Yellowstone Adventure! & more. . .

Last weekend we had the opportunity to go to Yellowstone Park with our good friends, the Cole's. We had so much fun - Jax was quite cranky, though, so you'll have to ask Scott and Mylinda if they also had as much fun as we did.

We stayed in Island Park, which is about 40 miles outside of the West Yellowstone entrance to the park. We stayed in "Grandma's Cabin". It was just the right size for all 9 of us. We were able to see bison, elk, bald eagles and mommy moose. Jonah couldn't get enough of it - he cried that he had to go home to 2nd grade the last day we were there.

So now it's almost 1 month since Yellowstone. We had so much fun on that trip, though. Thanks, Cole family, for inviting us.

We've had the flu, Jax has had gastritis (throwing up daily for over a week), I now have a bladder infection - what a great way to end the summer!!

Jory and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary this last Thursday, and tomorrow is his 33rd birthday. He is so hard to buy for - he has no interests, no hobbies, I buy him clothes for about every holiday - his mom gave him 3 shirts and ties last Saturday. I don't know - maybe some year we'll have the funds I could buy him a nice bike or a really big TV.

Jonah has played every day with the neighborhood kids - they run around in a pack and go from place to place. Jonah really has enjoyed playing with "the old" Shawn ("the new" Shawn moved in this summer). They are the last two to start school because they are the only ones on traditional. Jonah has enjoyed being at his house more because there is no baby (I spend most of my time saying "shhhhh!") sleeping, and he actually has a back yard. They tramp and scoot, and have lots of fun together.

Eli stays at home mostly. He is such a great kid. My only worry is that I see him in primary and he can not stay still to save his life!! He is smart - this last week he noticed that a sign the chorister held up matched her shirt - then she held up something and asked what color it was and he said "red, like James"- then she held up a sign with an owl on it and he said "like a great horned owl". It was so funny - everything is an analogy with him (maybe he'll ace that part on his ACT's in 13 years). He is so ready for school. We've been practicing reading and he does really well - it doesn't seem that he is phonetic, but really can memorize well. Jonah keeps reading - he actually read a chapter book this summer. We're trying to work on money and adding.

Jax is just so cute- he got this TERRIBLE rash after the gastritis - I guess his natural "flora" was gone so he had yucky stuff irritating it - it was red and bloody and he just screamed every time there was poop. My in laws babysat Jax for us to go to the Anniversary Inn last Friday for our anniversary and the rash started that morning - I felt so bad leaving him for his sake, but also with that bad rash for my in laws. They said he was very cute, though, at a wedding reception they took him to. He was very good and didn't cry at all. He is such a youngest brother!! He loves trucks and cars. He goes downstairs and plays with a little toy garage for hours. We had pictures taken a couple of weeks ago - I'll try to scan some in.

Well, I'll post better, and more often - I have a ton of pictures to post - imagine that - Oh, I took the boys to Lagoon this last Monday - they are still too small for the big rollercoasters (not to mention whimpy). So it was like a very expensive carnival. But we were together, no stroller - here to there - the kids LOVED the bumper cars.

Anyways - I'll get the pictures out - thanks for checking back with us - yes we are here, barely. . .