Idaho Vacation - July 2

Date: Tuesday July 2, 2013
Location: Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Mesa, Phoenix

Today was our last official day!

We were determined to make the most of every minute of it.

Actually I'm pretty sure we made the most of every minute of the entire vacation!

The kids rolled out of bed and somehow landed in the rhino/rzr!

I had barely opened my eyes and I could already hear them all out there cruising around!

I cracked up laughing at the cutie giggling girls in the back

with their little ponytails bouncing along!

We were barely able to drag them off the UTVs in order to have an outdoor breakfast.

Even Grandma Norma came down to join us!

Sadly the Murray clan had to head back to Utah soon after.

They had multiple baseball games to get the boys to!

So we said our goodbyes and promised it wouldn't be as long before our next reunion!!

Then our little crew headed back outside to play.

Anden begged enough that we finally let him take the outlawed 3 wheeler

for a spin around the yard.

Afterwards we loaded up the kneeboards/ropes and headed up to the canal.

I was ready to teach the kids what my summer activities included growing up.

Floating the canal

(which I never quite realized until I moved away that it was disgusting dirty ditch water and not my own personal water park in my backyard!)

We both quickly realized this activity was overrated

when you had to pull yourself out and walk all the way back upstream to start again.

So then I got stuck following along with the rhino and driving him back.

Luckily he got bored with it before I called it quits as his personal chauffeur!

So he moved on to butt surfing in the little creek instead

Meanwhile Kyrrigan gathered and stored rocks for the winter

in the front of her swimsuit.

I guess that kind of defeats the purpose of a flotation device if it's full of heavy rocks?!

Next began the snail/weird animal specimen collecting

Then came the dares to jump into the waterfall.

I might have been the one to encourage it first to Anden.

Then it went something like this...

Anden yelling: "Taylee! Mom said we can jump into the waterfall!  If you do it, I will!"

Taylee: "OK.  But you do it first.  You're older"

Anden: "Um no I think you should do it first this time."

Silence as each ponders the proposition

Taylee: "FINE!  If you're going to be scared then I'll just do it first!"

And off she went! lol

This little brave spitfire girl cracks me up!

Once Anden saw Taylee lived through the experience,

he followed suit.

Good thing Papa Nolie wore his water boots.

So his socks wouldn't get wet.

Meanwhile the big boys snuck in some bird hunting.

I love going back to the rhino to head home and seeing a dead bird in my seat.

Eventually we cleared out the dead animals and headed back home.

There were sprinklers that were waiting for us.

Sadly the dreaded time arrived.

Time to fly back to Arizona.

We packed up and snuck in a Last Supper at Wingers.

Then off to the airport we went.

We attempted to entertain ourselves while we waited for our flight.

We rode the escalator up and down at least 15 times.

We tried to take group pics.

Taylee got sick of Anden bugging her and went to sit by the window alone.

I watched as the hyper energy literally slid out of her

But no worries,

we loaded the plane soon after and she had 2 hours to recoup her energy!

When we landed in Mesa

Ryan went to get the car while the kids and I stayed to get the luggage.

I told the kids to stay put while I walked 15 ft to the luggage carousel for a few minutes.

I collected all the bags and lugged them back to the waiting spot.

But oddly the kids were gone!

I frantically scanned the crowd.

I noticed some people gawking towards the back of the baggage claim area.

I followed their eyes

and yep there I saw two miniature handicaps having wheelchair races.

Do I claim those unruly children 

or just duck my head and walk outside to the waiting curbside car?

I'll admit I actually mulled over that question longer than usual.

But alas I scolded them while holding back my laughter

and we all loaded up into the car and finally headed to 

Home Sweet Home!

We had such an amazingly fun trip!!

Thank you to all those that made it memorable.

And yes that means especially Papa Nolie.

We love you eternally!