The Fact of the Matter

Bryn: Mom, do you ever get that weird buzzy beepy thing in your ear and then it goes away?

Me: Yes.

Bryn: Do you know what it is?

Me: Not exactly.

Bryn: Let's ask the computer when we get home.

Me: Okay.

Calvin: Yah, but the computer might not be right.

Bryn: True, but at least we'll think we know.

Coming Home

Our wild west adventure came to a close, but we had more adventures in store.

Calvin had a quick play date with a pug at the Little America. It may have been the highlight of his vacation.

Peter and I had a quick play date with Karen and Zack- we bossed around the go-cart course, putted our way to glory, and shot the heck out of a pack of children in laser tag.

Once back in the Bay State, I was finally able to meet my new niece, Piggles (sister of Squiggles). She told me I was her favorite ever since even before she came streaming down to earth.

Our dear friends came for a visit. We played and played: wii parties, blueberry picking, Maine beach-going and lobster dining, watching the BYU dance alliance, playgrounds, splashparks, midnight political and economic discussions, running in the woods (TICKS!), skirt-making and the Children's Museum were among the activities. They also let me shoot them at the Robbins Farm Park. That is one photogenic family.

And then I played with Laura the Iggles some more. I like that baby-iggle. And that toddler-iggle. and that sister-iggle. We played around with newborn photography, and I realized it's so so hard to make a baby go to sleep in an uncomfortable pose.

The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Adventure

Highlights:

• Jackson Lakeside swimming
• Jackson Lake boating- one of my greatest joys in life is taking watercraft to the middle of large lakes, stopping them, and then taking a swim. It scares me to death to fathom the fathoms below, and that's why I like it.
• Old Faithful, of course. 
• Other Geyser basins. Miraculously, no one in our party was boiled alive.
• Revisiting Grant Village and the sandbar, skipping rocks, and attending church at the outdoor amphitheater.
• Hiking like crazy mountain goats. At one point Calvin complained, "Why do we have to hike or walk ever day!" Hikes included: the Heron Pond, String Lake, and the brink of Lower Falls.
• Mammoth Hot Springs. We lost Bryn and  Calvin here for a while. I ran every boardwalk there was searching for them until Peter finally found them at the top. Bryn was so sad that we were worried.
• Games galore- my kids, along with my three brothers' kids, never ran out of games to play back at camp: Ghosts in the Graveyard, singing Mason the Thomas theme song, Colored Eggs, No Bears are Out Tonight, and Hostage Adoption Family (it's complicated). 
• The thunderstorm that made our tent into a waterbed. Amazingly, it stayed dry inside even though is sat on a 3-inch deep puddle. Thanks again to the noble efforts of those who helped (or cheered) the great tent-relocation.
• The people! I loved being there with my parents and three of my brothers and their families. I missed the other brother and my three sisters (Tasha!!!) and their families. 

And if you still want to see/hear more about our grand vacation, Jill's post is here, Dad's posts are here and here and here and here (and more, just look at the picture section), and Lance's posts are here and here (he wins the wildlife competition, hands down. And probably every other contest, but we don't want him to get cocky).

Hot Dog, I Love a Good Cookout

Despite extreme fire conditions, we found the safest picnic area up Logan Canyon and had a cookout with my parents, Peter's parents, and Lance, Dani, and Mason.

Slip and Slide

My Dad's side's family reunion was held at "redneck waterslides" this year. There were two slip-and-slides (one huge and steep, one little and still steep) and a rope swing. Fun ensued:

There are two songs worth of fun in this video. Also, there are a few clips that are garbaly-gooked, so ignore those; the rest of it works fine.