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Stocking: Exchanging work for play

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I need to play with my kids more. And by play, I mean not work in the yard or the house every Saturday of our lives. I experimented with this on Saturday. I started talking to my kids two weeks ago about taking a drive to Jackson, Wyoming. We’ve been through Jackson a few times, always on the way to somewhere else. We’ve never just stopped. We’ve never driven through Grand Teton National Park. We’ve never spent a Saturday playing. I was determined to play.

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When we finally left – an hour after I planned to leave – my plan changed from rushing up to Jackson to enjoying driving to Jackson. Once we hit the Wyoming state line, I made my kids play name that tune with me (I lost). We stopped at the top of Jackson Pass for a photo op. I’ve never stopped before. I’ve always looked at everybody else stopped and wondered first, why would you get out of the traffic just to fight your way back in? And second, what are you looking at? Turns out, the view is really amazing and the huge pile of snow in May is fun to run on (if you’re nine years old).

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We turned left at Wilson and drove into Grand Teton National Park. Turns out it is dirt roads and trees. But we also saw wildlife. One was kind enough to pause for a picture. My kids were impressed: “He doesn’t run away like the rock chucks at Papa’s farm.” Then he kept coming. I think he associated cars with food so we rolled up the window and drove on. We also saw deer and elk and assumed there were fish in the streams. Did you know there’s a really neat visitor’s center in Moose? It has clean restrooms and a gift shop! That day, there was also a moose calf drawing quite a bit of attention and some tourists were actually going closer. I grabbed my kiddos, talked about momma moose danger, and steered clear of the calf.

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Next stop: Jackson! I was excited to eat lunch in Jackson. We stopped at a local burger place and I discovered one reason why I’ve never eaten in Jackson: $$$$. Yes, it was a good burger; Tanner said the barbecue sauce was the best he’s ever had. I hope he enjoyed it because it will be a long time before we go back.

Then my favorite part: the requisite tourist picture. You know – the one under the antler arch in the park in Jackson. I was so excited to get my kids to take a photo under the arch. Except that McKay was done. D.O.N.E. No more excitement. He was not going to take any more happy pictures. None. Hey, I tried.

Despite the final picture fail, it was a great day with my kids. They enjoyed the day and I made a goal to do some more stay-cationing this summer. Before we drove home, we set a goal to hike Table Rock when big brother is home on leave in July. I’m making a list of Eastern Idaho day trips so that we won’t spend every Saturday working all summer long. Jackson Hole: check. Where else can we go?

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