sunday we said goodbye to our home away from home...
it was sad to leave, we had the best time
in south dakota!
the colemans and hysells went all the way back home since they
had to head back to work...
but the rest of us decided to extend our stay a bit.
all austy wanted to do for her birthday was stay in casper with the fun
swimming pool.
so we did.
and i gotta tell you it was a nice way to break up the trip home.
the kids had soooo much fun swimming and being together.
monday we took off to head home... but we took a detour.
we decided to hit up martins cove and independence rock.
im glad we did. i havent been there since i did my first trek in 02.
we didnt do the trail or anything but it still was fun seeing the visitors center.
the church does such a great job keeping up the grounds
and making sure everything looks nice and well kept.
after martins cove we headed towards rawlins then back up to laramie.
we have always talked about one summer on our way home from lyman we should
take the saratoga walcott junction exit and go through centennial and the snowys
on our way back home. so we decided to do it.
it was sooo pretty.
i LOVE those mountains.
when we got home it was time for laundry and cleaning.
it felt good to be back home.
and it was sooooo fun to have austyn and rylee with us.
tuesday we got up and going and had to do some shopping and errands around town.
the girls were so patient... it helped that they were able to get a toy
while we did our errands.
they both chose these little digital mice.
they were soooo funny with them.
that evening we had hamburger and pie for austyns birthday.
i felt bad we didnt do anything on her actual birthday for her.
but she is the sweetest and would never complain.
we later went out for a walk and went over to spring creek elementary
and let them play on the play ground and swings.
buttttt.... we were getting eaten alive by mosquitos so we didnt spend much time there.
wednesday we got up and wanted to go do something fun.
so we packed up a little picnic and went over to the wading pool.
we ate and the kids went to play in the water....
but they didnt last too long... the water was too cold.
so i told them we could go try the splash pad.
we seriously werent even there for 5 minutes before they decided
that was too boring.
sooooo we headed to the outdoor swimming pool.
which was a huge hit.
i practically had to drag them out 3 hours later.
now the idiot in me got them all sunscreened up and taken care of....
and somehow forgot about me...
i got FRIED!
that evening i had to go to young womens...
i left and everything was good and everyone was happy....
and then i got home.
i had 2 very homesick girls!
poor eric, he tried his best to keep them entertained. lol.
but seriously it broke my heart.
so thursday we got up and decided it would be best to make our way
back home.
we left later in the afternoon because i want eric to get home
so we could say goodbye to him.
luckily he had decided to work a double shift so i didnt feel as bad
leaving him home.
when we got into lyman the girls were sure happy to get back to their families.
we headed over to the gillies house.
melissa's family had made it into town too.
friday we spent a lot of the day over at the gillies house as well.
my family had left to go camping so there wasnt too much we were missing out
on over there.
madyn had a lot of fun playing with her cousins.
her and molly are quite the little pair together.
that evening eric and bryan's family get into town.
we did family pictures at the fort and had delicious mt dew chicken for dinner.
it was so nice being all together with the family.
first time in a couple of years that all the gillies family has been under
one roof together.
me, melissa, carilyn, tanner, and mads stayed behind to do some cooking
for ty's homecoming lunch and then headed up later.
it was such a nice day and i think everyone enjoyed themselves...
even madyn... she did SO much better fishing then she did her first time.
she sang row row row your boat the whole time she fished with eric.
he's is pretty much the best with her!
it was a pretty great end to our week with all the family.
we are pretty lucky to have such a great one!
we decided to hit up martins cove and independence rock.
im glad we did. i havent been there since i did my first trek in 02.
we didnt do the trail or anything but it still was fun seeing the visitors center.
the church does such a great job keeping up the grounds
and making sure everything looks nice and well kept.
while we were in watching a video the missionaries killed a
baby rattle snake by chopping off his head.
it was still twitching and moving when we got back outside.
the kids loved watching it. lol.
after martins cove we headed towards rawlins then back up to laramie.
we have always talked about one summer on our way home from lyman we should
take the saratoga walcott junction exit and go through centennial and the snowys
on our way back home. so we decided to do it.
it was sooo pretty.
i LOVE those mountains.
when we got home it was time for laundry and cleaning.
it felt good to be back home.
and it was sooooo fun to have austyn and rylee with us.
tuesday we got up and going and had to do some shopping and errands around town.
the girls were so patient... it helped that they were able to get a toy
while we did our errands.
they both chose these little digital mice.
they were soooo funny with them.
that evening we had hamburger and pie for austyns birthday.
i felt bad we didnt do anything on her actual birthday for her.
but she is the sweetest and would never complain.
we later went out for a walk and went over to spring creek elementary
and let them play on the play ground and swings.
buttttt.... we were getting eaten alive by mosquitos so we didnt spend much time there.
wednesday we got up and wanted to go do something fun.
so we packed up a little picnic and went over to the wading pool.
we ate and the kids went to play in the water....
but they didnt last too long... the water was too cold.
so i told them we could go try the splash pad.
we seriously werent even there for 5 minutes before they decided
that was too boring.
sooooo we headed to the outdoor swimming pool.
which was a huge hit.
i practically had to drag them out 3 hours later.
now the idiot in me got them all sunscreened up and taken care of....
and somehow forgot about me...
i got FRIED!
that evening i had to go to young womens...
i left and everything was good and everyone was happy....
and then i got home.
i had 2 very homesick girls!
poor eric, he tried his best to keep them entertained. lol.
but seriously it broke my heart.
so thursday we got up and decided it would be best to make our way
back home.
we left later in the afternoon because i want eric to get home
so we could say goodbye to him.
luckily he had decided to work a double shift so i didnt feel as bad
leaving him home.
when we got into lyman the girls were sure happy to get back to their families.
we headed over to the gillies house.
melissa's family had made it into town too.
friday we spent a lot of the day over at the gillies house as well.
my family had left to go camping so there wasnt too much we were missing out
on over there.
madyn had a lot of fun playing with her cousins.
her and molly are quite the little pair together.
that evening eric and bryan's family get into town.
we did family pictures at the fort and had delicious mt dew chicken for dinner.
it was so nice being all together with the family.
first time in a couple of years that all the gillies family has been under
one roof together.
(isnt that the sweetest?!? i think someone is pretty happy their uncle is home!)
saturday everyone headed up to bridger lake to go fishing.me, melissa, carilyn, tanner, and mads stayed behind to do some cooking
for ty's homecoming lunch and then headed up later.
it was such a nice day and i think everyone enjoyed themselves...
even madyn... she did SO much better fishing then she did her first time.
she sang row row row your boat the whole time she fished with eric.
he's is pretty much the best with her!
it was a pretty great end to our week with all the family.
we are pretty lucky to have such a great one!
