"Do I Look Like I'm Going to Throw Up??"

My life is one continual battle to keep my camera and cellphone within reaching distance.  More often than not one or the other or both are AWOL.  Currently I can tell you exactly where my cell phone is (although it's probably dead), but my camera is still lounging by the pool in CA.  One out of two...that's what I can manage. All of the nifty comings and goings in my new 5th grade class remain basically, therefore, a blank mystery.  That is a dismal shame.  I did, however, hijack another camera for our recent trip to Grand Teton National Park.  I remain cautiously optimistic that my camera will come home to roost AND that my phone will remain tethered to me THUS enabling me to communicate AND blog!

 In spite of the astronomical "exise" the great state of Idaho puts on fieldtrips, this one came off.  Call it planet alignment...

 We huddled on a bus eating our lunches and awaiting a break in the clouds.  Then things got frisky.

 "Look at us!  We're not in school!!!"

 This guy looks like a giant bumblebee, doesn't he?  Sometimes MY planets align, and I get the honor of siblings.  This kid's sister was awarded my Happy Pants award last year.  Lucky lucky me.

 





These dumpsters may be bear proof, but they were NOT 5th grader proof!

Bless mothers who volunteer for fieldtrips.  This one poses with an "adopted" kid while hers opts out of EVERY picture. 



Good cute little friends.

On the trail!

This was a potty break--apparently WAAAAAY out of some kids' comfort zones, but hey...

57 of us.

Two very very talented young women!  Look for them in about 7 years!!!!

The little friend on the right gets credit for the title of this post.  She seems to be on the upswing in this picture, but she was always on the verge of losing her lunch.  Good sport.  I kept her in Juicy Fruit, water to sip, and a big old black bag on the bus.

Can you spell H-A-N-D-S-O-M-E?
 About a month ago the kid on the right accompanied Paco and me and a few other friends on a trip down the Snake River.  He's a good egg!

Our good weather Karma exits stage left, the storm clouds gather, and...

the HAIL descends!!!!!  "What cannot be described must be experienced."  (Smithsonian Magazine, sometime, somewhere)  But these mothers' faces tell it all!  Thanks for the grand adventure everyone!!!