Tag: Montana

A Belated Christmas and Snow!

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After a few days of travel and being stuck in the car, it was time to relax and enjoy our time in Montana. When we woke up the next morning it was time to celebrate a belated Christmas with Grandpa Jerry, Grandma Denise, and Auntie Jillian. The girls had such a fun time opening presents, eating our traditional German Pancakes and laughing a lot with each other. 
Cutest Little Elf in the North Pole!
A special t shirt from Auntie Jillian.
The biggest hit out of everything… A Minnie Mouse hair styling kit.
Unwrapping presents can be serious business.
A little bit of attitude goes a long way.
Don’t worry those aren’t real scissors. I wouldn’t be this calm if they were.
Someone really loved her Christmas present from the Wharton Crew.

After all was said and done and the mess of the day was cleaned up, the girls played with their toys and watched movies with “Auntie JJ”. It was a nice quiet afternoon of relaxation. By early evening the girls were itching to get out into the snow to play. Once they were bundled up and ready we sent them out with Grandpa.

This was Ellie’s first time actually playing in the snow. Last year when we came to visit she was too little and completely uninterested in all of that cold white stuff. She had a good time playing even though it was so cold out that the snow was more like dust. Snow balls and snowmen were impossible to make but Abby and Ellie still managed to throw plenty of it around. 
Finally getting their hands into the snow.
Trying to make snowballs.
Cheesy smiles and a refusal to put her hood on.
Ellie’s Snow Angel
Abby’s Snow Angel

The last bit of fun for the evening were snow angels. Luckily the snow was perfect for this! Abby and Ellie came in cold and wet but with huge smiles on their faces. Nothing like playtime in the snow to make a kid happy. A perfect first day in Montana!

Montana Here We Come!

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Travel Day #1 
The day after Christmas we packed our bags, packed up the car and hit the road. Our destination, Montana of course! This time around we decided to make two stops on the way up to keep the days short and give us from burning out quickly. This meant that our first day would only mean travel from home to Cedar City, Utah. Knowing that this was only about 7 hours with stops we took the morning to finish packing and make sure that we attempted to get a decent amount of sleep.
When all was said and done, we hit the road around 1 pm ready for an adventure. Boy did we get an adventure. After a quick stop in Victorville, we hopped onto I-15 ready to drive at 70+ miles per hour and continue on to Cedar City. About ten miles outside of Barstow traffic came to a grinding halt. It was slow going from there to Baker and then we hit traffic again from the top of the hill down to state line. The trip from home to Primm, Nevada (state line) took us nearly nine hours. For those of you who have never taken this trip, it should only take about four hours to get from our house. We were not happy campers.
Luckily the traffic from Primm to Cedar City was light and we made it to our destination without any other issues. We pulled into the hotel in Cedar City around 12:45am mountain time and quickly headed to bed. The trip, with the time difference, took just under eleven hours. We were hoping this wasn’t a sign of the trip to come.
Packed into the car and ready for an adventure.

All smiles with a new “reader book” to keep her busy in the car.

Both Ellie and the sun became a nuisance to Abby, so she solved the problem by creating a little fort with her blanket and the back of my seat.
Travel Day #2
The following morning we woke up a little late but we were rested and ready to start a new day. Our biggest hope was that we left the travel issues from the previous day behind us. With a more positive attitude we grabbed some breakfast, hit the road, and started the journey to Pocatello, Idaho. For the most part the day was beautiful. We had sunshine a good portion of the morning. In the afternoon the clouds started to roll in and a bit of snow fell, but for the most part the roads were clear and dry. Music to my ears. We made excellent time even with stops in the Salt Lake area for food and a few extra items. I wish I had more to tell for this travel day, but honestly I am glad that I don’t. It means our trip to Pocatello was easy and uneventful.
The snow started to fall during our stop in Filmore. So pretty.

“Mommy please let me out of the car!!”

“Please mommy, when will we get there!”

Travel Day #3

Today its Bozeman or Bust! Thank goodness for early arrivals because it allows for a good nights sleep and sleep we did. When we woke up it was off to breakfast and then we packed up the car. Before leaving Pocatello, we stopped in to visit Grandma Pat. We had a fun time and I could tell she really enjoyed our visit. We sat and talked and Grandma Pat opened a few presents from the family. We also flipped through photo albums and looked at old pictures. Boy did we find some good ones! To protect the innocent, I promise I wont post them here. You’re welcome Grandpa Pat!

