4th of July

We spent the Fourth of July in Yellowstone, which seemed like an appropriate thing to do on our nation's birthday.    After entering the park, we drove about forty minutes to our first stop which was Old Faithful.  The scenery was breathtaking, the weather perfect, the sound in the back of our car...as if some of the wildlife stowed away and were fighting to the death over a piece of food.  Oh, wait that was just my two oldest children and it wasn't a piece of food, but the top of a water bottle that they both wanted.  There was a lot of talk from Mike and I  about choosing to be happy and having a good attitude and that you are the only one in charge of you (an almost daily discussion in our family).  There was also some, "If you don't stop crying, when we stop all toys, books, and DVDs are coming out of the van and you don't get them back today.  ALL OF THEM."  

Once we got to Old Faithful and kids were able to get unstrapped, things got a lot better.  We walked around the visitors center and then stood around the benches waiting for the geyser to do it's thing.  There is about a twenty minute window that it can happen in and on that day Old Faithful decided to be at the tail end of the window.  This of course prompted a lot of, "This is going to be the only time Old Faithful isn't faithful," which I'm sure is a daily joke at the park.  After we watched Old Faithful, we stopped for some delicious ice cream.  

After ice cream we went and did a little hike with my mom and dad and Grandma D.  There were all these steaming pools (I'm not exactly sure what they were) that were different colors and had turned the rocks different colors.  There was also a geyser that used to go off in the 1890s, had stopped and then with no explanation went off for like forty hours in 1985.  After reading this aloud to the kids, Little Man was very concerned that it would choose that day to go off again.  We assured him it wouldn't, but I think he was a little nervous the whole time.  After finishing the little hike, we saw a bald eagle! 

Our own little family then continued on to see a waterfall before heading back to the cabin.  That night, the little kids did sparklers and the big "kids" set off some small fireworks.  

Outside the entrance to the park.

Not the best picture, but the only one we had of the five of us (or four of us with Mason's hat).

Little Man and Kiwi with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Marcus. 

Little Man loves playing with his cousins.  Technically, these two are his second cousins, but we just say cousins.  Below is a fun picture of the three of them in July 2005. A lot changes in six years.  

Obligatory picture of Old Faithful.

Ice cream is a perfect treat on a hot day.  And I am a sucker for ice cream shops that make claims like "homemade waffle cones" and throw our flavors like huckleberry. This place did not disappoint.  It was delicious.  

Their servings were huge too.  A lot of ice cream for a little girl.  

An attempt at getting a shot of the three kids together.  It still blows my mind sometimes that they are all mine.  We are very blessed.  

Kiwi on our hike. 

More cute Kiwi on the hike.  

I sure love my girl.  

Mason with his new "cheeser" grin and my arm to keep him from crawling off the boardwalk.  

Our handsome big boy.  

Little Man loved the sparklers.  

Kiwi did one and that was enough for her (notice the cowgirl boots even with p.j.'s. ) Mason was long asleep by this point so no fireworks on his first 4th. 

Little Man and Cousin Janet watching the show at the end of a busy, fun filled day.