Island Park 2014 part 2 (Saturday, July 19- Tuesday July 22)

 Saturday- traditional float down the Big Springs. The best part was that we didn't have to rent any boats this year. We borrowed a bunch of kayaks, and canoes, and that was it! Nobody had to muscle a huge raft down the river (and by nobody I meant CJL). We stopped for our picnic a little early, and just enjoyed the gorgeous river!

 Rosie and Wes

 Sadie has a thing for sticks these days!

 It got interesting after that, mom and dad tried to chase down everybody, and ended up flipping their canoe a few times. The boys all did great on their kayaks. Jeff chased Rosie into jumping off in the bath tub just like every year. There were alot of people on the river, including 3 drunk guys on paddle boards that kept us entertained, we kept bumping into them.

We stopped at this little sand bar and the kids dug around and somebody caught this little frog. I laid down almost fell asleep in the sun. It was a beautiful day.

Sunday: Church at the big A-frame and fun on the Buffalo River!

Eli and Ethan before church. I liked how the light was shining on Eli. 

 Sadie loved Grandpa

Handsome James and little Sammy

Church at the A-frame 

Lara and the girls on the swing 

 These two were inseparable!

 Sadie brought a cup this time- no messing around, she is catching a minnow!

 Bethany

 Eli

 Corgi with his eyes on a delicious morsel

 Jordan and Beth- pretty girls!

 Jonah freckles!

 Everybody loved Sammy.

Jordan and Hadley!

 Singing Frozen before bed.

Goodnight mustache antlers. 

Island Park 2014 part 1 ( Wednesday July 16 - Friday July 18)

Oh that lovely drive from Phoenix to Pocatello! The last time we did it was in  2006, before we moved to Minnesota for the first time. We were pulling the boat behind us, so decided to stop in Mesquite and spend the night. We pulled up to the Virgin River Casino and I checked us in. We were worried that we were going to have to sneak all the kids in because we just got one room. How wrong we were! Nobody cared, we just hauled all our sleeping bags and suitcases in, brushed our teeth and crashed. Famous quotes:

Ethan, Eli and Jonah moaning because they were sleeping on the floor. Moan, Groan, Whinge, Whine

Curtis: I think we all need to be grateful that we have a bed to sleep in tonight.

A moment of Silence then:

(almost in chorus): We don't have a bed to sleep in!!! 

HAHAHAHAHA. We laughed so much at that one!!

Thursday: Lunch at Tucanos, a stop at Old Navy for Family Picture clothes, and then up to beautiful Idaho for Grandma and Grandpa's Anniversary party. They celebrate 40 years this summer! 

I-15 at it's finest

Potato fields and mountains in the distance. 

We arrived at the cabin Friday night after a long day of buying groceries and dropping the boat off in Idaho Falls. Everyone else had gotten there earlier in the day and set up. 

James, Jonah and Eli 

Grandma and Grandpa and all the kids played some fun games of spoons

Bethany Jo- what a sweet girl

Ethan, what a handsome dude

Dave and Ethan at the fire pit

Walking (and riding) the trail by the Big Springs River

Goofy Sadie!

Bethany was so willing to let me take her picture, I loved it! Those dirty little hands with blue nail polish are priceless.

These three girls played at this little spot a bunch of times. They were trying to catch minnows.

Love that dirty mug!

Outside Dave's tent- totally Dave.

Jo and Beth using up all the marshmallows!