High on a Mountaintop in Idaho

In the continuing saga of our crazy busy 2017 summer we spent the week of July 10-15 in the Henderson family cabin “high on a mountaintop” at Macks Inn, Idaho with Kaytee’s three little girls while their mommy went to Girls Camp with the young women in her ward.  (We served in the West Indies Mission with Clive and Arlene Henderson.  We were in Guyana and they were on the island of St. Vincent – so, although we didn’t actually serve together, we developed a friendship at several couples conferences and have visited them in Idaho Falls a few times since coming home.  As such, she gave us a deal on their lovely cabin which sleeps up to 25).

Kaytee met us in the early afternoon of Monday, July 10 after which we spent a little time playing in the North Fork of the Henry River at Macks Inn before returning to the cabin for dinner.  On Tuesday, we traveled the short distance to West Yellowstone, then our youngest daughter headed back to Anaconda leaving us with Adyn (age 9), Skylar (age 6) and Thoryn (age 2).  We had been forwarned and told to expect “they are noisy, busy and won’t eat anything.”  They were definitely noisy and busy, but ate pretty well.

On Wednesday, we explored the area around Mack’s Inn.  We found the beautiful, crystal clear Big Springs a couple of miles from our cabin where we went to feed fish. From another direction we found our way to the Johnny Sack cabin which the kids enjoyed.  From there we traveled to the upper falls in Harriman State Park – Grandma tried to convince 2-year-old Thoryn to wait in the car but this adventuresome toddler was having none of that.  She wanted to go with Grandpa and her sisters.  Our final stop was at Buffalo Dam where Grandpa used to swim as a kid.  More hiking … more pictures!

On Thursday, we went back to West Yellowstone where we enjoyed a few hours at the Bear and Wolf Discovery Center.  Ask the kids how much fun this amazing place was … they loved seeing both the educational animal displays and the live bears and wolves.  Back at the cabin we built a roaring fire (in 90 degree weather) where we finally got around to roasting hot dogs and making S’mores. 

On Friday, we cleaned up the cabin, loaded every inch of the car and headed back to Anaconda where we worked on a couple of craft items Grandma brought along for them but we didn’t have time to work on.

Other memories from our time in Island Park …

·               ice cream every day

·               Watching “The Princess Bride” all the way through … twice (much to Grandpa’s dismay)

·               Grandma’s bad mood because she has a seriously sore right knee (“is this your sore knee, Grandma?”)

·               A teary – and exhausted – Thoryn telling Grandpa, “No bed, no bed” as she walked alongside him to the bedroom … laid down and closed her eyes.

·               Cuddling with Skylar
-               Meeting another of Erin's doppleganger's (she was only 11 but her similarities were striking ... she's from California, is a catcher, long ball hitter and clean-up batter on her school's girls softball team)

·               Beautiful prayers by both girls

Up next:

·               Rotary meeting in Denver (July 21-22)

·               Steph’s bridal shower in Springville (July 29)

·               Michael and Jessica’s wedding (August 1 in Provo)

·               Steph and Simeon’s wedding (August 5 in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple)

·               Steph and Simeon’s open house (August 12 in St. George)

·               Our circuit vacation (August 15 – Sept. 1)

·              Probable knee surgery when I can stop long enough to get it on my calendar.