Ever since Braden was five-years-old he has wanted a hang glider. I remember having to come up with many excuses year after year as to why Santa Claus could not bring one: it's too expensive... it won't fit down the chimney... he only brings age appropriate toys... where would you keep it?
So this summer when we decided to vacation in Jackson Hole as part of our annual pilgrimage to Utah, we looked to make Braden's dream come true by going hand gliding. My parents accompanied us on the trip and to our surprise, my dad joined Braden and Ryan as they glided over the Wyoming Rockies.
Who in their right mind would attach their 11-year-old behind an "experimental" plane, to be towed 2,000 feet in the air and released? That's what I was thinking as Braden began his tandem ascent from the Alpine, Wyoming Airport. Thankfully the bread winner of the family whose life insurance policy excludes extreme sports, had been the guiney pig and was already safely on the ground. I can only imagine the thrill or perhaps apprehension Braden felt as he was pulled at 100 mph behind an airplane, then released to soar to the ground. Perhaps in that moment he changed his mind, maybe he didn't need a hang glider after all... no such luck. It seems that not his, but all three riders' fuels were flamed as they have already made plans to sky dive next year!
But the boys weren't the only ones having fun. My mom and Emmry joined them the next day for river rafting down the Snake River. And while one rafter went overboard in the rapids, the five in our group entered the cold water only by choice.
Of coarse someone had to stay behind with the little ones and as I'm just coming up to my third trimester, I was the obvious choice. While Hadley, Chloe, and I didn't sail through the water or sky, we enjoyed the beauty and much cooler weather of Wyoming from the firm ground (really a better place for the three of us prone to motion sickness anyway!). We visited a petting zoo, played at the park, and hiked to the falls at Jenny Lake with the rest of the family.
Jackson was a welcome relief to the dry, hot desert of Arizona and it offered us as parents the opportunity to make Braden's dream come true - a truly rewarding experience for a parent, one I'm sure my parents also felt as they watched me with my family.
With Memorial Day's boating trip fresh in his memory, Braden was a bit nervous to give the wake board another try. We were hopeful that our friends' boys would offer some new advice that would help Braden succeed in getting up this time around. Unfortunately, we found ourselves circling back time after time to drop the rope. 
Failure is very discouraging and it takes a strong person to continue on with its constant nagging. Thankfully Braden has no shortage when it comes to determination and it payed off. It only took getting up just once, and after that we had a hard time getting him down. 
While Braden and Ryan enjoyed the wake and surf boards (skiing, what's that?), the girls squealed on the tube and swam to cool off. It was a great time! The only problem... we still don't have a boat and all we've heard since leaving the lake are constant pleas to buy one - and it's Ryan and I doing the pleading!