gone for 9 days

We were on the road to Grandma & Grandpa Thomson's house in Raymond, for 9 days. Saturday June 27 we rolled off in the truck with the trailer in tow. It was going to be an exciting week with the cousins and G & G. Sunday was spent figuring out the menu for the week, and so Monday morning we were off to Lethbridge. The dads , boys and Am went to the matinee of "Transformers", while the moms and little girls went to "Imagine That". After we were full of popcorn, candy and slush we swapped the kids with the dads and the 4 moms went on an extreme grocery extravaganza. Who new how much food wed could pack into 2 vehicles for 20 people and 7 days. I must say all my sister in-laws are packing divas such as myself, and no more O.C.D. than myself, I think i am normal. We arrived home Monday night with supper in tow and needing the men to do some Bar B Qing.

Tuesday was a very busy day with Waterton all planned out. we were up and out of the house in record time, with a picnic packed, swimming gear for Red Rock, and extra clothes. We got to Waterton, first stop was hiking Bears Hump, amazing we almost all made it up, Grama puttered out, and Robbie and Jackson turned around 3/4 the ways up. Jackson was super exhausted and cried the whole time. We did the traditional feed the squirrels, take family portraits and down we went to move on to LUNCH. After this hike we were all ready for some grub. Up to "Red Rock Canyon" for a picnic and a hike up the falls to find the natural water slide. Lunch was delicious, a sandwich, few different salads and fruit was like heaven when you were so starving. We all cleaned up in a hurry in anticipation of the trek up the falls to find the slides. I am thinking that we made it 3/4 of the way there when the moms decided to call it. It was getting a bit extreme for the little ones and considering we had from 1 1/2 years to 17 years in age difference it was time to go back and just play in the low pools. The 4 older kids carried on and made it and of course reported that it was extreme fun. The little kids have no idea what they were missing out on and so maybe next time we will make it all the way, but in the mean time the low pools were fabulous. When all was said and done it was down to the Town site to go for the biggest ice cream you can believe. While eating our ice cream along the shore line of the lake were deer, not just adults but a fawn too. We were within 10 feet of them and wow it was amazing. The kids were in shock to see the fawn up close and personal we had to prod them to leave. On our way home we had a very tired full truck, everybody slept except for Tod. more to come later. . .