GFR - Day 4 Recovery

We didn’t wake up until 9 am. We spent the morning and early afternoon doing crafts. My mom brought thousands of beads to make watch bands and bracelets. I brought kid-friendly bead projects for necklaces and bracelets.






The kids also decorated canvas backpacks and t-shirts. Of course we had to make matching family shirts :)


•Green Canyon – Uncle Jim – no swimming on Sunday.


o Rog enjoyed playing basketball with my siblings and dad. I watched the kids.
o Sarah LOVED going into the small 55 degree pool. I couldn’t be in it for more than a few seconds! The pools were heated/cooled by natural springs.
o Grossest bathroom I’ve ever been in award. Worse than some outhouses I’ve been in.
o After we got home, we made everyone take baths and showers before going to bed.
• Played cards with siblings.

Family Reunion Day 3 Yellowstone

Bison. Harry and Buffy. (Harry = the male buffalo with a lot of hair. Buffy = short for Buffalo with a y to make it girly) Stopped us on the road. Charged the broadside of the van – which made us a little nervous so we quickly got out of the way. Harry and Buffy planted themselves on the road in front of the van behind us that my brother Peter and his family were in.


In honor of our new friends, my Mom got this shirt for my Dad.


Hot Springs






• Old Faithful – we were there long enough for two showings. For the first one, we had front row seats and got the Shamu Effect – totally sprayed by the geyser. Sarah and Will didn’t think it was all that cool. For the second one, we watched from a distance and Rog took some great pictures.






• Mom took an art class when she and my Dad were newly married. My Dad, who had served his mission in Wyoming and Montana (Western States Mission), had given her a picture he had taken south of Yellowstone. She painted the scene and it hung in our house for many years. Well of course we had to take a family picture there.


• It was getting late and we had another half-hour to Jackson, Wyoming. My Dad had remembered there was a Pizza Hut there so I utilized Roger’s blackberry and called ahead with our order and looked up directions. You don’t mess around with 28 hungry people in your caravan. Will got to eat his first pizza and, as you can imagine, he loved it.

Gubler Reunion - Day 2

This morning, we went across the street to the Tetonia 1st ward for church. We made it basically on-time to 11 am church. Wahoo! In celebration of our pioneer ancestry, the bishopric had arranged for 4 “grandmas” to speak about their family history. As you can imagine, the first speaker took 30 minutes. The meeting was going into “overtime” after the musical number was finished with two speakers left to give their talks. We talked to bishop during Sunday School – was able to hear about my great, great Uncle Dick’s reputation in the Valley. The “Gublers” were active participants in Elders Quorum – making up 95% of the comments.


This afternoon we headed to the Tetonia Cemetery. We visited the graves of my Great Great Grandparents and a few of their children - including the infamous Uncle Jim, who died while he was swimming on Sunday. Needless to say, we weren't tempted to go swimming on Sunday growing up.






After church and naps, we headed to our family's dry farm. My Dad said the road would be a "little bit" bumpy ... I should have known he was underestimating by just a "little bit." We ended up parking our car by the side of the road and hitched rides with others to drive through the tall grass. Taking our van to Idaho definitely broke it in, but there was a limit to where I was willing to drive my less-than-a-month-old car. However, I do have to say, the dry farm is beautiful. Rog mentioned he wouldn't mind having a cabin up in the valley. However, after I saw his face when we got back - all swollen and pink - I decided his allergies would probably prevent us from doing so.








When we got back to the hotel, the boys and kids started playing 500. The kids LOVED it. Incidentally, Rog and Damond both jammed their fingers while playing.










While Rog played, I worked on family histories with Katie. We are working on a personal progress project to compile our family stories into a children’s book. I am sooo excited to get it all finished. It will be such a fun way for all the kids to learn more about their ancestors. Tonight, for our family home evening, we shared some of the histories and had the grandchildren draw pictures that we will scan in for the book. To add to the importance of our ancestors and each family member, Kim and Katie sang a duet to the song, "For Good" from the Broadway play "Wicked." I'll just say that they are super amazing. I love my talented sisters.