As always visits like this are too short and I know Grandma Pat was sad to see us leave, but we had to push on. We would finally arrive in Bozeman today and we wanted to have enough time in the evening to visit with  the family. We had another wonderful travel day with some snow but clear roads. Our stop in Dubois, Idaho proved to be a fun one. The temperature outside was cold but perfect. So much so that when it began to snow the flakes that were falling were perfectly shaped. The perfect snowflake if you will. I had a nice moment sitting outside of the car, watching the snow fall.

Ellie gets a snuggle and a smile with Grandma Pat

Snuggles and smiles with Grandma Pat and Abby

Shaun and Grandma Pat

The snow was falling and it was cold, so cold that the snowflakes falling from the sky were perfectly shaped.

The sun came out but there was a bit of blowing snow over Monida Pass. Finally made it to Montana!

We continued on and made great time. After traveling over Monida Pass, which had the most snow we had seen this whole trip, we crossed over into Montana. We were all very excited. Grandma and Grandpas house was now about an hour and a half away!

In a flash we were in Bozeman.  After checking into our hotel we headed over to Grandma and Grandpas house for some much needed visiting time and of course, some dinner. It sure feels great to finally be in Bozeman. I know we cant wait to have some fun!

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… Day Eight: Waterfalls, "Hidden Trails", and Bull Elk

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This morning we had a much better start. Having the girls sleep in their own little “nests” on the floor made a huge difference, so much so that I actually slept through the night! Yay! So, feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed we grabbed something to eat, packed the car and headed out.
Before beginning our adventures on our last day in the park, we did a little souvenir shopping at Canyon.
Once our shopping needs were fulfilled, we started our journey by heading back out to Hayden Valley.
We were hoping to see wolves and other wildlife near the bison carcass.
Sure enough they were there and while everyone was focusing on them, Kelli spotted something along the river.
There he was, a beautiful and very big Grizzly Bear lumbering along the banks of the Yellowstone River.
We were thrilled to know that Kelli would not be leaving Yellowstone without seeing a bear!
After our bear sighting we continued a little further into Hayden Valley.
We spotted a mama coyote with several of her pups traveling through the brush.
One of the pups wasn’t good about keeping up so mama had to stop a lot. But that gave me a beautiful moment. 
We sat and watched for a good half hour or more. What a sight it was! 
The ravens were also keeping us busy too. Grabbing our attention when they could.

Pretty soon we had to move on and turned around to head back to the other side of the Canyon and Artists Point.
I couldn’t let Kelli leave Yellowstone without seeing one of the most famous shots of the Lower Falls.
We also had the chance to take the one and only picture of all of us (minus Dad because he was behind the camera)
The day was a little smoky but it didn’t take away from the beauty of the falls.
From there we went to the Brink of the Upper Falls, although the highlight was the sighting of two Blacktail bucks.

We moved on from there but it was becoming apparent that both Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Denise were sick too.
They didn’t let it get them down and continued on with us.
We drove along the Firehole River, stopped to see Firehole Falls and then made our way to Midway Geyser Basin.
From here we took one heck of an adventure to find the overlook to Grand Prismatic Springs.
Jillian had been told about a “trail” that takes you too a beautiful overlook that was worth the hike.
Its too bad the person who told her this forgot to mention that it wasn’t an official park trail.
Lets just say it was more of a path beaten down by people that meant scaling the side of the mountain.
Yes, we did it even with Abby in tow and it was worth the view. No, I don’t plan on doing it again.
By the time we got back to a solid and flat surface, we were a mess and ready to head back to the car.
A storm was starting to blow in as well and I didn’t want to be on that hill when the skies opened up.

Now that the unexpected scale up the mountain side was behind us, it was time to feed the tired, hungry and weary.
We stopped at Old Faithful at the Snow Lodge Cafe to eat. It felt great to rest and enjoy time with the gang.
As we finished our food, the skies began to darken and the wind began to blow hard. Finally some rain!
With the car packed up, we headed back to Mammoth and enjoyed the last drive through the park.
The bull elk were in Mammoth and boy were they mad.
The Big Daddy of them all stood near the official park Post Office, bugling and showing off his strength and prowess.
According to the ranger, he had charged, rammed and damaged five cars that day. He was not to be messed with.
Gotta love the rut season in Yellowstone. What a show!

