Richards extended road trip: Lava and fireworks

We started this vacation in the evening after Bart finished work.   It's hard for us hot springs loving family to pass by Lava without a quick soak so we pulled into McCammon.    I saw the tubing down the river was in full force and my 3 older kids loudly and very persistently quieted my anxiety about doing it with them alone.   So Bart and Spencer went in a lone to the springs and I rented a big 4 man tube (the man said it was the only one that wouldn't flip on the rapids).    

I'm glad I didn't let my anxiety win because it ended up being so enjoyable.   We laughed, screamed, joked and relaxed down the river.  I love having older kids and doing "friend" type of stuff with them.  The first time down I got a little antsy that we would miss the exit despite Jane saying there would be a sign and I bailed off the tube too early.  I got back on the tube and in time to see the sign on the bridge.  After we floated under it  I jumped off again and had a hard time controlling the large tube by myself so Jane bailed to try and help she went one way and her flips flops went the other way.  She had to hurry and go rescue them and then swam over to help with with the tube.  Aaron was attempting to paddle with his hands leaning off the inner tube.   Meanwhile "Princess" Emily sat on her inflatable throne paranoid that if she jumped off she would get her hair wet and heaven forbid she'd ruin her tediously straightened hair.   We made it to the shore without lost people or shoes laughing and teasing Emily about her straight hair obsession.  We were just in time to catch the shuttle back up to the top of the river.   Thanks to a nice shuttle driver who was willing to wait for us despite closing time we got three full runs in and because it was so late we practically had the river to ourselves.   

After collecting Bart and Spencer we made our way to Sarah and Joe's house just in time for their neighbors fireworks show and some nice beds to sleep in for the night.