The ending

Phase two:

After the Call reunion we headed up to the great state of Montana to enjoy some much anticipated Hebgen time. We count down the days until we arrive at the lake which is about 10 minutes after we leave the previous summer. So needless to say it is around 351 days of dreaming, talking, laughing about our times at the cabin. By the time the summer comes we can hardly wait and the kids start screaming on cue as we hit the 5 mile dirt road to get in. To say we love it is an extreme understatement and I treasure my time up there with my family like nothing else. We were there for 2 weeks. The first week was just my little family with Grandma and Grandpa. The second week we were joined by Ang and family and Belle and family. Enjoy the pictures because this year was no exception and we had the perfect vacation in the place that we love best.Ella walking from the big cabin to the little cabin .

Holy cow the most exciting thing happened this year.... Benjamin learns to slalom. He had his typical "can do"attitude and he would not get out of the lake until he got up. Now if this was warm water that would not be a huge deal but this is Hebgen for crying out loud and its cold! We finally had to drag him into the boat shivering and blue. The only thing he could mumble out was that he was for sure getting up the next day. Sure enough the second day of him getting dragged behind the master craft was the charm and that little guy was up. There was no stopping him after that and before we knew it he was cutting across the wake and loving every minute of it.

Out of order well because there were so many pictures to put in. But this is Ben attempting the slalom with determination on his face.

This is the first time in years that we have put the fishing boat in the water. My boys loved driving that old outboard around.

The typical scene on the beach once all the families arrive.

My Benjamin

The twins and Ella getting the treatment

Benjamin laughing/tubing with Emerson

Benjamin finally falling off and I must say it was always Benjamin falling off

The big brother treatment. Nicholas would simply kick Benyamin's tube until he would flip off. Fun for Nick not Ben.

And once again Ben falling off the tube. It really did start to get humorous. He is such a good sport through it all.

Now this is when I add that between Annabelle and myself we have roughly 1,500 pictures of the kids tubing and that is no joke. There were so many tubing pictures I just picked a couple that caught my eye. It would have taken around six hours to go through every picture and choose the best ones which makes it all the funnier that when I got them posted Benjamin was falling on every one. Good times.

Nicholas and William soaking Benjamin and Samuel relaxing on the tube. Oh those mean big brothers.

Getting ready for the ski

I really did just have to put this one in because I am a little proud of that cut.

My sweet Charlie who just loves to play in the sand all day. He doesn't even go near the water unless it is on the boat. Oh, but how he loves that boat.

Charlie turns "4"

How can it possible be four years since this little guy joined our family. He continues to be the apple of my eye and his little sweet way will always warm my heart.

I am so sad that I struggled with my picture order. Because I took a picture of birthday dinner and it was so funny to me. Charlie only eats cereal so we decided it was only fitting that we have what Charlie would want...cereal. We bought every disgusting kind of sweet cereal there is and Charlie thought he had died and gone to heaven. A perfect Charlie dinner.

Benjamin and Ella on the canoe.

My sweet Ella

Our families favorite meadow. We have to ATV there to say "hello" when we arrive and we ATV later to bid it "farewell." It is so beautiful. Those wild Montana skies with endless mountains and the South fork river.

Tom and Charlie at the meadow

We took a jeep ride up to horse butte point. Stunning day and look at those views.

This isn't even staged. :)

One of our outings into West Yellowstone to get a Dairy Queen blizzard. I wanted to get those ominous clouds in the background. Weather changes in a minute and I love all the constant changes in a single day. Quite a difference from my 365 days of sun in California.

On a hike in the park. I love these shots...everyone I hold so dear.

What do I even say to this shot. When I looked at it for the first time tears just ran down my face. Why do pictures do that sometimes? So many emotions as I look at that big guy holding his little brothers hand...it just kills me.

Same thing with this shot. I caught it. Pure joy on my Dads face. He loves his boat. He loves his cabin and he loves being there with the ones he loves most. I caught it on film and now I get to hold onto the joy on his face forever. I love you Dad...thank you!

I am so grateful for the time I had with my family at Hebgen. My Uncle Paul used to say, "If Hebgen isn't heaven I don't want to go there." I know exactly what he is talking about. Only 300 more days until next year and counting.....