Jellystone

Chelsey and Dale. Or is it, Dale and Chelsey?
Between the two of them, it was hard to find one normal photo.

My sister, Chelsey, got married to, Dale, last December. Dale and Chelsey were given a weeks stay at a beautiful home up in Island Park, Idaho right outside of Yellowstone National Park as a wedding present from some of their close friends.

Dale and Chelsey finally got around to carving out a weekend to make use of such a generous gift.

This is where it gets good.

They invited all of their extended family to come and join them during that week. In true Olenik fashion, they gave my mom the master bedroom on the main level while they slept down in the basement.  They're that kind of people. 

This is where it kinda gets sad.

Martin is on the advisory board for the BYU College of Engineering and unfortunately it just so happened that he had a huge "Engineering and Innovation" conference at BYU that same weekend.  Since he was one of the main men spearheading the conference, he had to remain behind and be all smart and stuff.

So, while Martin was down in Provo, Utah doing his "board" stuff, I got to go up with Lily and my mom in tow and join Chels and Dale and Dale's family in Island Park right outside of Yellowstone.

This is where it gets good again.

Have you ever been to Yellowstone?  If the answer is, "no" then you gotta go!  It really is one of the most beautiful national parks that the US has to offer.  Being a Californian, Yosemite is right up there with it. 

Back to Yellowstone.

Yellowstone is the home of "Old Faithful" and where the buffalo (bison) still roam.  We saw elk, moose, tons of bison, water falls and lotsa' hot springs. Even better, we were also entertained by just being with one another—now that makes it all worth it!  And of course, being from the family I'm from, we couldn't make enough Yogi Bear references.

The drive from Salt Lake City (where I reside with Martin and Lily) to Island Park is one of the most beautiful drives to take during the Fall.  I listened to my Prairie Home Companion download (because I am really an old lady at heart) all the way there and back and couldn't take in enough of the scenery.  Attention all Idahoans: You've got one pretty state!

Thank you Chelsey and Dale for letting us (me and Lily) join you and your family.  As you can tell by the photos, Lily and I had a spectacular stay—other than the minor mishap that Lily had at the local Walmart in Rexburg, ID (sorry Chels and Cassie for leaving you two to clean it).

Any more wedding gifts coming down the pipe? Where are we going next?

Oh, wait. I found a totally normal photo of Chelsey and Dale.

*Photos by me and some swiped from Dale's sister, Yvonne's FB account.  Thanks, Yvonne—Let's do it again sometime!