Tag: Family

Yellowstone… A Second Trip

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Yup we did it again! Everyone had the day off, so what do we do? We head to Yellowstone! I know it might seem obsessive to some, but this is my happy place and if the chance to go is given, I take it.

Today was going to be yet another gloomy spring day, but we didnt let that stop us. We were up bright and early, ready to take on the day. We stopped for breakfast at a popular spot in Livingston called the Pop Stand. It was a super yummy breakfast and because it was a Tuesday, quiet too!

Once we arrived in Yellowstone we stopped in Mammoth to change diapers and use the restroom. While it was cloudy, it certainly didn’t look like rain would be falling anytime soon. I think we were hoping for a beautiful sunny day, but the gray of the day made for some great photography.


As usual, we left Mammoth and headed for Lamar. Only a few roads in the park were open at this point, so we are a bit limited in where we can go. Another road is set to open Friday. I am hoping to come back then too but we shall see. Today Lamar wasn’t as active as it usually is. No wolves or bears were within sight of the naked eye. They were out there though, you just had to use a spotting scope to see them.

The Bison were out in force though. The large bulls in their small secluded groups as well as the cows with their babies. One of the males had a little hitchhiker on his back but he didn’t seem to care. As we continued on we came across a group of females with their little ones. Two of the little ones seemed to be happy playing with one another, running, jumping and practicing their fighting. It was a cute sight to see and they had a very captivated audience in us and many other park visitors.





Despite the lack of animals on our trip out through Lamar, it was beautiful. We turned around at our usual spot, Trout Lake, and headed back to Mammoth for some lunch. As we approached Tower Junction and the bridge over the Yellowstone River, we found a lot of people stopped taking pictures. There just along the roadside were a ram and ewe Big Horn Sheep. Both had been eating a lunch of their own and were now just hanging out, posing for pictures.



After our goat encounter we headed back to Mammoth for some lunch. The grill there was finally open and Abby and Ellie were happy to stop for some noodles and hot dogs. It is amazing how lunch can bring cranky kids out of their funk and back to the land of happiness. I think it did the same for mommy too. The girls were adorable and the one thing that put a smile on my face was watching them hold hands. Abby and Ellie sat there holding hands for a good ten minutes as they ate and watched all of the interesting people come in and out of the grill.




After a yummy lunch we headed into the general store to check out some souveniers for the girls as well as a few snacks for the road. You cant leave and not have a t shirt or something to remember your trip by! The clouds began to part a bit but didn’t go away as we continued our travel. The rest of our trip through Yellowstone was enjoyed with very few stops, but we didnt mind. We were in beautiful country and sometimes you just cant take pictures of everything! It was yet another great day in Yellowstone!

Spanish Creek and Spring Snow

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After a busy day yesterday, the girls and I decided to take it easy and just relax. Thanks to the thin, fresh mountain air the girls slept in and so did mommy! The day was expected to be another gloomy and wet one and my parents both had to work, so we didn’t have anything big planned.

By mid-afternoon Jillian, the girls and myself were tired of being in the house so we went for a drive. We stopped for a bit of food and then headed up 19th Avenue close to the mountains and to see if Hyalite Canyon was open. It wasnt so we had to figure something else out. That is when I decided we would drive out to Spanish Creek so that Abby and Ellie could see the Bison on Flying D Ranch. Flying D Ranch is a full time ranch owned by Ted Turner. When it was purchased, Turner agreed to keep the road, which leads to a state park, open to the public as long as visitors stayed on the road. The portion of the ranch on which the road runs through is home to many of the bison that Turner breeds and owns. Abby loves “buffalo” and my dad had been told many of the babies were out.


When we got to the Spanish Creek road, the temperatures dropped and it began to snow! The babies and females were not out, that we could see, but there were several large males hanging out by the road. They looked so pretty as the snow began to fall and appeared to be completely unaffected as well.


The falling snow made a place I had been several times before so picturesque. It was great to see it in a different light. While our drive was just something we decided to do last minute it was a pretty one. Its amazing what you can find so close to home, well… close to my families home!

