Viva Lava Hot Springs!!!!

For you poor folks out there who have never been to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, I would just like to say that it is only the most wonderful, fun, exciting white trash town ever! My siblings and cousins can attest to the fact that even though the place looks a little iffy, it produces a fabulous time and countless memories! I have many wonderful and not so wonderful, but funny - (Mom and Lisa remember the dreaded float!:) HA HA!) stories and memories from our many trips up to Lava during the summers of my youth. So this past weekend I decided it was time to introduce Dustin and Jack to this amazing place. We met my mom and sister at my Grandma's time-share condo (which interestingly after all these years is yet to get an A/C. Seriously.) Nonetheless, we had an amazing time! I think Dustin and Jack like it just as much as me now. We had a great time swimming at the pool, jumping off the towers and diving boards, going down the slides, and cooking in the hot pools at night. Jack enjoyed swimming with Grandma and floating in his tube. Dustin was oh so brave in going off the tallest 35 foot tower. I on the other hand have decided I have become wussy in my old age and only made it off the second highest tower! :)

Dustin giving his sign of approval for Lava Hot Springs!!



Then came my favorite part: the floating of the mighty Portneuf river. This is a small narrow river with a few small waterfalls and white water rapids that you float down on an individual round tubes. This river and its beastly rocks have scarred me and many others for life, as well as claimed many a pair of glasses, sunglasses, shoes, etc. The river didn't disappoint this year either: My sister's husband lost his wedding ring and his sunglasses. He also received several cuts on his head that smacked into a rock when his tube flipped. The river also left its mark on the rest of us as we had many war wounds all over our legs, arms, elbows, and I had a beastly bruise on my tailbone. (That is what I get for letting my ghetto booty sink too low in the tube and bash against a rock!) My mom ran "Shauna's chauffer service," dropping us off at the top and picking us up at the bottom, and we got in a lot of good runs while Jack napped in the car.

My sister told me I had to tell my embarassing story so here goes: I had managed to not have any wounds, other than a bruised butt, until the last run. In the calmer part of the river I was floating along nicely, laying on my tummy in my tube. People usually watch the floaters all along the river run, and I was coming upon some campers and their dog sitting near the river's edge. I asked, "Is that a shitzu?" They answered, yes. I said, "Cute" then WHACK!! my tube hit a rock, stopped its progession and I flew off my tube into a big rock and scratched my elbow all up! Leave it to me to get injured in the calm part and make a fool out of myself in front of the campers. They totally didn't even hide that they were laughing at me and you could've heard my sister laughing at me for miles around. Then again, I did the same to her when she slipped in the mud and ended up in the fetal position at the bottom of the muddy hill! HA! HA!) Good times. :)

The battered, but undefeated floaters!!



We went to a mini-golf place and putt-putted for $1 a person. Let's just say we probably paid a $1 too much for the weakness of this course, but it was still pretty fun. After starting out putting a 5 or 6 on whole one, I decided I didn't care, 2-putted about every hole after that, and came out the champion!

The champion! I just wanted to hold up the creepy troll as part of my victory ceremony! :)



We also ate yummy food my mom made, went for walks in exciting Downtown Lava, threw our dogs in the river and watched them swim, watched the lamest parade of all time for Founders Day, ate at the Chuck Wagon/Wagon Wheel restaurant, played Yatzee and pool, visited The Sunken Gardens, and took Jack to a little park. He went down slides, and he got to swing for the first time and absolutely loved it!!




We also decided to let Chewie try going down the slide. He didn't love it so much, but we made him do it over and over because Jack just busted up laughing so hard every time I sent Chewie down the slide. So we got the biggest, cutest laughs out of Jack, but at the expense of poor Chewie!

All in all, Lava once again did not disappoint! We had a grand old time and once again created many a memory! Here are a few more pics from our adventures: