Photos: The Palin family through the years In little more than a decade, Sarah Palin rose from city councilwoman to Alaska's youngest governor and the first female vice presidential nominee in GOP history. Click through to see headlines made by Palin and her family since they entered the national spotlight. Hide Caption 1 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Dakota Meyer announced his engagement to Bristol Palin, Palin's oldest daughter, with a photograph on Instagram . The couple met when the war hero visited Alaska to film "Amazing America," Sarah Palin's show on Sportsman Channel, Bristol Palin said on her blog . "He's wonderful with Tripp and I'm so proud to be marrying him," she said. Hide Caption 2 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years PETA criticized Sarah Palin in January after she posted this photo of her 6-year-old son, Trig, stepping on a family dog to reach the kitchen sink. "Dear PETA," Palin responded via Facebook. "Chill. At least Trig didn't eat the dog." Hide Caption 3 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin takes a jab at President Barack Obama in September, mocking his "coffee cup salute" moment. Obama drew criticism after the White House posted a video to Instagram featuring him walking off Marine One offering a less-than-formal salute with a coffee cup in hand. Hide Caption 4 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin shocked both liberal and conservative commentators at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in April when she said, "Well, if I were in charge, they would know that waterboarding is how we baptize terrorists." Hide Caption 5 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin fires up a rally of veterans, their families and supporters at the World War II Memorial in Washington during the partial government shutdown in October 2013. Hide Caption 6 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Wearing a shirt that reads "Women hunt," Palin blasts Obama and gun control advocates for "exploiting" recent mass shootings as she speaks to the National Rifle Association convention in Houston in May 2013. Hide Caption 7 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin drinks a "Big Gulp" soda during the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2013. She was mocking New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's push against large, sugary drinks. Hide Caption 8 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years In the middle of the Republican presidential primaries in February 2012, Palin told the Conservative Political Action Conference that the party needs a candidate who "can instinctively turn right" -- a dig at eventual GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Hide Caption 9 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin speaks during the Tea Party of America's "Restoring America" event in Iowa in September 2011. Supporters had hoped that she would use the event to announce that she was running for president. Hide Caption 10 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin was mobbed in August 2011 at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, a familiar campaign stop for presidential hopefuls. Hide Caption 11 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin and Donald Trump walk toward a limo after leaving a dinner meeting in May 2011. It came during the Palin bus tour that fueled speculation she would run for president the next year. She didn't. Hide Caption 12 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin signs copies of her second book, "American by Heart," in Andover, Kansas, in November 2010. Hide Caption 13 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years The title of Palin's 2009 bestseller "Going Rogue" is a play off a remark a John McCain campaign staffer made to CNN about her straying from the McCain playbook. Hide Caption 14 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin and her husband, Todd, join Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain and his wife, Cindy, as McCain concedes the presidential race to Obama in November 2008. Hide Caption 15 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin and her husband leave City Hall after she voted in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, in November 2008. The Palins then flew to Arizona to join McCain. Hide Caption 16 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years McCain stands with his newly announced running mate in August 2008. McCain made the Palin announcement the day after Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. Hide Caption 17 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin's family appears on stage after her speech to the Republican National Convention in September 2008. From left to right are her son Track; daughter Bristol; Bristol's then-fiancee, Levi Johnston; daughter Willow; daughter Piper; husband Todd; and son Trig. Hide Caption 18 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin signs her oath of office document as Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, left, and Superior Court Judge Niesje Steinkruger look on after her swearing-in ceremony in Fairbanks, Alaska, in December 2006. Hide Caption 19 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin holds her daughter Piper as she watches results on election night in November 2006. The former mayor of Wasilla became Alaska's first female governor. Hide Caption 20 of 22

Photos: The Palin family through the years Palin stands beside then-Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Sean Parnell in September 2006 as they talk about their plan for a natural gas pipeline during a news conference in Anchorage, Alaska. Parnell became governor when Palin stepped down in 2009. Hide Caption 21 of 22