Vacationing in Idaho

Oh man. I would really like to post more than I have been. Covid is still going strong, but Utah's case numbers have been evening out, hopefully soon they will drop, and keep dropping.  The kids are supposed to start school in a month. Davis County is planning to go back in person, (my kids are so grateful) with the requirement that everyone wear masks. Obviously a person can't wear a mask and play the trombone (Anderson) or the trumpet (Gibson is starting this year!) so it will be interesting to see how that goes. I will pray for the bands.

Despite it all, we have had some fun, mostly involving going to Allred's house in Idaho. Both Gibson and Lilla spent a couple of weeks up there doing camps. Covid just hasn't been as bad up there. Gibson did Basketball Camp and Ballroom Dance Camp. Lilla did Backhand Spring Camp and Tennis Camp. Anderson and Grace stayed here and worked their tails off at the farm. I'm so grateful my children have had productive ways to fill their time during all this craziness. And so grateful Val and Travis were willing to let the lot of us crash their house for so long!

Last week we ALL went up and stayed with Val and Travis for a little family reunion. It was actually relaxing. Sometimes vacations aren't. But I came home feeling totally rejuvenated. (Despite that fact that a fungus started taking over the yard while we were gone...OH! So very sad.)

Saturday we floated the river. There were a lot of people doing the same thing. Luckily it's pretty easy to social distance on a tube in the river.

Sunday we went to Yellowstone. So peaceful and beautiful. WE SAW A BEAR! It was just off the road down in a ravine. We had a great vantage point on it. It was awesome. Kit could even see it and got excited about it. We drove home late and were detoured through some scenic byway. Because of the night we couldn't see the scenery, but the stars were unreal. I'm pretty sure I even saw a comet. Awesome.

Monday we played Kubb--a simple Scandinavian yard game that's a little like horse shoes. A little. We had a Kubb tournament. I didn't even knock over one block. But I was close every time! The dads and kids had a sleepover at Val's gymnastics gym. So that was a party.

Tuesday we went bridge jumping off the Twin Bridges in Saint Anthony. There were cool, what seemed to be, smooth lava rocks in the water to play on too. It wasn't too scary, all the McMullins (excluding the obvious Kit) jumped. RicAnn who is TERRIFIED of heights even jumped. I think the trick is to decide, and then just go. Don't stand at the top looking down for too long, know what I mean. It felt so good to be in the water. We haven't been swimming all summer. It was lovely.

Wednesday we rented dune buggies and rode them through the sand dunes. INSANE! I was mostly praying we wouldn't die the whole time. But, the kids loved it.

Uncle T taught Lilla to drive their 4-wheeler, only around their yard of course. But she loved it.

It was just good to spend time together.