Our Annual Trek to Flaming Gorge

As Renn realized his summer was wont to slip away without any obvious opportunities for a trip to visit his grandparents in Flaming Gorge, he was quick to reserve Labor Day weekend for that purpose.  This  trip was in the works for a long time, but it still sneaked up on the pregnant lady.

It is always nice to get out there for a visit, and it is also always nice to come home and sleep in my own bed on my own mountain of pillows again.  (My current sleeping arrangement is beyond ridiculous - thank you heartburn.)

We traveled up on Friday, and then headed out Saturday morning to see Jones Hole.  I didn't fully anticipate the repercussions of driving an hour on a dirt/gravel road.  Lots of Braxton-Hicks for me.  But the boys loved seeing the fish hatchery, and the hike was an adventure too.








Funnily enough, the highlight of the outing was having to drive through a herd of cows - both ways.  My kids thought it was the BEST THING EVER.  Especially our gentleman who cried when there were no more cows mooing outside his window.



By the time we made it back to the house I was completely wiped out from the hiking and the dirt road-ing.   I slept for an unknown period of time while Mr Renn took the boys fishing in the rain.  They got drenched, but they all caught fish and came back in good spirits.



Sunday all the visitors dressed up for church and we took photos.  Sir O was eager to assist with photography duties.





After a huge mid-day meal and seeing the rest of the visitors off on their travels home, we took a drive out to Red Canyon for the requisite "Danger, watch your children" photos.





(Yes, Sir O insisted on wearing the same shirt pretty much the whole trip.  We packed others, I assure you.)   It rained off and on our entire trip, but since we weren't staying in a tent we didn't mind.  Plus we got to see a half dozen of these:



Monday morning we attempted another fishing outing before heading home.  Things started out well, but one gentleman of ours didn't sleep well (and didn't nap at all) the entire trip.  Pretty soon the fishing outing devolved from this:



to this:

 

(And no fish were caught.  But we did get to watch an Osprey fishing.  That was cool.)







Then we packed up and headed home.  Our kids were NOT happy to be leaving.  (Tears, again.) But real life with all those fun things like jobs and school and appointments and housekeeping was ready and waiting to pounce on us once we arrived.  But did I mention I like my bed?