Stop 2 on our Summer of Firsts

 Destination Two: Cauldron Linn

We live right along the Snake River.  It's no Mississippi, but a decent size river.  Well, little did I know there is an amazing place called Cauldron Linn(again within an hour of my house).  This is where all the water flowing down the Snake River passes through a fairly small opening.  It's not that wide and there is a lot of water coming through.  True, there are high times and low times, we were there at an in between stage.  Not the highest it gets, but plenty powerful for me!  You can stay up top and be amazed enough, but if you climb down a bit and really get close and level with the water coming down it is quite amazing.  You feel how powerful water really can be. Wow!  Ty took each of the kids individually to see it closer, then took we down even closer! It was quite a rush! I'm super glad I got to experience it, and even more so with Ty.  (One benefit to not being to all these places before, I get to only have memories of them with Ty and my kids!)

The rock Ty would take each of the kids to get a better look and feel.

Just another fun little cave!

Future VS model?  Let's hope not, but she has the stance down!

You have to admit, this is an amazing place! Another jewel right here in Idaho!

Stop 1 on our Summer of Firsts!

Do you ever reach the end of summer and think, "I was going to do this and that and why didn't we go here and there?"  Well that was not the case for us this summer.  We took full advantage of summer!  So, I'm 29(I love that I can still say that truthfully, (if only for two more days)) Anyway, I'm 29 and have lived in Burley most of my life right? So why did I not go to or even know about some of these places in our back yard?!  I mean really, most of these places are within an hour of my house and I didn't even know they existed!  Well, I like to call this summer, the summer of FIRSTS!  It's totally understandable that it's the 1st time my kids have been to these places, but me at 29 ;)  Well, I'm just glad we got to visit them this year.  It was a fun filled summer. So let me begin!

(Disclaimer: Mom, you may not enjoy all the seemingly dangerous circumstances I put my kids in. 

Sorry, but at least you know we all made it safe and sound!)

First Destination:  Vineyard Lake

Here we are inside a little cave along the trail.

Have you been here?  It's Beautiful!  A fun trail down to a lake in the middle of a desert.  We kept going passed the lake and over the extremely scary board, across a rocky hill and into some trees where we made a campfire, ate hot dogs and smores and just had a good time.  We actually came here a couple of times and the second time, I saw a deer run right through our campsite! So fun!

Our 1st injury.  Karly decided to Jump of a big rock not realizing just how far of a drop it was, resulting in a bloody nose. :(

I made a little friend on the trail.

The friendship ended when he kept trying to climb up my leg.

Can I just tell you what troopers my kids are!  They were AWESOME! Even the little ones did most of the walking on their own!  But I was glad for Trevik and Tate helping us out!

This is Ty's brother Trevik about to jump into the lake.

Remember my disclaimer.  This was the stressful part of the trail right by the extremely scary board we had to walk across.  Luckily Ty isn't scared and sure footed to carry all the kids across. I was stressed enough just getting myself across with Brock on my hip.

The rocky hill.  Derek especially LOVED climbing the rocks!

This good dad stood IN the water so he could get his kids across without them getting wet.

LITERALLY throwing our kids up on the bank!

At the campsite

Ty having a "Man vs Wild" moment catching and killing a snake!

I hate snakes, but Derek wasn't too bothered by it and wanted to hold it up after it was killed.  As you can see, this is no small snake! Gross!

My Cute Kiddos!

 So, I pretty much have the cutest kids ever!  I love each and everyone of them SO much!  They are Awesome and Good and Funny and Sweet and Silly and Fiery and 

I Love them SO SO MUCH!

So grateful to have each and everyone of them!  

Karly Mae 7 1/2

Derek Jay 6 1/2

Kami Lyn 4 1/2

Teague 3

Brock 1 1/2

SURPRISE!  A baby boy coming in Feburary!!

I was totally expecting a girl, but he is All BOY!

Teague Turns 3

Well, let's keep going with Birthday theme shall we?!  You'd think all we do is celebrate birthdays around here!  But really, it's just the only time I blog.  So Teague is the COOLEST three year old I know!  He really is such a fun kid to watch and know.  I've always said, and truly believe that anyone that gets to watch and know this kid is lucky.  He has such a fun personality.  He is just like his dad and adventurous and willing to just go for it and give it a whirl.  I love having him around and that I get to know this awesome little boy. 

 Love you Teague!

Those are Teague's fingerprints btw.
He loves all kinds of balls so I went with the easiest to make!

Grandma always gives the coolest toys.
 He has LOVED playing with his race track!

At home, he got fruit snacks, giant ball, and
cowboy boots that I think I love just as much as he does!

Love this Kid!

So Ty got the boys bikes a couple weeks before his birthday and
instead of waiting for his birthday, he got to ride his bike early.

Brock Turns One

Well, to keep going with the birthday theme. Brock turned one yesterday! I love this little guy! He is a well experienced walker, says 'hi' 'bye' 'ma' 'da' and some other undistinguishable words to the dogs! I know he's not starving, but for some reason he likes to eat dog food, dirt, rocks, food out of the garbage, horse poop, and he even tried his own poop in the bathtub recently! It's disgusting! I remind him constantly that he is a human not a dog, but he doesn't seem to listen. I guess he is just being a true boy! But he is super cute, chubby, and fun! He's starting to think he is funny with his laughs and funny faces, which he is funny and I love having him in our family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROCK!

Thanks to this wonderful grandma, my kids get really cool, fun presents that their mother doesn't ever buy!

Thanks grandma! It's a hit with everyone!

The kids helped make 'rainbow' cupcakes!

Totally mesmerized by the single flame!

Watching big brother blow out his candle.

"I Want More!"

(This is way better than poop!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

I guess it's time to stop wishing I was in Hawaii and update my blog. I don't know that Christmas will make it to the blog, but I did want to share my kids' birthdays. (Even if it is a group shout out.) I love all my kids and it is fun to watch them continue to grow up and all the new fun and learning it brings.

KARLY turns SEVEN!

DEREK turns SIX!

KAMI turns FOUR!