Tag: Family

Girls Expotition… Days Sixteen and Seventeen: The Trip Home

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Leaving to head home was bittersweet. I never like to say goodbye to my family but I was also ready to get home and see Shaun. So Monday morning, we hit the road early in the morning and started on our way. Just me, Abby and Ellie. Luckily our destination was Salt Lake City, so it wasn’t a long day.
We drove through Gallatin Canyon, which meant one last little jaunt through Yellowstone. We didn’t see much in the way of animals but the morning was clear and gorgeous. The fall colors coming through West Yellowstone and into Idaho were beautiful. I sure miss the change in seasons.

As we started heading out of the mountains and into Idaho Falls, it became apparent that a large storm was coming. The hanging clouds over the last glimpse of the Tetons eventually led to massive dark clouds and pouring rain. I had hoped for a good storm the entire trip and I was now finally getting one. It poured buckets until Malad Pass south of Pocatello. The girls were asleep, it was pouring rain and I was completely in heaven.
Before heading to the hotel in Salt Lake, we did a little shopping in Park City for the girls. I was proud of my deal hunting skills and thankful for a few very valuable coupons my mom gave me. At the Childrens Place Outlet, I bought nearly $100 worth of clothes for Abby and Ellie and only spent $22. Pretty awesome if you ask me. So we arrived at the hotel, dinner in hand, tired but happy and ready to eat and sleep. 
The following day was pretty uneventful. We drove from Salt Lake to home, making only a few stops. I had wanted to stop in to see Grandma Taylor (Grandma Tutu to the girls) but needed to get home to Shaun. I felt bad for not stopping in to see her like we usually do, but I called to make sure she was ok and tell her about the trip. Coming home to Shaun that night was wonderful and he greeted us with a yummy dinner, a few presents for the girls and lots of hugs for all of us. Our trip was wonderful and I missed my parents and sister very much, but it was great to be home with the man I love so much. Next time, Shaun is coming with us no matter what!

Girls Expotition… Day Fifteen: Visiting in Anaconda

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For our last full day in Montana, we headed over to Anaconda to visit family. Uncle Barry was in Minnesota visiting his family so we didn’t get the chance to see him but we had a wonderful time visiting with Aunt Diane and Grandma Prueter. The girls played outside in the yard, watching birds and enjoying the warm fall afternoon. Auntie Diane also played with them through the window making silly faces and popping up to surprise the girls just when they thought she was gone. Oh the screams and giggles this created. What fond memories. Oh and the pictures too! Grandpa Jerry caught some great faces on film but for the sake of some involved I wont post a few. It doesn’t matter though. Fun was had by all.

Before heading back to Bozeman, we had an early dinner at the Classic Car Cafe.The food was yummy and the atmosphere was very relaxed. They even had Volkswagon Beetles in front that had been converted to tables but unfortunately there were too many of us so we had to find a bigger table. During dinner, Ellie sat next to Great Grandma Laura and they had a wonderful time. Ellie mimicked everything that Grandma did and really put on the charm. Grandma Laura was so please and I could tell this really made her day.

When dinner was done we took a few pictures out front then said our goodbyes. It was too short of a visit but I know I will be back to visit soon. Next time I know Shaun will be with us too! The drive back was a blast. The girls fell asleep, so Jillian and I had the chance to talk, sing, laugh and enjoy some quality sister time. It was hard not to be sad about leaving the next day but the time in the car took my mind off of it and it gave me more memories to cherish.

Girls Expotition… Day Fourteen: One Last Trip to Yellowstone

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Well I think we know what I am about to say next, considering its said every time we come up to Montana but here we go… With only two days left in Montana we made sure to fit in one last trip to Yellowstone!
Unfortunately, Jillian had to work so she couldn’t come with us, so we packed into my parents SUV!
Our first sighting within the park were the herd of Big Horn sheep, mostly females with their young.
We watched them play and run along the mountainside after a dumb tourist chased them away from the roadside.

With some time spent watching the bighorn sheep we continued on our way out to Lamar Valley.
We stopped on several occasions, thinking we had seen wolves or other animals in the distance, but we didn’t.
Just past Soda Butte, in an open field and creek area we came across something that Abby had been waiting to see.
Off in the brush along the creek was a big Bull Moose!
We waited a while to see if he would move but it was obvious his intentions were to lay low and nap.

