Butler Family Reunion

We finally downloaded the pictures off our camera. We let Grace have the camera for a little while to take some pictures and found this gem of a video waiting for us.

10,000 feet in the Wind River Range 

We hiked to the fire lookout tower this summer as one of our family reunion activities.

So glad family comes to visit so we go out and enjoy our backyard a bit more.

Everyone enjoyed kayaking and fishing out on Louis Lake.

Even the little people enjoyed the lake.

All the kids had a turn sitting on the saddle at the lodge.  I'm so glad Grace stole the camera and took pictures of the things the cousins were busy doing while the parents were playing elsewhere.

Cousins in the Shepherds' wagon.  Aunt Maria, Josh, and Redd slept there for the weekend.

One way to spend Sunday morning before church with the cousins and uncles, shoot water bottle rockets onto the roof.

Or play another game.

Monday morning after the party, party.  Grandma played games with the kids while Edwin and Grandpa went fishing and Uncle David dated our babysitter.  We are interested to know how the story ends!

Five Days Away!

Edwin and I took some time away in Jackson, WY without the kids.  He had conferences every morning so we met for lunch and then off to play!  We hiked to Hidden Falls at Jenny Lake.

The ferry from Hidden Falls trail head.

We rode the tram up to the top of Rendezvous 10,450.  We watched three hang gliders jump off the mountain top and ate waffles.  

We took an evening to go fishing.  Sorry, no luck catching a cut throat.

We hiked to Phillips Lake and Edwin caught this fellow.  We also saw tons of wildflowers that we enjoyed identifying. 

The kids spent five days with the cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  Their adventures sound fun.  However, I would like to hear the story how John was lost at the zoo and he was found in the parking lot while everyone was at the monkey exhibit.  Yep, they snitched!

Edwin and Anne stopped on the way home to try their luck catching a cut throat trout.

Anne's working on her youth angler awards, and we just might catch the fishing fever as a family this next year.  Watch out Wyoming fish, we are going to take your picture!

All in all we had a great time.  It was good to be a couple for a few days, and we are happy to be home being parents once again.

Stay tuned....more adventures on forth coming.

Arsenault Family Reunion 2015

 Grandma Peggy rented The Schoolhouse Inn for the Arsenault family reunion this summer. The kids love playing around in the old gym. The parents also loved the kids playing in the gym.

 Soda Springs had some nice things to check out. Here is the Soda Springs Geyser, "the world's only captive geyser." This is not a hot geyser but builds up pressure from carbon dioxide dissolved in the water, think of mentos and coke. The eruption is released every hour on the hour and last for around five minutes.

 We also went to Hooper Springs. We didn't really like the sparkling mineral water, but it was pretty good mixed with country time lemonade powder.

 We had a great time at Lava Hot Springs. Uncle Tim and Uncle Scott jumped off the high platform. Uncle Scott did a couple of cannonballs.

 Aunt Karen had some fun activities for the kids to do.

 Uncle Scott didn't like sitting down after doing cannonballs off the high platform. However cribbage needed to be played.

 We had a fire in the fire pit both nights with more s'mores than we could eat.

Here is the whole gang before we left Saturday morning.

Anne turned 8

 Anne turned 8 this month. We were pretty excited to celebrate. Grace really wanted to decorate Anne's cake. She did a great job.

 The day of the baptism was a beautiful day.

 We had a lot of visitors. Uncle David even brought a date to the baptism. Aunt Rachel, Devon, Tyanna, Anton, Zachary, Isabel, Amelia, Uncle David.

 Grandma Peggy.

 Uncle Tim, Aunt Amber, Jackson, Kennady, Jacob.

Grandma and Grandpa Butler.

A lot of fishing.

 James and John and I went to Idaho for almost a week so we could help put a new roof on Uncle Joe's house. This is the only picture I have to document it.

 Grandma and Grandpa Butler and Uncle David came for a visit. We borrowed a boat from my friend Paul and had a great time. Dad was having such a good time that he fell asleep.

 The catch. Oh yeah, we also set Uncle David up on a blind date while he was here.

 James Grace and Anne joined the track club for the month of June. They love it so far.

 Anne and I had a daddy daughter date. We were originally going to go out to pizza, but Anne decided that fishing with me and Paul would be better. She's a pretty good fisherman, "I'll let you reel in the next one dad."

 We saw a lot of baby geese while we were out on the water. If you look very closely you can even see a deer in the background.

Anne also got to gather a couple dozen eggs and chase Paul's ducks, chickens and turkeys while he and I were cleaning and filleting the fish.