Yellowstone {and Island Park}

Labor Day weekend found us in Island Park again.  We all arrived late one night and the first thing on the agenda the next morning?

A dip in the hot tub with Gramps.

The kids were frequent hot tub patrons, but no one broke the "no hot tubbing without a grown-up"rule, so that was good news.

Also on the agenda for day 1:

Learning to crochet.  This was an Annie-only activity, but she took right to it.  Yesterday, she even took the time to teach me how to make a chain.  She is quite a crafter.  I hope she always remembers Grandma Donna taking the time to teach her how.  They sat out on the deck for a couple of hours together.  It was sweet.

 

 

The afternoon found us making our way to Mack's Inn for a little river fun.  We skipped the long float this year and just played around on the paddle boats.  

 

 It looks like Grandma Rose taught Cole how to wave in pictures!

We finished off the evening roasting S'mores and Starburst and Swedish Fish around the campfire.

 

 

On Day 2 we made our way to Mesa Falls and Warm Springs and what do you know, our kids found their way into the water again!

 

 

The kids also found a new pet at Warm Springs.  Josh named him Rufus and he and Ben quickly became fast friends.  I hope I can always hear Ben's sweet little voice telling him "good job, Rufus" when he would fetch the sticks Ben tossed him.

And you didn't think we'd make it a summer without a trip to Yellowstone, did you?  Of course we made it there.  We watched Old Faithful (of course we did - we are as faithful about visiting it as it is at erupting).  Ben gathered all the sticks he could find.  I guess he thought Rufus might come back.

Ben laughed every time we said "stink pots."  He has a great laugh.

Some of the group went on a hike to Mystic Falls...

...and others in the group "waded" while the others hiked.  It was Sunday, so no swimming.  Riiiight.  We just "waded" up to our shoulders.

 

And then we went home.  Sniff sniff.  It was a quick trip this year.  Here are my two favorite pictures of the trip:

My Girls.  They kinda like each other.  

 

And this classic.  He's pretty awesome, even in purple sunnies.