During our stop to watch the moose, I realized that something was missing. Ellie’s glasses.
I panicked and the search for them began. They weren’t in the pockets in the back seat, or the seat, or the car. 
They were gone and my heart was racing. Ellie’s glasses are not cheap and all I could see were dollar signs flashing.
We began to back track and doing that is hard in a National Park. 
We drove as fast as we could back to out first stop and there in the pull out were Ellie’s glasses. 
They had been run over, one lens was popped out and missing and I was a mess.
Luckily we found the missing lens, popped it back in and discovered that the frames and lenses weren’t too bad.
They would need repair but they weren’t a total loss.
After the drama of the hunt for Ellie’s glasses we went back to where we were and decided to stop for lunch.
Lunch was calming, even after the Grey Jays surrounded us and tried to steal anything we didn’t have our hands on.
After eating we explored along the creek and the girls skipped rocks with Grandpa Jerry. 
The girls really enjoyed themselves and it gave them time to run and play in the fresh air.

Our day started to slip by so we finally packed up and starting heading back towards Mammoth.
On our way we discovered that the Bull Moose was still in his spot along the creek bank. 
We could see him better this time but he was still happy laying down and relaxing.
Abby was able to see him clearly with binoculars this time, which made me smile. She really wanted to see a moose!

As we made our way back we ran into a bison jam on the roadway. 
This time the jam was made up of one bull’s harem and it was a big one. The harem and the bull for that matter.
The male bison was big, in charge and his eyes were red. You could tell the fall mating season was in full swing.
This guy was probably one of the most impressive bison that I have ever seen.

After admiring the male bison and his impressive harem, we headed back to Mammoth.
There we found three Bull Elk competing within a very small space for land and ladies. 
I didn’t get pictures or video but it was impressive to hear all three bugling to one another across Mammoth.
We wanted to wait and see what happened and if they would clash with one another but we had to head home.
We took a back road out of Mammoth to Gardiner. This dirt road was the original stage line many years ago.
On our way saw another small Bull Elk and a the bones of an animal we could not identify.
The highlight and the last goodbye for the evening was what we heard as we made the steep descent out of the hills and into Gardiner. Not too far off we could hear the howling of wolves. Most likely it was the Eightmile or Canyon pack waking up from an afternoon of relaxing and sleeping and getting ready to begin their hunt for food. To me it was beautiful and a bit poetic. My heart has a very special soft for the wolf and when I have watched them in the past I feel a connection there. Hearing their howls in the distance as the sun began to set, felt to me as though they were saying their goodbyes. Until next time but we will see you soon. I shed a tear or two, knowing I was leaving a place that always makes me happy but I know it wont be long before I am back again. Until next time Yellowstone.

Girls Grand Expotition… Day Eleven to Thirteen: Relaxation and Simplicity

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The days following Kelli’s departure were pretty mellow. Jillian had a good portion of the time off of work so we did some shopping and roamed the mall a bit. We even went over to visit Grandma Denise at work and say hello to some of her friends and coworkers. The girls spent time outside playing with Grandpa when he was home from work and I caught up on laundry and did a lot of reading. We also watched movies, did puzzles together and played games. While I was missing the adventures we had just been on it was nice to slow down and just relax, something I don’t get to do often. The time was very peaceful and we enjoyed every minute of it.

Girls Grand Expotition.. Day Ten: Kelli Heads Home :(

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This morning, after an amazingly wonderful trip, Kelli hopped on to that jet plane and headed home. It was really tough to say goodbye after a really fun adventure but I guess all good things must come to an end. I dislike that saying though. Do fun things really have to end?

I guess they do but before we took Kelli to the airport, we went out for one last hoorah. We got up, packed the car and headed over to the Coffee Pot for some yummy breakfast. Yummy is actually an understatement.  Shaun and I have been to the Coffee Pot before and its amazing. The cinnamon rolls are award winning (no really, they are) and the biscuits and gravy are the best I have EVER had. I think Kelli felt the same way, but you would have to ask her yourself.

After breakfast it was time to head to the airport. We took our sweet time leaving. Part of it was because we didn’t want to go and the other part was that we were so full  we had to move slow. Eventually we made it to the airport and said our goodbyes to Kelli. We took our time doing that as well but that had nothing to do with the amount of food in our bellies.

