whatever

we talked about renting canoes or kayaks for this area (Colter Bay) but then decided on taking the boat tour.
that way no one would tip, get soaked or drop oars and much less fighting would occur.
the boat tour was a good choice.

we saw a bald eagle.  🙂

hey… who is that?
oh yeah – MOM!
you know one great thing about a vacation where you hike all day and sleep in a “cozy” cabin?
no make up.
i used it once the last night when we went out with friends.  🙂
i like no make up.
a lot.

reality.
also on a vacation with lots of hiking and cabin-y things… no cell service.
so here we were out on a boat in front of the most gorgeous scenery and suddenly someone noticed that we had service!  i admit that it was even exciting to me.  but this picture of scott cracked me up.
because literally this is him.
all the time.

talby was the age where life jackets were still required.
she was thrilled about it… just kidding.

funny  kids.


“here mom… let me take a picture of you taking a picture”

we also took the hike down (all paved sidewalk ) to see Mammoth Falls in yellowstone.
CRAZY awesome.
and scary.
i don’t like heights.

it was so high.  you can’t even grasp it by the picture.

i like her.

then we drove farther and went to see where we HAD been.
so to the left of the fall you can see tiny little specs… those are people.
that where the family picture was taken.
SO HIGH!

our next hike was Cascade Canyons by Jenny Lake.
it blew my mind.
one thing i learned on th boat tour was that Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks have a “let it burn” policy.
so if there is a forest fire… it is left to burn out on it’s own.
and that it is part of nature… killing off certain bugs or plant diseases.
interesting isn’t it?

so this trail obviously had experienced a forest fire.
but it made it look SO COOL!

i kept saying things like “doesn’t this look fake?”
“this looks like a movie set!”
“this can’t even be real!”
“where are the ewoks?!”
“are we going to find ET?”

a couple that did not speak english was looking at this chipmunk.
i took the picture and they asked “what do you call this?”
i said “chipmunk”
she repeated “CHIP-MUNK?”
i thought it was so funny.
it’s not but i was laughing to myself all day about it.
and still now i can’t stop smiling.
CHIP-MUNK?

it was a long hike.
according to google… 3.5 miles each way.
no wonder i was tired!

he’s a cutie.

annie was my hiking buddy for most of the time.
the boys were so fast and talby was trying to keep up with the boys.
and craig was keeping up with her.
so annie and i just went as fast as we could.

“Look Mom!  A huge heart rock!!”

this was where our hike ended.
we were ready for a break!
the kids all found ways to get in the icy cold water but not fall in.

then scott decided to take the shortcut back.
oh my.
with his phone in his pocket.

he made it.
crazy kid.

then we hiked all the way back down at hyper speed because it was about to pour.
the kids were so far ahead of us that we couldn’t see them.
the trail was almost empty… kind of eery.
i was sure a bear was going to appear in my path and i would be its dinner.
thankfully that didn’t happen.

as soon as we go to the car it did start to rain.
but we were dry!

and then the vice president and his motorcade drove by!
that isn’t something that happens every day… at least not for me.

on our last night we walked out to catch the last sunset.


sean said “mom… here’s a rock that looks like africa!”  🙂

we left Grand Teton National Park and headed to Sheridan, WY to visit some friends for one evening.
(gorgeous drive – oh my word!)
and then on sunday we drove the WHOLE way back to kansas.

to be honest… i was not looking forward to this vacation.
i just couldn’t imagine that it would be fun.
but i knew craig really wanted to go… so i halfway went along with it as he planned.
i wasn’t cheering  him on… but i wasn’t refusing.
and i am so glad i was wrong.

This was a FABULOUS vacation!!
i loved every hike.
i loved being outside.
my kids do so well with physical activity…less fighting when you are hiking.
it was so beautiful every where we went.
i highly recommend Yellowstone & Grand Tetons & colorado.
in case you were on the fence…. go for it.
you will love it.
but book your lodging now for next year because it fills up QUICK.

i think i have been to wyoming when i was a kid.
at least i think there is a picture of me there with grandparents.
i vaguely recall it.
i remember a horseback ride… a fence… getting teased… and maybe Old Faithful but once we saw it again i don’t think i remember the first time from life experience.  i think i remember a photo.
ANYWAY... we made it to wyoming and it is SO BEAUTIFUL!
we stayed in Colter Bay in Grand Tetons National Park.
Craig found us a little family cabin there.
he also said EVERYTHING in yellowstone was sold out.   every.  single.  thing.
so if you are planning a trip next year… book now.  🙂

so that is a pretty ok view i would say?!
how amazing is that?!
we walked around the harbor and made it to the shore line before we went to dinner that first night.

apparently….my kids are getting tall.

someone else had been there for quite awhile building rock towers all over the shore before we got there.

calves.
that is all.

isn’t it a cute little cabin?  there was electricity, a shower and bathroom and… beds.
that is all we needed.
we slept hard!
then ate breakfast out on the “porch” each morning.
breakfast was cereal or pj&j.
and since craig wakes up before everyone (always) he would get me a coffee when he went to get a newspaper each morning.
vacation is rad.


the kids burned off some energy in Jackson after dinner.
we were looking for a movie theater since it was raining and only 7 PM but nothing decent was playing.
so rock climbing in a park worked out.
then dairy queen for dessert.
ice cream every night is a vacation must.
(except the first night we went to perkins for pie… annie thought it was THE COOLEST restaurant ever)
we went to Yellowstone to see the geysers.
they are….cool.
i guess.
it wasn’t my favorite.
they smell… and they almost all look the same.
i appreciate their uniqueness and that it could all explode into a super volcano (or whatever it’s called) at any moment but i was glad that wasn’t the only thing to do in yellowstone national park.

we pulled off the road for a lunch stop and let the kids run wild.
it was just a picnic table but they figured out how to get to the water.

we decided to try one more hike for the day.
Mount Washburn.
it had rained… there was a bear siting down the road and it was getting close to the end of the day.
so i think because of those things the path was E M P T Y.
and it was awesome.

this was the road down below way on another mountain that every one was looking at the bear and her cub.
it was way up in the tree line on the right by this time.

we were hiking and they were talking and i was very last behind everyone and i yelled “COYOTE!!” just at the same time that they saw the fox right in front of them.
i knew it was a fox.
but coyote is what came out.
and i felt like it was SO LOUD but i don’t think any of them even heard me.
so… moral of the story… you don’t want me in your group in an emergency.

it had a rat and wanted nothing to do with us but to get on its way to eat dinner.
so we moved aside.
poor raggedy thing.
go enjoy your rat.
thank you for leaving my children alone.
goodbye.


and i made them take a portrait with the timer since the path was empty and too gorgeous!
if only lauren had been there!
our christmas cards could be mailed tomorrow.
she is 19, in college and working and couldn’t come this year.
she would have liked all the hiking.
we let her know that she was missed.  🙂