everyone stop before coming over the crest and seeing the most magnificent iceberg-stocked lake reflecting snow-topped mountains. Now you want to see it, don’t you. Me, too. But you have to wait.

So here is Mom – one of my all-time favorite people in the whole wide world – impatiently waiting for the boys to catch up, and ready to get to the destination. So far, so good….

“Oh come on Casey, you don’t need pictures of me. You have your memory.” Well, Mom, what happens when I lose my memory later in life (and you’re still alive because you are obviously going to out live me… I’ve eaten too many Cheetos to outlive you) and you’re taking care of me and I don’t know who you are!? You show me these pictures, that’s what you do! Otherwise I might panic and start thrashing about and screaming, ‘CHEETOS! CHEEEEEEEETTTTOOOSSSSSS!’.

It could happen.

Best. Picture. EVER. No denying it, Susie. Don’t fight it.

Ok, so here’s where things get good (and typical).

Typical: Casey (me) is photographing EVERYTHING. Even the most mundane happenings – like Mom snacking on Cheez-Its. Mom is exaggerating every motion, really playing into it, thinking I’ll never use these photos for anything.

I happen to love them.

Tell-tale face of a savory Cheez-It.

Chew slowly, savor, and taken in that view. Ahhh, I’m feeling full already.

Snack time, OVER. Check out this glorious view.

Oh, yeah, and the iceberg-lake-mountain-stuff behind her. 😉

<3

And just in case you finished this post feeling slightly mad/sad/bitter that I never let you in on the most amazing sight of my summer that I droolingly described to you earlier in this post…. here ya go!