Pretty soon Kelli disappeared into the airport and we had to go. The remainder of our day was pretty mellow. We did a bit of shopping with Auntie Jillian and just hung out around town. The big adventure was over and now it was time to just relax and enjoy time with family before we headed home again. What wonderful memories we made over the last week and a half. Ones I know I will never forget!

Girls Grand Expotition 2012… Day Four: Time to Relax in Bozeman

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After three wonderful but busy days on the road, it was time to relax and enjoy a few days in Bozeman. After a restful night of sleep and some sleeping we slowly started our day. What I thought had been allergies had now turned into a cold, so I was feeling a bit under the weather but still ready to have some fun!
“Mom, I just woke up… What’s with the camera in my face already?”

Abby was hiding from me. I guess she wasn’t too thrilled with taking pictures first thing in the morning either.

after a yummy breakfast/lunch we finally made it out of the door.
we had to make a stop at the local camera shop.
my camera desperately needed to be cleaned. luckily it was only the sensor that was dirty. easy fix!

“As you can see, this is a tepee. Tepees are a type of dwelling used by many of the Plains Indians.”

“This is the jawbone of a Mammoth. Big, isn’t it?”

Just making sure that the house did indeed fall on the Wicked Witch of the East.

Abby’s favorite exhibit in the museum, the mama Triceratops with her baby.  You can actually see the baby breathing.

“What mom? Its not like I smuggled my string cheese into the museum and got mommy in trouble for having food near the exhibits  Oh wait, I did. Woops!” 

while my camera was being cleaned we headed to The Museum of the Rockies to see the dinosaurs.
due to limited time, we quickly wandered through the new Napoleon exhibit.
we then blasted through the history of Montana and scurried past the Native American display.
abby didn’t complain about missing the Native American display, one of the mannequins scared her.
when we arrived at the dinosaurs we found several paleontologists putting together a new display.
the display was a newly unearthed triceratops. Abby watched in awe as they put together its rib cage.
after the dinosaurs, we headed to the Yellowstone discovery area but it was closed. 😦
at that point it was time to go back to Grandpa and Grandma’s house.
The rest of the evening was relaxing and simple. We all spent time talking, laughing, watching TV and just enjoying the time together. We went to Mackenzie River for some yummy food and enjoyed some people watching as well. What a great day and there is plenty in store for tomorrow too!

A Quick Trip to Washington… Seattle to Home

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We woke up the next morning a little sad that it was time to hit the road and head home. But before we did that, we went to a few more of our favorite places. We drove out to Woodinville to see the cleanest and my most favorite Target ever, drove through Kenmore and Kirkland and then headed to Denny Park. When we lived here we took Jack to Denny Park often to enjoy open spaces and Lake Washington. This was another spot we wanted to share with Abby as well as give her a chance to play outside before spending time in the car again. She had a wonderful time throwing rocks into the water and watching the people and the animals nearby. The same family that lived on the lake was out playing with their adorable lab, a woman was out swimming, a man out paddle boarding and ducks were landing right in front of us. It was pretty special.

Our last hurrah for our time in Seattle was another ferry ride, this time from Downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island. Once again Abby was super excited to ride the ferry and she loved seeing the Space Needle in the distance. To top it all off, on this ride we allowed Abby to pick a treat from the ferry cafe. She chose some pretty yummy gummy bears. Pretty soon the ferry ride came to an end and we were on our way to Tacoma. We said goodbye to Seattle and began the trip home.

The remainder of the trip came and went without a hitch. We drove from Seattle to Redding and while the day was long we had a pretty easy trip. We almost found ourselves in another freeway parking lot situation but managed to get off of the freeway and take surface streets around the problem. Dodged a big bullet there. We woke up the next morning to a very smoky sky due to the fires in the mountains east of Redding. Lucky for us, we were out of the area soon and on our way home. I hated to end our trip but once we were on this leg of the trip I was ready to get home. We were home by 7pm with plenty of time to pick up Ellie. Boy was it wonderful to see her, pick her up and give her lots of hugs and kisses. We had a great time but its good to be home again as a family!

