Montana Family Reunion

We headed out to Montana for our Semi-bi-annual Hays Family Reunion. It was great weather, though it seems we brought some of the heat with us.

Sometimes, all you need in life is a pair of deer jaw bones.

The dune buggy was a big hit. It's like real-life Mario Kart!

When you wear out one parent, it's on to the next for some more buggy action.

Feeding the fish in the pond with Grandpa.

I don't really have a great caption for this one. I just love Alice's authentically windswept look.

Sprinklers can be pretty cold in Montana.

Gotta keep that itchy hay from scratching those delicate Arizona legs.

For better or worse, Mom and Dad's field is covered with Lakin's favorite flower: daisies.

This one definitely screams for ice cream.

On our way to the trailhead for Baker Lake. There's a nice little scenic overlook in the the Trapper Creek canyon.

Bear grass. So named because Lewis and Clark thought that bears ate it, according to Dad. Yet to be verified by official sources.

The hike to Baker Lake was a lot tougher than I remembered it. The kids were troopers, though.

And we were rewarded for our efforts.

Taking a much needed break at the lake with Grandpa and his compass.

Alice loves her Grandma.

Apparently, sitting in a backpack for an hour is hard work.

Colby "snuck" up on Grandpa to throw a snowball. The uncontrollable giggles kinda gave him away, though.

See? It's very hard work.

Colby lost his second tooth while we were there.

His cousin Lily had a matching smile for the first few days.

The whole gang (minus Dad) all dressed up for the baby blessing.

Colby's greatest Duplo creation to date, a ship

Playing with the cousins.

I think she's pointing out where to put the next piece of chocolate cake.

What a happy pair!

On his way to the Fishing merit badge.

Warrior 1.

Warrior 2.

Warrior 3?

Tomahawk throwing. You know, Montana stuff.

Speaking of Montana stuff, you gotta play in the ditch.

This guy flew.

And when I say, "flew," I mean he really flew. We could barely see the rocket when the parachute came out.

Where's Wald--er--Norman the Nephite?

This girl is happiest in the great outdoors.

Gotta pick those flowers for Mama.

Carrying on the proud Hays tradition of eating dirt.

Gotta get that bark just right.

I would like to say my face was cleaner than this after eating my S'more, but I can't.

Tandem ziplining. It's a good thing we had spotters at the bottom, or my 3rd vertebra would have been toast.

Chomping on hay, another Montana thing.

Sadie's pretty brave.

Lakin, too.

World domination takes a lot longer than we originally thought.

All ready for a boat ride on the lake. Unfortunately, the boat wasn't ready.

Playing in the sand is a good alternative.

The older cousins improvised with the inner tube and used good ol' fashioned leg power to ferry the little ones out and back.

Did I say, "little ones"?

Good looking couple.

Once you get this one going in the water, he doesn't want to quit.

If I ever want to get into modeling, I'll definitely put this shot in my portfolio.

Is that...legal?

Even with all of the fun stuff to do at Grandma's house, playing in the ditch was the one thing the kids kept coming back to.

Improvising a boogie board for ditch use. That Uncle Al sure knows how to have fun.

Looking for sapphires.

I was on panning duty. I think I got pretty good at it.

Otter Pops: an American classic.

I think we can fit one more in there.

Skalkaho Falls with the cousins.

Colby was pretty nervous about our choice of posing position.

We got a whole mess of sapphires! Thanks Brooke and Al for suggesting it.

As always, we had a lot of fun in Montana. We're already trying to figure out how to sneak back there as soon as possible.