Day 651. June 26. Traditions.

While half of the family went to forge (freezing) white water rapids....

Kay & I spent our day fishing ( & worm holding) with Lila & Pete

The whole group together for our tshirt photo!

Deb & Amy passing on the plaque to the next reunion planning committee :

my Mom & Lenny!

Clint, Kay, Hunter & Brian

Serious board gamers.

One last walk around the lake with Lenny, Riley & Clint

Because who doesn't want to see this one last time?

Day 650. June 25. Teton lake cruise.

(John with his coozy "transformer" gloves)

(My "cousin" & reunion buddy, Kay with cute little Emma)

(Lenny & her Ukrainian lover, Eugene)

(Emma & Maggie with their favorite Aunt Mary)

(Is Diane showing off the Tetons or Eugene??)

(The silly Pat & Staci family)

Day 649. June 24. Mom's Yellowstone Milestone.

Today my Mom turned 50!!

It was a big day of celebrating...

from Old Faithful in the morning,

to surprise cake & celebrations at the Tetons in the evening!

(My mom & Lenore)

(Erin, Maggie & Old Faithful)

This week is our tri-annual Braun family reunion

(even though I'm not technically a Braun).

This group of people will prove wrong any pre-conceived notion you have about the "dreaded family reunion".

My dad has 12 (Braun) cousins; all of which are grown up & have kids; and most of those kids also have kids. So basically, 50+ of us gather together and cause mad chaos for 3 days every 3 years in a different part of the country.

Getting shut down for being too loud is a nightly occurrence & the time you spend with this bunch is the best vacation you have all summer.

We really disprove the dreaded "family reunion".

(The girls & I at Old Faithful Inn)

(Mom & the cake she shared with newborn, Rhianna Maye)

(Big sister & cutest little girl on the planet, Lilah)

(Rosemary & her youngest grandchild, Rhianna)

(the Mom who started this all -- having 12 kids on a farm in Iowa seems pretty crazy to me -- but makes for fun childhood stories from my Dad. He never had quite the same experience on his own farm as he did on theirs!)

And my bathroom series comes to an end.....

Old Faithful Inn

Yellowstone Park, WY

(first restroom since I left CA with seat covers)

Colter Bay Cabins

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Colter Bay Guest Lounge

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Day 648. June 23. [More] Fun in Yellowstone.

Black bear (that is actually brown) and her cub!

Mammoth hot springs

2 more for the series.....

Sawtooth Deli

Gardiner, MT

(co-ed restroom)

The Gusher Restaurant

West Yellowstone, MT

(click to enlarge)

Day 647. June 22. Rimrock Ranch - Yellowstone

Getting a glimpse into our parents' childhood must be the theme for this road trip because today was spent touring Cody, WY, where my Mom spent most of her summers as a kid.

Rimrock Ranch was their summer destination for 25 years

(2 of those being years I was alive)

Photo by my Dad

The Longhorn was always their cabin.

My mom's list of all the summers she spent at Rimrock.

Attn: Auntie & Nana

This is in front of the "photo rock" which is currently overtaken by lilac.

Then we headed to beautiful Yellowstone!!

(bald eagle nest)

A few more bathrooms...

Rimrock Ranch

Cody, WY

Yellowstone General Store

Yellowstone National Park

Norris Geyser Basin

Yellowstone National Park