A Week at Yellowstone

This is some pictures of the highlights of our week in Yellowstone. We stayed constantly busy from sun up to sun down. We always had something planned for the day. We did this trip to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We chose this trip because we have kids right now and they are a part of our lives. There will be a time when they are gone and we can do some trips alone but right now this is our time to do things as a family,kid-friendly things. I know they loved this trip and I'm so glad that we included them on it. I wouldn't have changed a thing about this trip except for possibly staying longer.

 We started with visiting the Buffalo Bills Historic Center. It was filled with Buffalo Bill nostalgia, Yellowstone facts and western history and artifacts. It was a huge museum, interesting to visit but not as great as all the reviews made it out to be.

We sight saw in Yellowstone the next day. This started out to be a cool, rainy day but eventually it warmed up and was beautiful weather. We barely made it to Old Faithful, it was going off as we walked up to it. That was a long day of many, many miles driven.

So, the next day we decided to take it easy and slowly get ready for the day. Danny, Jason, Pop, Nate, Josh and Colton decided to take a drive up the mountains to see if the Ghost Town in Kirwin was going to be accessible to visit. Well it was but that's not what my boys remember. They remember their grandpa having to get out of the suburban and throw up next to their window. So, I guess one of the boys was watching and giving the rest of them a play by play of what he was throwing up. Gross, but really kind of funny. And I guess Jason got a little queasy too. In their defense, Danny is a pretty fast driver when it comes to dirt roads and windy mountain roads, so anyone could have gotten sick on him. And he freely admits he was booking it pretty fast all the way up and back. Meanwhile the rest of us decided to go shopping instead. I found Audrey and I cute bracelets, the boys got some sling shots and arrowheads. Then Danny bought me a gorgeous necklace, bracelet and earring set for our 10 year anniversary. It really is stunning!

The following day was spent exploring the ghost town. It was rather neat to see all the old buildings. Some were more creepy and dirty than others but it was interesting. We were planning on doing some geocaching up there but we ran out of time. There were 2 there and one of near Amelia Earhart's cabin; it was disappointing not to do it. However Danny decided to run up there and find it and get the kids something while we cleaned and buckled the kids in the car. Well, he came back a little skittish. He said there was a bear claw print in the dirt as big as his hand to his elbow. He didn't have the camera or his phone on him to take a picture. But it was the biggest one he's ever seen and still talks about the size of it still. Pretty stupid of us not to have had someone go with him. We then head to a BBQ buffet and show. The food was good but the show wasn't all that great to me. They didn't talk loud enough into the microphone to hear them. After dinner we went to the Cody Rodeo. That was probably one of my favorite things. It was a blast watching all the different kind of shows. It was kind of fun to just have a few entries into each category so you got the whole variety of events in a compact show.

The next day we needed a much more mellow of  a day. We went to the Hot Springs in Thermopolis. This is one of my kids' favorite things of the trip. They were all enjoying themselves a lot. Sadly, I made a fatal mistake with Colton and Sophie and ruined their fun. Nate and Josh kept going down a small slide and these 2 kept wanting to do it. I took them both up there and I know someone us down there to catch them. I'm just not sure who it was. Well, I pushed one of and then the other. They were not quite prepared for this experience and went under the water. Well, that just kept them scared and skittish of the water the entire time. They would just cling to you and not let you go unless we were in the kiddie pool touching the ground. Oh, and let us not forget the best part of all was with Jason. You see, they only take cash, (this is a really small Wyoming town), no checks, no debit cards, nothing. Well, we forgot all about this until we got in there and he went to pay. They told him they only take cash and he was fit to be tied. He didn't have cash and never carries cash. Well, he was angry and mouthed of that "they were some kind of small- back- woods-little hick town." It made me crack up. You see, back up about 6 years ago we came up here with Danny's family. We rarely have cash on us either. We got there and were told the exact same thing-cash only. Danny was well, furious! And the ironic thing is, he said the exact same things to them that Jason said 6 years later. It still cracks me up. But don't fret too much because they are kind enough to put an ATM machine right near the register.

The next day was our day to pack up and leave. I really didn't want to leave because it was such an awesome vacation! It was a lot of fun to just hang out with the whole family and enjoy nature together. The cabin was really nice. All of us really would have loved to own a cabin just like this one because it had some breath taking views. I loved just watching TV together, or hanging out and chatting, eating outside, doing smores, having dinner together-it was just fun all around. I'll never forget the whole mouse incident. We kept having a mouse run out so we set the trap one night but didn't get anything. So, the next night Holli saw it run into the kitchen, Pop and Jason decided to move the trap to the kitchen. Well, not long there after it went off. Yes- Success!! For some reason they set if again or left it out and well, minutes later-snap. They got another one. Yuck, 2 mice, not just one. Well, yet minutes later another snap. We caught 3 mice back to back. We thinking one the first-Daddy mouse was killed, Mommy came to see what was taking so long and was distraught over loosing daddy and offed herself. Well, then little baby came looking for both and couldn't live without mommy and daddy so he joined them. OK, not so funny but at midnight with your family it had us in tears. That was a really fun night for those that missed it in bed. Oh, and what trip wouldn't be complete with Mom bringing her entire kitchen. I'm still in awe as load after load was brought from the truck to the kitchen of all the food and goodies she brought with her. It still amazes me that she was able to bring that much stuff and still lose weight up there while the rest of us probably gained it. Grandma you're forever indebted to Colton for warning you about the bat. We, Danny and I, and probably some of my other family enjoy playing jokes on my mom. Well, we bought a fake bat at the dollar store with some sewing thread.  So Danny fixed it all up to hand over some wood beams in the family room and we were going to place her in a specific spot in the room and Danny would slowly lower the bat down near her head. It was going to be awesome! He worked hard at this! Well, Colton noticed it and tried pointing it out to her, luckily she was distracted. I got to him in time and took him aside and tried to distract him and tell him not to say anything. I thought I was successful but I was wrong. A little bit later Colton and Grandma enter together and he keeps pointing up and saying bug, bug, bug so she's searching and finds it. Our plan was foiled. We were so disappointed- it would have been a fantastic joke-oh well another time. I could go on and on but this is already way longer than I planned on. Basically, to sum it all up:

