Tag: Road Trip

Our House Keys Or Bust!… Day 3

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Last night we arrived in Seattle (well Redmond to be honest) super late or early depending on how you look at it. We stopped for some much needed sleep and an unneeded show from the couple in the room just across from the elevator.
This morning we woke  up and headed over to pick up keys. Good news… we now have them and officially have a new home here in Seattle! The bad news is that its very hot and with zero AC in the house, all of the projects we wanted to get done will have to be done in humid 90 degree weather. 
Our new home… So pretty.
First night in the new house. Well actually, we never stayed in the house because of Shaun’s back and the heat!

We took on our projects for the day of painting and building some furniture and were doing great until we ran out to do a few errands. It was in the men’s care aisle of Target that I found Shaun hunched over having a painful back spasm. Too much work in the humidity and heat and lots of sweating took its toll on him. We had planned to stay in the house for the first time and save some money but there was no way Shaun could spend a night sleeping on an air mattress. So, we found a hotel room with AC and plan to enjoy some peaceful rest.

Our House Keys Or Bust!… Day 2

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After a nice little rest we hit the road and hauled it all the way from central California to Seattle. The day was beautiful and I was so excited to finally have the scenery change from brown to green! The move and our change to Seattle is finally starting to feel very real. Excited and nervous all at once but I am always up for a grand adventure. I cannot wait to get our keys tomorrow.
The middle of nowhere, somewhere in Central California.
Mt. Shasta. Finally seeing some green!
A beautiful sunset through Oregon!

Our House Keys or Bust!… Day 1

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This morning before Elllie’s party we picked up our rental car for the trip up to Seattle. We needed to take this trip to pick up the keys to our new home and prep it for the move in several weeks. Painting and building some furniture is a lot easier to do when the house is empty. 
When the party was over, presents had been opened and Abby and Ellie had been dropped off at Grandpa and Nana’s, we loaded up said rental and hit the road. Our hope was to make it as far as we could through the Central Valley before stopping for the night. At a stop for gas near Tejon Ranch I opened the trunk to get something out of my suitcase and noticed this little gem. Seriously??!!  Yes I am aware of what its for and why, but really? Are we to that point in our society where we need to equip our vehicles with something like this? I laughed about this for about an hour after. Yikes! I will mention though that its a car that I can imagine being popular with mafia types. Just Sayin’…

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 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 Nine: Kelli’s Last Day :(

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Today was Kelli’s last day with us in Montana. I wanted to everything and anything but at the same time I wanted to just lay low and enjoy Bozeman and we did just that. Kelli was interested in seeing Bozeman Deaconess Hospital where my Dad works, so he was able to give her a tour. While she did that Auntie Jillian, the girls and myself headed to the Museum of the Rockies one more time to see the dinosaurs and enjoy the Yellowstone Adventure play area that was closed during our last trip.
At the museum, the Triceratops display was close to being finished. The large female was completely pieced together and the baby was now by her side. We watched as the display designer created the base and faux stone around them. It was pretty interesting to see how everything was made! The girls enjoyed the Explore Yellowstone play area, spending the rest of their time there. When Kelli called to say she was close to being done we had a hard time pulling the girls away. But who wouldn’t want to leave? This place is pretty awesome!

After the museum trip we headed to the mall to do a bit of shopping and browsing. We bought some books, a pretzel and a few other little things and just enjoyed the time together. Kelli then took us for some frozen yogurt and we spent more time talking and laughing. After dinner I sat with Kelli has she folded laundry and packed her bags. I really wish she didn’t have to go but I know that the party had to end at some point. I smile right now because we had such a wonderful time and made wonderful memories but my heart is a little heavy knowing its over. At least I get to spend some more time with my family before heading back home.

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.. Day Seven: Surprises In Hayden Valley

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I am very glad that I didn’t hold my breath when it came to the girls being sick and getting some sleep because I didn’t. At all. Okay, well maybe a few hours but that’s about it. I was hoping to be up and go out with my dad and Kelli to walk to the Lower Falls Overlooks but I was too tired to do it. I tried to sleep in a bit but based on the meltdown I had with my mom, an extra hour of sleep didn’t help much. Once they returned and everyone was dressed, ready and fed, our day began together.
Lower Falls at Sunrise

Lower Falls at Sunrise
after breakfast, our first order of business was to head out to Hayden Valley.
we all wanted to check out the tip given to us by a gentleman we met the night before at dinner.
sure enough, the tip was a good one. When we arrived there were wolves feeding on the bison carcass.
luckily my dad had borrowed a spotting scope from a friend at work, so Kelli was able to see them wolves up close.
we also had the chance to see a young bald eagle perched atop a dead tree, probably waiting for the wolves to leave.
A young Bald Eagle watching over the kill. He doesn’t even have his white feathers on his head yet.

