Island Park Camping

After the reunion, we spent a couple days at my grandparent's house, and then we headed up to Island Park, Idaho for a couple days of camping. Island Park is about 30 minutes from West Yellowstone.

The Snake River by Mack's Inn where we go camping

(I stole this picture from here)

Our camping spot had a nice sandy spot for people's tents if they wanted it, it made a nice size sandbox for the kids.

Rachel reading in the camper

Tyrel helping bring back firewood, I love the tiny little stick he found a brought back to put in the firewood pile

Collecting firewood, a favorite thing for the kids - and Matt

Tyrel just chillin

Little Oliver sleeping

Kayla and Oliver, I love this picture

Tyrel getting a horsie ride (it's cute because the whole time he is on someone's back, he just says "neigh, neigh, neigh"

Jonah and Tyrel playing in the cleaning water

our camping style - lots of luggage

(at least I can say that we didn't forget anything)

me and my baby

Tyrel sticks his tongue out when he is concentrating, I love it!

my little girlie

smores

Matt with the boys

Grandma Cheryl with Oliver and Tyrel

Grandpa Ken with Tyrel and Mikelle

Hanging out around the campfire

The kid's first canoe ride ever, they loved it!

Tyrel fell asleep half way through so he is laying down asleep in the canoe

the Snake River, and Mack's Inn

boy this brings back a lot of childhood memories

Matt and I

Jonah

Mikelle

camping showers

(don't worry, only the kids took their showers this way, we showered in the coin operated ones just down the road)

Rachel styling Mikelle's hair with glow sticks

Cute little Oliver

Even though I hate this (and all the pictures Matt took) of my swollen eyelid (mosquito bite on the eyelid apparently does this to me), Matt throughly enjoyed it. Mikelle got a bite on her forehead, although she still looks perfect sitting next to me with my big ol' eyelid. Luckily the swelling went away after about 24 hours.

Tyrel giving Oliver a hug, even though you can't see either of their faces, I still thought it was a cute picture

Aaron and my Dad cooking dinner one night

Mikelle and Grandpa playing a game

Hanging out in the camper

Rachel reading to Jonah

(Rachel read the actual words, while Aaron liked to add in his own interpretation; resulted in some pretty hilarious stories)

We really tough it out when we go camping

(the kids watching Happy Feet while trying to fall asleep)

Eventually they did fall asleep

Oliver and I

Tyrel with his bear

Rachel "watching" Jonah and Mikelle while we packed up the two vans to leave

Not the best picture of the kids, but just an idea to show how packed in we were in the van.

We had so much fun camping with everyone, I wish Mike could have been there too, but obviously he is where he needs to be right now (Eugene, Oregon Mission), so next summer he will come! The outdoor life style did leave a lingering affect on us though; Jonah got so used to it being normal for boys to be able to pee outside in the bushes that he has started doing it now whenever we go to the park...in the middle of the playground...in front of people. I guess that we should have REALLY emphasized the 'only while camping' aspect of it.

Stewart Family Reunion

Every other year for the past 35 years, my Dad's side of the family has been having a reunion. It was voted that this be that last year for the James Edward Stewart Family Reunion, so I think a lot of people had some mixed feelings towards the end, but we all had fun. We camped at the Riverdale Resort in Preston, Idaho (yes, where Napoleon Dynamite was made). It had a hot spring pool there, so we all spent most of our time swimming in what felt like a huge bath tub. (The main pool was 85 degree and the hot pool was 105 degree, it hurt to put my toes in). The kids loved it. We had the usual auction and pot luck lunch and most of us were able to win a thing or two in the auction. I was a little sad that the reunions will be over because this was the only family reunion I have and I can remember going since I was a little girl; but the number of people coming has dropped dramatically each year with a lot of people being busy and having to pick between several family reunions to go to, so it was decided to just end it. It also was Jonah's birthday while we were camping at the reunion, so I made him a cake to have on his actual birthday to eat while up camping. (It was funny because he had already had a party in Colorado and Utah, so when I showed him this birthday cake, he said "Why am I having ANOTHER birthday Mom?" I tried to keep it simple, but he still did end up with three different birthday cakes.)

Cooking breakfast

It was kind of funny because the campground shared a fence with people's backyards.

Tyrel has been throwing major temper tantrums, here he is in the middle of one

Playing with Oliver

Teaching Tyrel how to skateboard

The group

Jonah blowing out his birthday candles

Aaron and Kayla (their two year anniversary was on July 31)

My parents won this blanket in the auction. It's kind of like the most wanted item. They have won four blankets now and so each of us kids got one (I got the one from the last reunion). Darla (the one in the picture with my Mom) is the one who makes them.

Matt was the auctioneer

A view of Preston, Idaho

After the reunion, we headed to Shelly to stay with my grandparents for a couple nights until we headed up to Island Park to go camping.

Here is a picture of the guys heading out to go shooting.

Mikelle made this "wedding hat" and wore it to church. I love that she just does what she wants and is not afraid of what other people might think.

On our birthday, my grandparents write a letter to us and mail it, we just so happened to be there on Jonah's birthday, so they were actually able to read his letter to him. He sat through the whole thing and listened.

I love this picture of Jonah hugging my Grandma Della

Grandma Della, Grandpa Jack, and the great grandkids

the cousins (Tyrel wasn't having any part of this)

3 generations here

Playing in the Great Grandparents backyard