Alturas Lake 2009

I guess that I will be the first to blog about our annual family vacation to Alturas Lake. We had a wonderful time this year and it was really nice to see how much Abby enjoyed her first real camping trip. Troy and Laura flew into Idaho Falls on Saturday the 25th and we left for the lake Sunday morning. Troy and Laura had to ride with us and listen to Abby talk the whole way (3+ hours) and Beau whine which is definitely worse in my opinion. Once we finally made it we had been out of the car for about five minutes and Abby falls on her face and we have the first wound of many, of course she was a trooper, who knew that I would have such a great camper at such a young age!!! On Sunday we set up camp and got stuff ready for the week, we had a great turnout this year Tyler, Nita, and Riley were the only ones who couldn't make and we really missed them!!! We were joined by Ryann's sister Melissa her husband Chuck and their three boys Tanner, Spencer, and Adam on Sunday night. On Monday we went on a "small" hike around Petit Lake which was beautiful as always. Blake walked by me for most of the time and I was amazed by all the questions that can come from a four year old I don't think he ever stopped talking or walking he was a great hiker. Our only dilemma was that he wanted to stop about every minute, not for a break but to throw rocks into the lake. On the way down we stopped for a break and Troy climbed up on a big rock Blake asked if he could climb it too and we told him no he was to little, he looked back up and said "it's only for HUGE boys like Troy" we told him yes and all had a good laugh. We drove back to Alturas had lunch and then decided to go to the beach. The water didn't feel as cold this year and Abby loved it. Even after she slipped off of my finger and went all the way under she didn't cry, the crying started when I made her get out because her whole little body was shivering poor thing. After a little fight she was content to play in the sand and the water was kind of forgotten. Tuesday morning we got up to go to Stanley Lake and Tyler had to make the dreaded phone call to see if he had to go home and go to work. He did and we were all totally disappointed but didn't let that stop us from having fun the rest of the day. We got to see the fish and game stock the lake which I had never seen before it was really cool about 10,000 fish released in maybe 3 minutes. We stopped at the fish hatchery on the way back to camp so that we could see some really big Salmon (I'm not kidding some of them were like 3 ft. long yum!!! we're having fish tonight) and some really tiny trout. The kids always like to go and see the fish at the hatchery and I do to I'm not going to lie!!! As we were pulling back into the campground my worst nightmare came true a fish and game officer was putting a bear trap at the beach. Of course this is on the night that my husband is leaving me to go to work and it was just going to be Abby and me in the tent all ALONE!!! Needless to say there were many "bears" right outside our tent the rest of the trip. I didn't realize how much of a chicken I was until I was by myself at night. I was pretty sad to see Tyler have to leave but next year we will be able to go together for the entire trip. Okay well on Wednesday we decided to stay at the campground and relax. The MEN took all the kids fishing and the women washed our hair it felt so good to have clean hair after three days with no shower. We spent the majority of the day at the beach and it was so peaceful and relaxing it is beautiful up there and I am so grateful to be able to spend even a small amount of time in the wilderness with my family. Thursday morning came and it was time to go home and I realized how much Tyler really does for me. It was really hard to watch Abby, fold up the tent, and get the car packed all by myself luckily I wasn't completely alone or I would probably still be up there with the bear!!! We took a detour to Fall Creek on the way home which is kind of by Sun Valley and if you've never been you should go it's beautiful. I will admit that I didn't want to go on another hike that I just wanted to go home but once we got their I was glad. It was fun to reminisce. Tanner and Chelsey rode home with us and we were talking about camping up there and how he broke my nose and tooth once when we stayed there, and I will admit it's kinda funny now. All in all it was a wonderful vacation and one that I look forward to every year so let's keep up the tradition. I love you all and am so grateful that you still want to get together as a HUGE family.

Abby and Mommy in the lake

Abby and Grandpa playing in the sand

Abby and Kaylee in the bike trailer. Abby loved Kaylee in fact so much that she called Aftyn Kaylee the whole week. Once Kaylee even told me that Abby was bothering her because she kept saying her name!!! Memories!!!

Grandpa and Blake having a splash fight.

Abby and Daddy looking at the huge Salmon!!!

I have a bunch more pictures but this is already a huge post so maybe I will just do some pictures on another one later.