Looking at the carcass and the wolves. The small black dot in the left,center of the picture is the black wolf. Her pups were feeding on the carcass so they were hard to see from our spot.

after stopping and watching the wolves for at least half an hour, maybe more we continued on our way.
we stopped at Mud Volcano to get out, walk the boardwalks and show Kelli what makes Yellowstone so unique.
it had been a long time since I have walked this boardwalk, but it was completely worth it.
Abby and Ellie used their imaginations to figure out what the mud pots and fumaroles looked like to them… dragons.
we found the mommy and daddy dragons hanging out at Mud Volcano, one was hanging out in a cave!
Ellie even had the chance to catch a fun and bumpy ride down the stairs in her stroller. Thanks Grandpa!

Heading up the hill and enjoying the view!

Mud Volcano, one of many bubbling mud springs.

Dragons Mouth Spring

Dragons Mouth Spring. It was determined that this was the “Mommy Dragon”.

after a wonderful but stinky walk (according to Abby) we decided to drove around Yellowstone Lake.
we drove a little ways out towards the East Entrance, but stopped at the Yellowstone Lake Overlook.
the smoke from fires kept the day from being clear but the blue water was still amazing and the view was stunning.
we stopped at Fishing Bridge for some souvenir shopping and some yummy ice cream.
as we sat out on the general store porch eating, my dad and I watched as a raven stole cookies from a side bag.

Overlooking Yellowstone Lake. So beautiful.
because we did dessert first, we headed back into Hayden Valley to stop for some lunch.
we chose the LeHardy Rapids picnic area, which was shaded, tree lined and very quiet. So perfect!
the girls ate on their own picnic blanket and ate their lunch quietly. Their focus was on the river and skipping rocks.
after eating and cleaning up the girls had the chance to skip rocks and relax by the river.
it was a perfect afternoon and so much fun to enjoy with the girls, Kelli and my wonderful family.

Eating lunch and having a chat.

Just in case we don’t end up seeing a bear.

Skipping rocks.

Le Hardy Rapids on a beautiful and clear day.

Little bird playing in the rapids.

after lunch we continued through Hayden Valley, hoping to see some bears or wolves.
the bison kill site was empty and it was obvious that the animals were probably still snoozing after filling their bellies.
from Hayden Valley we cut over to Norris and headed over to Old Faithful for dinner at Old Faithful Inn.
the largest and closest fire burning in the park was the Cygnet Fire.
on the road to Norris we could see the smoke plumes. At one point we could see the flames in the trees near the road.
along the Firehole River we spotted a big bull elk that we stopped to snap a few photos of. Boy was he pretty.

The Cygnet Fire burning on the ridge near the road closest to us.

Beautiful Bull Elk just hanging out near the Firehole River.

next on our agenda… dinner at Old Faithful Inn! Yummy!
as always the Old Faithful Inn was beautiful and the food was great. I will dream about that risotto for a while.
with our tummies very full we quickly made our way over to the Old Faithful viewing area.
we had timed everything just right and within twenty minutes of dinner, we were watching Old Faithful erupt.
watching Old Faithful was perfect. Kelli had the chance to see Yellowstone’s most famous locations.
that and Abby was excited to see the “Grandpa Dragon” talking to us.

Old Faithful erupting at sunset.

Pondering life and where the Grandpa Dragon lives inside Old Faithful.

After the eruption the light faded quickly. We packed up into the car and headed back to Canyon to wind down and relax. On the road from Norris to Canyon the flames from the Cygnet Fire were very apparent  especially the ones right next to the road. You could see the firefighters setting up a sprinkler system to create a fire line from the road. It was sad and impressive all at the same time. Now the girls are asleep in the cozy nests we have made on the floor. I hate doing that to them but they are enjoying it. It was determined that they needed to sleep there so that I could get a good nights sleep without children kicking and smacking me all night. I need the sleep so lets hope this works! Oh well, despite the exhaustion I had an amazing day full of amazing memories. Cant wait for tomorrow!

Girls Grand Expotition… Day Six: Off to Yellowstone!

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After some rest, its off to Yellowstone for three days! While Kelli has had the chance to come through the park already, this will be the first time we really get to explore, get out of the car and see all that is Yellowstone. And away we go!
after a beautiful drive through Paradise Valley, our first stop was the archway at the North Entrance.
the original entrance to Yellowstone is a must see for a first timer into the park.

