Labor Day in Sun Valley

 

It had been a few years since we had taken the kids to Sun Valley, so we decided to head there this year over Labor Day weekend.  At first it was just going to be us but then last minute Mark and Paige decided to join us.  So we all crowded into the Airbnb and had a blast.  We got there Friday evening.  Saturday morning after a quick run we headed over to the lodge to check out the car auction.  It wasn't quite the same as when Craig was a kid, or even when I first started going.  Not near as many cars and especially not as many classic cars.  It was still a lot of fun to walk around checking out the cars and also to listen to the auctioneer.  The kids found a grassy area and played soccer and football.  We grabbed lunch there in the village before heading back to the condo to watch the BSU football game.  The game did not go as hoped, so Craig and I headed back to the car auction with the kids and we made a pit stop at the candy store, which is always a must.  That evening we walked around town as we waited to get in to the Pioneer Saloon for dinner.  We all ate way too much, but it was as delicious as always.  It is so fun to take the kids to do the same things that Craig did as a kid.

Sunday morning we got up and packed up and started our drive to the Sawtooth Mountains.  When we are that close to the Sawtooth's we definitely have to make the effort to get a hike in.  The weather was not looking great, but decided to push through anyways.  When we started the hike into Alpine Lake it was still dry so we were hustling as quick as possible to get as far as we could before it started to rain.  At about 2.5 miles in it started to sprinkle and by mile 3 it was raining pretty hard.  We pulled out our rain jackets and put them on outside of our backpacks to try to keep those as dry as possible.  By the time we got to the lake it was coming down pretty hard.  We found some trees to huddle under and eat our sandwiches.  Everything was so wet that we couldn't even sit down.  We were hoping that the rain would stop while we were eating but it never did so we bundled the kids up a little bit more with beanies and gloves and got everyone's rain jackets put on better.  We started back down the mountain in the rain.  The rain gradually slowed down and finally stopped when we were about halfway back.  We gradually warmed back up.  When we got back to the car we got rid of our wet layers.  Brooklyn took her shoes and socks off and her socks were so wet that we had to wring them out.  The kids were such troopers and didn't complain at all.  They also went 8 miles without saying they were tired or wanted to take a break.  They made it all the way up to the lake without a single water or snack break.  Even though it was cloudy and rainy, it was still beautiful.  On our way back out the clouds broke a little bit and we were able to get a peak of why they are called the Sawtooth's.    It's amazing what a good attitude will do.  Instead of focusing on how wet we were and all the rain and that we were cold, we decided to focus on what an adventure it was and what great memories we will have of this hike.  We were so proud of the kids and will be able to use this as a reminder that they can do hard things.  After we got dried off and warmed up we headed for home.  It was a quick trip but so much fun.  I love doing things that create memories for our little family.

Summa Summa Summa Time

We had a blast this summer.  This is the time of year that I really appreciate being a stay at home mom and feel bad that Craig gets stuck working while we have fun all summer.  Although him working means he didn't have the pleasure of hearing all the arguing that took place when we happened to be at home.  We spent as much time outside as possible either at the pool, lake, backyard, or in the mountains.  The kids were highly encouraged to spend some time each day in the backyard doing some basketball and soccer drills.  Some days they were more eager than others, but it definitely helped them increase their skills and confidence.  They also spent time in the backyard having water gun fights and jumping on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath or in the rain.  We went swimming with cousins as often as possible at both grandparents houses.  I even taught a couple of weeks of swim lessons.  The kids did a few camps as well, basketball, volleyball, football and soccer.  We went bowling a few times and to Eagle Island and even made it to Roaring Springs.  We got snow cones as often as possible.  We had a lot of fun up at Starlight Theatre.  We took the kids to see Wizard of Oz and then Craig and I went to Foot Loose.  As always they were great and so much fun to go and see.  Craig and I were able to get to Shakespeare festival with Stan and Diane a few times.  The last time we ended up getting rained out, but not before we got soaked.  We also went to mine and the kids first Boise Hawks game.  The kids definitely preferred to stay busy.  Each day we tried to get in some reading and work books, that was a little bit of a fight but worth it to see McKay improve in his reading.

We tried to get up to the cabin as often as possible.  We went to the lake and went hiking, played yard games in the backyard, ate yummy hamburgers even if the line was an hour long, and enjoyed sitting on the back porch soaking it all in. Our first hike of the season was just a quick one up to Louie Lake.  The kids got to use their new hiking backpacks that they got for Christmas.  While we were up there at the end of July Craig and I scouted out the high adventure hike with another couple in our ward.  The kids headed to the lake and went boating with Nana and Pops while we hiked.  Craig and I drove up past Riggins into the Seven Devils.  We hiked the Goat Pass into Sheep Lake.  In true Craig fashion we started on the wrong trail and ended up making our own way up and over the pass.  It was definitely quite the adventure with some very steep stops that felt like rock climbing but we eventually found the trail and made our way to the lake.  On the way out we took the normal trail that was about 9 miles.  It was quite the hike but we made pretty good time.  Craig felt a lot better about taking the boys there in a few weeks, since he hadn't been there since he was a teenager.

In August we had a Williams Family Reunion at my Uncle Mark's house in Nampa.  It was pretty low key with mainly just eating and swimming but it was great to see cousins and family that we don't get to see often.  Craig had a great time at high adventure.  They managed to get all the boys in and back out without any injuries and everyone still smiling.  He got home Saturday night and we left Sunday after church to head down to Utah.  Sunday evening we went and visited Craig's grandparents in Bountiful.  It is always so great to see them.  Monday morning, August 14th, we then headed to Lagoon.  We try to get there each summer if we can.  Craig and I have such great memories from there when we were kids and hope to give our kids some of those memories of their own.  We got there right when it opened and went as long as we could.  McKay was tall enough to do almost everything and we had a blast hustling from one ride to the next.  We did all our favorite rides at least 2 or 3 times and left the park around 5:00 to start our drive back home.  We stopped in Burley for some dinner on our way home and we were all tired when we finally pulled up at the house.  In true McKay fashion he passed out as soon as we got in the car.  I may have gotten a little nauseous, but it was totally worth it.  I love doing things that create memories.

 It was such a fun summer.   I hope the kids look back on their childhood summers with really fond memories.  I am grateful that they want to be outside and be active.  They barely spent any time watching T.V. or on any sort of screens.  We stayed up late and it will be an effort to try to get their bedtimes back to normal for school.  We had a wonderful summer and it is a little bitter sweet that it had to come to an end, but I am excited to get back into a normal routine.