Worth the Drive

We had been counting down to our trip out west ever since Grandma and Grandpa Crossley had moved away. Mariah and Chet were so excited to see their cousins and grandparents from both sides. And they were almost as excited about the road trip treats they were going to get. They were pretty good on those long days of driving too. It helped that we have family in Missouri to spend a night with. On the way there only Uncle Baydon was at their house but he had all kinds of treats: cookies, ice cream, and Lucky Charms for breakfast. Pretty sure that put him at the top for favorite uncle.

We got to stop in Star Valley and stay with other friends on the way out. The kids were so happy to be out of the car and to be able to make some new friends.

I had to take a picture of this...unprompted hand holding is a favorite.

Our next stop was Bear Lake for the Jack Crossley family reunion. It was so wonderful to be with family again. I barely saw our older two because they were so busy running around having fun.

 Tanner brought some hammocks and they were a hit. He kept threatening to spend the night in one and he would have definitely gotten better sleep, but he loves me so much that he didn't.  

 A little teasing from Grandpa

 Some of the Aunt's did some face painting. I love this picture and all these beautiful girls. 

 One of the few moments Austin left Tanner or I's side. He was pretty clingy the whole vacation.

 Lots of books were read.

 We decided to go on a hike that we had done with Tiesha and Steve's family several years ago. Although we had gone at the same time of year the differences were huge. Most people with the crowd of children we had would have probably not risked it. But we are Crossleys...and we don't let a little snow slow us down. Grandma made a treasure hunt to keep the kids motivated on the hike.  

The kids even tried to play in a painfully cold creek at the end of the hike. The lake above was still mainly covered in snow. It was crazy!

We then headed to the extended Crossley reunion that was in another cabin down the road. It was fun to meet some of Tanner's family for the first time. 

 Mariah and Annalie decided to have matching hair one day.

 Mariah loved getting to know all her great Aunts. If I couldn't find her odds were she was with one of them. Our Aunt Sibylla sends out Birthday cards to all of her nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. They get money in the amount that they are turning until a certain age. So it was like meeting a celebrity for Mariah and Chet. 

 Chet flopped down on the ground and fell asleep for over an hour. He was so exhausted. And then he woke up, talked with me for a little while and then wandered off. It probably wasn't more than five minutes that we couldn't find him but it felt like an eternity to me. Luckily the whole family spread the message and people were running in all different directions to find him. A boyfriend of one of the family remembered seeing a boy in all blue quite a ways down the beach when he was coming back from the bathroom and when he heard that Chet was missing immediately ran back and brought him to us. I was all emotional but it didn't even phase Chet. He gets that from his Grandpa Young...that wanderlust. I am so grateful for everyone who helped find him and that he was ok. No mother should have to feel that way...

Austin was so exhausted on the way back from the beach that he fell asleep mid-snacking. 

We then said sad goodbyes to Tanner's family and headed out to the ranch. We were able to make it in time for my family's annual fishing derby, which didn't involve any fishing for us, but a lot of eating and visiting.

And horse back riding!

Chet got on ol' Sundance too. But he had a little tumble off a horse a few months ago and hasn't quite gotten over that. So it was a quick on and off for him. He told me the reason why he couldn't ride the horse was because he didn't have his cowboy boots and hat on. If he would have had those we would have been fine. Well now I know. 

Then Grandma Young had a Grandma Camp. 

 At the opening ceremony, which included the cutest Pledge of Allegiance you ever did see.

 All aboard the 4-wheeler and on to Roxaboxin! 

Roxaboxin is a little creek next to our house that we played at as children. It makes me so happy to see my kids enjoying the same things I did as a child. 

 The kids even got to ride in Grandpa's big Truck up the canyon for dinner. 

These two had so much fun. Elise is so sweet to Mariah. 

My mom had each of us send in a picture and story of each of our childrens' namesakes. She made a book out of them that is so special. One afternoon my mom read it to the kids and it was really special. I'm so grateful my mom wants her grandchildren to understand the importance of their heritage. 

Our last night at my parents' Tanner decided around 11 pm that I should finally take him out to the hot pots. Ever since we started dating in the spring of 2010 I have been telling him about these hot springs. It's where I was baptized and a place where we take our friends. And every time we have been at my parents' we either have run out of time or gone and I couldn't find it (pathetic, I know but that place is a maze of dirt roads and we always seem to go in the dark). So Tanner was insistent. 

When we, miracle of miracles, found the place we didn't let a truck already being there deter us. Some people skinny dip but we decided it was worth the risk for the experience. When we got out of our car we could hear someone snoring away. I was a little panicked that that person was going to wake up and shoot us, crazier things have happened in the sticks of Nevada. But Tanner was not missing out on the slimy, sludge-filled pots. And in reflection we decided the person must have been heavily inebriated, or maybe they were pretending to be asleep to save themselves the awkwardness of us possibly being skinny dippers. 

As I got into the water Tanner went back to the car to get our towels. And then a crazy guttural sound split the night air. For a split second my panicked mind thought, "bear!!" And then that crazy growl sound ended in a "hee-haw!" It was all I could do to hold in the giggles. In that moment of panic I had forgotten about all the wild burros that lived around the hot springs, and that there are no bears in the Smoky Valley. Apparently at night they sometimes like to call to each other because they did it off and on the whole time we were there.

Tanner and I admired the stunning stars in the sky and tried our hardest to tune out the sounds of snoring and braying. And it was the most romantic/terrifying date we've had in a long time. To be honest, about anything kid free can feel like a romantic date. 

And then we made the long trek back home. Vacations are never long enough. And that is why family needs to come out here. So...who's first?