After a fun show with the elk we left Mammoth and made our way out to the North Entrance. Another bull elk had his harem of ladies collected along the Gardner River. He was also a big guy and had created quite the traffic jam. Once we passed by with a few more pictures of some impressive animals, it was time to say goodbye to Yellowstone. We left happy to have seen all that we had seen but with heavy hearts knowing we had to go. The clouds gave us some rain and wind on the trip home which helped us all relax. I know we will be back again and I also know that Kelli will be there with us to enjoy it too. I cant wait to come back but until then I will enjoy the wonderful memories.

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!

Girls Grand Expotition 2012… Day Three, An Unforgettably Gorgeous Day!

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Refreshed after a much needed night of sleep, we started our third day bright and early. The fire near Jackson seemed to be creating allergy issues for me, but I certainly wasn’t going to let that stop me. We got up, packed the car, enjoyed our breakfast and then hit the road. Well, sort of…
once in the car we stopped moments later for pictures with the famous antler arches.
then we stopped for gas.
we were then caught in a construction stop for about 15 minutes.
finally, we were moving along…
Mommy and the Girls underneath the famous Jackson  antler arches.

once we were moving we crossed into Grand Teton National Park.
we stopped for pictures in front of the sign.
we stopped for a lot of pictures on our way to Moose Junction.
from Moose Junction we took the road in towards Jenny Lake.
Mommy and the girls about to enter Grand Teton National Park

Auntie Kelli and the girls about to enter Grand Teton National Park.

the road towards Jenny Lake gave us spectacular views. 
you couldn’t tell there were fires nearby.
it also gave us a lot of places to stop and take some great pictures.
the day was perfect. the skies were blue with the perfect wisps of clouds.

The Tetons approaching Jenny Lake

The Tetons are growing as we get closer to Jenny Lake.

we decided to take the Jenny Lake Loop Drive.
we made a stop at Jenny Lake for some pictures. 
the girls were cranky so Kelli was the only one to get out for pictures. it was a beautiful view though.
by the time we reached Hoback Junction, the girls were growing restless.
we quickly drove to Oxbow Bend, which looked beautiful with the willows starting to change color.
after our photo op, we hit the road and began the quick trip to Yellowstone.
It almost doesnt look real. The willows are starting to turn at Oxbow Bend.

on the road out of Teton and through the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway we hit construction.
two construction stops along the way slowed us a bit.
after the last construction stop, we decided to take a break at Colter Bay.
we stopped to shop and I found two replacements for my favorite key chain.
after a potty break, lunch and souvenirs we were back on the road and only 20 miles from Yellowstone.

The girls at the South Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. This would be Kelli’s first time entering this wonderful National Park. I did not get a picture of her at the sign on my camera, so I will have to get one from Kelli.

after a quick drive we arrived at the South Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
this would be Kelli’s first time in Yellowstone, so we had to stop for pictures.
we took pictures of Kelli, the girls, the girls and I and more.
we also watched several men from back East fish the Yellowstone. they caught a few too!
after taking it all in, we got back into the car and crossed the boundary into Yellowstone.
Kelli crossing the Continental Divide over Craig’s Pass. Another first for Kelli!

our first stop was Lewis Falls. one of my favorites.
we then drove to Grants Village and around Yellowstone Lake to Fishing Bridge.
on our way we stopped to see the Lake Hotel. Such a pretty place and not well known either.
from Fishing Bridge we drove a few miles out towards the East Entrance.
we didn’t see Wolves or Bear as we hoped, but we saw a lot of Bison.
from there we turned around and headed back the way we came, diverting our travel towards Old Faithful.
on our way over Craig’s Pass, we stopped at one of the two markers for the Continental Divide.
this was another first for Auntie Kelli, so we had to stop and document it.

