The Groberg Cabin

For the past few weekends we have been going up to the Groberg Cabin in Island Park. It is so beautiful up there (despite the persistent snow into Late April).

I have been meaning to post pictures, but have been feeling rather tired and extremely lazy this pregnancy. So... enough for excuses, here are some pictures to tell the story of my last 3 weekends up there...



All of the kids with their "baskets" (which were actually just cute little bowls that were on clearance at Target! Hey - even the Easter Bunny is gettin' frugal!)

This is a picture of my totally-delicious-and-will-actually-help-towards-your-own-funeral-potatoes"!

The beautiful eggs that the kids dyed up there which we quickly turned into deviled eggs.








We had a fun Church a-la-stay-at-home-style and Greg taught the kids about they story of the sons of Helaman and Alma the Younger. They loved it. It was a fun Easter all around.

The next weekend my Sister Sue and her family came up to spend their Spring Break with us at the Cabin. The kids had a total blast just playing with cousins and also sledding down their favorite Hill, aptly named, "Sled Hill". Here are a few shots of the action...

We also spent time in Yellowstone...although Old Faithful was nearly 35 minutes late and it was blowing freezing wind...so I didn't get any good shots of that particular event.

However....we more than made up for it this last weekend when we returned to the Park with our good friends, the Kinikini's!

They came up to hang out with us and to visit Yellowstone. Liana had never been there, nor had their cute little daughter, Ileina. The day was perfect in the Park - weather and all. We got to see tons of animals and there was hardly any traffic... even Old Faithful was closer to his "predicted time"!!

We just loved seeing this grizzly up so close. He was really foraging for something to eat in the ground and digging up dirt clods everywhere. The closest that he got to us was probably about 15-20 yards. It was so neat to watch him. If only he had the smarts to know that he didn't have to work that hard for a few moths when he could have had a tasty meaty treat called "tourist with camera" only yards away!!

We also saw some coyotes, bald eagles, elk and bison (of course), and some mule-deer and pronghorn antelope. It was a great day, and we ended it in the best way possible.... We had a Tongan Feast.




It was glorious. Lee and Liana made us the whole spread. We had "Otai" - a fruit drink made from fresh watermelon, pineapple, and soy milk; my favorite Tongan food "Lupulu" which is corned beef and tomatoes and onions smothered in coconut milk and wrapped tightly into Lu leaves (from the islands) and then baked in tin foil in the oven; there was also some sushi-like wraps of seaweed, sticky rice, and spam (the kids LOVED helping to make these); some famous Tongan starch roots (Taro root, sweet potato, and plantains, all simmered in coconut milk); also some raw halibut marinated in a mixture with other veggies; and finally, the orinetal glass-like soy noodles fried with fresh chicken, carrots, and onions.

It was so wonderful to feast on such great food. The kids all tried new things, and we felt very blessed to have such great friends who would do all that for us.

It needs to be said here about our relationship with the Kinikini family. Viki's family has been friends with their family for her whole life. Then, Lee decided to go down to Price for school at CEU, where he met Greg. Then, as fate would have it, Lee invited Greg over to his house one day when Viki's whole family was there for a dinner and a fireside. And, yup... that is how the 2 of us met!!
Also of note, Lee is the friend who willingly drove all the way out to California with Greg, only to turn right around and fly back home, just so that Greg would be able to pick me up at the Airport in L.A. after returning from my mission and drive me all the way home to Utah. And, yes...we got engaged that weekend in L.A.! So, pretty much, we owe our family beginning all to Lee.



Lee and Liana are so much fun and their daughter, Ileina, and Sadie got along so well. They pretty much were giggling non-stop the entire time. Thanks again Kinikini's for the memorable weekend!