Island Park

A few weeks ago we headed up north to spend a week in Island Park with my family (minus Bry & Britni) & Brad's family (minus Chris & Angie... we missed them all).  It was a blast!  Island Park is so beautiful!  The boys fished at least a few hours every day, and would have fished more if we had let them.  We also explored Johnny Sack's cabin, spent a day at Yellowstone, saw the Mesa Falls, floated down the Snake River, went to a local rodeo, played lots of games (including Minute to Win it... see this post), and ate lots of yummy food!  

The cabin we stayed in was so nice.  I don't know if I can ever "camp" another way again.  Bathrooms, showers, fully stocked kitchen.  So much easier with the little ones!  

Here are a few of the fisherman's pictures from the week.   They fished everything from small creeks to wide stretches of river.  Some days were more successful than others, but they always came back happy because of how beautiful it was.  Can't argue with that!

Brad's first catch of the week, near Harriman State Park (one of the hardest sections of river to fish in the west!)

My brothers Luke (11) and Grant (15) are now budding fly fisherman thanks to Brad & his family.  They really enjoyed learning how to fish and getting to spend time with "the guys".  

Grant, Luke, and Ron

Luke caught this fish completely on his own, the last day we were there.  He was pretty excited!

Our first full day we spent the morning at  Big Springs & Johnny Sack's cabin.  

Brad's outfit for the day... no comment

The water comes from a spring directly out of the mountain.  It was crystal clear.

Owen & Taryn looking for river muskrats.  You can see Owen's eye starting to act up... it would get worse that night.  

My parents & my boys.  Obviously Owen was thrilled to be taking pictures.

My parents & siblings, just missing Bryant

Johnny Sack's cabin.  Built completely on his own, by hand in the early 1930's.  He was 4 ft 11 in. tall.  Guess I have nothing to complain about!

Owen's eye later that day.  :(   Yes, he got pink eye for the first time in his life while we were in the middle of nowhere!  An amazing doctor, small town pharmacist, and 2 hours of driving later, we had the medicine and were able to clear it up pretty fast.  

Luckily Uncle Ross & the tree swing helped keep him happy while we waited for the eye to clear up. 

 

Porter just hanging out in the cabin.

On our second full day we drove to the Upper & Lower Mesa Falls.  They were amazing!  

As pretty as some of the falls in Yosemite.  But much easier to access!  About a 10 minute walk from the parking lot.

Our family at the falls

We didn't take the backpack out to see the upper falls... Porter was loving the shoulder ride!

Keeping it real with this picture... so hard to get those boys to look at the camera, stay still, and smile.  

My parents and the boys.  Owen was a little happier this day!  His eye was feeling much better.  Porter is sporting some awesome hat hair.  

Porter & Grammy

Many a game was played at this table throughout the week!

Taryn & Porter.  Taryn was such a lifesaver on this trip!  She drove the 5 hours to and from Idaho in our car, as well as the whole Yellowstone day (9 hours) with us.  She fed Porter, passed snacks to Owen, loaded DVDs, read books, sang songs, and made the trip so much easier for us!  Love you Tiny T!

The next day was a Yellowstone day.  That will have its own post.  Too many pictures!

On our last full day my dad, Grant, Luke, Brad, and I floated down the Snake River.  The others fished, explored the Reservoir, or just lounged at the cabin.  The water was pretty low in some areas (ankle deep) so we would send the boys out to push us along.  It was a little more work than we expected due to the weak current, but we still had a blast.  The water was COLD but surprisingly felt good for an occasional dip.  Brad & my Dad took turns paddling, the boys took turns hanging on the outside or just floating alongside the raft, and I was mostly along for the ride!  

My dad & Grant

Luke

Brad eating some lunch and stretching out.  Both of my brothers, and maybe my Dad must have been out of the raft here because we were pretty crammed otherwise!

Don't let the oar fool you, I didn't actually do any of the work.  

Later that afternoon, a Bull Moose came & hung out just a few feet from the cabin!  It was amazing.  He probably stayed there for 3 hours, despite all the picture snapping and neighbors driving back and forth to check it out.  

