July 3

Today we went to the Island Park ward.  The building was completely packed and we sat outside with about 50 other people.  This is common during the summer, so there are speakers outside for everyone to hear.  It was the testimony meeting and the kids thought some of the testimonies were funny.  Only in IP will mosquitos and ants be compared to the scriptures.  Jordan spent the day fishing and the girls and I had a lovely Sunday drive around the beautiful Yellowstone Lake.

July 4, Independence Day 2011

Today we started by going to the river by Mack’s Inn.  Jordan and Taylor went fishing.  Jordan did not catch anything and Taylor caught a whole bunch of minnows … and Amanda caught a lot of UV rays.  We went to West Yellowstone and watched a parade and got an ice cream.  What could be more patriotic?  Soon afterward it started to rain with a spectacular light show.

That evening we went to Lakeside Lodge by the reservoir.  It stopped raining just long enough for us to watch the firework show over the water.  The whole time, just to the west, was a nonstop lightning show.  We got to see a show made by man and a show made by God!  It was awesome … a perfect 4th of July weekend!

Believe it or not, but I did not take any pictures on July 5th …weird huh?  That day we went 4-wheeling.  I took the kids down to McCree Bridge and they went swimming off of the boat dock.  They played in the river until Jordan got out of the water and he had a huge leach on his back.  The kids were all done at that point.  As we were leaving a couple came up to us and gave us 4 large trout that they had just caught and cleaned.  We cooked up the fish along with our spaghetti dinner that night.  Good stuff!