A Quick Trip to Washington… Spokane to Seattle

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The time spent with my parents came and went in the blink of an eye.Then again we only had a day and a half with them. We had breakfast at the hotel together and then after packing up the car we said our goodbyes. I hated to leave but I know we will be seeing them soon. 
Our trip from Spokane to Seattle was fairly uneventful. We ran into construction and weekend traffic over Snoqualmie Pass which set us back about an hour but after the stop on the way up to Spokane, this was nothing. When we reached Seattle, we quickly checked in to the hotel, unloaded the car and went out to see the things we wanted to see.
First, we headed to Bothell and up Norway Hill, stopping to see our old house. I miss that house a lot but I am glad to see that people who bought it from us are taking care of it. The main road up Norway Hill passes by the backyard of the old house. When we lived there it was not fenced in and some of it was visible from the roadway. When we moved we left Jack’s big dog house in the backyard, not wanting to lug that thing around and try to store it. As we drove up Norway Hill and past the house, we saw that the dog house was still there. Made me smile but it also made my heart ache a bit.  
Our old house in Bothell. Its nice to see that the new owners have taken great care of it.

After visiting our old neighborhood, we drove through Bothell’s downtown area and drove through a few of our usual spots. A lot has changed in the four years since we left but a lot has also stayed the same. From there we headed to Edmunds for what would be Abby’s very first ferry ride!

Abby’s first ferry ride was a huge success. She couldn’t believe that you can drive a car onto a boat. Once we were loaded on and parked, we took her upstairs to the main passenger deck. She was able to see Edmunds as we left and enjoy the view of the Puget Sound and the Olympics. We also hit it at the right time, just as the sun was starting to set over the sound. It was breathtaking. For Abby, there was nothing like being on a ferry. In fact, she was a tad upset with us when it was time to go back to the car and disembark.
Once we landed at Kingston, we realized that we would not be taking the ferry back to the other side. The line of weekend traffic waiting to get on the ferry was extremely long. So we decided to enjoy the drive and get back to Seattle via Tacoma and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Once we were back on the East side of the Puget Sound, we headed to Kent (our first residence before we bought the home in Bothell), grabbed a bite to eat and then drove around Downtown Seattle for a bit. By this point it was pretty late and there wasn’t much open, but it was great to see some of Seattle’s notable spots. I have to say, as we drove back to the hotel that night I couldn’t help but think about how much I miss this place.

A Quick Trip to Washington… A Day with Grandma and Grandpa

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Our one full day with my parents was pretty tame and very relaxing. We had breakfast at the hotel and then took off for a little more exploring. Most of the day was spent at Manito Park. The day before Abby had seen the entrance to Duncan Gardens which looked like a scene from Alice in Wonderland. So Grandma and Grandpa took her over to the “Alice Garden” to explore. After hours of exploring and lunch at the park, Abby headed to the play ground for a bit more play time. There she made another friend, this time a little boy. The two of them played until it was time to leave. From here we all took a bit of a drive together while Abby napped in the car. 

As the day started to wind down we headed back to the hotel. Abby played hard and desperately needed a bath, so we cleaned her up and then headed to dinner. For our last night together we headed to the Spaghetti Factory, a Taylor family favorite since I was a very young kid. We haven’t been there in quite some time, so it was a yummy treat!

Unwilling to throw in the towel, we went back to the hotel for just a bit and then hopped back into the car, ready for another adventure. We made our way out of Spokane and away from the city lights to watch the Perseid meteor shower. Driving out to complete darkness would have been too much and too far with Abby in the car but the spot we found was perfect. We saw hundreds of “shooting stars”, more then I think I have ever seen. Both my dad and Shaun tried to capture pictures of the meteors but to no avail. Still, we saw a lot with our own eyes and enjoyed some special time together. Abby even pointed out a few to us!

But soon, Abby was bored, the temperature was dropping and it was getting late. We finally threw in the towel, headed back to our rooms and settled in for the night. Our day wasn’t overly busy but the time spent together was so nice. Abby really enjoyed some one on one time with Grandpa and Grandma and she had the chance to see a lot. Its a quick trip but one we were enjoying a lot.

A Quick Trio to Washington… Finally in Spokane and Ready to Enjoy the Day!

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After some much deserved rest, we emerged from our hotel room around 11:30am refreshed and ready to start the day. We needed to eat so we headed to Frank’s Diner where breakfast is served all day and you get to eat in an old rail car right by the train tracks. Abby loved it and didn’t stop asking about the trains the entire time we sat there. Breakfast was also amazing too.