YELLOWSTONE + FAMILY= FUN

This is of the boys seeing their cousins for the 1st time in months. I love their little circles and dances.

I had to have a picture by the big sign

It was a very cold morning. Yellowstone lake is behind the kids.

This is how we had lunch almost everyday. We had sandwiches for a week straight, I think we were sandwiched out by the end of the week (I know I was).

Eating our lunch in the suburban

She was kind of hungry so she just crawled right into the cooler to get what she wanted.

The boys hiked down the the waterfall with Danny and some of the family. Audrey and I didn't go-she was sleeping.

My Hottie! He found this hat he loved, but didn't buy it. I decided to surprise him and buy it for him. Truthfully I love this look, I've kind of always been attracted to the cowboy look.

Audrey was being silly with Josh's hat. She is such a little spaaz sometimes.

We stopped to look at the damn that is just up from this spot.

At the end of the day these 2 boys were tuckered out. Minutes after this they were both sound asleep in grandma's arms.

Up at the ghost town we are exploring one of the deserted houses.

On our way back to the cars after exploring the ghost town. It's located in such a pretty area.

We are all watching our little Josh out in the arena at the rodeo.

More shots of Kyle, Erica, Kellen, Holli, Colton and Sofie. Those 2 little ones sat by each other and just clapped and entertained themselves. It was so cute.

Daddy's little girl with her daddy.

Josh is down in the arena getting instructions on what to do. They were to chase the calves that had ribbon on their tails. If you managed to pull one off you received an award.

Josh is keeping up in the crowd but look at how little he is. He has to be the smallest one in there.

Looking at Daddy but still trying to get a ribbon. He didn't get one but he tried his hand at it and that's all that matters. However he was rewarded for his efforts. He received $5 from us. But he did admit that was the only reason he went out there  because we had agreed to give them $5 if they would do it. The money was all he needed for an incentive. Nate and Colton refused to even give it a chance so they missed out.

Who loves smore? Audrey sure does!

Sitting around the fire making smores. Such fun times.

Grandpa enjoying talking to Audrey and Wiatt while Sofie sits on the edge getting more and more tired.

Aunt Jen and her Sofie.

Colton holding Wiatt with Grandpa's help. He kept asking for his picture every time he held Wiatt.

Grandma and Audrey enjoying time together

Josh's face was so dirty from all the smores.

The whole family sitting out by our fire.

Carefree morning. Kyle and Erica browsing the web. Aaron feeding baby Ruby.

Grandma, Grandpa, Nathan, Kellen, Holli and Colton enjoying breakfast outside.

This was a very common sight in our car after long days of driving around.

Everyone at Old Fathful minus Aaron, Janae, Ruby and I.

Notice Colton is trying to get out of my arms because he didn't want his picture taken.

I loved this shot of my kids watching Old Faithful.

Sofie and I looking at the melting pots. Don't have a clue what I'm doing with my lips.

Colton and I at the melting pots

The boys of the family looking at the bubbling mud.

This is an extremely rare sight. I actually got Colton's smile captured on film.

Nate and Josh mesmerized by the bubbling mud after we told the boys that Shrek lived there.

If you look real hard you can actually see Josh, Colton and Grandpa in the background

I thought this was so sweet of Nate and Audrey together.

 Aerial  shot of us on a map of Yellowstone

What a sweet cowgirl

A hungry and tired Colton is hiding behind Audrey and I

Sofie still likes baby Audrey

Mommy sure loves this sweet girl

Nothing like grandparents to put the babies to sleep.

Audrey goes first hitting the pinata.

Josh gives it some good whacks.

Nathan had some good hits on it.

Colton is getting his frustrations out.

Finally broken, Jason pours out the rest.

Look at them scrabbling for it. The pile near Colton, that really was his pile he was collecting. Grandma didn't disappoint in the candy department. It was only 13 bags of chocolate.

If you can look past me, this is the front of the cabin that we stayed at.

Wiatt really is a Grandpa's boy. And look at that sweet face.

I asked one of the boys to take our picture. Well, this is what we ended up with. I asked him to smile for me and not just sit there. I had no clue that Danny had made this face but I kept it because it made me laugh.

Rub-a-dub-dub, this is a full tub

And on our way home we traveled by Grand Teton's. They were beautiful mountains.

So, there you have it: our vacation at Yellowstone. Next up will be highlights from Utah