It was the perfect end to a fun week!  I'm so glad we were able to spend the time with both of our families, and I am especially glad that they get along so well & genuinely like spending time together.  

Hardcastle Family Reunion

Last Saturday Brad's family had an extended Hardcastle Family Reunion at Big Bear Park in Sandy.  We didn't know too many people there, but it was nice to get to meet some of his Grandpa's family.  Two of Brad's cousins were there with their 9 kids(!) and Owen had a fun time playing with them.  He kept calling them "his friends".  He especially loved crashing their softball game.  He didn't understand the rules, but loved hitting the ball & running the bases.  

It was a fun afternoon with family! 

Brad just teasing Porter on the grass

Love that cute little face

 Here are a few pictures from the softball game:

I don't know if you can tell, but Owen isn't even running in the baseline here.  He is just running.  Aunt Eileen was very patient with him :)

Look at those red cheeks!

I think his picture is hilarious.  Clearly, Aaron is mid-pitch so everyone should be watching the pitch and waiting for the hit...yet Owen is running without a care in the world.  So funny!

Candice, Jenni, & Brad's kids.  Does that make them 2nd cousins?  I'm not totally sure, but they are a good looking group!

July 4th Camping

We went camping up at our favorite campground-- the Spruces-- over the 4th of July weekend with Brad's family.  I love it because it is close enough to home that if we forgot something, or someone gets sick, etc. we can be back in less than an hour.  It is also close to a lot of trails and has great fishing.  Win-win for us all!

We were the first ones to arrive and I was nervous how setting up camp would go with our little guys, but they both fell asleep as we pulled in and slept for an hour while we unloaded, set up the tent, and everyone else showed up.  It made things so much easier.

The first night was a little rough-- we had a thunder and lightening storm roll through for about 2 hours in the middle of the night.  Being in a tent in a lightning storm is not ideal (according to Google) but it was raining SO hard that everything would have been soaked if we tried to walk up the pathway to the trailer (where Brad's parents were dry, warm, and comfy...)  Luckily it finally stopped, and we all fell back asleep around 4 am.  That put a damper on Brad's 6 am hike with his brother, but we decided to do a family hike instead so it all worked out in the end.  

Grammy & Owen ready to hike to Twin Lake

We stopped for a picture by Silver Lake before we head up the mountain

Oh Owen, he was being so silly on the hike.  Probably because it was the first time he's ever been given the freedom to walk unassisted for a long period of time (no stroller, hand holding, etc.)

View of Silver Lake from above.  It was a beautiful day!

Uncle Spencer & Owen taking a little break

Love the red cheeks.  Owen did great on the hike-- he needed a little "pick me up" towards the end (literally, Brad had to pick him up and carry him down the mountain, with Porter in the backpack) but 3 miles is a lot for a little guy!

Twin Lakes-- we made it!

The rest of the weekend was spent fishing (for the guys), playing games (for the gals), eating yummy food (s'mores & woofums), dodging dinnertime thunderstorms, and LOTS of walks/scooter rides/baseball games/rock throwing for Owen.   

Owen & Papa trying to catch Owen's first fish

 Owen was interested for about 5 minutes, then he wanted to throw rocks.  Oh well.  They will keep trying!

This not-so-little visitor gave us a heart attack!  He ended up coming by a few more times, and I was nervous every time.  Too close for comfort!

Owen & his "Bruce" face.  (Shark from Finding Nemo).   

Brad & Owen playing some baseball 

Porter, Anneda, & Spencer hanging out in the trailer.

 

Owen still doesn't understand the dangers of campfire, so this is how we had to sit with him most of the time.   He loved campfire time because he knew that meant it was marshmallow time.  I think he ate 6 one night. 

Anneda, Chris, & Angie

My boys!

After we got home, Owen kept asking when we could go back to the "mountains".  I told him after Mommy & Daddy get a trailer!  It is a lot harder to tent camp with two little ones.  But we survived and I would do it again... I think.  :)