Kelli at the North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park on a beautiful day.

the next stop for our motley crew, was the 45th parallel. 
as it says below, the 45th parallel is the halfway point between the Equator and the North Pole. 
its a pretty cool stop and one I don’t think I have taken the time to do before.

The crew 45th parallel.

Abby the explorer using her binoculars to find animals.

after our stop we headed to Mammoth Hot Springs for a break and then set out for Lamar Valley.
on our way out we stopped at Petrified Tree, for a quick stretch and a walk.
the grasshoppers were everywhere on the walkway up, one even landed on Auntie Jillian.

Walking up to Petrified Tree with Auntie Jillian and Auntie Kelli
Petrified Tree. There are a lot more along this hillside but this is the largest of them all.

after our stop we continued on to Lamar Valley.
the day was a bit smokey but beautiful.
with the exception of bison and pronghorn, the animals were hiding from us but we were having fun.
we stopped for lunch at a beautiful picnic site right along a small creek.
we ate, enjoyed a cool breeze and then the girls played near the water where Grandpa showed them how to skip rocks.

Abby and Ellie sit down to eat lunch outside of Lamar Valley close to Ice Box Canyon.

Skipping rocks along the creek with Auntie Jillian, Auntie Kelli and Grandpa Jerry.

after lunch we made our way back through Lamar Valley and on to Tower Junction.
we took a drive down to Slough Creek Campground in hopes to see some wildlife
we found some and while it wasn’t a bear or wolf, it was the closest I have ever been to a pronghorn.

A family of Pronghorn right next to the road on our drive to Slough Creek Campground

After our sighting, we hit the road again over to Tower Junction and up of Mt. Washburn.
Because of construction mess and noise, the usual spots to see black bears were empty.
Up on Mt. Washburn it was too early to spot the usual wolves and grizzly bears, but we were able to take a potty break!
Lower Falls at Sunset

our trip over Mt. Washburn led us right to Canyon Lodge, our stop for the next few nights.
so… we checked in, unpacked the cars, freshened up and then headed to the Canyon Rim.
the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone looked gorgeous at sunset, despite the fire nearby.
after walks to the Brink of the Lower Falls and the Lower Falls overlook, we headed back for dinner.
as we waited for a table we met a gentleman who informed us about a bison kill in Hayden Valley. 
apparently bears, wolves and other animals have been hanging out this spot for a few days.
at dinner that night we talked, laughed and Kelli tried something new for dinner!

Kelli tried a Bison Burger for the very first time and she liked it!

A wonderful day has come to an end and its quiet in our cute little cabin. The girls are asleep and there is very little sound outside. I love being out in the woods, far from the craziness of life. I had hoped we would see more animals today, but we still have a few more days. What we did see was beautiful and I know Kelli has enjoyed it. Here is to hoping that we get some sleep. Both Abby and Ellie have the cold that I have been recovering from and its been a bit rough. Fingers are crossed but I wont hold my breath…

Girls Grand Expotition 2012… Day Five: A Bit of Local Sight Seeing

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After a more relaxing day in Bozeman, we hit the road for a bit of sight seeing. Auntie Jillian had to stay home and work, so this time it was just the girls, Auntie Kelli and myself. So we took to the road again, but this time not as far…
our journey would take us to our first stop, Virginia City. a historic mining and boom town.
the day was very smokey because of multiple fires within Montana and Idaho but that didn’t stop us!
when we arrived we stopped to enjoy some of the old buildings. Abby quickly found the toy shop.
many of the old buildings have been renovated and used for diners, antique shops, and ice cream parlors.
Virginia City Historical marker. Virginia City was one of Montana’s largest mining and boom towns.
Abby stops to admire many of the old fashion tin toys in what used to be a toy  and general shop.
after walking for a little while, we stopped for some ice cream.
the plane to split a cone failed and in the end, Abby had strawberry and Ellie ate mommies mint chip.
i stole a few spoonfuls when Ellie wasn’t looking. boy was it yummy!
“Look mommy, I stole your ice cream! Its Mint n Chip… your favorite!”

“This ice cream is gooooooood.”

after ice cream we walked a bit more and discovered a few fun buildings.
in a sweet moment, I found Abby and Ellie walking hand in hand talking about the yummy ice cream.
i tried hard but explaining why the buildings look the way they do to a four year old is tough.
Abby thought it was weird that no one fixed the buildings.

While I only had a few bites, this ice cream was truly amazing. I cant wait to go back soon.

Walking hand in hand, talking about their yummt ice cream and admiring all of the nick knacks in the store windows.

