Yosemite

For 7 years, we've lived 2 hours away from one of the most beautiful places on earth and never visited. We've had good intentions. Jim has always wanted to hike up half-dome. But I'm either always pregnant or had a nursing baby. This was the summer to do it. We couldn't get a campsite, though, and then we couldn't get anyone to come be with the kids for 3 days... So at the end of July, when our friends the Browns were going camping (as families) in Yosemite, we were thrilled to join them. We camped in a gorgeous site outside of the park, where Jim lead the kids on nightly snipe hunts. He was so convincing that Ainsley and Madison really thought they could find one (and they were also a little nervous the rest of the time - sorry guys!)

HalfDome - isn't it breathtaking! Someday we will climb...
We went to see the giant sequoias - you could walk through them. One was even on it's side and hollowed out like a tunnel. The kids went all the way into it. Amazing!
We hiked to rivers, lakes, waterfalls. Our kids aren't really born to hike, but it wasn't too too painful. And we saw such wonderful things!
Daddy and Annie - buddies
Ainsley and Madison and such good friends for our girls - I love how Lex and Ainsley are holding hands in this one.
We had Annie in a backpack the entire time. If she was eating, she was fine. 'Nuff said.
The girls ran up this huge rock mountain the last day which overlooked a giant meadow. While we were up there, it started pouring rain. By the time we made it back to our car, we were soaked. But I think it was the girls' favorite hike of all. I also love how in this picture, Jim is surrounded by his 5 girls - what a lucky man.