Thursday, July 30, 2009

Yellowstone 2009

We just got back from Yellowstone. I love the character that camping builds in the parents and children alike. I definitely come back appreciating the conveniences I have much more. Time away in God's creation also puts a longing and determination in my heart for a simpler, less complicated life.

The forecast for Yellowstone tonight calls for a low of 33 degrees. Brrr. Here it is a low of 60, with it hanging around 80 for most of the night. As we were driving into the Portland area our truck registered 108 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm not sure if it actually hit that, but it felt like it. We made Multnomah Falls one of our stops (which a favorite haunt of ours). It was too hot to even make it up to the bridge however and the sparseness of the Falls was erie. I've never been there when it has been so sparse.

Well, here are some favorite pictures. I'm sure I will share more. Two pieces of advice if you are ever to visit Yellowstone. One is bring layers and good tents and sleeping bags (which we had). Two is either reserve or plan on spending the night at a hotel or close camping the night before you camp at Yellowstone. During peak times you need to arrive between 7 and 9 in the morning to get a camping spot.

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  Old Faithful

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  Petrified Tree

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  Yellowstone River

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  I love dirt.

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  Figuring Out Flyfishing

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  Sweet Abigail

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  Rachey trying her hand at fishing

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  Lower Falls

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  At the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (more impressive than this picture)

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  Yellowstone Lake

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  Cops & Thief (these boys who camped next to us were from the Netherlands)

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  Midway Geyser Basin

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  Reflection at Firehole Canyon Loop

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  You gotta love those clouds. They were a daily occurance - every afternoon.

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Waiting for Old Faithful (#2)

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Old Faithful Crowd
 

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Old Faithful
 

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Good Weekend

My hubby and I just got back from a lovely weekend. It was so nice to hear myself think and to just relax with my husband. I wish I could do it every weekend.

We went to the beach near my husband's hometown, since he had a class reunion. He has another one in August as he changed schools. So, do I, I guess, but mine isn't very organized and his is closer, so we are going to his. Large group events are not my thing. Give me another family over or out for dinner and that I can do. But, I survived that and it was only momentary and most of the time was one on one time with my hubby.

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Truly a lovely little Inn.

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There actually was some ocean out there, visibility is just not great.

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Warm and cozy.

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Those are Pelicans and Seagulls in the background.

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They didn't really let us come to close, but there were a lot there the first day.

As we were checking out of the hotel, the innkeeper told us that is was a sand castle contest weekend. We had no idea. We got to see the whole thing start to finish.

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Sunday, July 12, 2009

A Perfect Day

Today was one of those near perfect days for me. What makes a perfect day, you ask?

Well, first you get to sleep in a bit without any chickens (or husbands) waking you up early. Then, you have the presence of mind to delegate a chore to each of your girls when you first get up, in separate rooms of course, and they actually get that chore done. Then, your oldest (but not the oldest of the group), who got her chore done quite fast asks if she can make breakfast for you. Yes, of course! The answer actually is not always of course, as I have to help her with the baking powder mixture we use, and usually end up flipping pancakes at the end. Then, you have the presence of mind to ask the oldest of the group, having just finished her chore, if she'd like to turn the pancakes. Of course she would. Yeah. In the meantime, your husband has loaded the dishwasher up for you (and the unloading was already done by someone else). You get the floors vacuumed (which already got picked up by someone else)...and your weekend starts with the house somewhat clean.

Then you head outside and water your plants and weed your flower garden. You are kind of mopey about your husband asking you to use the F350 to pull the tractor out of the pond at the bottom of the property. But, your husband doesn't give you a hard time about it. Then, your husband seems willing for you to go out and get some compost for your flowers and some craft things for your little girls. You feel bad you were so mopey and agree to "try" help him rescue his tractor. Your older girls watch the baby in their room while you go and rescue your husbands tractor. You successfully rescue your husband's tractor and it hardly takes any time at all. Your middle girl shows you the house she made out of sticks down on the lower end of the property, and she is as proud as could be about it.

On the way back up your husband tells you he wants to go with you to get the compost because he just likes to be with you. You get all teary-eyed. You head back to the house and dishes are unloaded by oldest of the group, and baby is well taken care of by her older sister - playing happily in her room. You make a caeser salad with chicken for lunch and "almost" everyone raves about it. You go out and get the hand-sewing needles for your girls to finish their stuffed animal dogs. (A needle was lost, which isn't good...but that was another day.) You go out with your husband and get the craft stuff. In the meantime he doesn't have to wait for you too long at Joann Fabrics because he goes and fills the propane tank. Then, you go get some Starbucks and go get a yard of compost for those clay flower beds you have. You get home, husband unloads it for you. (Can you tell I'm thrilled with my husband today?) You make a quick, but loved dinner while your husband is tilling the garden getting rid of the weeds between the rows. The kids come in and eat. Your husband comes in later. The kids aren't too terribly hard to get in to bed (because they are exhausted). And, did I mention that today the weather is just perfect for you? Warm, but not too hot to work outside all day.

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Oh, on top of that, this wasn't today, but (sorry no pic yet), a calf was born in the field a couple of days ago and you got to see it running along side it's Momma, swishing it's tail today.

Well, God is still good, even when days don't work out like today, but it sure was a nice day.

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Farm Pictures

My hubby and I just got back from a lovely weekend. It was so nice to hear myself think and to just relax with my husband. I wish I could do it every weekend.

We went to the beach near my husband's hometown, since he had a class reunion. He has another one in August as he changed schools. So, do I, I guess, but mine isn't very organized and his is closer, so we are going to his. Large group events are not my thing. Give me another family over or out for dinner and that I can do. But, I survived that and it was only momentary and most of the time was one on one time with my hubby.

weekend_inn_1
Truly a lovely little Inn.

weekend_inn_3
There actually was some ocean out there, visibility is just not great.

weekend_inn_4
Warm and cozy.

weekend_jon_fog_birds
Those are Pelicans and Seagulls in the background.

weekend_pelicans_seagulls
They didn't really let us come to close, but there were a lot there the first day.

As we were checking out of the hotel, the innkeeper told us that is was a sand castle contest weekend. We had no idea. We got to see the whole thing start to finish.

sand_castle_bull_dog

sand_castle_parrots_1

sand_castle_parrots_5

sand_castle_some_assembly_3

sand_castle_two_scoops_1

sand_castle_two_scoops_4

sand_castle_two_scoops_6

sand_castle_magic_carpet_1

sand_castle_pig

sand_castle_pigs_in_a_blanket

sand_castle_thomas

sand_castle_stuck_vw

sand_castle_dune_buggy_3

sand_castle_dune_buggy

sand_castle_by_the_beach sand_castle_some_assembly_10