When the canal is too cold...

...for floating, go to Warm River! There is something about crystal-clear water that invites the toes.Whether throwing rocks at a certain target,
or floating by, the water is almost magical.


And afterwards, you can wrap up in a warm towel.
(What is Grandpa looking at?)

Alice and Emily made many, many trips down the river. Still, the shade of a tree is sought after in the
middle of a sunny afternoon.

I hope our kids remember that Grandma Beth still goes camping at nearly 89 years of age!

When we REALLY want to relax...

One reality I've discovered. The larger the group, the longer it takes to plan something to answer the question, "What should we do now?"

Sometimes, it takes hours.

In the meantime, the downtime can be very refreshing.

Nieces are entertained by their aunt Deborah at Grandma Bailey's piano.
The cool basement often became the refuge in the afternoons of heat.
Brenna wanted her arms stroked, and her grandma loves doing that. Brenna goes into "la la land", and Emma thought she'd give it a try.
Although we loved doing things with the family, my favorite memories are just in being together.

Relaxation, Bailey-Style

For some reason, sitting around and doing nothing has never been part of the Bailey lifestyle. So we plan hot dog roasts in the orchard (even though there were rain clouds encircling us)... where cousins can have a great time with the roasted marshmallows.
Keeping the hot dog "sticks" from poking others makes the event a bit more exciting.
For further excitement, we build a potato gun.

Or two.

And then experiment with the fuel to make the potato fly the highest or furthest.
And if there is any free time, Bocce balls are always nearby.
No wonder the family loves gathering here.

Three Years Later...

On July 7, 2005 we visited the Idaho Falls zoo; we went again this year on July 1. I'm glad Alice wanted her picture at the same spot.
Again, 3 years ago,
and this year! How they have grown!

Home Again...

Well, we made it home safely--no incidents on the way. The new tires made the ride so smooth--even though the old ones weren't worn out, they vibrated too much! And for those of you who missed the trip, this is the Flying J in Rock Springs, WY. I like stopping at the same places--then you know where the bathroom is located!I think that I am not the only one who missed my own bed while on vacation... Especially those days when there were so many people that an air bed on the basement floor was the best that could be found. I hope Connor and Brenna are sleeping better at home. I know that Arizona boasts of having beautiful sunsets (or they used to), but Idaho sunsets can be spectacular! Especially when helped with the smoky haze from the California wild fires.
I'm glad that we were able to go to the temple at least once during our stay. That brought a great end to the vacation. Being an introvert, being with a lot of people is draining for me even though I love them. The temple helped restore my equilibrium. And of course, being there with my sweetheart is the best of all!

More vacation pictures to come...