This year for the Norr vacation we decided to do Island Park. We planned to meet up Wednesday night at the cabin we rented. matt and I decided to leave early Wednesday and stop at Bear World. We don't love road trips or driving long distances so this was good to break up the drive and it ended up being so fun.
Since we were anxious to get out of the car we did the rides and the petting zoo first. It was so fun. More fun than I expected it to be. Even though there were only a handful of rides we ran from one to the other and basically had no lines it was awesome.
Liam was the most excited for the train. They didn't have it open but when we went to leave we asked one of the workers if she would run the train and she said yes. He was so excited and it didn't disappoint.
The petting zoo was a little lackingin things to pet but some really cool things to see.
There were some brand new baby deer that we loved getting to see but we had to stay a fair distance from them since they were still so little.
I love this little family of mine and getting out on adventures and experience new things together
They had several baby bears in a small fenced area so you could watch them play and interact. They were so cute and playful
After we walked around we got back in the car and were able to drive through to see the grown bears. They walked right down the side of the car. It was a little concerning but they seemed happy to just keep moving.
After Bear World we had about 90 minutes before we got to the cabin. We grabbed dinner at Big Jud's and my parents happen to be there as well. The food was awesome and they have the best gluten free buns I have ever had. It was so refreshing to eat like everyone else. Then we headed to the cabin. Once we got there we all decided where we would sleep and got settled in. The girls slept in the bunk room next to Matt and I along with Maddi but we kept Liam in with us. Since he is to long for the pack and play we just made him a bed on the floor and he seemed really good with that.
The next morning, Thursday, we headed for Yellowstone, along with everyone else. The line to get in was ridiculous and took us 30 minutes to get to the gate. Emy was still tired and took a rest on the way there.
When we finally got in the gate traffic wasn't any faster. We had plenty of time to look over the map and decide where we wanted to go. It was tricky because we wanted to stay with the rest of the family but it was close to impossible at certain points...which was frustrating for all.
Not long after we entered the park there were a group of buffalo which slowed the traffic even more.
When we got to the first waterfall all of the kids loved being able to be together and seeing the sites with their cousins. We also waited in line for the bathroom for 30 minutes.
All of the cousins
After that we all decided to go our own ways and go see Yellowstone falls and Nate joined us. It was breath taking and well worth the extra drive. We hiked to the higher and lower falls. It was quite the hike but once again well worth it.
We each took a night for dinner so we didn't need to go out for food. So after the park we headed back to the cabin to grabbed dinner, shower, play games, and just hang out. We were all so tired from the day so we were happy to be home. On Friday morning we got up and moving to go pick up our side by sides. The kids were so excited and we were looking forward to a day with fewer people around and no traffic. The side by side that we had reserved was wrecked the day before so they replaced our rental with a 5 seater and a 2 seater. So Matt and Hallie took the 2 seater and I took the 5 with the other 3 kids.
We drove on dirt trails for quite a while while searching for some off road trails we were trying to follow each other but also not eat dirt constantly. I was so happy Nic had brought extra googles...they saved us. We found this beautiful clearing to kinda regroup but quickly decided it was a bad spot since there was a small pond and the mosquitos were horrible. So we snapped a quick picture and we were on the road again. Its the first full family picture we have had since Liam was just little tiny.
Matt let Hallie drive for a bit so I let Gracie drive as well. Neither of us realized that you were supposed to have a license to drive one of them so once we found that out both girls were pretty bummed. It was fun while it lasted though.
The real reason I like these trips is the memories that we make and the bonds that are strengthened. My dad has always been a big part of my life and I love when we all get to spend time with him.
We found these cool waterfalls on our side by side ride. It was a great place to have lunch and take a walk to see them.
After lunch we switched up riders so that Matt and I could ride together. Its nice to have Nate and Maddi that can drive so we can switch out like we did.
After lunch we were also more successful in find off beaten the beaten path trails. At that point it became a lot more fun because we were eating dust most of the time. The scenery was beautiful.
And then Gracie followed Liam and took a rest for a while.
I had no idea how filthy we were until we got back and Matt snapped this picture of Maddi and I. It was fun though and nothing a good shower can't fix.
That night when we got back to the cabin we tried our best to spread the hot water around but some of the adults ended up with cold showers after we got the kids all clean. It was nice to have the space to do dinner. I did a pasta bar and it was a huge hit. I thought all the food we had was really good. There weren't many places nearby where we could go out so I was glad we had planned the way we did. The next morning we got up and weren't sure what the plan was. It had been raining and the weather wasn't as warm as we had planned. After some debate we decided to go float the river(our original plan). Traveling with large groups isn't without its challenges especially when you want to change the plan but we figure it all out. With the weather being cooler we decided we would rent a raft so we had a "home" on the river if the kids needed somewhere to be dry. Matt and I got put in charge of the raft and had some help along the way that was much appreciated. Trying to control the large raft with a bunch of kids was difficult at times. The girls had all picked out large ridable animals we weren't sure how they would work but the kids liked them at least briefly. The water was freezing so it was best to stay up out of the water.
Everyone was in different set ups from tubes to canoes, to a blow up raft....we were kinda all over the place.
Liam was happy to sit in front of me while I paddled.
A little ways down the river we found a rope swing and pulled off for anyone that wanted to be brave and jump in...polar bear plunge style. We all took the opportunity to stretch our legs and switch around where everyone was riding.
Hallie and Luke were the only two "brave" ones to do it. Hallie said it was fun but didn't want to do it again.
Liam got braver as the day warmed up to the point that he wanted to go swimming so for a good portion of the float he laid on my leg and foot while I held the loop on his life jacket. We all had a good laugh about it and how silly he was being.
Towards the end of the river we saw a mama and baby moose. Just the the wind picked up and lifted Rigs raft out of the water and dumped him in. Nic was in the boat with Matt and I. A couple of us jumped in to get to him and realized it would be faster to paddle. We were concerned he would get to close to the moose and the mama would see him as a threat and attach. Luckily we were able to get to him quickly and all was well.
All in all the river float was better than I had expected but also to long and slow for most of us. We were disappointed that we hadn't seen more animals but we glad to be done so we could get off the river. Matt's head started to get fried and we hadn't brought him a hat so he wore Emy's sweatshirt. He was looking very stylish.
While most of the adults worked on getting the rafts returned I watched the kids. Liam loved finding and throwing rocks of an size.
On our way home we stopped at an ice cream shop that carries Aggie ice cream and got treats. It was a great way to end our day but we were tired, hungry, and ready for a shower and some down time.
Unfortunately even good things have to come to an end. It had been a great trip. We learned alot. I loved the memories we made. I was disappointed in the fact that we hadn't had more down time together to visit and talk about life. We drove quite a bit while we were here which took away from time together but we know better for next time. Im so grateful for a family that wants to get together and create memories. For a family that will try new things and grow together. Here's to another great Norr family vacation.
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