Yellowstone

 Last year, Cole and I were the only ones to make it to Yellowstone {when we hiked Bechler}. Everyone was pretty excited to head back there this year. We stayed in a cabin in Island Park for a few days and had a great time. We left on Annie's birthday and had a late night birthday party for her. That's not her first Yellowstone birthday and likely won't be her last.

The next day, we went to Firehole. It was a good day for swimming and we all had a good time there.

Ben got a little cold (he's always the first to be cold - must take after me), but he soldiered through and still splashed up a storm.

Sometime, I should go through my pictures and see how many I have in front of this rock. It's a lot, beginning when I am just teeny.

This is my favorite picture of the trip. As I snapped it, Ben said, "Josh, you're gonna wanna see this," and then proceeded to run out of the picture frame whilst laughing hysterically at himself. Luckily, I caught the picture with his mischief face. It makes me smile.

He and Josh were really on one for pictures that day...

We brought along the twins, Nike and Reebok. Lookin' good, fellas.

After Firehole, we took a quick hike to this lake. I have forgotten its name, a peril of blogging two months posthumously. But, it had a lot of snakes and lily pads, so I can remember some things.

The weather was a little cold and drizzly the next day. We drove up to Mammoth.

Then, we went on to the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner. I had never been there before, so that was a fun stop.

Grandma Donna tried to give us all heart failure traipsing all over the uneven terrain. She fell at our house on Christmas and I am completely nervous she'll fall again.

We had another birthday girl. She loved the attention.

The next day, we went rafting down Box Canyon. It was a little dull for a few members of the rafting party, but just right for the majority.

 Bet you wish you were on that raft, huh?

That evening, we took a drive up Sawtelle Peak. It had incredible views of the Tetons and into Montana. It was gorgeous.

But you see what I mean about Grandma Donna traipsing all over the mountains?

On the way home, we drove back through the park (cause Floyd just HAD to see Old Faithful:)

And mom just HAD to see the Tetons. It seems I can't go a summer without this view.

Oh look, a photobomber. Nope, it's just Floyd awkwardly leaning into our picture. Heaven help us we need a real photographer giving us pointers.

So, to sum it up, we had a great time. Until we hit Star Valley.

It was Wednesday.