Our Vacation

I know this post is way overdue, but I have just been sooo busy! We got home late Sunday night and I started work full-time Monday morning. Then we had the talent find and the fair, and I just can't seem to get caught up. . . anyway, here is a little synopsis on our vacation this year.

We left town on Saturday, the last day of July, and headed up to Provo where we did a little shopping and stayed the night at Kenny's sister Jody's house. One item of note for Stetson's sake is that we ate dinner at Panda Express. Stetson was so excited because there was a picture of the "Kung Fu Panda" (one of his current favorite movies) on the building. Who knew we could score with a 2-year old by eating and Panda Express?
LUCY AND STETSON - JUST CHILLIN' IN THE TRUCK

The next day, Sunday, we headed up to Avery Acres, a cabin owned by Kenny's sister-in-law, Kerry's grandma, for the Black Family reunion. This cabin is located about 45 min. out of Idaho Falls. The kids actually traveled really well, thanks to the DVD player and lots of snacks! We did have to safety pin the buckle up on Stetson's carseat because he kept getting out of it - the little hudini. Anyway, we arrived at Avery Acres just in time for a yummy dinner and the blessing of Tony and Kerry's cute baby Levi, who is just 5 weeks younger than Lucy. We stayed in the cabin that night, and Stetson was so excited and wound up that he would not go to sleep! Thank goodness the cabin had a TV and DVD player so that he could watch Woody.
AVERY ACRES - ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!
GRANDPA COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH THESE TWO GRANDBABIES!
LUCY AND LEVI

The next morning Kenny and I were in charge of breakfast. We did breakfast sandwiches, melon and yogurt. It actually turned out pretty good. Then the girls made necklaces and bracelets and the boys made knife holders to hang on their belts. Since Stetson is too young to own a knife, Aunt Suzie was kind enough to help him make a necklace. After lunch we went to Heise Hot Springs for Stetson's FAVORITE activity - swimming! They had a big tube slide that I thought he would be scared to go on, but he LOVED it! We all had a blast swimming in the warm water, and the best part was that even Grandma and Grandpa put on their swim suits and joined the fun! A yummy dinner that night prepared by Jody and James was followed by an ice cream making contest and singing around the campfire.
BRIELLE AND STETSON COMING OUT OF THE BIG TUBE SLIDE
On Tuesday we enjoyed breakfast provided by Dave and Marlene and then made super cute notebooks. After lunch we headed to Ririe Reservoir where Jody and James and Dave and Marlene were kind enough to share their boats and tubes. I wasn't sure how Stetson would be, but he LOVED it! Him and I rode the tubes together (while Kenny stayed in the truck with Lucy - thanks hon!), and he didn't even get scared. He is definately a sporty guy with no fear, and he LOVES the water! That night Andy and Alicia cooked dutch oven potatoes and chicken for dinner - yum! Then, thanks to Stetson's amazing grandma, the grandkids did the cutest program for the adults. It was right up Stetson's alley, as he LOVES to sing and dance in front of people. They did the chicken dance and the bunny hop, they sang Alex the Camel, The Ants go marching, and Bingo, and did a cute litte skit. It was very entertaining! Thanks Grandma Black for having the patience to do this with the kids - we all loved it!
STETSON BOATING WITH HIS COUSINS
LUCY IN HER BLACK FAMILY REUNION T-SHIRT
MY HANDSOME HUSBAND
"DOWN ON GRANDPA'S FARM THERE WAS . . . THE BLACK FAMILY GRANDKIDS!
CHECK OUT THAT COW!
"THE ANTS GO MARCHING TWO BY TWO, HOORAH, HOORAH"
Wednesday started with a yummy breakfast prepared by Steve and Suzie. Then we had a tug-of-war. My team won, though I probably wasn't much help. We played Bingo and won prizes from Africa. Stetson got a wooden elephant and a wooden mask and Kenny got a handmade tie. Steve and Shauna prepared lunch and people started to head home. We stayed and relaxed, then traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming where we had dinner and watched the Bar J Wranglers perform. The program was too long for Stetson, and he lost interest; Lucy slept through the whole thing! Every member of Kenny's family was there, including spouces and grandkids - it was awesome! Thanks Mom and Dad for a GREAT reunion!!!

STETSON CALLING THE BINGO GAME
STETSON AND GAVIN AT THE BAR J - THESE TWO COULD BE BROTHERS, THEY HAVE THE SAME HAIRDOO!
The next day it was time for us to clean up and head south. We took Gavin with us as his parents had headed home the day before, but he stayed to watch the Bar J. We stopped in Blackfoot for lunch and a trip to the Potato Museum. It was pretty cool! We got to Jody's house that evening and left Stetson with her while Kenny, Lucy, and I went to the Sandy amphatheater for a concert by the Nashville Tribute Band. It was awesome! I enjoyed the music so much that I bought two of their CDs and am anxiously awaiting the third to come out. It is a group of guys from Nashville that are LDS and sing songs about Joseph Smith, the Pioneers, and Missionaries. We stayed at Jody's again that night.

Friday we went to the Hogle Zoo. Stetson was sooo excited! I can't believe the last time Kenny and I went to the zoo was ten years ago when we were engaged . . . crazy! So Stetson's favorite animal was the Giraffe, a surprise to me, but we honestly couldn't pull him away from there! And when we went to get a prize at the gift shop, he wanted a Giraffe. He was also impressed with the elephants; if you see him, ask him what the elephant says - it is so cute! We saw all the animals, got attacked by a bat, rode the train and the carosel, played with the big water ball and on all the cool zoo playground equipment, and just had a super great time! Then we met up with Candice and Josh and their family at Temple Square. It was neat how impressed the kids were with the temple and the statue of Christ in the visitor's center. Then we went on a tour of the conference center; what an amazing building. There was a lot of lightning, so we were not able to go up on top - bummer! We stayed in a hotel that night.





Saturday was shopping, a picnic at the Heritage Park with the Palmers, and swimming at the hotel pool. Even Lucy went swimming!


Sunday we visited the Montagues and got to see their new baby. Her name is Grace and she is two weeks old, she makes Lucy look huge! We visited the Jordan River Temple (where Kenny and I got married), and the new Oacher Mountain Temple, then we headed home. It was so much fun just being together as a family, and I wished that it could last forever. I love my family so much, and am so grateful for them. Thanks guys for an AWESOME vacation!