After grabbing a bite to eat, we decided to hop into the car and do some exploring before my parents arrived. We drove all over Spokane and some of the surrounding cities. We showed Abby the houses that Grandma Zoe lived in before she moved back to California. We drove through Manito Park and stopped to watch the ducks and the geese. It was a hot day, well over 90 so most of the birds stayed out of the water and sat in the shade, but a few of the geese were wandering around showing everyone who was boss.

Once the sun started to set and it cooled down a bit, we took Abby back to Manito Park so that she could stretch her legs and run off all of the time spent in the car. Abby certainly ran and she also made a friend at the park. She was a bit older then Abby but they still had a blast running, jumping and climbing together. Before we knew it, Grandma and Grandpa were calling to tell us that they had arrived and were at the hotel so we finished up our time at the park and headed back.

The rest of the evening was pretty quiet. We had dinner at Red Robin that night, which I know Abby approved of. Once our bellies were full, it was time to head back to the hotel and get some rest. It may have felt like a short, whirlwind of a day but we had a wonderful time. Now we had a full day with my parents ahead of us.

A Quick Trip to Washington… The Big Surprise!

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When I say a quick trip to Washington, I mean quick! There and back again in 5 days but it was a blast. The destinations were a surprise to me. All Shaun would tell me is that we were hitting the road to get away for a bit. I didn’t find out until the day we left as to where we were going and the only reason he told me was because I needed to plan accordingly. Our itinerary was as follows:

  • Wednesday August 8th: Home to Redding, California
  • Thursday August 9th: Redding, California to Spokane, Washington
  • Friday August 10th and Saturday August 11th: Spokane, Washington
  • Sunday August 12th: Spokane, Washington to Seattle, Washington
  • Monday August 13th: Seattle, Washington to Redding, California
  • Tuesday August 14th: Redding California to Home
OK, I know that sounds nuts but the Wharton Family loves their road trips! I also know some of you might be asking why Spokane and not just Seattle for the whole trip because of our previous time spent living there. Well, Shaun also surprised me with MY PARENTS! They can easily make the drive from Bozeman to Spokane and spend a short weekend with us. Adding the 4 hours to Seattle would have made it a bit too difficult to do in three days. So, we met in Spokane and enjoyed the time we had with one another.
As a last minute decision, Shaun also decided to leave Ellie here at home and Abby came with us. Ellie is still little enough that the long hours in the car are difficult. Abby is our little road warrior and can handle the trip with grace now that she is a bit older. Dont worry we didn’t leave Ellie alone! She actually spent the time with Grandpa, Nana and Aunt Brittany. This was their first chance to watch one of the girls for more then just the weekend and I have a feeling they enjoyed it. We certainly missed Ellie and it didn’t quite feel like a vacation without her there but after all the experiences we had, it was good that she wasn’t. 
What experiences you ask? Well stay tuned for pictures and stories from our crazy trip!

Quick Trips to the Zoo

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Today we make a quick decision to head to the zoo. We needed to get out of the house, get out of the heat of the Valley and head to Santa Barbara for the day. I had also read in our Zoo News emails that there was a new Channel Islands fox (the fox that formerly lived there passed away about a month before) and a new armadillo for the public to come and see. In the end, we didn’t get to see either but I guess that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. Unfortunately a few things came up on our way out of the door so we were pretty delayed but still made it up there with about two hours to spend at the zoo.

This trip was also the first since Ellie started wearing her glasses and what a difference they make. She could see so many things that she couldn’t before, including her favorite animal… the giraffe. When she saw them eating  and wandering around she was so excited. I was so happy that she now could enjoy life a bit more.

Watching the elephants from atop her favorite perch!

“Love Birds”… these two kept kissing and nuzzling one another. Its probably not an act of love at all and most likely they were cleaning each other but I think its fun and cute to imagine that they are a couple of penguins in love.

Ellie could see the Griaffes and was so happy! Nothing like watching your favorite animal!

“Whatcha lookin’ at?”

The day was short and pretty uneventful but we had a great time as always. I think the Giraffes were interested in the shirt I was wearing because they kept staring at me and following me when I moved. We also had the chance to watch a wedding; one of the shortest ceremonies I think I have ever witnessed! Smart bride there! We took a longer detour on the way home, enjoying the summer sun and the beautiful evening. It may not have been much but it was a great day out for our family.