Five Girls in the White Mountains

When most people go away they do so to escape the hustle and bustle, noise and pollution of the city. We're lucky enough to spend most of our time, year round, away from those elements, particularly since we seldom go very far. This year we decided that the girls and I would spend a few days with Grandma Vicki and Aunt Melissa in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (because for all its redeeming qualities home is utterly devoid of mountains) while Papa enjoyed a few extra hours of guilt-free shut eye, ate all the meat he wanted, and more to the point tackled some major household projects of which we would have been in the way had we stuck around. 

For the girls it was a time of breath-taking views, hiking and swimming, wading in icy mountain streams, toaster waffles and Tic-Tacs, early to bed and early to rise in a four-person loft, day trips to neighbouring Maine and Vermont, stories, movies, and popcorn. Our souvenirs were few but special: locally crafted bear bells for future hikes, photos, and memories.