Annual Island Park trip with my family. I look forward to two things every year, Christmas and our Island Park trip. Of course, other events along the way but this trip and Christmas are at the top of my list. Once again, it did not dissapoint. We left Sunday like always, but this year it happened to fall on our Williams family reunion in Malad, Idaho. So my big ol' Williams family stopped there first, ate super fast, visited for like 2 seconds and then our big old caravan was out of there.
I know most people kinda make fun of family reunions, but I actually kinda like them. Of course, I usually stay right close to my family, my aunts and uncles and cousins...we don't venture out much with the second cousins and all that. But I love the summeriness of it all, the coolers of pop, the tables filled with desserts, sitting on blankets and quilts and visiting with some of my favorite people while the husbands toss a baseball around and the kids visit the fish pond over and over. The pocket behind the drivers seat in my car is now filled with plastic necklaces, and parachute men, and cheap keychains and such...but hey, my kids love it. And I do too. Love the quaintness and simpleness of it all. Its the little things in life...
Before long we were back on the road again. In total it is about a 3 1/2 hour drive, but stopping for the reunion broke it up and it felt like we arrived to the cabin in no time.
Lil' sweeties. The cabin was their favorite part about it all. Me and my sisters have 9 kids between us and then my other cousins add another 5. So 14 little ones running around from room to room with each other. Staying up late, builiding legos, playing the old fashion Nintendo, dressing princesses, jumping on air matresses even though they were told countless times to stop. They loved it all!
Drake bug..the next day, hanging out in his diaper watching a little Mickey Mouse.
All ready to go. Forgot to take a picture, but every morning I would wake up early with my aunt and a few cousins and go on a run. That is my idea of exersise. 4 1/2 miles in the crisp, cool, air into the most beautiful clearing I have ever seen. I would run along the trail, surround by trees and even a moose one morning (freaked me out) and all the sudden at the half way point you would reach this beautiful clearing. The sun was just peaking through the trees up until that point, and then all the sudden you were drenched it. Seriously a good start to every day.
I am sure I am speaking as a biased mom, but oh my heck, these my boys of mine. I die from their cutenesss. Every morning it had to be documented. Stinking cuties!!
We started out at "Quake Lake". I guess there was a big earthquake many years ago and you can drive up here and see the way it shifted the earth. Their is a big ravine, and everything on one side of the ravine, used to be on the other. The quake moved it all. Crazy. The kids just liked throwing rocks down there.
Hey, that there is a dang cute boy!
Me and my little babe looking out at the great big world. Sure makes him seem small.
We then headed into West Yellowstone. Roamed the little shops and stores. Always starting at the IMAX. Tradition! Now I have the Fiddler on The Roof stuck in my head. Tradition!
He's All American...well, and a little Brazilian.
Candy store is a must. Particurely for me. My kids pick out a bag of crap, and I end up eating most of it. They like the idea of candy, but when it comes right down to it they don't eat much of it. Except Drake. He would if he could.
We always let the kids pick out a couple of souveniers. They each got a bag of useless rocks earlier in the day, and then they spotted these ninja swords. My boys and ninjas. Hand in hand. They battle it out everynight with the swords and guns we have at home, these new swords were a welcome addition.
Here we are later that night, watching all the kids take rides on the Ranger. My uncle bought one this year and we had a blast on it. Especially my Lincoln.
Drake wanted nothing to do with it, preferred playing on the trailer instead. Speaking of Drake...BRAT! Absolute brat up there. Scowled and frowned at every living person besides me and his dad. I swear, when is this kid going to learn some social skills. He is the most unfriendly little soul you will ever meet. He is downright embarrassing at nursery each week. Such a snot pot.
Lincoln boy was a delight though. Had everone wrapped around his cute, crazy little finger. Love my crazy boy.
Me and my love the next morning. Day 3.
Headed up to Jackson Hole this day. Of course here we are in front of the antlers. Tried to get a family picture, instead we had me smiling, Drake trying to run away, Thiago hanging on to his shirt, trying to keep him in the picture. Carson squinting and crying that the sun was too bright, and a sleepy Lincoln boy who had just woke up from the car. It was a great picture. You don't get to see it, it was that bad.
Good thing I can count on these 3 to sit still and smile. Got a cute picture with my 3 favorite girls! Wait techically 4 favorite girls, did I tell you I am going to be an auntie AGAIN!! Jen is expecting Caroline in about 3 more months. And its Caro-LINE not Carolynn, she is very adamant about that.
These kids could not concentrate until we made our way to the gigantic toy store. Its huge and ridiculously overpriced and we spent a small fortune in there...
But we left with very happy children.
Little secret...tell me I am not the only parent out there to do this. Carson of course picked out a Lego, which wasn't cheap. Spent $40.00 on that, Linc picked out some superheroes that were about $20.00 but he was happy. And we bought Drake a $7.00 ironman. He got the shaft big time. However he was happy and knew no different. I feel guilt.
Went for pizza at Mountain High Pizza Pie. Where it was 100 degrees inside. I kid you not, cooler outside than it was in. We were dying. Good thing the pizza was good, oh and Drake spilled a giant coke all down my leg and sandall. That was fun too.
These two had the cutest little friendship going on while we were on our little trip. Talk about an odd pairing, but they were loving each other. Trouble leading trouble.
And another candy store...I begged. Haha. Shouldn't it be the other way around....yummy salted caramel chocolates. Oh so good! Oh and cherry supremes....and raspberry fudge. Duh, I had to have this stuff....oh and cupcake flavored taffy, I mean come on.
How cute are these pictures....the answer is super cute!
Back to the cabin for some downtime and dinner. Day three was one of my fav's!
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