If It's Not One Snake It's Another

These snakes were treasures that we found along the way to Idaho somewhere in Oregon. What...where are they now, you say to yourself????


Well in the spirit of spontaneity and totally "lost your mind" kind of craziness we got this itch to go visit Great Grandpa in Utah for his 80th birthday and Boise is just the most perfect pit stop along the way. So on the weekend before school starts we found ourselves on yet another big adventure without poor Dad.


We had to make a bathroom stop somewhere in Oregon in the middle of the night. I sent the kids in and stayed out in the car with sleeping Sara. Five minutes later the kids all come running out shouting about some amazing find. Ends up they discovered the world's longest gummy snake! We had to buy one for us and one for the McArthurs our gracious halfway hosts!


I am a total fan of these little guys. I drunk 1/2 of one at 7:00 Sunday night when we left home and made it all the way to Boise at 4:00 am. I wasn't tired at all. It was awesome. I feel like a total sinner though. I have always been one of those no caffeinated drinks kind of Mormons.

So as I was saying...we pulled up to Sallie and Ray's driveway at 4:00 in the morning. I had expected to spend the night in a hotel along the way for the night and get to Boise in the afternoon, so they were not expecting us. I couldn't just go knocking on their door at such an unreasonable hour. So I had Emily and Chase sleep in the reclining captain's chairs up front in their sleeping bags. Kate slept in the middle row captain's char. And then I put the back seat down. Set up Sara's port-a-crib and then I slept in my sleeping bag besides her. It wasn't too bad. Except that at 6:00 in the morning my nephew Aiden looks out his window and sees our suitcase out on the curb. (no room for it in the car) He went in to tell his Mom that there were robbers. So out they all came at 6:00 to welcome us. Not much sleep...but oh well.

That morning we hung out with them and got to see Aiden off to his first day of Kindergarten. We all had good times holding one of our newest nieces, little Aubrey! She was so playful and good natured. After Aiden returned home the McArthurs treated us to a very fun float down their section of the Snake river.
The weather was perfect. We borrowed swim suits from Sallie's friends which I forgot in the car. So once again this summer my kids were swimming in their clothes.
Katie was a little nervous about these little waterfalls. They weren't too rough. But they sure were soakers!!!! The first little waterfall and I was totally soaked. Good thing the camera is "water resistant". Chase managed to stay dry the whole time until Uncle Ray maneuvered just right to make sure that on the last bit of rapids Chase took the brunt of the white water. Sure enough he went flying and lost his tube all together.


So it was a really great day. First we got to eat the world's longest gummy snakes together and then we floated down the Snake river. And when we got back in the car at 4:00pm the kids were nice and tired and I got to listen to Mommy music most of the way to Utah.