Precious Time

A Johnson summer is rarely complete without a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Any other day I would have protested the destination, but after missing the last two summer trips to Cowboy Country, I was almost eager to come back.

I'm amidst those years when family time has suddenly transformed into precious time. Suddenly family outings taste more like a treat than a punishment. Now my time is running out, it is more precious than ever, like those last mouthfulls of water before the last of your supply has gone. Soon I'll be creating my own family with my own traditions. From here time only quickens. So this year when dad planned a trip to Jackson, I packed my bags and enjoyed the ride.

I love this picture.

Instead of the quaint little cabins we've stayed at in the past, we returned to the comforts of the Jackson Best Western. I'm very happy to say that our Wyoming experience does not include waking up in a tent, squatting in bushes or building my own warmth. Rather, we were welcomed with crisp sheets, a generous jacuzzi and complimentary mouthwash. Now that's my kind of camping!

Oh Preston. He thinks he's acting like a man by not smiling. Because apparently that's what real men do. They don't smile.

We stopped at the Jackson Lake Lodge to take advantage of the incredible view of the lake.

One day I'll sit at one of these little tables accompanied by a good book and a frozen lemonade, with the beautiful tetons as my backdrop.

I love the picture of the lone tree. In the national park trees are far from scarce, so to methis picture stands out from all the rest.

We stopped at the Snake River overlook to snap a few pictures.

The next day we decided to actually float the Snake. I whitewater rafted the Snake River once when I was 14 or so, so I was excited to 'get back on the horse.' But mom wanted a calm run, so we went for the 3 hour scenic ride. Floating along the feet of the Tetons was an incredible view. It was such a good way to enjoy the beauty Teton National Park has to offer.

The weather was incredible. Look at the amazing clouds! With scattered thunderstorms throughout the week, we couldn't have chosen a better day to float the river.

Back in Jackson, the boardwalk led us to the cowboy candy store. Joel traded pennies and dimes for a handful of Bazooka gum which he chomped on for the remainder of the trip.

Why yes, that's Bigfoot.

Of course, an explanation about our cowboy vacation wouldn't be complete without a description of our meals. Just like our tradition of raspberry shakes at La Beaus at Bear Lake, Jackson wouldn't be the same without Bubba's barbecue.

At Jackson Lake Lodge, we tried this little pioneer bar, complete with old fashioned soda fountain. I can just imagine sippin' a milkshake here with my lover. ;)

When I suggested Thai food for dinner, I didn't think I'd actually get my way. But alas, we ended up at Teton Thai, a quaint little outdoor restaurant nestled in the heart of the city. After noodles, soup and eggrolls, our lips were burning of Thai spices. This prompted a beeline to Haagan Dazs.

The Merry Piglets was an adorable open air Mexican restaurant. We arrived in the nick of time before the evening rush showed up for margaritas and beers at the bar. But until then, we chomped on warm chips and hot salsa until our food arrived. Dad had just warned the boys that they need to eat all their food, when Preston's mountain of nachos showed up. Big enough to feed the table, we all knew it would be impossible for Preston to finish this meal. This time, dad made an exception.

A week of souviner shopping, river rafting, scenic drives, and restaurant-hopping was at its' end as the week drew to a close. Wyoming was entertaining as usual, but kids must get back to school and adults must get back to the daily grind of work.

I'm grateful that for now, I can enjoy trips like this with my family. It's precious time.