Plans

(Click to enlarge)

As Nikki mentioned, the sisters met yesterday to hash out some plans. You can check out the schedule above, and I can adjust it if we need to. Here are some things we decided:

Meals: Each family will take care of themselves as far as breakfast and lunch are concerned. That means that Dad, Kathy, Lynne and Don - you will need to stop by a grocery store to pick up what you'll need for the week. Adam, we figure that when you're hungry and one of us is in the kitchen, we can throw something together for you while we're making something for ourselves. But Adam, we would like you to bring up snacks for everyone - Lauren has a list of things that she can email you that the kids will eat. Nikki is planning on bringing up hot chocolate, cider, fruit punch, and orange drink.

Everyone should also try to remember to pack all the toiletries you'll need as the cabins won't be providing things like soap and laundry detergent.

Please comment if you see any problems or if I've forgotten something.

Eureka!

I don't know why this didn't come up before. But it exists! Go ahead, take a gander.

http://www.islandparkchamber.org/

http://www.islandparkchamber.org/ChamberMembers.html

http://www.islandparkchamber.org/rec.html

Mountain Mayhem does pontoon boats for either $250 or $400 for the day, not sure what the difference is, sounds like fun though!

this site does rafts for the day, u can take them down the river which is slow i guess. http://www.highmountainadventures.com/rentalssummer.php

A Few Good Links

Hello everyone,

Last night Dad mentioned looking up "Chamber of Commerce" sites. There wasn't one for Island Park, but the one for West Yellowstone is pretty incredible and included areas all around Yellowstone, including Island Park.

http://www.westyellowstonechamber.com/play/outfitters-guides/

The activity links have really great contact info. It looks like we could do just about anything!

Here are some other links I found that might be fun to look into:

Big Springs http://www.visitidaho.org/thingstodo/outdoor-recreation/big-springs-nature-trail.aspx
Harriman State Park http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/harriman.aspx
Mesa Falls http://www.westyellowstonenet.com/attractions/mesa_falls.php
http://www.visityellowstonepark.com/Activities.aspx
http://www.yellowstonevacations.com/attractions/kids/

Maybe we can all look at these and jot down a few ideas to talk about.

Happy Birthday Jacque!

Happy Birthday Ryan!

*Update from Bre:
Hey, I want to add a picture, too!

Happy Father's Day DAD!

Adam in NYC

So I woke up yesterday with a hankerin' to go jogging in Central Park. Here's me in the subway, waiting for the C train

Here's me stretching:

Ahh, the smell of winos in the morning...

Here's my action sequence:



I did some other stuff too, mostly boring stuff. Here's me on top of the Empire State Building (no, they weren't trying to shoot me down with little biplanes...)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Doesn't a vacation sound good right now! May its just me? Hope you have a GREAT birthday and can't wait to see you soon in Island Park! Time for a vacation!

Island Park!

I thought I'd be proactive and help with the organizing this year. So I tried to put some things together, I hope nobody minds.

Check-in at our cabin is at 4:00pm on Monday (the 26th) and we check out at 11:00am on Saturday the 31st. We also have three birthdays up there! Kimball - 26th, Austin - 27th, and Erika - 29th.

Sleeping Arrangements:
This is what Lauren's initial suggestions were:
Main floor: King (Dad), Queen and bunk (Nikki), Queen and bunk (Erika)
Upper level: King and single (Breanne)
Basement: 2 bunks (Adam), Queen and bunk (Lauren), 2 Queens (Lynne), Queen, bunk, 2 couch sleepers (Jacque)
Would anyone rather have something else?

Eating Arrangements:
Last year each of us girls took a day to give breakfast and lunch to the non-Utahns (plus Adam). I think it was weird trying to separate our assigments into specific days... I noticed that people seemed to wake up/eat at different times and people just sort of ate what was there. So this year maybe we could all contribute to a communal breakfast and lunch stockpile for Dad, Kathy, Lynne, Don, and Adam? And then whenever they get hungry they can just head over and eat what they want. Does that sound like a good idea?

Last year we didn't assign someone to make a dinner our first night there because we were all arriving at different times. I think this year we should assign that first night, since we have two fewer days this year to spend together (that means we'd need to make 5 dinners up there, Monday through Friday). I think I'd like to take Tuesday night for dinner, but I'm willing to negotiate. Does anyone else have a preference as to what night they'd like to do it? I'm thinking of making chicken and rice again this year (with a cranberry sauce this time), but I did chicken and rice last year... am I hogging the easiest thing to make? We have 27 people to feed (not including two infants).

Activities:
This is the part that I'm not sure about. I'm assuming we'll hit Yellowstone, but I'm not sure what else people want to do. Have you guys already been thinking of activities? Since Doug won't be able to go very far, and since Erika and Doug won't be there until Tuesday night, should we try to do something more rigorous on Tuesday when they won't be there?

Links:
Here is a link to the cabin we are staying in:
http://www.islandparkidaho.com/OutlandPhotos/OutlandPines.html

Here is a link to Island Park activities from the cabin's website:
http://www.islandparkidaho.com/Island_Park_Idaho.html

Maps of Island Park (Lynne has contacted them for a map on how to get to our cabin, we are still waiting on that):
http://www.islandparkidaho.com/maps.html

Questions for everyone:
Is anyone planning on coming late or leaving early? I know that Erika is thinking she won't be able to come up until Tuesday night after 7:00pm.
Is the communal breakfast/lunch idea okay?
What night would you like to make dinner (girls)?
Dad, Kathy, Lynne, Don, and Adam: what do you like for breakfast/lunch? Cereal, fruit, sandwiches, soups? Anything else?
Any concerns with the room arrangments?
Activity ideas?

I am insecure about posting all this for some reason, so again I hope nobody minds.
- Bre

Happy Birthday Lauren!

Happy Happy Birthday!

'The Ones the Bees Needs'

Our Peony plant was so beautiful outside, but so overcrowded that I cut a few limbs and brought them in the house. When Keala woke up that morning I told her I cut them just for her, and instead of smiling she scowled at me and said "Mom, those are the ones the bees needs!" She tried to be mad (because thats her favorite emotion sometimes), but then she said "Just kidding!... I like them!" (I sware I live in the house of insanity!) But I have been so pleased with how beautiful these have been this past week! I just want to give them a big hug and kiss!

Peony plants derive their name from a Greek myth. Paeon, a student under Aesculapius, god of medicine, was well aware of the medicinal qualities of peony plants. Paeon used them to heal a wound suffered by the god, Pluto. The upstaged Aesculapius wasn't please and threatened retribution, but, in one of those charming metamorphoses sprinkled liberally throughout the pages of Greek mythology, Pluto saved Paeon's life: he turned him into a peony plant.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG!