YELLOWSTONE 2018

August 3-7, 2018

*Note...there are tons of pics and this is a long post. 5 days worth of Yellowstone but I want to keep these memories close to my heart and in my mind. I hope you enjoy this beautiful place too!

I look forward to going to YELLOWSTONE with Zach and Kell's family, and with Mikell's family. I usually go every other year because the dang election doesn't allow me to go every year! This year the plan was to have Joyce and Jenny come with us, but with Jenny's radiation, both of them decided not to come. So, at the last minute, I called and asked Ashley to see if she would let me take Remington. She said yes! We were all excited! I was so happy to have this experience with him. I knew he would love it!

So we drove up on Friday morning along with 2 of the Samsky puppies. Ashley was watching them while we were in Yellowstone. They yapped the WHOLE WAY TO Downey! We were going nuts and it was not a good way to start this fun trip!

I have never been so happy to drop those dogs off! We switched Ashley for Remington and boy, that kid was excited!

We drove to Rigby, Idaho and I decided to fill up the tank there and grab a drink. Then I opened the trunk to get some snacks out for the ride. I had my Debit Card in my pocket when I went into the store. At the next stop for gas, there was NO DEBIT CARD! I lost it! I had to call Wells Fargo and cancel it. Not a good way to start this fun trip!

But then...we drove into WEST YELLOWSTONE and we stopped at the MOUNTAIN MAN RENDEZVOUS and we got Remington a new wooden CROSSBOW, SWORD, AND RIFLE. He was set now to have a BLAST playing with all of the other little kids (Mikell's little nephews) and of course Boston, Waylon and Briggs at the campground. This boy was STOKED!

We decided to drive straight to OLD FAITHFUL because we knew that wasn't on the list of things to see for the rest of the group this trip (they've seen it a hundred times!) But I wanted Remi to see it. Well, we barely missed it so we had to wait another hour, on the front row, I might add, to see it go off. There weren't very many people there at all. It was late afternoon and so the big crowds that come in the late morning, early afternoon had all gone home. So it was AWESOME! I'm a little sad because OLD FAITHFUL isn't near as powerful and high as it once was and it is coming every hour instead of every 30 minutes! Who knows how much longer this famous GEYSER will be faithful!

It was a bit windy!

 Remington patiently waited 1 hour for Old Faithful. He was the best kid!

After that we headed over to the LODGE to get our favorite ICE CREAM, that is TRADITION and it did not disappoint!

Then we met up with the Becksteads at CAMP. We ate dinner and she went with us to check us into our CABIN. After dinner though, Remi played with Emmett with the new CROSSBOWS and fun WEAPONS! They played hard! Then we went to bed and were excited for our next day. I'm so glad I brought Remington and my Mom! (We missed Joyce and Jenny though!).

 Watch out for the buffalo! They might show up in your camp! Nick is hilarious!

Cutest Buffalo!

 This sweet guy is just the most loviest kid I know!

 He loved playing with his new CROSSBOW!

I wanted to get a pic of Remi and My Mom in their beds but as soon as I said look at the camera, they both ducked under the covers...Geesh!

We were so excited the next day when Zach, Kell and the boys arrived. We died laughing when we saw them pull up and Waylon is in his skeleton costume, and Briggs is wearing no pants and two different cleats, one from Boston, one Waylons. That kid is funny! He walks around the house all day with one big cleat on. Crazy kid!

 Skeletor came to camp! He refused to take this costume off for days! Silly kid!

 This just cracks me up! Look at those feet!

We drove to see some pretty cool sites today and on the way we saw this:

 I love the beautiful landscape of Yellowstone. The river is absolutely gorgeous!

We stopped here at Nez Perce Ford for a picnic lunch so the kids could play in or throw rocks in this freezing cold river.

 Zach took Remington in and Remi did the Polar Plunge! He didn't notice the freezing cold...he must be like his Uncle Zach!

 Silly kid with thick skin! This water is freezing!

 These boys were enthralled with some weird bugs they saw.

Then we went to the MUD POTS. Look at this goofy family of mine!

 Waylon would pull the funniest faces in all of our photos but I never noticed them until we got home! Ha! Ha!

 The boys loved Dragons Breath!

