This is our annual trip out to my parent's place in Bondurant Wyoming. All of my brothers and my sister and their family's make the trip.
We spend our time fishing in the pond, hiking, four-wheeling/dirt biking, going into Jackson, river rafting, visiting Yellowstone and enjoying each others company.
It was so good to have my Dad in good health again and back to his old self. The last time I was in Bondurant was the morning we found out he had Lymphoma. It was almost a year to the date since then. He has completed chemotherapy and radiation treatments and has been in remission since January of this year. We are all so grateful for this blessing.
It was me and the kids pulling the camper to Wyoming again this year - with my brothers traveling near by with their rigs. Bryan was on a work trip in New York and flew into the Jackson Hole airport two days before it was time to drive back home.
He was able to enjoy two evenings with everyone and also ran the Snake River with us. It was our kids first time running the river and they did pretty well (until the last 1/2 our). We saw several Bald Eagles and a French Biker on the trip!
I don't mean to be Debbie Downer but this really happened the day we were on the river. A man lost his life when he and his 12 year old son were swimming on the edge of the river near the Lunch Counter rapid. Neither he or his son were wearing life vests. The son was rescued but the father was never found. After we went through Lunch Counter rapid there were some people on the side yelling to us if we had seen him. I guess that while we were going through the rapid they were trying to get our attention but the rapids are so loud you can't hear anything. The search and rescue were called out and we never saw or heard anything else until we got to the pull out station at the same time as the son that was rescued arrived in the boat with the person that rescued him. We watched as he ran to his mother in complete sadness as they both realized the husband and father was still missing. They asked us if we had seen him and I wish we could have said yes.
I wondered about him in the days following our river trip and came across an article explaining that search and rescue had called off the search days later when no sign of him was ever found. He was presumed dead.
While at the "Ranch" as we call it Bentley rode the little motorcycle day in and day out. Gary, Jeff and Allen were so nice to get him all set up and help him out when Bryan wasn't there.
And when Bryan finally made it out they enjoyed four wheeler rides.
My brothers are obsessed with motorcycles...
Bentley riding down the lane.
The pond.
Annabelle and Cecily had a great time swimming in the blow up slide that my parents set up for all of the kids. My dad even hooked up the hose to the inside water and filled it with warm water.
And Allen and Melissa were there with their very new baby boy Braxton.
Here is Bentley perched on a rock fishing.
Shauna casting the pole for Cecily and Sophia.
Gary and Dad. My Dad always cooks us breakfast while we are there. Pancakes, waffles, sausage, bacon and eggs.
Allen helping out Bentley on the four-wheeler.
I love my family and am so glad my Mom and Dad have always given us opportunities to enjoy each other and the outdoors.
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