All by Myself

I'm sitting here all alone in my own house (which is a very strange sensation). Alan is back at work. The kids are back in school. Our bags are unpacked, our house is reorganized, and I've done my morning chores. I'm even almost accustomed to the constant sweating and fuzzy hair that comes along with the Hawaiian paradise package. In other words, we have transitioned at last. 

The drive to Jackson Hole was beautiful, with highlights including 2 bear sightings (Wyatt says 3) and a close encounter with a bull elk that sent our pulse racing. Upon arrival we were overcome by the outlaw spirit of Jackson Hole and had to get a family photo.

Bear Lake isn't nearly as pretty as Island Park, but the water is nearly as bright and blue as the oceans in Hawaii. We added to our pot of awesome family memories.

And then there was Chicago for Alan and Zach, where they were welcomed like celebrities by the Junior Olympic committee. During the opening ceremony Zach got to run out of the Soldier Field tunnel with his name in lights and his face on the big screen. The Cubs game was a classic father-son moment and Zach especially enjoyed the polar bears at the Chicago Zoo. He made a lot of friends and came home with a bronze medal and a bag full of gifts for the family.

We are happy to be back together as a family all safe and snug in Hawaii and we're thankful there were no broken femurs along the way.