I didn't blog the trip pix!

I forgot to blog the trip pix, didn't I?

I was disappointed that I, personally, didn't get to take many pix of the beautiful U.P. but Iliacat stepped up to the challenge and took a whole lot of very nice ones for me.

So, come travel back in time a week, vacation vicariously up north with us!

On Saturday The Grand Lunar took the big kids ~ ours and the cousins ~ out to Gnome Rock, which involved driving a mile, walk a mile or so, and much climbing of rocks. And while it's hard to believe it in today's 70 degree weather, last weekend in the U.P. there was still much snow to be seen.

In no particular order:

A quite unflattering picture of me lounging on the couch the whole time. Some of you were concerned that we were roughing it in a cabin with no flush toilets and all that. To which I say "ha ha!" and then in my best Tweety voice, "He don't know me vewwy well, do he?" You can see here the cabin was equipped with everything but free wireless internet access. In this picture I am shoveling excellent rice-and-bean enchilada, made by my sister, into my mouth. Attractive, eh?

Tobi-Wan on the Rocks:

A whole bunch of children on the rocks:

Iliacat waaaaaay up on top of Gnome Rock ~ due to the snow and slippery moss, she was the only one able to climb to the top this time:

I believe she took this one, looking down on the Grand Lunar and cousin Chickie:

She also took some artsy ones you can see on my Flickr space, including Yooper Snowy Moss Rocks, the side of Gnome Rock, Gnome Rock itself, Ice breaking up along the shore, and BigE climbing up.

The Grand Lunar also captured this great one of Eminoodle Leaping off a rock.

And let's not forget Little D's Bloated Gusset Socks, which I finished while up there:

They fit better than they looked like they would, and Little D seemed excited about receiving them, although has not chosen to wear them voluntarily, so perhaps it's one of those "it's the thought that counts" type of gifts.

Buzz liked them, too, here is is posing with them; you can still see the bloated gusset section:

Oh, and last but not least, some little red squirrels came to beg at the cabin's back door. And we named them all Hammy. Since they usually came one at a time, we pretended it was just one squirrel we were poisoning with Corn Pops and frozen waffles and Apple Jacks.

Oh, last last thing. In case all the snow and stuff freaks you out, go check out this picture that my sister posted on her Flickr space, which is the same day as all the others, but actually makes the snow covered beach look rather like a white sand tropical paradise!!!

Did you go look? If not, go look! I'll wait.

(cheerful hold music)

Sometimes a little imagination goes a long way.

Okay ONE more last last thing. Since you've all been so wonderful praying for us, and I've already got your prayertention (prayer attention, of course) would you also pray for The Grand Lunar? He's hurt his back, or the stress of this past week has hurt his back ... he is having acute attacks that are so painful he can't really move; in between they subside to 'very painful, but able to move around' ... he isn't sleeping well because of it, and it's wearing him down.

thanks, good friends.