We just spent a week in Island Park, Idaho and had the funnest time. Grandpa & Grandma Prisbrey went with us again this year and we are so glad they did.
The first night we got up there Kelly, Dad & Wyatt dropped us off at the condo then left to pick Kolton & Hayden up from scout camp where they'd been all week. The plan was they were going to camp, go to closing ceremonies with the boys, stay the night and come home in the morning. My mom, I, Chet & Jasmyn explored around the resort and just had a fun being together. While at the frog pond (that had dried up.. no froggies this year) I noticed my front tire was flatter than it should be so we drove to the little gas station by the condo to fill it with air. While I was putting in air I stepped back to see how it looked and it was even flatter. I had never used an air compressor before and didn't know to turn it on so I was just letting air out instead.
Later we went to bed and in the morning I was talking to my mom and she mentioned something about the guys being home and leaving again.. come to find out Kelly & my Dad had ended up with 2 flat tires (at the same time!) on their way to boy scout camp and spent the night getting those fixed and never even made it to scout camp. I guess around 1 a.m. they had come back to the condo (yikes! we had gone to bed and left the door unlocked but that made it easier to get in) to sleep and left early in the morning to get the boys and I never even knew it.. I slept through it all. I never sleep through the night and will wake up when my kids rolling downstairs (exaggeration) but I didn't hear a thing.
The next day (Saturday) we spent hanging around Island park (OK.. I must confess.. I just said that because I don't remember what we did that day) lol
Sunday we were lazy and just relaxed. My parents went to the little church close by, Kelly slept for hours, Kolton laid on the couch most the day texting his friends and I took the 4 kids on a scavenger hunt the condo puts on for the kids. We walked and drove all over looking for feathers, bottle caps, shiny rocks, gum wrappers & all kinds of other things and had a blast. Then after we found everything we were supposed to I took them to the clubhouse so they could pick out their prizes. Chet had regretted not picking out a kite since last years hunt so he chose that very first. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and flying kites (my dad had made an amazing kite out of a paper airplane and fishing line also) and going for a drive.
Monday we got up had breakfast, packed coolers and headed out the door to spend the day in Yellowstone. As we were loading up we noticed the van had puddles behind each back tire. We were leaking coolant. We spent the day in the park but had to pull over many many times to fill it with water. We stopped at every gas station we could find to get coolant but nobody had the kind we needed so we were using water.
We had a blast in the park and even saw a bear. It was amazing.. it was standing on it's hind legs shaking a tree. I took a few pics and some video but I was so excited I couldn't work my camera as fast as I needed to. We stopped in an awesome campground and had a picnic. We got back to the condo later that evening. On the way back to the condo my mom & dad had called saying that they were at Big Springs by our condo looking at a momma moose and a brand new baby so we went and saw them and got lots of pics. That baby was so stinkin cute! He looked like a hyena (I hope I spelled that right)
Tuesday morning the van had gotten worse so Kelly called around and found the nearest dealership in Idaho Falls.. Kel, Wyatt & my Dad drove the long drive to take the van in and found out it wouldn't be done until the next day. My mom & I stayed at the condo (carless) with the kids but had a good time. So that pretty much ate up the day (it just wouldn't be a vacation without car troubles. grrr!)
Later that night we made the kids dinner, rented them a DVD and left them at the condo while my mom, dad, kelly & I went to a dinner theater by the condo. It was a blast. You could choose between prime rib & chicken then they served baked potatoes, salad, corn, baked beans and lemonade. We watched a play called "Phantom of the Grand Ole Opry". It was super cute and really funny. There were several times we were laughing so hard. It was a spoof on country music and Phantom of the Opera.
Wednesday was pretty much spent picking the car up from the dealership. I went with Kelly, Wyatt & my Dad this time and my mom stayed at the condo with the kids. Later that night we took the kids swimming in the river and were just thankful Kelly didn't feel the need to bridge jump this year. That saved us a scare and a few months of him hobbling around with a sprained ankle. And then we took the kids & our dirty laundry to the little Laundromat. We had dun doing laundry together and playing 21 while waiting for it to get done.
Thursday we got up and was out the door early (ok, 10:00 but that's early for us)and spent the day again the park. My Mom & Dad had gone canoeing the day before and liked it so much they decided to do it again and weren't with us. We drove up to the higher loop and just spent the day with the kids and sightseeing. It was a blast. There is nothing that makes me happier than being with my family. We had such a good day. The kids all got along great and it was just fun. We played our favorite music, laughed and just enjoyed eachother. We saw another bear (a black bear this time), tons of buffalo and elk and had another picnic.
Later that night we stopped in West Yellowstone at the Gusher for pizza and walked the shops with the kids.
Friday was a bummer.. it was checkout day and nobody was ready to come home. The kids were a little homesick especially Hayden & Kolton because they hadn't been home for 2 weeks after being at camp and all of them were anxious to see the animals but we were all a little bummed. We had to check out by 9 and so we raced to get out the door to make it on time and after only a few stops hurried home to pick up the dogs by 4 so we weren't charged another day at doggie daycare.
We had a blast! Thanks for being with us Mom & Dad. We love you!
