Junior Rangers: Check!

For anyone who knows Tim it should come as absolutely no surprise that he has long harbored a fantasy of Hayden becoming a junior park ranger. Well, yesterday the dream came true. We spent the morning with Dylan at Teton National Park for (wait for it!) Junior Ranger Day. Both boys took part in a series of activities (Run like a pronghorn! Leap like a mountain lion! Shoot water out of the fire hose like a wildland fire fighter! Cock your hat like a ranger!) that culminated in the receipt of a spiffy little badge. Hayden even repeated the Junior Ranger Oath word for word. (Oh, to hear your two-year-old shyly say to a park ranger, "I pledge to be a good Junior Ranger, to learn about Teton National Park and protect it from harm. I will help others have fun learning about the history of the Park, and appreciate the plants and animals that live there.  I will do my part to obey the Park rules and act in a safe manner.") Unfortunately, I left the camera battery at home, but Lisa was kind enough to share a few pictures. Meanwhile, Tim already has plans for a special junior ranger vest, upon which we will sew the multitude of badges that Hayden will inevitably earn from national parks near and far. Oh my gawd. Can you say GEEK?

Studying hard for the big test.

"I pledge to take care of Teton National Park and never to roll my eyes at my parents for making me do this."

"Congratulations on the promotion!"

"What are we, Level 4 now?"