July with photo galore

We have been on break for over a month already. While I cannot quite grasp how fast things are going, Maman on the other hand wishes she could go back in time and be back at the beginning of July!

It has been busy and fun this month with a lot of boring parts for me: the P's have decided to refresh the kitchen and all those discussions about color, style, quality, quantity, cost, plans and all are so not interesting. Now, if they were talking about where to display all my Lego characters and models, I would certainly be inclined to give my opinion.

But with the weather being on the hot and sunny side, we also do quite a bit outside.
At the beginning of the month, Maman and I enjoyed a long bike ride and there were already plenty of ripe blackberries so my hands were soon looking quite purple.

With everybody having plans, it's even hard to organize playdates. My friend L came over one day and between a fun game of Monopoly and water play at the park, I got to sleep very well that night!

Mid-July was time for me to be in camp. I chose a swim camp. I had not been back at the pool for lessons since I, hum, well... since I behaved in a way that was not too conducive to making any swimming progress. And since then, I had always refused to take lessons again. But after one week of camp, I was ready to sign up again and in the Fall it will be back to the pool to better my stroke moves.

The camp was barely over that we piled ourselves in the car and to Montana we left to see Grandpa and Grandma.

I really enjoyed visiting the garden and gorged myself on lettuce, kale, peas and green onions, and later for dinner, spinach, radishes and beets were also among my favorites. I wish we had a great garden like that!

Hot and sunny followed us from Oregon so when we hiked, I got quite sweaty and tired; but it was also nice to find plenty of huckleberries along the way. There is nothing better than eating directly from what nature gives you.

Downtown Missoula also has great waterfront trails. I took my scooter there and we followed the trail on both side before settling down for a picnic with our feet in the water. We watched for a while as some people were playing in the rapids and trying to surf them.

( note the jar of green onion that grandma prepared just for me as a snack!)

On our last day, Papa had reserved a fire lookout so that he and I could spend the night there. But because we like to share, we invited all to spend the afternoon and dinner with us. To say that I was excited about the experience is an understatement. I was very sad to learn we would spend only one night there!
So we hiked a little, tried to spot birds with binoculars, enjoyed a wonderful dinner made by Grandma and played games until the sun began setting and it was time for us to stay and the rest of the group to go back down to Lolo.  I want to do that again!

 ( not quite sure I want to trust this guy to watch out for fire!)

We had to go back home the next morning though and so it was time to say goodbye to my grandparents and hope back in the car for another 10 hours of reading. Maman brought 20 books that I had not read yet and others to read again but it was barely enough for the two round trips and my stay there.

It was a fun trip and soon it would be time to prepare for my birthday; but that, is for another post... although I had an early celebration in Montana!