 Man, these are 4 of my favorite people! I'm so happy to be with them!

 Trying to get me in the picture with my family behind me.

 Back at CAMP Briggs plays with his wooden pistol

 The kids love riding their bikes through the woods. Remi doesn't like bikes so he just ran and had a ball!

 Loved sitting by the fire. One of my favorite parts of the night!

 This night was SO TOUGH! We moved over into the hotel so Zach and Kell could have more room in the cabin. Remi was originally sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor but he got really hot, and had a bad dream and at 1:30 am I put him in this very small Queen Bed with me and my Mom. He was sideways, upside down, and for some reason me and mom couldn't sleep. Finally at 3:30 am I said Mom, I can't sleep. She said me neither! Then we started LAUGHING SO HARD we almost peed our pants! We were laughing hysterical at all the funny things that had happened on this trip. Then we started laughing that we had to be up in a few hours to make breakfast for everyone...it was our turn. We were totally SLAP HAPPY and kept laughing over and over until our stomachs were killing us!
This photo is of Remi sleeping sideways on our beds! I love that he has his legs crossed. Several times they were crossed over my face!

The next day:

 Remi and Waylon showed me the cool BEAR TRAP Zach made with them. Zach spent hours playing with them in the WOODS building this BEAR TRAP, making a cool sword for Waylon and having fun with them. He is so awesome!

 Zach got to play around with Carter's real CROSSBOW.

 I loved it when Briggs let me hold him for a long time...that's rare!

 I love this boy of mine. Boston is in his element in Yellowstone. He loves it SO MUCH!

I loved this amazing view: THE BRINK OF THE LOWER FALLS

 I love these little people!

 Look way down and you'll see the raging river below. This was SO STEEP!

 I could NOT get enough of these FALLS. My pics do not do it justice. It is just stunning!

                                                               Cutest Cousins!

 After this, Zach and his family decided to do the hike down to the LOWER FALLS but then it POURED RAIN! They are such troopers!

I love my Mom so much and I am so glad she came on this trip with me!

Later that day, after the rain stopped we went on the coolest HIKE. It was only 2 miles but it took us around the LAKE and deep into the WOODS. It was beautiful and everyone loved it. I was SO IMPRESSED with my Mom who is 81 years old, for doing this HIKE. She loved it!

 We had so much fun with BECKSTEADS and were so happy that they always let us tag along!

 The boys loved seeing the bones of this animal devoured by a BEAR.

 Love this amazing lady!

 Zach was so cute with Grandma Shirley. He walked with her and helped her over every hard part and what was fun about hiking with the Beckstead family is the pace is as slow as you need it and your break when you need to without feeling pressure to hurry it up.

 This whole trip Zach was so cute with Remington. He is such a great Uncle. I was so proud of him!

 After the HIKE we headed to this beautiful drive around the LAKE and ended up at LAKE LODGE where we always sit on the ROCKING CHAIRS and look out at the LAKE. It's tradition!

   

 Zach and Kell went home early the next day but we stayed because I wanted to show Remi lots of cool stuff. Especially my favorite part of Yellowstone...The BRINK OF THE UPPER FALLS.

 The top of this WATERFALL is so awesome and powerful. I could stare at it all day. I really can't get enough. I love it so much!

A ladybug landed on Remi and he was so happy about it!

Then we went with Becksteads to TOWER,  and then we drove to LAMAR VALLEY to see tons of BUFFALO! Then we drove on to COOKE CITY, MONTANA. We love that little street of a city! We had the best PIZZA in this cool bar. This trip took all day and it was the best!

 We stopped at this beautiful area for lunch so the kids could throw rocks in the river.

We saw a lot of these buffy's!

On the last day of our trip Remi just wanted to see Dragon's Breath one more time. So we saw it and then he said, "Gee, I never even saw a BEAR." I told him I felt bad that we didn't see one either. Then 2 minutes later I look over and low and behold....THERE WAS A BEAR! It was walking down the hill and right down to the road. We couldn't believe it! 

It was the perfect ending for this perfect trip!

I was so happy that Ashley let me take Remington for so long and I know he had a blast! I am so glad Becksteads let us join them, and I am so happy that my Mom went with me. 

I LOVE YELLOWSTONE and look forward to going back next year!