The best 4 days

We left the house at 4:55 am Thursday morning to meet up with our friends the Andersons. They are very prompt. We caravaned to beautiful Wyoming. We got to the snake river at about 10 am just in time for the first run of the day. Matt and Jarom went down in a little ducky the first time. A little frightening to watch them.

Here they come to Lunch Counter. It was the biggest rapid this year. The river was way higher than last year. So it was also a lot quicker.

Matt just pushing through it all. I know he was loving it.

Us girls and Oey left after we saw them at lunch counter and went to go find the perfect camping spot. Which we did. So insanely beautiful and amazing.

Oey in the bear box. You can see Granite Creek down the hill.

We had hours before the guys came back so Michelle our tour guide led us on a lovely walk to a rushing waterfall. I couldn't help but ooh and ahh at everything my little eyes were taking in.

Michelle, my greatest friend! She just found out she is having her third BOY!!!

This view was the best. I couldn't stop looking, and wanting to go climb those mountains and sing the hills are alive, and the flowers are on steroids. I have never seen Indian paintbrushes so big. I was just wishing I could bring my family here. They would totally love it and agree they had never seen Indian paintbrushes so big, they are near and dear to my heart because they are a flower that grows around my parents' house, and there are not many of them. We would have never dared to pick one for we knew of their importance to my dad, who taught us to love them.

Bella picking her buckwheat that grew everywhere.

Oey had the best time throwing rocks in the water. He could have done it all day.

Guys are finally back. Making dinner. i love my men.

Shoving their faces.

Bright and early the next day. Bella and I get to go!!! It was Bella's first time ever. It was really fun to go down with my two big kids. they cracked me up and everyone else.

Michelle was kind enough to watch oey and do the hike down with him to get these pictures of us at lunch counter. I love these pictures. I think our faces say it all.

Bella kept her eyes closed tight during the whole rapid.

Still closed.

We left the group after that run to go explore Granite Creek and our campground some more. this is Matt crossing the river.

He got to a HOT spring on the other side. That water you see coming down the rocks he couldn't touch because it was so burning hot. He said that someone had made a little sitting area in the water where it mixed with the river and it was nice and warm. After this we packed up our stuff and went to set up camp in the Grand Tetons.

Bella and her jazz hands.

The cutest bison herd right off the side of the road.

Jarom worked long and hard trying to make a tepee fire, he eventually got the wood to stand up just for Matt and I to say we are not going to burn all the wood tonight.

After setting up camp we went to Jackson Hole and met back up with the Andersons for dinner. Just to say goodbye one last time. We had fun by ourselves though. At our new campground we could walk to the amphitheater and caught a great show where the kids could get their material to do their junior ranger work.

Next morning back to Jackson for the farmers market and a little shopping.

This is one you need to click on to get the full beauty of. Bison with the Tetons in the background.

Matt took this picture inside a old cabin, I believe it was called the Cunningham cabin. One of my favorite photos of the trip.

Yellowstone. old faithful.

posers, and my new 9 dollar belt. It was like .50 cents or a dollar. We went to a cute thrift store and got the best handmade rug and cute clothes for the kids and my belt. I put this awesome belt on right after we bought it. It was a lucky move because we lost the bag with everything else.

I had never been to Yellowstone and didn't really care. I just thought it was old faithful, don't ask me why. So I was totally surprised by it all. There is this little wooden boardwalk that mazes around a million little hot springs and geysers. So we got to see a lot of action. The kids loved it and kept on running on to the next one. They couldn't wait to see them all.

Little coyote just walking next to the road

Kids exploring Mormon Row.

The bison have taken over. There is one house still up and running and you can rent it. I really want to look into it.

This was the cutest little store. It had huckleberry and sarsaparilla soda. home brewed.

It had little homemade fresh samples of ginger cookies and we were the only ones there lucky enough to partake of its goodness.

Kids and a moose

This is the top of our Death Canyon hike in the Tetons. Last thing the kids had to do to earn their jr ranger badge.

The view at the top--Phelps Lake.