Chaffin (SNOW) Lake

Attempt 2 at backpacking in the summer where the SNOW NEVER melts!

Two weeks ago we drove up to Montana.  It was so so warm and sunny.   In the valley it was like 90 degrees.  The forest was so pretty and so alive compared to the first hike we went on this year.  It was so green.  I loved it!  We hiked the along the river/creek.  I love the sound of water....so relaxing! 

About 5 miles into the hike you had to cross the river.  The river was super high from all the snow melt.  We had to hike off the trail to find a safe place to cross.  Once we crossed the creek we stepped into SNOW! YES, it was like 80 degrees but we reached the snow line at about 7,000 ft.  No fun!  No trail and lots of snow in tenny shoes!  Along our snow hike we did come across a beautiful waterfall that was coming down every way possible.  It was one of the prettiest waterfalls we have ever seen.  

 

We finally reached the lake thinking oh the snow will be more melted since it gets direct sunlight....WRONG!  The lake was still frozen on the out shirts.  We walked around the entire like before we found a HUGH rock to camp on.  My spirits where pretty low and I was praying like crazy that we would find a place to stay. I was just so burnt out from hiking in all the snow and water.  I wanted to get dry and restore my energy plus I fell like a billion times in the snow.  It was either super slushy/slick or you just fell though to your knee.  Not fun.  The rock was our moment of glory!

We set up camp..got fire wood...made dinner and checked out the 2nd lake above us.  After dinner we made scones!  Yes, in the middle of the woods we made scones with maple frosting.  I buy rhodes rolls and make the frosting before we leave.  It has become a tradition that we make scones when we car camp or go on a night trip.  Its just so yummy! We had so much fun and I'm so happy that we found that rock! It saved our trip.  I love spending time with my sugar in nature.  We have so much fun together.  It's one of our most favorite things to do together!  Yeah for summer and snow!

This is the lake we camped at.....you can see our little orange tent in the background

July or December?

This is the upper lake....half frozen.  I guess there is one more lake after this one but we couldn't see it with all the snow.

Yeah for weekend fun getaway with my best friend! 

Humidity FUN

After school was out I took the first chance I got to visit my family in OHIO!  I went for about a week.  It's never long enough.  I love to visit my family and since I have been married the visits just don't come around as often as they did when I was single.  

I left the day after Moab. My fun just never stopped for like 2 straight weeks. On our way back from Moab I got dropped off at one of my besties Shelli's house. The last time I spend more than like 4 hours with Shelli was when we both where single....no children.   I love this lady.  She is such a special friend!  Shelli is the proud mama to two of the cutest little twin girls.  She is such a great mother and I just loved seeing her with her kids.  She was one of the first of my close friends to have kids.  

I loved how her kids welcomed me with open arms! They let me play and give them lots of cuddly hugs!  That night we of course watched the bachelorette.. that Bentley and mask guy! Loved it!  The next day we went to ZUMBA!  Shelli goes to the gym where I got certified to teach.  I love the instructor....her name is Lindsey.  She is so FUN...so CUTE and YES I want to be just like her because I love Zumba so MUCH! Check out her video here with Pitbull. (She's the brown haired girl) Ps.... I learned this song for my class! Its so much FUN! My class loves it! After Zumba Shell took me to the airport. Thanks Shell for the fun visit!

By the time I finally got to Ohio it was late. I stayed up late chatting with my Mommy!  I love my Mom so much! I'm not sure how I got so lucky to have such a great Mom.  She did everything for my sissy and I.  She was a single mother who worked full time.  She did an awesome job and recently she has had so many struggles.  She lost her job and had to live in Columbus.   I just have felt so bad for her because who wants to have to live in a town where you know no one and pay rent for an apartment that you wished was your home that is in Cleveland.   Her job is so STRESSFUL!!  I pray for my Mama everyday.  I think the blessing are starting to pour in.   I'm just so excited for her!!! 

When I woke up the next morning my sissy was there with her two babies!! I had never met little Natalie!  It was so exciting to finally meet her.  I of course fell in love with her on the spot. She has such a special little spirit about her.  I just never wanted to let her go.  I loved when she got confused when mommy wasn't there and thought I was mommy.  I got lots of snuggles on those rare occasions.


We went swimming...played at the splash park....ate lots and lots of ice cream.....visited family and friends like crazy......went to the zoo....and had lots of girl time!!  

The 5 cuties...Natalie Gabby Emma Alli and Avery.  The first 2 our my sisters and the other 3 are my cousin Shannon's.

I love spending time with all these CUTE girls!

Shannon and My sister Jackie.  LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

How cute is this?!

Zoo fun ...in the million degree weather. I truly thought I might just melt! It was so HOT and humid!

I loved seeing family and friends.   Its always so nice to be back in the place that I grew up in.   I still remember it like I lived there yesterday.  People know who I am and they remember me when I was just a tiny tot.   I always love to go to church and see all the people who helped me become the person I am today.  I loved loved loved all my young woman leaders.   At the time when I was a teen, I really never realized how much of a great example they where to me.   Its always fun to drive down memory lane in the place that I grew up.  Things really don't change in the FPK( Fairview Park the city I'm from).  


While I was home my Mom asked me to go through some boxes from my childhood.  Wow....the things you forget about.  My friends and I would always write notes and than make crazy drawling to go with them.  It was just so fun to look back and remember things that I forgot about!  Its crazy how life changes so fast and how much you change but still stay the same?! If that makes any sense! 


I love my family so much and I'm so thankful that I got to visit them in Ohio! I miss my sister so MUCH!  It's hard living so far from her.  She is the one person that I can do anything and everything with and just be so happy that we our together.  I love all my sisters!  I married into such a great family and I couldn't have hand picked better sisters! I can also spend all my time with them and be as happy as can be!  Hooray for family! 

Gabby is a little stinker...look at that cute face!