An antique wash basin that was once used by families during the height of mining in Virginia City.

“Mommy these buildings are old and look bad. Why doesn’t someone come and fix them?”

pretty soon we packed up the car and headed back towards Bozeman.
on the way we took a few back roads that led to Three Forks.
we stopped in Three Forks to show Auntie Kelli the Sacajawea Hotel.
the Sacajawea Hotel is a part of my family history.
my great great grandparents were the first proprietors.
after stopping in Three Forks we took a slight detour and went to Headwaters State Park.
at Headwaters State Park, Kelli had the chance to see the headwaters of the Missouri River.
Pure joy playing on the tire swing.

Abby was thoroughly enjoying the “obstacle course”

we eventually said goodbye to the headwaters and made out way home.
my allergies had turned into a cold and I was starting to feel crummy with a horrible headache to boot.
once home, Ellie and I laid down to rest while Abby headed to the park with Grandpa Jerry.
from what I can tell Abby and Grandpa Jerry had a lot of fun together.
After a busy day out and about it was dinner and bed time for all. We had to pack smaller bags because tomorrow, we head off to Yellowstone for three days! I cannot wait to share more of favorite place with Kelli and enjoy what I can. I need to sleep but I know this stupid cold and my excitement might keep me awake. Oh well, on to another fun adventure!

Girls Grand Expotition 2012… Day Two and the Journey Continues!

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If Day One was great, then I can easily call Day Two amazing. I have done the trip from Porter Ranch to Salt Lake City many times in my life. Probably more then I can count actually, so it isn’t always as impressive to me. The being said, I enjoyed it more then normal because Kelli has never been through most of that route before. However, the trip from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole is one of many favorites and a trip that brings back a lot of childhood memories, so I was really looking forward to it and to sharing it with Kelli.
Today was definitely filled with a lot of pictures. Unfortunately I had a few issues with my camera, one of which was improper settings that I didn’t bother to check. So a lot of my pictures turned out grainy and dark. Oh well, that’s life! Anyway, this is how the first part of our day went…
woke up excited and ready to hit the road, breakfast was pretty yummy too! 
stopped in Ogden for some gas, ice, snacks and of course, coffee!
once we reached Brigham City, it was time to cut off towards Logan Canyon. I think I was a bit giddy.
drove through Logan and found that a few of the places we used to stop at for picnic items as a kid.
started up Logan Canyon, the trees were beginning to turn and a storm was looming in the distance. 🙂
stopped at Ricks Springs, a spot my family always visited when I was a kid. Ah, memories.
reached the top of the canyon and the Bear Lake overlook. Perfection.
stopped in Garden City for a famous Raspberry shake and some lunch. Yummy.
drove along Bear Lake on our way to Jackson. On a partially cloudy day, the lake was amazingly blue.
Ricks Springs

Another generation enjoying a beautiful day  and a stop at Ricks Springs.

Kelli and the girls at the Bear Lake Overlook

Mommy and the Girls at Bear Lake… such a gorgeous day.

After the drive around Bear Lake, we headed back into the canyons and I was in heaven. The sky was perfectly blue, the air was crisp and the leaves were starting to change. I have never been through this area near the beginning of Fall, so I felt as though I was seeing some of this for the very first time. It was beautiful, relaxing, cathartic even and I was so thrilled to be sharing it with such a dear friend. The only thing that could make this even more perfect would be having Shaun here. One day soon.
Once we passed through Afton and hit our junction in Alpine we began our trip through Snake River Canyon. We were almost to Jackson and there was plenty of fun ahead of us!

after a few stops in the Snake River Canyon, we made it to Hoback Junction. Jackson here we come!
on the road to Jackson we noticed several brush fires up in the canyons near Jackson, bummer.
we checked in to our hotel, after a near meltdown moment.
           side note: the meltdown…the hotel didn’t have our reservation. it was found and all was right.
after a few moments of unpacking and taking a breather we were back in the car.
soon we were in Teton National Park. i think the first sight of the peaks took Kelli’s breath away.
we drove, stopping whenever we could, but as the sun set we were forced to head back to Jackson.
to end the night we stopped to do a little shopping and grab some pizza for dinner before bedtime.

Snake River Canyon… Perfection

Kelli and the girls at the Snake Overlook in Teton

A little sneak peak before our day in Teton tomorrow.

After a long day its now time for the adults to head to bed  The girls, after only a bit of fight, are passed out cold. What an amazing day. I tried my best to soak it all in and enjoy every moment. I think Kelli really enjoyed the day and all that she has seen so far. That is the icing on the cake for me. I cannot wait until tomorrow.