Our private lake!

We are having some very warm days here in Durango and it's caused us to enjoy our private community lake funded by our HOA.  The kids had such a great time.  The HOA has been saying that, due to the coronavirus and people staying home more, the lake is getting more use than ever before.  But we were the only ones there for most of the time.  Just a mile down the road from our house...

We brought our own sand toys but the lake has community kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards to use...and also some sand toys for the kids too!

Yup...this is how you sleep when you spend the afternoon at the lake

Bruno's first hike!

Many of you have already seen these pictures because I posted them on facebook but here they are again.  We took Bruno on his first hike today.  We had no idea how he would do.  This is a hike we've done before.  Great Danes are not sporting dogs and don't do well with endurance so we have to be careful not to overheat him.  He donned his backpack, filled with water and his leash and we were off.  I am so proud of how wonderful he did but I think he did double the hike as the rest of us as he traveled back and forth from the person up front to me and Joseph way in the back to check on everyone! He slept for the entire rest of the day!

Once you get to the overlook there are two directions you can go: to the waterfall (which we've done before and I've posted pictures) or up to the summit.  The path up to the top turns very steep and is difficult for the little kids and the dog.  I waited in the shade at the overlook with the little ones and Bruno while Daddy and Lorelai traveled the rest of the way.  They were rewarded with some stunning views!

Joseph and Scarlet busied themselves running down hills while we waited for Joe and Lorelai

Evelyn tried her hand at taking some pictures...

Look at these scavengers!  Swarming around the backpack of snacks!

Good Boy!

June wrap-up...

Some pictures from June....

Warm days and water guns!

Doesn't she look dangerous?...

...well, Scarlet didn't want to use her water gun to get wet at all.  She just wanted to water some of Mom's garden

Scarlet is such a princess.  She wants to wear a dress everyday and then she immediately has to show it off to her Daddy so he can tell her how beautiful she is

Our two cats mostly stay in our room during the day and only appear in the evenings.  This is mostly because our kids are loud and rowdy and some of the little ones aren't very gentle with them.  Lorelai has been working real hard to earn the trust of the cats.  Lately, both of them have been cuddling up to her and she's very proud of it!

Just some boys, hanging out on the swings

Baby station!  I don't know if they're setting up a daycare or what...but they have out every single piece of baby gear.

We had to hire a company to come cut down a tree in our front yard.  They were worried it could fall on the house in a storm because there was some damage to it.  Because it was so close to the house, they had to climb it and take it down piece by piece.  All the kids, but especially Evelyn, were fascinated by the process.  Evelyn even wanted to help with clean up!  Don't worry...she was very well supervised around the wood chipper!  Now Evelyn says she wants to climb and cut down trees when she grows up!

I love this sweet bond!

Saturday morning cartoons

Scarlet got a new outfit to show off and she demanded I take pictures

I think I'm in trouble when she's a teenager.  She is so into fashion

My little bug whisperer...she catches critters all day long!!!

I love that these two get to grow up together

Walked into a rousing game night...

Catching more butterflies!

I am undertaking a pretty extensive landscaping project on my own.  I have a helper though!  Our yard has beautiful landscaping but it's overgrown and weedy and needs a good refresh.  This poor aspen was growing up and into a pine tree and had to come down unfortunately.  Lorelai was excited to help!

Bruno doesn't help in my work but he does keep me company.  I'm just very proud of his obedience as he's gotten older.  He can stay outside with me for hours and never strays far from my side.  He even chased a wild turkey the other day but came back to me when I called him!

Sigh....oh Evelyn...what are you doing?  She replies, "If I cover my ears I can hear myself chew and it sounds like THUNDER!"

I don't get a lot of relaxation time...

Another day, another moth...