Floating at Mack's Inn

Most everyone else did other things (go to Yellowstone, look out points, etc) but I stayed around the cabin for the most part (Phoenix was taking 3-4 hour naps during the day and if he wasn't napping he was crying so there was no way I was going to push him). It was so nice and pleasant at the cabin that I really did not mind just taking it easy. I could seriously just stare out at the lake all day (there were boats, jet skis etc, not to mention to beautiful scenery). Every night I would rock Phoenix to sleep and try to put him in his little bed, and he would wake up. It was an exhausting cycle that lasted way too long. During the day Phoenix was pretty much attached to me (if I hid from him he would stop whining though...so I did sometimes hide from him). Travis flew out on Wednesday night and got into the SLC airport at 11:30pm, he rented a car and started the drive up to Idaho. The plan was for him to stop and sleep in the car, and then continue driving so that he could get to Island Park Thursday morning. At 5:15 am (with a fussy baby in arm) I texted Travis to see where he was (hoping the answer was "pulling up right now"). He was in Blackfoot...aka 2 plus hours away. By this point I was pretty much emotionally and mentally spent (all thanks to the lil fella). I was literally counting down each minute till Travis got to the cabin. At around 8:30 I figured that Trav should be almost to the cabin so I walked out to meet him (Phoenix had been up since 5 and there was literally NOTHING I could do with him except walk). After a 15 minute walk I called Travis. He was stuck in Traffic. Road construction. He said that there was a guy holding a stop sign. I asked him to explain the situation to the stop sign holding guy...that I was going to die if he didn't get there soon. He (Travis) didn't...OK, so maybe I wasn't on my death bed...but I was at least well on my way to the crazy house. So I walked back to the cabin, and somehow managed to survive the next 30 minutes (by this point I was counting down each second!). Travis finally arrived. Relief!!! Travis gallantly offered to stay with the little guy while the rest of us floated the river. It really was nice of him because this was his vacation to, but who was I to say no to an offer like that? Anyway, that is the long, unabridged version of how I came to float the river.



We got to ride up in a van...for some reason Audrey loves vans. I can assure you that I get no thrill from riding in a van.





Janae and Jared (or Janared as I sometimes refer to them), Diane, and Addie were in one canoe. Jason, Jeff, and Audrey and Brighton were in another. And Janae suggested that I join Heather and Ryan in their canoe (no kids). At the beginning everyone was decently nice. I once had the opportunity to get Jared really wet, and I didn't take it. It haunts me now. Jeff and Jason pretty much soaked out entire canoe (I'm talking an inch of water at the bottom!). Then Jared threw a water bottle across the river and it landed right in front of us, splashing us. Then either him or Janae said "pick it up" and being the nice people that we are, all three of us reached for the bottle...in the water...at the same time...yeah, we came about 2 inches to tipping the canoe over before we realized it was a trick. I must admit, I was impressed. Me, Heather, and Ryan made it our mission to get revenge, on both canoes. Let's just say we failed miserably. But we had fun.

Addie just wanted to play in the water. The water was maybe 60 degrees. I do not know how she could stand the cool temperature, but she loved it!

There were TONS of fish in the river. It was a very fun excursion. Many thanks to my wonderful hubby for making this very enjoyable experience possible!