Washington Weekend>>Winthrop 1

Aaron had a conference up in the Methow Valley in North-Central Washington, so we all went. My parents even came over to play and help with the kids, and we all enjoyed the outdoors and sunny, windy spring days.
The conference was here, at the Sun Mountain Lodge http://www.sunmountainlodge.com/, which is beautiful and lovely and all. Also expensive and without the requirements I have for travel with three little children: kitchenettes and continental breakfast. Needless to say, we didn't stay there, though we have in the past, when we had just one quiet, calm, and gentle child. And it was lovely, really.
We did go for a couple of little hikes up there, though. It's impossible to NOT want to hike around, when you're surrounded by mountain tops and signs of spring, the sky is blue and the breeze is blowing. How can you keep from running, rolling, shouting, singing?

Miles, ready to get moving. Impatient with everyone else for not being instantly ready!

Spring comes mostly in sage and green in the arid inland northwest, but also in startling points of blue...

and tiny specks of yellow. You might miss it if you're not already kneeling on the ground watching ants and beetles scurrying around.

But it's good to look up, too. There's a big sky up there, and deer around every corner, if you're quiet and still and look closely.