Bedtime Schmedtime

It is very late. It's actually tomorrow, but we'll pretend it's Monday. We stumbled across a new family activity a few weeks ago when we went to see Toy Story 4 and we found out that tickets are only $5.50 at Union Heights on Monday nights if you have a group of 3 or more (we usually do!) We did it again tonight.

I planned to take the kids myself so Corey could work in a quiet house, but he decided to come. He didn't get work done this morning cause he took Hyrum to EFY and then Wes to Little Big Band and a LBB recording after that. He's always playing catch up with hours, he works very hard for our family. The kids cleaned and practiced their music well today. Sophi had her lesson this morning and Sophi's teacher got my cheapo student violin ready so it was fun, Wes and Mel and I all fiddled around on the violins today, we're going to get really good! haha. So, it was a decent work day and Abi cleaned the kitchen, so off we went. Corey came and thought he might just work in the lobby while we watched it, but Ethan convinced him to join us. I wanted to see Aladdin at first, but Natalie was pretty strong in her desire to see Lion King.

Plus we figured Owen and Daniel would like that better anyway, seeing as they watched the cartoon probably 3x today (bad mom!) It was fun. The theater was pretty empty and we had a whole row to ourselves again. My expectations were pretty low, so I actually really enjoyed the movie!

At 12:15 we picked up the sleeping toddlers and baby and walked out to the car. Corey and Ethan holding Daniel and Owen.

Me with Peter. Unsurprisingly, there weren't any other families there at midnight with toddlers and babies in their arms. We're a fun family and the party house, but we also don't have a lick of sense sometimes. It's hard figuring out activities for our family with having teenagers and toddlers and everything in between age wise. Ya just do the best you can

Poor little guy is still feeling sick but he did pretty good during most of the show, we just took him out once a little over half way through to walk him around for a bit, then I was able to come back in with him and he fell back asleep

He's had a runny nose and goopy eyes that are stuck shut the past few days with crusties on his eyelashes after he wakes up in the morning. I think he might be cutting teeth too.

Hibbert Reunion - North Yellowstone

This morning we went to the North Yellowstone. I'm positive that I've been here many times before, is it weird that I can hardly remember it? It must have all been in my life before the blog. I don't remember much of those years, I need to figure out how to get my scrapbooks and history online so I can search it and find things quickly. Flipping through binder pages just isn't practical. Ok, so anyway - we went to the Norris Geyser Basin.

Corey stayed at the cabin to get in some work hours. He does a pretty amazing job of providing for this large family. We walked along the boardwalk. Kids sat down to dangle their feet, they did a good job not stepping on the ground, which is forbidden here.

It is pretty amazing to think of all that is going on under the ground here. I left me searching about the Yellowstone Hotspot after we got home - So a few quick links from my googling:

• The Island Park Caldera created the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff (The cabin we're staying at is on the Huckleberry ridge)
• The Henry's Fork Caldera created the Mesa Falls Tuff
• The Yellowstone Caldera created the Lava Creek Tuff.

So that all helped me understand where things were, cause I was confused when my dad, at the Total solar eclipse two years ago, showed me how you could see the caldera from the volcanic erruption there is Ashton, cause I was like, wait, I thought the caldera was in Yellowstone, so now I get it, that it has kept moving eastward. So I get it more now. So, the geyser basin was cool, and then we went to Artist Point

Family picture. Daniel was being HORRIBLE. Say cheese anyway!

I was glad no one fell to their death. It's pretty freaky looking over the edge, gives me anxiety. My siblings got this cute picture of all the kids lined up sitting on a wall there at Artist Point, except for Abi who was in the bathroom.

That's a lot of grandkids, but still missing like a third of them in this pic - Jared and Jersh were in another area of the park and the Scotts in Indiana were also missing.

Back to the car. We drove so slowly in the park that I was okay with them holding him, cause he was hating his carseat.

Yes, holding him was much better. We went to Canyon Village for lunch. Yummy chips.

My cousin Anna with Peter. So nice to have so many helping hands.

