Highlights from our tour of the U. S. of A.

Three weeks on the road and a lot can happen. Rather than recounting our whole trip, I thought I'd share some of the highlights in writing and in photos.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

• Although it was all too short, we were able to visit Marie at their house in Boulder as she recovered from surgery and prepared for upcoming chemotherapy. Kort, always the intuitive one, insisted on climbing all over Marie in her bed. Plus, he took every chance he could to grab her oxygen tubes. But, he knew it was a special time and place and he put on quite the show.
• Kort learned how to give kisses on our trip, and now he's quite fond of the act. Tonight during his bath, he spent about five minutes going back and forth between me and Andy. If we didn't lean in to give him a kiss, he'd get very frustrated and let out one of his growls. You can see an almost r-rated pic of a kiss with Keira @ Barb's house in our album.
• Surrounded by at least eight adults, laughing at his every move and lavishing him with attention, Kort thoroughly enjoyed his THIRD birthday party (the first was just Andy and me at home, the second was in San Diego with the gals in Lauryn's office). Thanks to Beth and Ken, he had tons of gifts and tissue paper and the best birthday hat ever!
• After not being quite sure about the water, Kort decided that swimming with his Grandpapa Mike ('GPP') in the hotel pool in San Diego wasn't too bad. He then went swimming in Mexico and had no fear of the lake in Vallecito or the river in Belfry, MT. He now runs to water every chance he can get.
• Speaking of water, Kort also now likes to water the plants (thanks, Auntie). He helped Lauryn water at her house and proceeded to get SOAKING wet. Now he won't go outside without splashing around in the dogs' water bowl and playing with the watering can.
• In Montana, Kort got a taste of the farming life after riding the tractor. You can see the pics, but after a ride eith both his dad and his Grandpa Duncan, I don't think he wanted to get off!
• And, thanks to all the quality time with (in order of appearance) Barb/Val & family, Lauryn, my dad, my mom, my girlfriends at the wedding, Blake, Maury/Pat, Sherie, Beth/Ken, Marie, Deb/Duncan, Dan/Michelle & the kids, Great grandmas Betty and Lillian, Kort has learned many a new trick, including dancing, shaking hands, giving high-fives, blowing raspberries, blowing out candles, running, moving furniture and talking (in his own language) non-stop. Plus, he's a veteran traveler--he was on 11 flights during this trip!