One for the bucket list- White Water Rafting!!

We were SO excited to have the opportunity to go white water rafting through the Wind River Canyon. Super huge thank you to Aunt Cathy and Ms. Charlotte who kept Sydney all day for me so I didn't have to miss out. My humble experience with Indian Reservations comes from the Twilight series, and so it was really interesting. The canyon and the river flows directly through a beautiful Indian reservation and we were the only group allowed on the water. It was amazing and scary and freezing and exhilarating. I didn't take my camera on the water because I didn't trust myself to stay in the boat, but my Uncle did. That said, we were all too busy paddling and hanging on for dear life to take any pictures during the white water. We went down several stage 2 and 3 water, and one stage 4 (the highest stage is 5). Loved it!!!
Our group above and our rafting guides below

The Walkers about to get in the raft- looking totally cool in our safety gear

My awesome Uncle Bill

We made it through all the rapids without losing anyone in the water (the other raft "lost" 2 people but don't worry their guide got them back in the boat soon) but then enjoyed jumping out of the raft and floating downstream for a little bit. The picture doesn't do justice to how fast the water was moving!

Lander, Wyoming- Aunt Cathy and Uncle Bill's Hometown

My 2 beautiful and intelligent and strong aunts- MajBritt and Cathy. I couldn't ask for more than for my daughter to soak in their wonderfulness!!

Please notice this beautiful view! Imagine waking up everyday with this in your front yard! Aunt Cathy and Uncle Bill live in a small town in Lander, Wyoming and we all had such a fabulous time just enjoying being together there. The wedding was under the trees in their side yard and the reception was all over the yard- but more on that in another post!

Below is my dad and Uncle Jim having some healthy competition with ladder golf, or redneck golf, or monkey balls as they called it in Lander.

Brent showing my cousin and Scott a few golf tips.

Again, my camera doesn't even capture the beauty of their home! Look at the hills in the background!

Also in their hometown is an amazing spot called "The Sinks and Rise". Water comes rushing down from the mountains to this spot called "The Sinks", and the water literally sinks into the millions of small crevices in the rocks of the mountains and comes out on the other side of the mountain at "The Rise". Pictures don't do it justice- amazing!

Sydney enjoyed the nature center at the park.

Family Vacation 2009

Whew! We just returned home from an 8 day- 4 state traveling extravaganza! My cousin got married on July 19th in Lander, Wyoming and little Sydney Walker was one of the flower girls. Brent, Lauren, Sydney, my dad, and step mom flew out to Wyoming for the wedding, but also saw Montana, Idaho, and Utah. Sincerely, we were all pleasantly surprised by how relaxing it was, considering the fact that we traveled so much (we put over 1000 miles on the rental car- which happened to be a pimped out Suburban that I got to drive and now want) and that we had a high maintenance 2 year old with us. I give her 8 1/2 out of 10 stars for being wonderful and honestly, she was a superstar most of the time and napped on the go, etc. And I will brag on her- sweet thing got potty training in a week (second week in June) and we haven't looked back! I didn't even put her in a pull up for the plane or long car rides and we had zero accidents!!!! Sorry for all the posts and tons of pictures. This IS my child's scrape book and I have to remember everything for the day I finish hers! I may be 90 in a nursing home scrapping! Stay tuned for pictures from THE wedding, Jackson Hole, Grand Teton Mountains, white water rafting, and my wonderful, quirky, loving family!

I believe this was billed as a Giant Jackalope :)

Looking so sweet and being so patient while we loaded the car one morning.

Long Horned Ram in the middle of the road!

Watching the ONLY thing she would watch- The Wiggles. We are currently on Wiggles detox this week and she had to sit in time out 4 times before 11:00 am this morning. I will not back down. The child can not watch the Wiggles for 7 days.

One of many games in the car- looking at several flashcards and then playing 52 card pick up with Daddy!

Only out west have I seen so many Harley's and Horses- together.

Ice Cream pit stop in Cody, Wyoming- wild west capitol!

Yellowstone National Park

Certainly, a person can not travel to Wyoming and not visit Yellowstone National Park. From our guidebook "It was the first national park in the world and for centuries people have been drawn to its beautiful and unusual geological features and wildlife. With more than 10,000 geothermal features- more than the rest of the world combined!- Yellowstone is considered a major geologic "hot spot". Superheated magma just a few miles below the surface has molded the landscape and created geysers, hot springs, volcanoes, and boiling rivers."

Overlooking Lake Yellowstone which I think is in an old volcano "pit" for lack of a better word

A wild Buffalo was wondering by the road so genius me jumps out with my yummy looking 2 year old to get a picture with it. She was more interested in her new water bottle.

Passing over the continental divide (we actually did several times) at an elevation of 8262 feet- Denver "The Mile High City" sits at around 5500 feet.

No visit to Yellowstone is complete without a stop at Old Faithful Geyser. In my opinion, it wasn't the biggest or most spectacular geyser in the park, but it was dramatic and faithful! When we arrived we could see it rising in the distance, and after we parked it was expected to erupt again at 2:06 pm, give or take 10 minutes. We settled in to watch (with the other hundreds of people) and she went off at 2:08pm.

I wanted a good photo and seat, so I was actually sitting on the front of the pavilion with my feet on the ground. Then I noticed the sign that says "DANGER- Thermal Area!" so I snapped a pic with my toes and the sign. Boy, I am such a dare devil ;). But then later, no joke, we saw a sign that said over a dozen people had been scalded to death and over a 100 others severely burned from walking off the built up path. I didn't take it so lightly after that!

Brent and I's favorite- the midway geyser basin and turquoise pool, which temps hover at near boiling at all times.

A golden eagle in her Arie or nest (My madden name is Eagle and our family business is Arie Inc.) so of course we loved seeing her just as we were leaving the park!

Montana- Idaho- Utah

Well, a wrong turn in Yellowstone National Park actually turned out to be some highlights of the trip! We changed plans last minute and left the park out of the west gate and took a 2 day trip through Montana, Idaho, and Utah since we were flying out of Salt Lake City anyway.

Idaho Falls, Idaho

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with the Olympic Games- summer and winter. The Winter Games in 2002 were held in Salt Lake City and our hotel was a block from where the ice skating rink was, and just past it was a really neat open air mall/Union Station/water fountain from the Olympics. This might have been Sydney's highlight (other than the flower girl skirt) and she loved getting soaked in the water. Every 30 minutes a musical montage of "Olympic themed music" would play coordinated with these amazing water shows. I won't lie, the mall was one of my highlights since it had been 8 days since I had done any shopping :). Overall I was very impressed with Salt Lake City and was a relaxing and fun way to top off a busy week!

I packed a dry set of clothes but after we ate and shopped she wanted "more water fountain" so she soaked her dry set too.

This is the Salt Lake Mormon Temple started by Joseph Smith in 1853. It was surrounded by 35 acres of amazing buildings and beautiful water features and flower beds. The granite rock used in its construction was hauled 23 miles by ox-drawn wagons and is the center of the Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints church complex.

"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done..." Psalm 40:5