St. George

The weekend after going to the Tetons, we had the opportunity to go to St. George on a last-minute whim. One of Dan's friends offered us the use of his house on Thursday night. I quickly packed on Friday morning and we left after lunch on Friday as a surprise to the kids. As we were driving there, we suddenly realized this was the first vacation (if you could call it that) we have EVER taken as our little family all by ourselves!

Though it was a farily short and low-key trip, we had a wonderful time just lounging around in a new place. We ate out, swam, hiked, and watched the BYU game.

Jackson Lake Lodge

In September, my parents treated us to a weekend in Teton National Park. It was perfect. We stayed at Jackson Lake Lodge, where my parents stay every time they come. The views from the lodge are amazing and you can usually spot wildlife in these fields right behind the patio.

The Lodge sports an honest-to-goodness, old school diner-style, grill with barstools and lunch counters. The kids think this is fabulous. It also boasts a fancy schmancy dining room with floor to ceiling views of the moutains, uppity cuisine, and butter in the shape of moose. This is also fabulous.

We stayed in little cabins that surround the lodge. The kids kept fighting over the honor of keeping the key and unlocking the door. When does that lose its lustre for the rest of us? The mere opportunity of sleeping in a hotel room was such an adventure for all of them. The kids busied themselves in squirrel spotting while the rest of rested and read in between activities.

Yellowstone

The drive to Yellowstone from the Tetons is a little long for a three day trip, but gorgeous and well worth it. Fisher got to see Old Faithful for the first time. And I spent most of our stay there trying to convince Dan that Old Faithful was not a man-made conspiracy. There was, unfortunately, a shocking lack of wildlife this year, which was definitely disappointing. But, in keeping with tradition, we played the license game and found almost every state.

My Dad's Rock

This is my dad and this is his rock. For thirty years or more, he pays at least an annual visit to this rock. And almost every time, we take a picture much like this one. This rock sits out in the lake and you have to carefully navigate your way out to it by tiptoeing on smaller rocks. We all pause and give my dad a quiet moment to commune with the rock. And maybe someday he will share the great mysteries of life he has unearthed while sitting on this rock.

String Lake & Leigh Lake

The annual Fisher family trip to the Tetons is steeped in tradition and habit. And no trip would be complete without a pilgrimage to "The Rock." You can find said rock on a beautiful meandering walk around String Lake and Leigh Lake. Our kids loved the hike and Fisher was absolutely thrilled with this opportunity to "mountain climb." The views were, of course, breathtaking.

Grand Teton National Park

This trip was Dan's first time to the Tetons and was totally impressed with the beauty of it. It was also the first time we have been there as a family. My parents have been taking the girls for the last couple years, but we finally decided to come along. My parents have gone every year since they were married and as we got older, we went too. So I guess you could say this place is sort of near and dear to our hearts. We had a wonderful time.

A Flat Tire

So, my parents took us to the Tetons the week after Labor Day. We were all very excited, but we had a bit of a delay when my parents got a flat tire about half way there. It tacked on about two hours to an already long trip, but we managed just fine.

We were lucky enough to spot the tire while stopping for gas, so we were able to change it in the safety and comfort of a parking lot. (I obviously use the word "we" very loosely here. I played no part in the actual changing of the tire.)

My mom and I played games with the kids to keep them entertained. And luckily, to their amusement, we found the oddest cockroach/beetle thing we'd ever seen in the grass nearby. Before too long, we were on our way. Once we reached Jackson Hole, we stopped at Bubba's BBQ, which is a tradition. And then we headed into Teton National Park where we would be staying.