play hard, crash hard

My grandpa grew up in the beautiful farming community of Tetonia, Idaho.  He and his family ranched, herded sheep, farmed, and worked hard.  The stories go on forever, and the legacy will never end.

The house my grandpa grew up in is still there, and is now partly owned by 12 family members.  We use it as a cabin and as a serene, quiet, beautiful vacation get-away from it all spot.

I have numerous memories of going there and playing with my cousins, endless games of pool in the basement, telling ghost stories in the creaky old bedrooms, building forts in the trees, wading in the creek, hiking Tablerock, skiing Targhee, and on and on and on.

I was pretty excited when an opportunity came up for me to take my own little flock to the "Tetonia house" for Labor Day.

My mom got us tickets to the Playmill, in West Yellowstone, and we thought it would be a great opportunity to show the kids the "quiet life" and also visit West Yellowstone.

The Playmill did not disappoint.  We were a little unsure about the whole thing, but it was awesome! The play was awesome, and the actors were very personal and really had fun with the audience.  Mary and Sam didn't budge the entire show.  The loved it.  William and Luke did the best they could, but of course, Ben and I had to take turns chasing them out in the foyer.  In between scenes, the actors would come out there though, and play with Luke and talk to us.  It made it fun.

Before the show, we looked through some adorable antique shops where I wanted to buy pretty much everything!

 

The playmill, and the drive to West Yellowstone, took up most of Saturday, and I forgot to bring toys for the kids, so we had to get a little creative on Sunday.

 

Sam and William spent most of the "quiet, serene, laid back" trip doing this.

All kidding aside, I honestly think they wrestled 70% of the time we were there.  So much for peace and quiet.  It was a zoo!  I brought the zoo to Tetonia.  They wrestle at home, but not nearly this much.  I don't know what got into them, but I was pretty embarrassed.  Boys will be boys I guess.

 

Mary and Sam learned the "old way" of doing the dishes without a dishwasher, and somehow they enjoyed it.  Thanks to grandma.

Of course, the amazing view of the Teton's out the window makes it all a little easier.

 

Naturally, grandma fed us like kings.

 

We had fun going through some old boxes.

 

We also made some crazy yummy homemade rootbeer.

 

The kids explored the barn, and found the swing in it. 

I have pictures somewhere, just not here yet.

 

 

All was fine and dandy, aside from my insane testosterone filled boys who thought that wrestling was the only form of entertainment available...

 

and then Sunday night happened.

 

Mary and both my parents, at the exact same time (3:00am) ran to the bathroom and puked their guts out.  They were all back an hour later, doing it again.  This went on all night, and in to the next day.

 

We were thinking food poisoning.

 

The next morning, Luke began throwing up as well.  Of course, I happened to be holding him, and just added his "spray" on to what was already stuck to me from a night helping Mary empty her stomach.  Awesome.

 

We decided it would be a good time to get home.  We brought my dad with us in our car.  He was still horribly sick, and due to throwing up so hard, threw out his back.

leaving Tetonia, barf bag in hand, and wearing an awesome assortment of
"sick man" clothes.

 

On the drive home, William threw up in the car all over himself, me (just add it to Mary's and Lukes), the door, the car, and everything else around him.  Oh yeah. 

 

We finally made it to Pocatello to drop my dad off. He collapsed on the couch and looked like death. I was standing in their living room feeling bad for my parents and my kids, and then it hit me.

 

During the 3 hour drive to Utah, I threw up profusely into garbage bags 5 separate times.  I thought I was going to die.  I ended up throwing up 18 times in the next 9 hours. It got to the point where I literally couldn't get back to the couch from the bathroom, I was that weak.  I just laid on the floor and waited for Ben to carry me back to the couch, where I threw up in a bowl from then on.

 

And so the plague went on.  It infected 99% of those of us who were at Tetonia.  Some of us worse than others.  The only lucky person...Kelsey's boyfriend.  Yup, lucky sucker.  That's what he gets for coming late and staying a short time.

 

I am on day 4, and still no end in site.  No food, or water will stay in my body. My family is still sick as well, but at least feeling like they are among the living.

 

I have never been so sick in my entire life, truly.  And I have had some horrible things.  Swine flu, mono, and so on.

 

I am currently waiting a call back from the Dr. to see when I need to go in and get an IV.  Yup, they suggested it 2 days ago, I should have listened then.  It's just kind of hard to find time to sit in a room hooked up to an IV when I have a family to take care of.  Go me.

 

Happy Labor Day!