Butikofer Family Campout

This is late but here goes...
The theme this year was Disney goes Jamaican although it was a lot to fit in altogether it was still a lot of fun. Tyler, Abby and I could only go up for Friday and Saturday so we tried to fit as much fun as we could into two days. Each family had a disney movie that we had to make a skit out of and ours was Robin Hood one of my favorites!!! Tyler was Robin Hood and I was Maid Marien our costumes were very cute but I didn't get any pictures of them so sorry!!! We had some Jamaican food for dinner that was very interesting!!! I'm not sure that I loved it sorry Patricia. Abby loved the water and so did Beau big surprise there. We had a great time visiting with family and can't wait until next year.

Please help solve my latest old folks moment

Okay my brothers will probably remember this but for some strange reason I can't for the life of me remember how this saying goes and we used to say it all the time. Tyler and I have been arguing about it and I think he is saying it wrong or different from what we used to say. So help a sister out if you can remember
Eenie meanie miny mo catch a tiger by the toe if he hollers make him pay 50 dollars everyday.... and that's where it gets fuzzy!!! Please help if you can.

Also Tyler and I went camping last weekend I will write tomorrow if I have time and post some pictures we had a pretty good time minus the mosquito bites!!!

A Few of My Favorite Things

I decided to copy Ryann because I thought this was such a good idea!!!

I love being called Mommy, Mama, and sometimes even Daddy!!!

I love that my husband is still my best friend even after all that I put him through.

I love raspberries from Grandma B's garden (even though sometimes she doesn't know that we sneak them!!! ssshhhh don't tell).

I love all of my sisters and I guess their husbands since most of them are my brothers!!! ( I knew that if i was just patient long enough something good would come from all those brothers)

I love that my mom and dad are still adventurous enough to take all of their kids and grandkids camping for practically a whole week!!! ( We can't wait only about two more weeks and then Alturus Lake here we come ready or not!!!)

I love the look on Abby's face when her daddy gets home from work it's priceless.

I love that Tyler's grandma says that while Abby looks like me, every once in a while she sees a devilish look in her eyes that is completely Tyler.

I love great music.

Okay i could probably go on forever so I will stop right here. This is a great idea Ryann it really makes me remember all the little things that I should be thankful for.

Here's Proof: Look Who's Walkin'

As you can tell I am a little excited about the whole walking thing but I think I might regret that in a short while. This is only day three and I feel like I chased her a ton more today than I ever have. But it's so cute and you can tell that she is so proud of herself that I can't help but love it!!! What a wonderful thing to be her mother!!!

Pictures at Penney's

On Saturday we decided to get pictures taken at JCPenney's portrait studio. Abby looked cute and her parents looked okay we got there and Abby was scared to death of the photographer. He was kind of dumb he kept making this weirdo elmo kind of sound anyway the pictures are okay but not great if you want to look at them you can log onto www.smilesbywire.com username :Tracy Butikofer Access code :LTPP0977112461JCP. Also Abby chose Saturday as her day to walk so I think this might be permanent but everytime I post it she stops so maybe I am jinxing her!!!

Father's Day in Yellowstone!!! A Little Bit Late!

For father's day weekend we decided to go to Yellowstone National Park. It was a free admission weekend so you could go in the park Saturday and Sunday with no fees and we love free stuff!!! It was alot of fun except for the rain, rain, rain. I swear everytime we got out of the car to look at something or eat the weather knew it and the clouds would burst open. On Saturday we got to the park a little late at about 2 o'clock and visited Old Faithful I never get tired of seeing that huge tower of water shoot up in the air it is amazing! Abby wasn't to thrilled with it but maybe next year she will appreciate it's awesomeness ( I'm not sure that is a word). We stayed at a Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone with 10 other people yep ten!! Of course it was people that we knew Mom and Dad, Travis, Ryann, Aftyn, Kaylee, Hunter, along with Alyssa and Blake and Chelsey and then the three of us talk about a full house. We took the kids in the pool while Ryann and Mom went to pick up pizza. Everybody was pretty tired but Ryann, Tyler, Chelsey and I stayed up talking until about 11:30 and then our beautiful daughter woke up at 12:30. I do not function well on one hour of sleep plus we didn't really have anywhere to go with her except the bathroom so she sat in the tub for a while so that she wouldn't keep everybody awake but I don't really think it worked sorry everybody!!! Anyway at about 4 am Abby went back to sleep and then everybody got up at 7 ouch!!! We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast and spent the rest of the day in the park it was a wonderful little mini vacation and I am thankful that my parents are always thinking of ways to spend time together as a family they are pretty great and we are so lucky!!! Thanks mom and dad we love you!!! Here a couple of pictures from our trip.

Abby and Daddy in the steam from ??? I can never remember the names of all the places Sorry look at someone elses blog for more info on the names.

This was in the Algae at Mammoth and I thought it looked like an A for Abby!!!