Mother’s Day 2011

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Happy Mother’s Day! Being a mom is the best in the world and there is no better way to celebrate the day then to head to Yellowstone National Park. My mom and I both decided that this is what we wanted to do. Because it was going to be another gloomy and wet Spring day, we decided not to get up super early and just make the day a more casual one. We took our time getting to the park and even stopped to pick up some lunch in Gardiner.

With our lunch in hand, we headed in to Yellowstone in search of a place to eat our lunch. We were hoping to find a picnic spot, but unfortunately many of the covered picnic areas had a lot of snow around them. After trying several places and failing, we decided just to stop and picnic in the back of our cars. Abby sat in Grandpa and Grandma’s car with them while Jillian and I hung out in the back of my car. While it might seem like an odd place, it was pretty fun! One of the many perks of owning an SUV! Abby had a blast as well and stayed warm and dry as the rain started to pick up.




Once lunch was finished we hopped back into our cars and continued on our way out to Lamar Valley. As we entered the valley it was obvious that people were stopped and looking at something. Down along the river was a bison kill and coyotes had just been on it feeding. While everyone was focused on that, along the hillside across the road we saw three or four wolves running along. It appears as though they were heading to a den way up in the hills. I couldn’t catch a picture of them, but I was so excited to once again see wolves that close in Yellowstone.

As we continued on, we ran into a few visitors who had just come from a spot where two Grizzlies had been. Not being in any hurry, we decided to head out that direction to see what we could find. A lot of people had stopped in one spot, but we could not see what everyone was looking at. We decided to turn the car around and head back to Mammoth Hot Springs, taking another quick look to see if we could spot anything. Just as we came up on the popular spot, two sub adult male Grizzlies came darting across the road and onto the hillside! It was amazing! Once across they stopped and continued to forage for more food. Luckily I was able to snap a few shots.


After our two in one Grizzly bonus sighting, we headed back towards Mammoth with big smiles on our faces. As we headed out of Lamar Valley and close to Tower Junction, we ran into another large furry friend. This time, our Grizzly was walking down a small creek just outside of the Slough Creek area. I was able to snag a few shots but unfortunately the rude wildlife photographers were out and ruining everyone’s photo ops. It was still fun to see this guy and once again we were on our way with smiles on our faces.


The remainder of the day was quiet in regards to wildlife, but still beautiful. We drove down through the west side of Yellowstone to Old Faithful. There we stopped for a break and to look around the inn before taking off and heading home.


Our drive home, after a stop in West Yellowstone, was pretty for what we could see. The sun was setting fast but we took in all that we could see. Once the sun had set, the drive became a little bit nerve wrecking as there were animals everywhere! But, we made it home safely with another day of great memories.

Adding One More to the MSU Alumni… Go Cats!

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Today my “little sister” Jillian graduated from Montana State University. It started as a cool and gloomy day with a bit of rain, but turned out to be a gorgeous day. I dont know how much I can say because I truly don’t have words to describe just how happy and proud I am of Jillian. She has worked hard, sacrificed a lot of time to her studies and now all of that will pay off. Hopefully she will soon have a job teaching and molding young minds. My heart soars with pride and I see a very bright future for my little sister. She looked beautiful, happy and excited. After a two hour wait, Jillian was finally a part of the MSU Alumni and no longer a student.






After she was officially graduated, we headed back home for some lunch, cake, ice cream, cards and gifts. This gave us the time to enjoy each others company and celebrate the wonderful day. That night we headed out to Three Forks, Montana to the Sacajawea Inn for a celebration dinner. For those who did not know, my great grandparents were the first proprietors of this Inn so it will always hold a special meaning to us.




The dinner I had was amazing, some of the best ribs I have ever had. The girls enjoyed it too! Abby had a great time coloring and Ellie, well, she loved the bread! It was a wonderfully perfect day!

Montana or Bust…. Traveling North!

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Well its Montana or Bust! Abby, Ellie and myself set out for Montana to see my parents and most importantly to see my sister Jillian graduate from Montana State University. Unfortunately we all started getting a cold with a cough during the move and I thought it would affect our trip, but so far so good!

