From Bears to Wows!

This weekend, we really took a gamble!
Paul was out of town, and I was antsie to purchase a bike!
In a week I was getting clearance from the Dr. to use a bike brake!
YAY!
The only problem was...it was in Idaho Falls!

I did what every good girl from the west does.....bartered.
I offer a fair...but low price!
It's a deal.

So, off we went, the kids and I...to
Idaho Falls.



I made sure the hotel we stayed in had an indoor swimming pool!

I made sure we had a fun place to visit!
And something educational!

Sometimes, however, things do not always go as planned.
(Expect the un-expected!)

I didn't know HOW to get to Idaho Falls...never been!
But I followed my i-phone and GPS and the signs,
we made it there.

As I was waiting to meet the owner of the bike,
I started doing my hourly, and tedious, hand excercizes.
Then, all of a sudden, snap!
Yes, it ruptured!
The tendon that we did a 2 stage surgery on....it ruptured!

So....I debated whether I should even LOOK at the bike.
With tears in my eyes...I looked at the bike and I bought it.

I know...I know it will be another 3 months before I get clearance to even touch those handle bars---but perhaps it's something to look forward too.
And besides, no sense in wasting a 3.5 hour drive.
Right?!

In the meantime, I also had crying children because, as they said,
"We were SO good on the drive!"
and
"You just got our hopes up!"
and
"Please, don't make us turn around!!"

Sadness.
After talking at length with my surgeon, I did what I do best.....bartered.
I did not have to turn around and go home.

So we visited...
BEAR WORLD!
Yikes!


Recognize any of those bears?
This one has a gift...of photography!
(Refer to previous photo!)
Took the Curator's Tour!
They actually have you ride a really tall truck and feed the bears!
Oh my!!!!
You can see all the bears sunbathing,
and you know they've been conditioned to eat on cue!

But....when you hear, "Bears, bears, come on bears! Come and eat!"
It puts a whole new ring to it!

This guy was holding out for powdered donuts!
I wonder if he know how much FAT are in those tasty bites!

They also have a small petting zoo!
The deer scared me a little with the kids, because once I heard my father say,
"Oh, deer and moose have such SHARP hooves!"
( After a hunting trip.)
But..no one got hurt.



Lauren was chasing a peacock ALL over the roost.
Hillarious!They also had kiddie rides.
Fun!

And After 5 hours at Bear World...we are now leaving the premises.....
...but not emptied handed of course!!!!

And that's not ALL!
From the back of the car, as we pull away,
"Is that ALL we're doing?"
"Are we going home now?"
"Why don't we doing something else?"

Really?!!!
So, we also ventured to our "educational" part of the trip.

The Museum of Idaho.
While driving up, we kept seeing all these cool signs.
"From Wolf to Woof."
Being dog lovers and owners.
We couldn't miss it.
We saw things we ALREADY know about dogs.
Things we thought were neat about dogs.
Search and Rescue.
Things we heard about dogs!
This was cool...you had to position the ears to the optimal hearing postion.
You heard what termites sound like to dogs!
I am amazed they can even hear termites!

And then.... they had a children's area.
Hands on....(hours on and on and on!)
Tadje and Gabe really got into it!
I mean...I think we would have come home as Davy Crocket if the docent would have let them!
Ava, was just happy to be playing!

We really had a fabulous time in Idaho!
When we rolled through a drive in (pleck-and yuk!) I hear from the back...
"So now what?!!!!"


BOW- WOW!!!
Is all I have to say!