Stake Activity Day Camp

Raegan's starting to feel too old for this, but had fun.  The theme was great.

Raegan loved being with her best buddies.  Sabre is one of those great ones.

Imagine Dragons Concert

This concert was amazing.  Great band.  Trent came too, but didn't wonder around like we did, so we didn't get any pictures with him :o(

Picture with cutouts is the best we could do.

Nose bleed seats, but still can feel the awesome energy!!

Swim Lessons

 I'm hoping to get Ammon on the Swim Team next year, so I'm trying a crash course in swim lessons this summer.  He did great and advanced fast, but swimming across the entire pool may be hard for him.  We will see.  But I was proud of his hard work and efforts.  He had fun.

Tarin and Ammon on Kick boards.  I also had Tarin do some swim lessons, in hope for swim team next year, but the breast stroke and butterfly are complicated strokes she will need to know...

Raegan has done such a great job this year on the swim team!  She's made goals and exceeded all of them.

My girl at a swim meet in Payson.  I love her "intimidating" tough face for the picture.

waiting for her event to be called.

I loved this season too, because I was able to officiate at many of them.  Brought me back to the good 'ol days of high school swim team.

YellowStone National Park

We left Bear Lake, Idaho, and continued up north toward Island Park, Idaho.  Yellowstone is only 45 minutes from Island Park and renting a cabin is way more affordable then something closer to the national park.  We found this cute cabin in the southern end of Island Park.

Once we arrived, we needed to stretch our legs.  We went for a walk...but soon after starting out, it started to rain huge drops of water and we turned around and ran back.  We found that rain will pop up now and then and not last very long.  Raegan is showing how wet she got...

Later Trent and I went to the local grocery store and gathered up all the food and items needed to make it through the next few days.  We saw a little ice cream shop and wanted to explore the town with the kids and end the day with ice cream.

Next day we got up and took off for the National Park.

The enthusiasm to take a picture was oozing out of their eyeballs.  I had posted this picture on social media and one person asked if Ammon was a photo bomber... I said nope, that one is ours.  The traffic to get into the park was very thick and they weren't to excited to jump out of the van to grab this in front of onlookers, but hey... I have evidence and maybe, just maybe they will thank me later or even laugh later, who knows.

Gibbon Falls

Artisan Paint Pots

Norris Gyser Basin

Hit some construction as we went north, so it was a little frustrating.

Mamoth Springs

Pano at the top of Mamoth Springs

Driving down the other side of the north loop we drove a nature trail hoping to see some wildlife, but with all the rain we came upon it was useless.  But it's still beautiful and luckily our van made it through the muddy trail.

Tower-Roosevelt

Sadly with all the rain and construction meant the kids were in the van a lot and really didn't want to see much more this day, sometime I'd love to go back and see this.

With all the rain, we were tired and never made it to Canyon  Village so see the grand falls.  I hope to see it.  There was a huge accident on the main road to cut back across West, so traffic and patience was rough.

After getting back to the cabin, we settled into a great dinner and cozied up to a movie.

Something weird, once Trent and I got into bed and everyone was a sleep, I heard something like it hit the ceiling fan (it was on low).  Then a few minutes later heard scratching close to my side of the bed.  I knew I heard something, so I got up and... I found a little bat!  It was so dang cute!  Trent was freaked, as maybe I should have too, but I scooped it up in a hat and took it outside.  I wanted to get a picture so bad, but I was afraid the flash would have scared it and then a whole new set of troubles.  It was a great story to tell the kids the next morning, luckily they didn't freak out since we had one more night in the place :o)

Day 2

GeoThermal Prism
This was really cool!  We went down where the boardwalk was but unless  you are up higher you can't really see the full effect of the colors.  So we drove to the next stop which was a hike to some fairy falls (or something) and hiked to where you were next to this feature and then climbed off trail up the hillside to get the height to see this.  So glad the sun decided to make a presence because the colors just pop out!  Worth the extra hiking.

Old Faithful

Bear Museum

On our way out of the park back to the cabin, we hit this bear museum.  Thought the kids would like to see it.

Raegan and Ammon were able to go out and "hide" food for the bears.  Bears still needed to "hunt" for their food, so they let kids under 12 go out and plant the food for the bears.  Ammon is wearing the brown shirt in the back standing up.

My cute loonies....

Next day we got up, packed up and drove home.  We stopped in Rexburg to show the kids were me and dad  had gone to Ricks College (now BYUIdaho).  We attended at different times and never knew each other there, but it was fun to see how it had changed and to see the temple there.

It was good to be home, but a fun family trip.

Bear Lake

Wardwell Family Reunion at Bear Lake.  This place is where everyone wanted to come back to.  It's a beautiful lake that hits the Idaho/Utah border.  I love the open fields and beach grasses with boardwalks.  

This first day that we drove down was after church on Sunday so by the time we got up there the sun was setting behind the mountain and I wasn't able to use the glow of the sun.  I love the low lights of the sun, but we got some kind of picture, so its a win.

making our way to the cabin to meet up with the rest of the family, we crossed into the Idaho side 

This was our excellent view off the back deck of the cabin.  The sunrises and sunsets were amazing. 

Next morning, I wanted to get out for a bike ride.  It was over cast and a bit chilly.  Trent went for a run first... then I got out for a ride.  Planned on 20miles.  At first, it wasn't too bad.  Roads were a little rough and not very smooth, but I loved looking out over the country side.  I road north through the little towns like St. Charles, Bloomington and Paris.

on my way back, it started to rain and get a little bit windy... kind of got miserable.  I had texted Trent to come get me about 2 miles from home.

Later in the afternoon, it cleared up and I took Rian driving around Garden City around Bear Lake.  She did a great job.

Next day was random fun and the family "olympics"

Gage trying to lick his big brother Denham

Then we took some time to play at the lake.

Jarom

Tarin

Ammon

I had more of everyone, but it was on my other camera and a pain to get to... :o(

Then we had to have some Raspberry shakes...they are so so good!

That night it was performance time.  Gpa did Pirates of Penzance with James.  It's a family joke for years.

Next morning, the last morning, I headed out for an early morning ride.  It was beautiful!!  Peace and beauty all around.  Just me and the road.  I aimed for 30 miles.  I headed north, but in St. Charles headed East to ride around the top of the lake and make it to the other side.

Other side of the lake looking to where I came from.  The sun still hadn't made it over the mountain.  Point of turn around, and to make my way over to the sunny side.

A great way to end our time at Bear Lake.  Thanks to Gma and Gpa for the wonderful few days at a beautiful place.  We all had a great time.