The first day the girls and I traveled from Porter Ranch to St. George, Utah. The trip was pretty easy with only one stop in Baker, California to change diapers, eat and unfortunately get gas. Yeah, gas is a necessary thing but at $4.85 a gallon it hurt the pocket book just a tad. I will just have to remember to gas up enough to skip over Baker on our return! Once we arrived in St. George we had the chance to relax and visit with my grandma Taylor, Aunt Caroline, Uncle Kevin and Uncle David. After a yummy dinner and some great conversation it was off to bed for us! We had a big travel day ahead of us.

The next day we got up early and hit the road. On this leg of the trip we would be traveling from St. George, Utah to Pocatello, Idaho. It was a longer day filled with some traffic and the typical construction through Provo and Salt Lake City but we survived.

We made a stop in Beaver, Utah to gas up and take a break. Abby had the chance to have a picnic lunch in the back of the car, which she was tickled pink about. Who wouldn’t love a picnic in the back of the car! Because Ellie is so wiggly she didn’t get to sit in the back with Abby, but she did enjoy a nice sippy cup of formula and a few teething cookies!




After some usual traffic and mommy taking the wrong belt route, yeah I cant believe I did that, we made it to Pocatello, Idaho. After a quick Subway dinner we all hopped into bed and got ready for our final day on the road before arriving in Bozeman.

The next morning we woke up refreshed and ready for the final drive into Bozeman. We took my favorite route as the weather was beautiful and the roads were clear. We cut off at Idaho Falls and took the road through Island Park and the Gallatin River Canyon. Just outside of Mack’s Inn, we saw a big Bull Moose eating in a small creek. It was a first animal sighting of the trip! Then as we crossed into Yellowstone Park Boundary Abby spotted a coyote all by herself! She didn’t know it was a coyote but as we were driving she all of a sudden said, “Mommy look at that dog in the snow!”. That’s my smart one!

We Have Moved…. Again!

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So… does this really shock anyone?! Ok, maybe it does but yes we have moved again! This time it was only 10 minutes away from our house to Porter Ranch, but it was a good move to a great location. Our house in Winnetka will soon be on the market and our hope is that we can get it sold as quick as possible. Don’t worry, everything is going great we just wanted to makes some changes and put us in a place that is best for us. The other issue is that our neighborhood was quickly becoming a place we didn’t want to be. It was no longer the place we wanted to raise our girls and plant our roots. We will again find that soon, but for now we are happy with our choice to move forward! For now, thanks to Zoe’s generosity, we will be living in Porter Ranch until the right opportunity comes our way.

Once we made the decision to move, things moved quickly. Packing began and before we knew it, it was time to go. Moving day, which was today, went as well as could be expected. We are fortunate to have found movers that are amazing and so helpful. We used them when we moved back from Seattle to Simi and then again when we moved from Simi to Winnetka. They do an amazing job of trying to ease the stress of moving and take all of the work out of your hands. I certainly cant complain about that. I know I was under a lot of stress and some of the things I wanted to accomplish didn’t get finished like I had hoped.

Luckily we didn’t move far so we had the opportunity to go back and get any small items that might have been left behind. Now comes the task of unpacking and getting ready for the next few months that I know are going to be busy. What is life without chaos? Im not sure we know that answer to that.

Here are a few pictures of our new digs!

Dining Room and Entry Way

Looking into the kitchen from the Dining Room

Living Room from the Entry Way

Our Office

Abby and Ellie’s Room

The Master Bedroom

I will post more pictures once the house is moved into, unpacked and cleaned up. That might take months or years, but I will get it done!

Some of April… Where Did it Go?

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April… we are a little more then half way through… where has it gone! Boy has that month flown by and its mainly because we have been so busy. What have the Wharton’s been up to? Well lets see…

On the first of April Ellie turned 9 months old. My how she is growing. She crawls like a pro and is standing up whenever she gets the chance. I personally think that by mid-May she will be taking her first steps and then I will never hear the end of it. Ellie chatters like crazy and thanks to her big sister, she has learned how to scream like a banshee! And that scream could shatter glass too!

Ellie also saw Dr. Calig for her 9 Month check up and she is doing very well. Healthy as can be! Her scream is so ear piercing you would have never known she was down with Whooping Cough at 6 weeks old. She has grown a lot in weight and length since her last appointment. Can’t she just stay a tiny little peanut forever!?