One of many beautiful thermal pools along Firehole Lake Drive.

we reached the junction at Old Faithful and headed towards the West Entrance.
we had a bit of extra time so we decided to explore the Firehole Lake Drive loop.
the thermal pools were gorgeous in the afternoon sun.
fall means that water levels are low but Firehole Lake and its surrounding pools were spectacular.
A lone Coyote out for an afternoon hunt. Our first non-hoofed animal sighting of the trip.

after finishing our drive around Firehole Lake, we headed towards the West Entrance.
along the way we saw our first animal that didn’t have hooves, a lone Coyote hunting rodents in a meadow.
we cut off at Madison Junction and headed towards West Yellowstone.
along the way, we saw a Bald Eagle perched at the top of a pine tree.
from this point we drove and didn’t stop. our destination was my parents house in Bozeman.ft
The drive through Gallatin Canyon and the outer borders of the park was beautiful, especially at the time of the afternoon that we did it in. Within an hour and a half we had arrived at my parents house and boy were we happy to see them. I have to say I was a little sad, because it meant the big road trip portion of our trip was over but we still have a long weekend in Yellowstone and some down time in Bozeman to enjoy. What a great day! I certainly hope Kelli felt the same way!

Christmas Vacation In Montana… Our Final Day and Heading Home

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As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end” and that includes wonderful vacations with family and friends. Our final day in Bozeman was pretty relaxed and unplanned. My mom, my sister and myself headed over to the mall to do a bit of shopping together while my dad watched the girls. Shaun went to the condo to start organizing our things so we could get the car packed later that night. Shaun wanted to go for a skate around the large pond in town that has been turned into a skating track, but unfortunately the gel in he skates froze up to the point that he couldn’t get his feet in.


That night we went to dinner and shared one last night of fun and family. Afterwards, Abby and Ellie stayed with my parents while Shaun and I headed back to the condo to pack up our bags and then pack the car. I know I did all of this with a heavy heart. I was having such a wonderful time, I really didn’t want to go.

The following morning we headed over to pick up the girls. We said our goodbyes and I tried really hard not to cry, but its me and I did. We took a different way home, which is the route I take during the summer when I come up to visit. Most of it was dry and easy going, until we hit the cut off into Island Park, Idaho. We barely made the turn from the stop sign because it was so icy but we made it. It was slow going until we hit Ashton, Idaho.


From there we were snow free and making good time. We stopped in Beaver, Utah that night for a much needed rest and did the final stretch home the following morning. The girls were excellent travelers and I think we were all happy to get home and sleep in our own beds. Now its time to unpack, settle back into our normal routine and wait to take a vacation from our vacation. Until next time Montana!

Christmas Vacation in Montana… Snow Fun and Travel Through Yellowstone

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After an amazing dinner and a great nights sleep, Shaun and I woke up and headed back in to Yellowstone for the day. What a difference there was between this winter and last. For starters it was a balmy 28 degrees out as opposed to -10 degrees last year. The snow pack on the road was very thin to non existent. In most spots through the park, we could still see pavement.

The unseasonably warm weather did keep many of the animals away though. So no wolves for me this year. We had been told about several animal carcasses that the wolves had been frequenting for food but to no avail. We did see the usual bison throughout the park and even a long trail of them heading out to Hayden Valley. We also had the chance to catch two coyotes trying to catch mice in the shallow snow and grass.




The only road open in the park to vehicles is the road from the North Entrance at Mammoth to the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City. Shaun and I decided to drive the entire road and it was beautiful! On the way back we stopped to eat the sandwiches we bought before coming into the park. We hadn’t been stopped more then twenty minutes, so when we tried to start the car and it didn’t we were completely baffled. It was our battery and we were stuck in Yellowstone, with cell phones that did not work, and only a few people near by. Luckily one of the few people sitting at the lookout waiting to a glimpse of a wolf had a portable jumper kit.

Once the car was running, we got back on the road and decided to head back to my parents house just to be safe. The drive through Paradise Valley was beautiful at sunset, despite having to keep our eyes on the sides of the road in anticipation of deer, which were everywhere. We had such a wonderful time but it was nice to get back and see the girls. They were somewhat excited to see us, but you could tell they had a great time with Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Jillian.




During the day Abby and Ellie watched movies and played. When Ellie took a nap, Grandpa took Abby outside to play in the snow. She had a great time, rolling up snow balls, making snow angels and enjoying what was left of the snowfall from a few days ago. She even sat and what was left from their snowman for a picture. I good day was had by all, that’s for sure!