Solitude 2013

Every year (I believe the first year was 7 or 8 years ago) we spend a few days up at Solitude with Brent's extended family.  We stay in condos up there, swim, play games, eat food, and enjoy being up there!

It's something we look forward to all year long-- literally.  Back in February Kirstie asked if we could save some candy hearts to take up with us.  She's been planning for at least that long.  The couple of days leading up to the trip were excruciating long for her.  She would tell me a few times each hour how she couldn't to go to Solitude.  She told everyone she knew that we were going and wanted me to do the same-- tell our friends, neighbors, my piano students, the cashier at Walmart-- everyone.

Our little family started a tradition of having a picnic up at Silver Lake before meeting up with family at Solitude.  It was SO beautiful up there and the temperature was perfect!  It was a great escape from the 100+ degree weather back in the valley.  After eating (well, some of us ate.  Ian wouldn't sit still long enough to eat much.  Surpirse.) we walked around the lake.  As we were leaving, we saw two moose!

We had a great time at Solitude.  We shared a condo with Brent's brother Brian and his family.  They have 3 girls who my kids just adore.  His wife Charise and I get along great, so we were glad to be bunking up together.    We spent Thursday-Saturday there and had fun with lots of activities along with plenty of time to relax.  

It felt so nice outside to take walks after dinner.  Daisies were plentiful all around.

Each year we have a theme for our vacation.  This year was a carnival theme.  There were little games for the kids to play, popcorn, and cotton candy.

Grandma and Grandpa Bunting's bean bag toss.  They get it out at each family event during the summer and the kids always have fun with it.

Fishing pond where the kids 'caught' crackers, glowsticks, and punch balloons.

Marshmallow wars are a family tradition.  This year the kids tried to shoot the marshmallows out of the pipe and through a target.

Knock over the cans.

Enjoying his yummy treats!  What a silly boy!

 

And of course, swimming.  Our family swam all three days and could've done even more if we'd had the time.  In previous years, Kirstie has been so afraid to swim where she wasn't able to touch the bottom-- even if you were holding her.  She also didn't like going down the slide, so it really limited the things that we could do with her in the pool.  However, at the end of last summer she realized how fun it was to swim and float in deep water.  She's become so brave with lots of things.  Ian, of course has no fear and is a fish in water, so this year was a lot of fun in the pool.  We swam, played with pool toys, went down the slide by ourselves, on tubes, headfirst, with other people-- and our grand finale-- a 9-person-train.  It was pretty funny! 

Both kids loved going down the slide by themselves.  Kirstie also loved going down with dad, cousins, grandma, aunts-- just not her mom.  I could rarely convince her to go with me.

Here comes Kirsite, Payton and Ian!

Bathtime!  I couldn't get Ian to sit down.  Luckily, he placed his arm just right.   

Kirstie looked at this picture and said "Ugh!!  I hate my hair!"

Another family tradition is playing softball.  Ian is rarely seen without a bat or glove on his hand, or baseball on his shirt.  He's going to be a good ball player!  Everyone was impressed with how well he could bat and throw.  He's daddy's boy!!

Kirstie was torn between hitting the ball, playing with all the little babies, chasing squirrels with her cousins, or flying a kite.

There were also bubbles to keep the kids entertained.

Kirstie and Claire.  Claire is Brent's cousin's baby and Kirstie just fell in love with her.

After the kids took turns playing softball, it was the adult's turn.  Brent's a good softball player.  It's always fun to watch him play.  One ball was hit way foul and he ran barefoot across "grass", weeds, and rocks to catch it.  Brent can't even walk on the sidewalk or across the street barefoot.  But when it comes to catching a ball, he knows no pain.

Brent's number one rule for Ian is "You will not be a pitcher."  He has already sat him down to explain that it is too dangerous of a position because of the chance of a hit ball coming back at you.  Brent broke his own rule and was the pitcher for our game.  I was over flying kites with Kirstie and Sydnee when Charise yelled over to me, "Wendy!  Man down!"  Brent was laying on the ground with his family surrounding him, his brother nearby looking guilty with a bat in his hand.  Brian had hit the ball right back at Brent and hit him in the knee.  Brent went right down.  It was quickly turning red and purple and you could see the imprint of the ball seams on his knee.  We quickly got some ice on it and he took it easy the rest of the night.  Amazingly, when he got up in the morning there really wasn't any bruising and he said it felt ok.

 Another tradition our little family has is to get a late check-out.  While everyone else is scurrying around to pack, share luggage carts, and checkout by 10:00, we're in the pool swimming.  It's a great way to end our vacation!  We love going to Solitude.  Kirstie started crying at breakfast because she was sad to go home.  (She was also very tired.)  We're grateful for a wonderful family to share this fun tradition with!