Idaho & Bear World...

Our little family headed out for an adventure this past week.  

We stopped briefly for lunch in Idaho Falls and made it a point to retell our Kaelster his birth story.  We showed him the city he was born in and walked around the falls pointing out the temple that his birth mama, and his Grandma & Grandpa Gardner were married in.

Our little "Idaho Spud" loved being in the limelight and we loved remembering those happiest of days when our family came to be.

Then on to our first vacation stop -- a little gem called, "Bear World" just south of Rexburg, Idaho en route to Yellowstone.

It was spendy and I'm sure Ryno was grumbling about the whole thing until we got going...

Guess who is calling Bear World a victory?

All of us - that's who.

Thumbs up for this place.

You start by driving around in your car (as many times as you please) to view the free roaming animals.  The bears are in a separate area from the deer and elk - and it's a good thing because seriously, if anything happened to that baby elk I would cry my eyes out.

Cutest scene ever.

The albino elk... his velvety horns were pink with all the blood coursing through them as he worked on growing his rack in the summer sun.

And then it was time to enter the bear area.

Don't worry, we actually rolled up our windows.  Ace made sure of that!

#nervous

After the drive, we went into the "Baby Bear Nursery".  I died of cuteness overload.  They are DARLING!  They frolicked around and wrestled with one another and all I could think about was how many similarities there are between my baby boys and these baby bears.  ALL the energy all the time, spastic, fun, attempted ferocity and clumsy balls of movement rolling around with and onto one another.  From still to highest speed at the drop of a hat for no rhyme or reason and voraciously hungry when milk was produced.  :)

Ace really thought he should be able to take the little black bear home for obvious reasons...

I was SOOOO tempted.

I mean, we already have bottlesand blankies around here.  :)

And a baby Boone to play with, so.....

 There was a cute little petting zoo, which the boys loved.

Dax named this little buck "Munchie" and he claimed the deer would just "follow him everywhere because they were best of friends". 

 And then we were off to the "amusement park" - and though I use that term loosely, the boys literally thought it was a mini Disneyland.  NO lines.  LOTS of turns on the rides and a nice cool breeze - maybe it was better than Disney!  :)

 It was a great way to start our Yellowstone adventure and it's a place my little gents won't soon forget.  And when I take them back there in a few year's time... I'm SO recreating these images.  

 And they'll be big and hairy... Sigh.  :)