Ellie’s 9 Month Stats
Weight: 21 Pounds 9 Ounces
Height: 28 1/2 Inches





All of April has pretty crazy for us. Between prepping and making some major changes in our lives (more to come on that later), we did find the time to sneak a few moments of fun into the month. On the 19th, Shaun surprised me with tickets to my very first Stanley Cup playoffs game. We had the chance to go to the first home game (Game 3, Round 1) and support our Kings. The game didnt end the way we had hoped for, but it was still fun nonetheless. Maybe next year we will be watching the Kings in the finals?





Despite the loss, Shaun and I had a great time. We even had the chance to see Marty McSorley during the rally before the game began. The energy during a playoff game is so intense but everyone was in a great mood and ready for a fun night. I can only hope to go again next year! Now that the fun is over, its back to reality and to lots of work ahead of us.

Cool Day at the Field

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We had another great afternoon at the Pierce College baseball field watching Uncle James play baseball. Today it was cool, with clouds rolling in bringing what is supposed to be one heck of a storm. Despite the clouds and the threat of rain, the girls had a great time playing with Grandpa and Nana. Abby climbed trees with Grandpas help and showed us all of her lovely faces, including one with a smile. Ellie stayed pretty quiet and snuggled with Nana; watching James play. Fun, fun, fun!





Baseball Saturday

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Today was the perfect day for a baseball game. The sun was shining bright, it was a nice warm day and a great ocean breeze was blowing. So, with all things looking great The Wharton’s headed on over to the Pierce College baseball field to watch “Uncle James” play in one of the first games of the season.

Abby, while excited to see Uncles James, had a better time running around and enjoying all that the baseball field had to offer. She met a new friend, Emma the Dog, and did her best song and dance for all to see. With the help of Grandpa, Abby climbed some trees, chased down stray baseballs, and played in the dirt looking for bugs with a few new friends. Shaun even tried to show her some tennis moves on the empty courts nearby. She loved it so much that when it came time to vacate the court for a few serious tennis players, Abby let most of the people within a mile or two know that she was not happy to leave.

Ellie, on the other hand, was happy to sit with Nana Fiona and Sammy and enjoy the sun. After a bottle and some attention from some of the ladies sitting nearby, Ellie finally passed out and caught a few “ZZZZ’s”. Can you blame her? Cuddled up in a thin blanket, the warmth of the sun and a cool breeze blowing… its perfect napping weather!

After an hour or so or running around and a few extra innings, the game was over and we took off for what ended up to be a nice drive on a Saturday afternoon. Abby and Ellie both passed out in the car, so Shaun and I drove as they slept. A simple but perfect Saturday afternoon!




Sunday Dinner

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Tonight we had dinner over at Grandma Zoe’s house. It was a nice, quiet and casual dinner and as always, the girls had a good time playing and getting themselves into trouble. We had a lovely dinner of tacos, beans and rice and I think Abby ate maybe a few of those things. She has become my little eater without an appetite. Its common at this age!

In a environment other then home, I get to watch our girls play and enjoy themselves. Tonight I could see just how much Abby and Ellie have grown and changed. Ellie is on the move discovering new things and Abby is always finding something new to play with and listening hard to the adults for new things to say. I love these little faces with all my heart and I don’t think I could take enough pictures of them.





To Salt Lake City or Bust!

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As a Valentine’s weekend treat Shaun, myself and the girls packed up the car for a short trip to Salt Lake City. Meeting us there would be my mom and dad (Grandpa and Grandma Taylor to the girls).

The drive there was eventful. We stopped in Vegas to break up the trip and let me tell you, that night of sleep wasn’t sleep at all. Abby, who had to sleep in a big girl bed, wouldn’t sleep! It wasn’t that she wanted to out, she just didn’t want to sleep. The following morning, as I am sure Shaun would agree, we were awake but hadn’t felt that sleep deprived since Ellie was first born.



After leaving Vegas several hours later then we had planned due to sleep deprivation, we made it to Salt Lake City, unpacked the car and headed out with my parents to a childhood favorite of mine, The Spaghetti Factory! This was the first one I had ever been too and now, almost 25 plus years later, we are returning to enjoy it! This would also be Ellie’s first trip to a Spaghetti Factory too!

