Fisherfolk: Annie and her Papa Kay

Remember when we took that epic backpacking trip?  You know, at the beginning of the month, but it already feels like eons ago?  Well, you may have noticed that our youngest monkey did not join us for the adventure.  Fifteen miles just seemed a bit much for her little legs right now.

Instead, Papa Kay drove all the way out from Omaha to stay with our little girl.  While it may not have been backpacking, they certainly had adventures of their own.  Here they are at the Farm at Gardner Village.  Grandpa even splurged on the long pony ride.

The lambs are growing!

Plus, the alpaca got a haircut.

Annie hunted for roly polys in the backyard...

...and got treated like a princess at Burger King.

Quite the social creatures, Annie and Papa Kay enjoyed a taco truck celebrating a neighbor's graduation from the U of U's MBA program, played with some across the street neighbors, Tommy and Mikey, attended church, and walked home from church with her down-the-street bestie, Ari.

There were puzzles, tic tacs, and impressive bouts of scootering.

The highlight of Annika's "staycation," however, was undoubtedly the fishing at Cold Springs trout farm in Ogden.  Annika's talked about it every day since.  In fact, I'm pretty sure the entire neighborhood knows.  Her joy and enthusiasm for life is unparalleled.

After an hour and a half of patiently trying out her new fishing pole, Annika finally caught her first rainbow trout, then proceeded to catch three more.  She was elated!  Papa Kay said she tackled her first fish to the ground like a football player just to make sure it didn't get away. 

 

First fish!  Thanks for making her dream come true, Papa Kay.

That night Annika and her Papa Kay enjoyed a trout dinner that she will remember forever.  I'm so glad these two got this special bonding time.  Annika has her Papa Kay wrapped around her little finger.  She even conned him into sleeping on the bunkbed so that she wouldn't be alone at night! (She slept in a nest on the floor since the top bunk is a bit hard for Papa Kay to maneuver.) My only regret is that I don't have any pictures of the two of them together.  No fear: I made up for it a week and a half later when they were reunited...in Alaska!