33

We celebrated Jeremy's 33rd birthday this weekend.  Awesome husband.  Awesome father.  Awesome person.  Nobody has more to celebrate than me.  (Okay, I totally stole that from the birthday card he gave me this year but it says what I feel.)

Tennyson definitely won the cool birthday card award.

The master at work.

It's Always Fun When Grandpa Comes!

 Pops and Pat picked a gorgeous DC weekend to visit the boys.

The kids loved hanging out with Grandpa.

Well, some of the kids, anyway.

Thanks for coming!

Highline Trail - Glacier National Park

During the Hurst family reunion, some of the hardier Hursts spent a lovely afternoon in Glacier National Park hiking the Highline Trail, which starts at Logan Pass, at the top of the "Going-to-the-Sun Road," and winds it's way about 12 miles down the canyon.  It was a pretty easy and very beautiful hike.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

I went on an awesome backpacking trip in Glacier in 2002 with my sister Holl's family and pops, and one of my most clear memories of that trip was how remarkably colorful the rocks were along the trail.  Nerdy, I know.  But I was so happy upon returning to find that reality matched my memory.  The entire park is spectacular, but it's rare to find a trail that is itself so beautiful.

Pointy Peaks and Painted Rocks

Alpine Flora

Rays Over Paradise

King of the Mountain

The bottom portion of the trail meanders through huge stands of tall, partially burnt pines, and the forest floor is carpeted with the next generation of life.  I thought this was such a beautiful contrast, and there's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.

Out With The Old, In With The New

Color Stream Through The Burnt District

Funny how just the memories of being in such a beautiful place can still lift your soul.

Eastern Market today...

...was full of color!

Shawls

Reflections

Les Pommes

Toads

Brown Asian Pears from West Virginia (the best pears ever!)

Beads

Outlet Covers

Soap

Sweaters

Scarves

Turnips

Spicy!

Maize

Painted Eggs

Sashes

Old Hat on a Young Lady

Scents

Art

Candles

Copper Plates

Water Beads

Christmas Ornaments

Vines

Trees

Rugs

Bouquets

Buds

Taiters

Two Happy Market-Goers

Hurst Family Reunion - 2010

Grandpa Ross always wanted to take his family on a trip to Montana where he served an LDS mission, and he finally made it happen this summer.  He planned a giant family reunion, and everybody came from far and wide to participate.  Unfortunately, Grandpa Ross was the one person missing.  We missed him so much that week (especially), but we had so much fun being together in this beautiful land he loved so much.

We stayed in the beautiful cabins at the Deep Bay Retreat on Flathead Lake.

We fell in love with Deep Bay.  We spent a lot of mornings and evenings here watching the sun rise and set, and a lot of the time in between tanning on the dock and splashing in the clear, cold water.

 Deep Bay Sunrise

Cold, Crazy Cousins

And we had sooo much fun hiking, rafting, and exploring in Glacier National Park.

Ye Stewart Clan at Logan Pass


Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Hurst for a wonderful time!