We are finally joining the video communication age! This is a really great site and we hope to hear and see you all on it. The best part is that Skype to Skype calls are FREE. That really beats sucking up your cell minutes or running up the long distance bill. And then of course, we get to see each other.

http://www.skype.com/

Our Skype name is "jptolman" so add us to your address book.

Most computers and laptops nowadays have built-in webcams. Though it isn't required to chat (you still get to see us but we just can't see you). Here's probably the best YouTube video we found on Skype. It really emphasizes the fact that kids are so much more savvy than the adults.

Cool Kid Teaching Us Old People How To Use Skype

See you soon!

Jud, Pen, Colter and Anni

At least once during the summers, we make a pilgrimage to the Parks. Yes, we drive around and join the tourists to enjoy one of the best national parks in the country (thank you Teddy!) It is never boring and there's always something new that we didn't notice before. We hope to instill this same fascinated appreciation we have to our children.

Jud took us for a lovely drive recently. As usual, he finds the nicest spots. This is the family (I'm taking the picture) on one of the high peaks atop Relay Ridge. You can look east towards home in Driggs or west to Rexburg. I keep forgetting that we live in beautiful country.

There's a dead tree on the way to the top. It's really interesting and if you look around back, you'll notice that the tree must have been struck by lightning. It's completely scorched on the other side.

Jud found his way back to his primo firewood spot and the secret patch of gold (we'd tell you where it is but then we'd have to kill you). Here's Colter sitting, picking, eating and checking out our bucket.

Anni was equally into the huckleberry picking. We all did. You really didn't have to go too far to get what you wanted. Just sit on a nice open spot in between the bushes and just go around in a circle. The bushes were heavy with fruit.

It was messy business. You'd think we were finger painting. Anni washed her hands but it still looked pink from the berry stains. We picked for several hours. Jud got tired and took a nap in the Rover while we kept going. It was definitely a back-breaker. Next time, we're bringing some chairs.

Not bad for our first harvest. We filled almost 3/4 of a gallon ice cream bucket. The kids also had smaller stashes--food for the road, as Anni called it. We want to go back. We left a lot behind. Jud has been making huckleberry shakes most nights since that day--oh yeah, and they are YUMMMY!!!!