My parents met here in Yellowstone years ago, so it was fun to be where my parents worked. They shared that story with my little brother, who did an interview with them, he's going to make a video of it. I just tried to keep my little noisemakers away so they didn't ruin the audio.

I headed back after lunch, cause Daniel was done. One last thing before we go, let's stop by the river to feel the cold water.

I had Ethan, Hyrum, Natalie, Owen, Daniel, and Peter in my car that drive.

With that, our trip felt complete.

Ok, that's good. Heading back...

We saw two buffalo on our way out, one rolling in the dust. Turned around to watch, then u-turn again to leave. Then at Madison Junction, there was a black bear walking right by the side of the road! We turned around and drove back cause it was heading toward the Madison campground, we felt it our duty to warn the campers. But it must have turned around again cause we didn't see it as we drove around there. Everything seemed in order, so we left, but saw the bear again, this time on the other side of the road, oh good.

Back at the cabin.

Corey started a game of "bombs away" or something where he laid down on the ground and the boys threw fly's up balls up high hoping it landed somewhere on Corey, exploding his arm or leg off until he was dead, haha, like hangman. It was a slow death. 

We also had a slide show tonight. That's a very longstanding Hibbert tradition. 

We've had such a fun time here with all the extended family. Last night was the dance night because Jared and Jerusha had to head back tonight. we took a quick family photo before they left. 

Daniel is going to miss his new favorite cousin, Connor. I love this picture of the two of them! Daniel's little face.

Then we had a game night tonight with board games and I played in a little bit in the 5000 dice game. Good times.

Hibbert Reunion - Old Faithful

Today started with a nice breakfast and then making lunches, followed by a morning devotional before we headed out to Yellowstone.

Then everyone loaded into the cars. We went to see Old Faithful today. We enjoyed lunch together before watching the geyser go off. Daniel kept his Smart cousins entertained - playing hide and seek

Wes eating with the Hibbert cousins.

The Wrides eating their sandwiches and chips.

Almost time for it to erupt, so we head to the geyser

Daniel was more interested in the gravel rocks.

My dad took Peter back into the shade so that P wouldn't get a sunburn and so I could watch the geyser.

Pretty Peter. Now watching the rest of the kids and cousins... kids to the left -

And kids to the right...

A miracle of nature! Everyone gets out their smart phones, including me

And Eth trying to get a shot for Instagram

Lily with Eli - I think my younger kids enjoyed being with the little cousins 

Little people that aren't siblings, fun! Next we walked over to the Old Faithful Inn. 

It looks like a rickety old place, pretty cool fireplace. Ok grandkids, everyone up to the balcony...

Little Peter is already tuckered out.

Then we headed back to the cabin. We saw some buffalo on the drive out by Madison Junction.

And we stopped by Big Springs before going back for dinner. It's a National Natural Landmark!

We were too late to be able to see inside Johnny Sack's cabin. But we had fun feeding the fish. Then it was finally time to go back to the fun cabin. We ate dinner -

Then we visited and looked through an old scrapbook that my dad's mom made. 

My dad as a cute toddler

And we all played the rest of the evening - the boys played pool -

Lots of us jumped rope (that was a good last minute grab of mine! I'm glad we had that up there, it was fun)

Other board games and card games. 

Settlers of Catan - 

And just lots of fun playing. Daniel kept us entertained with this frisbie thing on a stretchy black string. He would try to tag people with the blue disc, it was cute.

Then the best part of the evening was the dance party. Uncle Neil brought a disco ball, we moved  played "Everybody Dance Now" to call everyone down, and it was a party. We did the boot scoot boogy, we did handclap, it was a lot of fun. The best part was when we played "I Will Get Back Up Again" from Trolls, the little girls just came alive and it was soooo cute and so fun! My little brother Grant, who has 4 boys, said it was his favorite part too to see what makes little girls get excited, it was new territory for him but we were all laughing and singing so loud and laughing. It was so great. Trice was trying to get her kids to sleep around 11:30 or so, so we called it a night and that made for another great day at the Hibbert Reunion.