The following day we decided to take a drive with my parents and do a bit of sight seeing before the concert. Time was limited but we packed a lot of things into the day. The first stop was driving by the first house I ever lived in on Ottawa in West Valley. I was happy to see it, but it had fallen into disrepair. I think the house numbers spray painted onto the front step made that pretty clear. Gone were my dads beautiful rose bushes and flower beds, the paint had been changed, and the trees out front had been hacked up. I cant even imagine what the backyard and inside look like now. Not sure that I want to. It was a nice memory, but now I need to get pictures from my parents to have those beautiful memories on hand. It was fun though, to show Abby were Mommy lived when she was Abby’s age.



After the trip down memory lane, we decided to take a drive up to Snow Bird and Alta. Not that we had plans to ski, but it was a pretty drive and it gave Abby the chance to play in the snow. It was a gorgeous day, clear skies, sunny and about 55 degrees. Abby was able to play in the snow without a jacket and this time she was able to make snowballs to throw at Daddy! When it was time to go, Abby was less then thrilled to leave.


After our stop in the mountains we headed back into the city and over to the University of Utah campus and my dads Alma Matter. We stopped by the bookstore to check a few things out and left with outfits for Abby, Ellie and myself thanks to Grandpa and Grandma. Abby also got a mini football to play with as well. I hadn’t been on the UofU campus in some time, so it pretty neat to see some of the changes that occurred for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Because of such an honored event, the University now has a beautiful new stadium that I just had to get a picture of. Go Utes!


We then moved forward to our last stop of the day, Temple Square. My father and many of my family members on his side of the family are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. While I am not, I still embrace my fathers beliefs and love to learn what I can about the Mormon church and their teachings, so it was a special treat to walk through Temple Square. I have not done this since I was junior high age but I certainly remember a lot.

Even though preparations were underway for Sunday services, we were still able to go inside the Tabernacle with help of two lovely sisters, one from the United States and one from Taiwan. As I remembered the Tabernacle was gorgeous and the acoustics, which the Tabernacle is known for, were amazing. I hope one day to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing, especially at Christmas time. After we were shown the nail drop demonstration, we had to leave and take in what we could of Temple Square before we had to head back to our hotel.

Before heading back to the car, I was able to grab a few shots of the beautiful Salt Lake City Temple in the afternoon light. It was stunning. I did move on however, as a large wedding party began to gather outside waiting for a newly married couple.




After our visit to Temple Square we went back to the hotel and got ready for our evening ahead. Abby and Ellie stayed the Grandpa and Grandma Taylor while we headed to see Stacey Kent, an amazing Jazz singer who put on one heck of a show that night. Performing live, she sounded just the same if not better then she does on her CD’s. It was a very relaxing show and night. After the concert we headed out in search for dinner, finding the Red Rock Brewery where I had the chance to eat some of the best Fish N Chips I have ever had. Large Halibut steaks in a thick breading, with amazing fries, and a homemade tartar sauce with fresh dill. Its not a dinner I will forget. Our appetizer of fresh tomato and mozzarella wrapped in prescuitto with a lemon dill sauce… incredible!

After a great night we came back to ouor hotel room to find my dad relaxing in a chair, Ellie snuggled on his chest and Abby passed out on her bed. She had not napped all day, so when my parents bathed her and set her in bed to watch cartoons, they literally watched her fade into a deep sleep and literally fall over. My dad caught a picture of her… what an angel.


The following morning we woke up, said the goodbyes I hated to say to my parents and hit the road. We would not be stopping over anywhere for the night, we were headed straight home. Even though it was a quick weekend it was a wonderful one. As always it was hard to say goodbye to my parents, but I will see them soon. At least they did get some time with the girls and to share a city that they started their family in, with us.

Summer In January?

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Well its January, and in true California fashion… it feels like its Summer! The last week has brought 80 degree weather and of course the Santa Ana winds from time to time. I had to do a bit of digging to find some outfits that were cool enough for Abby to wear. Luckily many of the baby clothes I had for Abby at 6 months of age were summer type clothes, so Ellie has plenty to wear.

There is nothing like wearing shorts and dresses, eating Popsicles because its actually warm and watching hockey while roasting away at home. Gotta love Southern California and its January heat waves!