Back to school

It's that time of year again.

Back to School!!!

Here are my Elementary kids in 6th, 4th and 1st. They even wait for each other, riding bikes to and from school. And I've heard there might even high-fiving and (be still my heart) hugging when they see each other at lunch!

 

Here is the Queen of 8th grade awesomeness.

Making friends, finding her place and learning a lot more about life than what she reads in her text books. Junior high is a roller coaster and we're in for a wild ride and loving it.

With four kids in school all day, that leaves a lot of time for me to soak up every minute I can with this little guy before he starts Kindergarten next year.



I'm looking for the brakes. Please life, slow down. 

Summer Vacation - Bearworld

During the whole trip to Yellowstone and Island Park, Syd only wanted to see some moose and bears. Only she kept saying:

Meese and Beer!

 

Well, we never saw any moose but we did see some bears and Bearworld.

 

 

We saw deer...

...a couple of cute little fawn...

...mama elk...

...a white buck elk...

...and lots and lots of bears.

This was the chubbiest bear EVER!

 

 Sydney used the time in the car on the way home to make some pictures using images from Yellowstone.

Summer Vacation - Island Park cabin

The second full day of our awesome vacation we spent at the cabin and enjoying the surrounding area. We played card games like "liar", War and Uno. We played Battleship, read books and took naps. The kids took great advantage of the Disney channel as well. It was so relaxing!

 

There was also a nearby so we grabbed the canoe under the porch and transported it the short distance to the shore in true redneck fashion.

 

 It was so beautiful!

Oh yeah, and there was a hot tub. That sure got plenty of use. I think they spent most of the afternoon in that thing.

 

This was one of the most restful vacations we have ever had. What a way to rest up and prepare for the beginning of the new school year.

 

I'm so grateful we love being together. Family time is a treasure!



Summer Vacation - Yellowstone

One last trip, one last vacation before school starts!

We headed north to Island Park in Wyoming where we stayed in a beautiful cabin that I have not one single picture of.

We spent our first full day in Yellowstone National Park where we saw lots of bison and couple of elk.

 

And of course we had to see Old Faithful blow. We waited and waited and finally were rewarded with quite a show.

We also spent time walking around the beautiful geysers.

At this particular spot this conversation happened.

 

Rachel: That looks like that one dinner that mom makes.

Syd: The Nachos? Yeah, it kind of does.

Camille: Except without the green stuff.

 

I hate to say, it kind of does look like my nachos: refried beans, enchilada sauce and other stuff. It tastes better than it looks. :)

The hydrothermal pools are so beautiful!



 

I love Yellowstone. The geysers and hydrothermal pools, wildlife and natural features, forests and waterfalls. I can never spend enough time there.

 

I remember as a young teenager driving through Yellowstone after the fires of 1988. I think it was just that year. I still remember how devastating it was. Everything was black, from the earth to the tips of the burned up trunks. It was striking.

 

So to drive through the forest all these years later and see the new growth was pretty awesome. What a beautiful place!