Adventures of Tyler, Kristen, Alexandria, Heidi, Quinn and Tommy: Montana-Wyoming Vacation AKA- a visit to Heaven on Earth

I love Wyoming.

I thought this over and over as I drove with Susan my mother in law, and 2 kids through the beautiful state a few weeks ago. Both my parents were born and raised in Wyoming and I suppose it was spending much of my youth in that great state's secret places, that filled me with such love.

I get a quiet satisfaction when I hear people belittle Wyoming. There is this warm fuzzy feeling like I'm in a secret club of adventurers, one of the few who know the real beauty and grander, the best fishing spots, the hole in the wall ice-cream shops with the best shakes, the right names to drop at the right places, and all the best short cuts. If you see Wyoming as a barren desert with a few green spots around the North Western Edge, then you obviously arn't in this club.

I could go on, but suffice it to say, I love Wyoming.

Against all odds Susan, the girls and I made it to Worland on our first day of driving. The next day and a half were spent talking and laughing with my grandparents, running around in the yard and melting in the Wyoming heat while at the farm.

Alex filled Grandma's mailbox with flowers and kept a few for her hair.

Susan took stunning pictures of Grandpa's beautiful roses.

This is the most photogenic picture taken of me the entire trip.

Alex rode a horse!

Reminds me of a similar picture from a few years back.

Alex adores her Great Grandpa, who spoiled her rotten.

Susen went above and beyond her call of duty, first by volunteering to drive with me to Montana to help with the kids, and then paying for her own plane ticket home! I wouldn't have made it to Worland without her. I didn't realize how much she did until she left and I spent the next week running around out of breath trying to keep the kids under control.

I'm so glad my kids are getting to know my Grandfather. If someone wrote his life story, I'm sure he it would become a bedtime favorite, up there with Peter Pan and Cinderella. Definitely one of my biggest Heros.

It was so fun watching my kids do the same things that I grew up doing. Going to the farm, playing on the dirt piles, riding horses and of course- grabbing a soda from the fridge (it's lemonaid).

Despite the blistering heat, we had a great visit.

Alex got to spend time with 2 different grandmas, 2 great grandmas and a great grandpa. When we got home we headed off to a Brady reunion where she spent time with another set of grandparents and a set of great grandparents. Her other great grandma lives down the road and we visit all the time. I feel so blessed that my children are able to grow up with and be loved by such a remarkable generation.

The girls with their Great Grandma Asay.

Grandpa taught the girls how to 4-wheel. Heidi especially loved it and kept trying to steer it herself.

When Grandpa tells you to do something, you just do it. Alex has already caught on to the way things are, here she is licking a cow salt lick, because Grandpa told her to.

Heidi really liked the farm,

and watching Grandpa do the chores.

Great Grandpa teaching Heidi how to check horseshoes.

Heidi getting her first horse ride.

It was sad to leave Wyoming but we had to press forward. On the way out we stopped by a airplane graveyard, I mean, museum in Greybull.

Unfortunately we only got to see about 5 planes before Alex had to use the bathroom and we had to drive back to town to find a toilet.

Susan was such a great sport. It was probably harder to put up with my whims and wishes than it was with the kids.

Tuesday we said goodbye to Grandma Brady and Hello to Great Grandma Sanderson and then Wednesday Stephen arrived, back from a 2 year LDS mission to Brazil!

It was great seeing him, as well as the rest of the family.

Alex and Heidi had their run of the farm in Montana and helped out with the chores everyday. Alex did a great job of keeping Heidi out of trouble, and the chicken coop.

We visited the Billings temple for a picture.

It had to be 95 degrees on the cement, everyone was dying of heat by the time I got them posed and in location. There is just something extra fun and special about Grandmas. I loved spending the week watching the girls interact with my mom and her mom.

Alex was super excited when Michael arrived in town and wouldn't leave him alone.

Heidi loved being able to run free in the yard without me yelling at her to stay away from the road.

We taught Alex how to take car of the pigs.

Played dress up.

Tried to saddle the old mean horse.

and had a water balloon fight in which Heidi ended up the most soaked.

It was sad to leave Billings, but Tyler was missing us and we missed him. So we grabbed Stephen and headed back to Worland, spent the night and enjoyed some great conversation with a few cousins in town, and then took off for Provo.

My Dad's best friend growing up became a Taxidermist. We stop by his shop every now and then to see what project he is working on and to sit on the buffalo.

Last time I sat here, Alex was in my belly.

It was like a exotic petting zoo for the kids.

Heidi was rather thrilled that all the animals held still so she could touch them.

Finally we made a break for home. To space out the journey we stopped at South Pass City for a stretch. I have driven by the turn off a hundred times but never stopped until now. I was pleasantly surprised and the kids were thrilled to be out of the car.

For a few dollars you could walk around the restored ghost mining town, go inside and see the exhibits. When deciding whether to do it, I asked Stephen what his excitement level was, from 1-10. He responded "Oh, probably a 4 or 5." I replied "I'll be back, I'm going to go get my wallet." In hindsight I see how he was probably less than thrilled at the prospect, but I'm used to forcing my family participate in activities when their level of excitement is a -35, so a positive 4 was practically a 100 in my book.