Monday, August 13, 2012

First Day!


Breanna is in middle school, Luke is in Kindergarten and Jake is in big 8th! 
 Bree got to school to find a little birdie decorated her locker...So SWEET!  She has summer birthday, so Lydia didn't want her to miss out on this school bday tradition.  How cute is that?!

 After we dropped the big kids off, we met up with Jackson and his entourage and took Luke to Kindergarten.  Jackson went tearing off to the playground but we called him back to get a pic with Ms. Gade.  Luke is one lucky kid to have a great teacher and a great buddy to start school with!

 And these two moms had to walk away from our babies who were having a blast on the playground.  Aubrey, can't tell you how much I've loved having you help me talk out all this school stuff!  
You are the best!! 
 And Jer wouldn't miss a second of this for anything!
(and he's pretty good at helping me talk things out too:)
Love you!!!
They all came home happy (except Luke who was crying at the pick-up gate, but he said that was just cuz he was missing me.  He loved school and brought me snowflakes to prove it). 
To celebrate, Peter came over for our traditional school bus cake made by Bree and Me.  
(I think we knocked it out of the park this year:).
I think it's gonna be a great year!!!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Day 7: Rachel and Brad

 We got up early and headed back home but stopped to see Rachel and Brad.
Sure love these two!
Perfect ending to the ultimate vacation!!

Friday, August 10, 2012

Day 6: Buffalo or Bison?

 The animals were out and we had to remind the kids we were no longer at the petting zoo....

 And Grandma and Grandpa Denning came over from their cabin to spend the day with us!  YAY!!!





 Grandma and Grandpa Smith made this all possible. 
We love you!
 Love you guys too!

 No one knew if these were buffalo or bison but there were tons of them and we just kept hoping a stampede was not in their near future. 





 Mammoth hot springs and the killer hike to nowhere.
 But we made it.  And Troy did it carrying 2 babies.  
An amazing trip!  Perfect weather, perfect family, perfect trip!!!!
Loved every minute!
(Except of course the incident with the man who was in our restaurant that night yelling. "BE QUIET!!!" to my cute niece that was crying.  Grandpa, Jeromy and Uncle Mike all headed over to him and gave him a few  choice words to think on.  Seeing how his company was not wanted, he left the restaurant in a huff.  So Rude!!)

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Day 5: Yellowstone & Old Faithful

I think I was 6 or 7 the last time I went to Yellowstone.  And let me just say I had no memory of just how spectacular the place is.  Breathtaking at every turn.  It was incredible!!!







Swimming at Firehole...



There is a spot where you jump in the rapids and the water sucks you under for a few seconds then spits you back out.  Bree and Jake did it.  They said it was coooold!

Unbelievably blue hot springs...so pretty.  And smelly!



Jer and his Bros...Ryan, Troy and Trevor, awww!
Jeromy got asked at least twice if he and Trev were twins.  
While we were waiting for Old Faithful to do her thing, the kids decided to do some building....



Such a cool day spent with some pretty darn cool people!