Yellow Stone

Okay, sorry for my failure at bloging! This was almost a month ago, but right when I got back I had to work for 2 weeks everyday (but Sunday!) and then I wanted to upload more pictures, but I put the wrong chord in to my camera and some how bent the plugin. Any way, you'll have to put up with these few pictures for now. I'll upload the rest on to the mini laptop and post them from there some day!

I had never been to a National Park Before! So this trip was a big deal to me so I took a million pictures of any thing and every thing. I felt like a true tourist.

And, to be a true tourist, I had to get a souvenir! I got a squished penny to add to my collection.

I got my very first hat! I realized after I bought it that the moose only has half a rear-end. I didn't take a picture of it, but I got a cool shirt too.

We went to Old Faithful 5 minutes before it went off. I was able to weasel my way to the front of the crowd to get pictures. There was a moment of terror when I went to take the picture it said I had full memory, so I deleted as fat as I could and finally got a decent picture. We wanted to explore more of Yellowstone, but we were in such a hurry to get to Utah, we didn't get to explore as much as I wanted to.

Some elk I got a picture of while in the car.

This is the Excelsor Geyser. It was so steamy that I had to catch the right moment to snap a picture.

This is the Midway Geyser, the one I have always wanted to see. I couldn't get a real good picture again because of the steam. If you can see it, the middle is green and blue. This picture doesn't do it any justice. It was the most amazing thing I ever saw.

This, is a sideways (sorry!) spring that was pretty cool looking. It would shoot up every 15 minutes or so. This the last picture I took before my camera died. But, thanks to James, I was able to charge it back up in the car

This is the lake we camped by, Hebgin Lake. We thought it would be cold so we never swam in it, but we went down there before we left and it was perfect. Darn!

A sign at Mammoth Falls. It wasn't so much of a "falls" as wet rocks.

A cool waterfall on the side of the road.

2 of the 5 bison that stopped us on the road. James named these 2 Ugly and Scruff.

Anna and I in front of a hot spring that I cannot recall the name of.

These are the Artisan Paint Pots. It's funny how it will splotch up and bubble. it looks just like real paint (hence the name).

Then, we went to the Grand Canyon... of The (?) Yellowstone. It was pretty impressive. There was a long trail to get close, but I didn't even try, we were too short on time! I wish we could have stayed another day!

The thing I loved the most about Yellowstone is that you are in the woods, just driving through and it just seems like your average forest, until you see the ground start steaming and you are reminded that you are on a giant volcano. I'm so grateful for this Earth we have been given and the opportunity I had to marvel at His beautiful creations.

Idaho Day 1

Well, we went to Menan, Idaho for a family reunion over the 4th of July. I was the youngest cousin there, the oldest being Mike who is 48. I have such a big family, my cousins are grandparents! We had a ton of fun!

This is all of the 1st cousins that were there.

Here is everybody. There were 135 people total or something like that. Not everyone was able to make it either. I bet my grandparents would be thrilled if they were here today to see all of their posterity.

Funniest thing I ever saw! Every time the tractor starts, all of the kids come running out from every where for a tractor ride. There were so many kids, they had to hook 2 trailers together!

I took this picture of the canal on a tractor ride through my grandparents old farm. I never got to meet them, but from the stories I hear about them they sure seem like they were loving people.

Some other first cousins once removed and I went floating down the canal. My cousin, Aaron, made us jump off this bridge into the freezing canal when we did. Good thing I was wearing a life jacket, because my muscles locked up in the freezing cold water. I was shaking the whole way down.

This is a doll that we made for Colter. We had an auction to pay for the expenses of the reunion. We were supposed to bring things to auction off, so we brought some of these cute little dolls. Lauren, my 3 year old niece, offered 2 gold fish for some elk jerky.

My cousin (First cousin once removed technically) Auna and I on a tractor ride to the auction

I love this shot I got of the sun going down at my Uncle Charlie's.

And that night (night before the 4th) , we where doing fire works. My first cousin once removed, Aly, got hit by a fire work and had to go to the hospital. She has 1st degree burns on her face, 2nd degree on her right arm, and 3rd degree on her legs. You are one tough girl Aly!

Idaho Day 2

Okay, so I'm skipping Sunday since it was so laid back and I didn't take many pictures.

Monday was the 4th of July celebration in Menan. Anna bought water in a pouch at one of the stands at the park full of cool booths.

Anna and some of our new found cousins, Robbie and Scott, made these funny chalk drawings.

Audrey

One of the other floats at the 4th of July parade I was in. I got to ride on Charlie's tractor and throw candy, but we ran out towards the end of the parade.

Tyler carried Ali out to the car and then Ali tried to give Tyler a Piggy back ride.