This week we went to Pallisades! We had heard the water was low and boy was it! When we got there it was at 9%. They had a couple of docks they'd still pulled out into the water, but Ben at 6 foot tall, never found a place where he couldn't touch the ground. You could literally walk across. I never even got in the water, but guess what? We still had so much fun!

This year we were joined by the Griggs, the Francoms, the Mohlmans, and the Wrights. My niece, Kayla, and her family came too! We visited and solved all the world's problems. The kids set up Kolby's volleyball net and they played volleyball. The Francoms also set up nine-square and that was played, as well. Kevin brought the four-wheeler and some of us went on rides up Six-Mile Canyon. Games of Blood on the Clocktower, Avalon, and Uno were played. Most people got in the water and did some floating and paddle boarding. I still found moments to sit in the shade, look at the water, and read my book (sun still makes sparkles on waist-deep water)! We ate good food and strengthened friendships and soaked up the beauty of the cotton-wood trees and a place that is as familiar to us as our own homes.

For those of you who have been following along, this was our third trip in three weeks! So, even though we had a great time, we were also happy to get home on Wednesday and sleep in our own beds! Phew. Kevin went back to work in full-swing with an intensive. I had just a couple of clients but also a job interview (fingers crossed!) Beth and Ben had a couple of shifts of work when we got home, too. Work was waiting for us, but we didn't mind. It provides a nice rythym to life. And it turns out, that tents are great but houses are pretty dang cool, too!

 We went on a family vacation to Yellowstone this week! Actually we camped in Colter Bay in Grand Teton National Park because it is beautiful and you are camping and swimming right in the middle of a gallery masterpiece made by God!

Monday we made the six-hour drive in four cars. We arrived at different times but all of us in time for dinner! We had three campsites and Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik stayed in a cabin. They provided dinner the first night and it was yummy!

On Tuesday, after a rough night for many (and an early morning for some) since its hard for kids (and adults!) to sleep in a different place, and a late breakfast, we headed over to Leigh Lake. We went there because it's tradition to take a picture on the hike to String Lake, because the water is a little warmer than Colter Bay, and because it is beautiful! When we got back to our campsite that evening we found out that we had missed an enormous cloudburst of one to two inches in a half-hour's time. The ground and trees were soaked but our tents kept all our important stuff dry! Yay! We had dinner and played games and had a great time.

Ammon was doing a rotation for med school so Megan braved it on her own!

Grandpa didn't come on the hike but Grandma has been training for this hike because she loves it so much!

Wednesday was our day to drive through Yellowstone! Grandma and Grandpa took us to their favorite spots. Their favorite is always Bridge Bay where they camped many times while their kids were growing up. We had a picnic lunch there and saw an enormous elk! Grandpa bought us all fudgcicles which is an important part of the tradition! We also went to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and saw the upper and lower falls. On the way back, we stopped at Leeks Bay to visit a favorite pizzeria and the kids played in the water while we waited for our order.

That night something even more exciting happened! Tyler took Chey on a walk to the lake and he proposed! Cheyenne said yes! They came back to camp and we had sparkling cider and cake to celebrate because even though Cheyenne didn't know it was happening, the rest of us did!

On Thursday we stayed in Colter Bay. A lot of us went swimming, and it was super beautiful, too! We had another good dinner, and that evening six of our group (Megan, Mariah, Chey, Tyler, Cali, and Richmond) went backpacking to a small lake above Leigh Lake and slept there for the night. They had a great time! The rest of us played games and had a great time, too!

This is on the backpacking hike.

This, too.

And this!

Friday we had breakfast and a group picture, took down camp and headed home. We had a terrific time!

Micah and Ben on the swings during a picnic stop on the way home.