Summer storm at Storm Mountain

E and I seem to have found a new love for the mountains. Sure, we've always LOVED the mountains, but since having kids we've either had very small kids or I was pregnant (or both). But this year the kids are bigger and dinner away from home is more enjoyable than ever before.

So in addition to our weekly hiking date, we've been enjoying dinners up the mountains this summer so so much.

Packing our little BBQ, some deli salads and a pack of hotdogs really couldn't be easier. Finding a spot we all love is also easy. If there's rocks and sticks and a river, we are golden.

Storm Mountain picnic area up Big Cottonwood is perfect for us. Nice big spots, a waterfall, playground and of course the beloved river. I tried to get more photos of James but they all ended up looking like this, his back to me throwing rock after rock. I swear he could do this for four days straight.

Juliet kept both E and I on our toes. She's scamper off into the woods only to eat dirt, try to throw rocks at James, and cause mischief in a moment's notice. This was after Daddy captured her and hauled her back to the picnic site.

And of course both of us get a lot (a lot) of time to watch James throw rocks.

Post dirt eating (eww!), she's off again. See how she looks over her shoulder with a mischievous little grin? Oh she's naughty and she knows it.

The size 2T skinny jeans did not fit here (too small!!!) so we dug out some of James's cargo pants hand-me-downs in hopes of keeping the bugs off. Luckily, the entire evening was fairly bug free, hence the pushed up sleeves and lack of hat.

Not sure what James was pointing out in this photo, but since it's the only one that proves I was present, I'll take it. And can you believe my big girl sitting at the picnic table like she's ten?!

This big stick kept her entertained for quite some time, enough time for E and I both to finish our meal without having to run after her again and again.

Soon we broke out the 'smore ingredients. Oh this boy loves marshmallows.

Little thief.

All of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, a huge storm cloud moved in and it started POURING. Luckily we were done with our dinner and dessert because suddenly everything was soaked!

We hurried under a canopy of trees so we could wait out the storm. The sky was black with rain and there was so much thunder! It felt like a grand adventure and we were all loving it.

Of course (of course) right when it was raining the hardest James announces he needs to go to the bathroom. We ask him to hold it, he says he can't, so off he and I go to the bathroom building. Luckily, while it was still pouring, we really were not cold. The air and rain was quite warm. Upon leaving the bathroom the sun began to peak out of the clouds and light was catching in the still pouring sky. Never in my life has a parking lot right outside the public bathroom looked so heavenly.

Back at our picnic site I grabbed the now sopping wet Juliet in hopes for some photos before the light changed. I got this one single one before the sky changed and the clouds covered the sun again.

The rain stopped for long enough for us to throw a couple more rocks in the river before packing up and heading home.