Zoo and Camping

Last week we were invited to go to the zoo with some Hawkes family. It was a lot of fun for the girls, they loved it and I was pleasantly surprised at the Tauphaus park zoo in Idaho Falls.

When we were on our way down to IF I asked Leah what animals she thought she would see, she said Camels?

I said yeah probably!

She said, Mom, camels run like girls!

She had remembered that comment from clear back in Nov. when we were in Ethiopia and noticed that the camels there ran funny, like girls. I thought that was funny that she had remembered such an interesting observation.

Marlese Hawkes Seaver had been there with us and her cute little boy Conner was very excited to see all of the animals. He has been there many times before and he just looked so cute taking in all that there was to see.

Also at the zoo, we decided to eat lunch at a small amphitheater where they were going to show and tell us about some of the animals, we watched the show and afterwards they said that the kids could come up and touch the animals that they had displayed. So Leah of course, ran straight up and got in line so she could touch the tortoise. She waited patiently until it was her turn, when it was the zoo keeper looked at her and asked how old she was, Leah, all proud of herself, said three! The zoo keeper then informed her that she had to be at least five years old in order to touch the animals and that she needed to go back and sit down. She was crushed, she turned and looked at me and tears formed in her eyes as she walked back to be comforted. SAD! Sheesh! Poor girl! She get's that a lot, "You're not big enough!" I try and tell her all the things that she can do, since she really is a "Big Girl!". Sometimes just not big enough.

The next day we went camping with more Hawkes family, we went up to Island Park and found a nice campground where we could all be really close to each other. We had a good time playing games, eating yummy camp food and chatting. Andrew wasn't able to stay the night but the girls and I did, we stayed with the Butikofers in their humongous tent. :) Lisa didn't have her husband there either so between the two of us there were seven children. We had a good time along with the Brian and LaRee Hawkes, Grand and Heidi Hawkes, Betty Ishoy and Allen and Elaine Schauerhamer, and all of their kids! 

The next day we decided to take an adventure to an ice cave that you can only get to if you have the GPS coordinates, fortunately someone had a GPS and after some good hiking we found the place.

We had to climb through a very small opening in the Earth but once down there the cave was quite large, it was actually a lava tube and had ice surrounding the walls and floor. There were a ton of us in there so we didn't get scared, even though I look like it in the picture below. :)

This is only maybe half of us who were there, it was kind of hard to get a  good picture of everyone since the cave got smaller and smaller as we went further.

On the way back Leah insisted on walking, since we could only find the cave using a GPS we were walking through falling timber and brush. Despite all that Leah made it all the way back to the car without being held once. She did hold hands once in awhile, though.

Right at the turn to go to the cave we noticed there were large fields of these wildflower sunflowers. They were beautiful so Lisa and I decided to take our car loads for a little photo shoot.

Ethan B., Jason I., Ryan H., Lily, Izzy B., Leah, Statton B.

Lisa B and 2/3 of her kids. 

Me and the girls.

Lisa and I noticed that our two littlest ones had wandered off and were having a moment alone, playing. They are so cute whenever they are together. 

(I know there are a ton of these pictures but seriously, soo sweet!)

We had a great weekend last week, it's exhausting but very worth  it. Now onto our next adventure!

FLOATING THE RIVER!

HIKE with the HAWKES!

HAWKES fam REUNION!

Will it ever end? We hope not!