July 2021 Part 2- Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks

After Colorado Springs and Teton National Park, we drove the hour north to Yellowstone.  The girls immediately smelled the sulfur and learned all about the different kinds of hot springs and geysers.  The area is such a contrast from the Tetons with all the different colored waters and landscape.  We were lucky enough to have part of the Izu and Hadfield families join us for this part of the adventure. 

West Thumb

Jane found a frog at our campground at Bridge Bay.  We also woke up to an elk eating our neighbors chair in the morning!

The girls are playing in the black sand off of Yellowstone Lake. 

Jane got to celebrate her 6th birthday waking up in a tent! Her one request: Old Faithful

We decided to put up tents while in Yellowstone because we were jumping from campsite to campsite each night.  The pop-up trailer is a little more time consuming than our trusty tent. 

This is Grand Geyser.

Old Faithful

Birthday ice cream for all the littles.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. 

Funny story.  I wanted to paddleboard in Yellowstone, but the only river you can is between Lewis Lake and Shoshone Lake (roughly 10 miles).  I told Bryan we would never be able to do that with all the little kids.  Boy did that cause him to really, really make it happen.  So we did it and here is the proof!

Fire River with a rainbow. 

By day 3, the girls were pretty sick of seeing geysers and hot springs.  So we left the kids in the car and caught this beautiful rainbow amongst the thermal features. 

Mammoth Hot Springs

It took us about 6 hours from the northern most part of Yellowstone to drive to our next campsite near Glacier National Park. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get camping reservations in the park.  I looked 6 months in advanced! 

I think we should have done a little more research on Glacier National Park.  I thought one of our activities would be to drive the "Going to the Sun" road.  This is actually the only road in the park and it will lead you from the west side to the east side.  It takes more than 2 hours to drive the whole road and the parking is very limited and the roads are so thin. 

But the views were magnificent!

Once we found a parking spot, we hiked to Hidden Lake.

We saw mountain goats and touched glaciers.

We hiked St. Mary's trail

and some of us jumped into the freezing water!

Our family took a whitewater rafting trip Flathead River. We had so much fun! 

Of course, the kids enjoyed the campground filled with games and water and free breakfasts in the morning!

It was so much fun to hang out with family on vacation.  Beautiful scenery, lots of laughing and playing, and enough food for all thanks to Rachel and Becky's pantry and preparation!

July 2021 Part 1 -Colorado Springs & Grand Tetons

We had fun at the Belton parade on the 4th of July. Afterwards, we went to one of my co-workers house for the evening and watched the fireworks over Lake Belton.  Technically I was still on crutches until the 9th, gradually adding weight.  This worked out well as we were headed into a month long vacation touring national parks on that day!

We drove through the night to get to Colorado Springs. First stop, Garden of the Gods.

We stayed at an RV park with fun games and a waterpark.  The girls enjoyed riding their bikes around and jumping on the big trampoline.

I dropped Bryan off early in the morning to hike Pikes Peak. We met him up on the top after taking the funicular.  It took an hour to get up to the top by train. I think Bryan climbed up in 5.5 hours. Good grief he is fast!

My best friend Jennifer said I wouldn't be able to hike Manitou Incline. I had to prove her wrong.  My girls beat me to the top, but I did make it! I had some hiking sticks and used my left leg more to lift me up the 2,700 steps.  I am about 4 weeks post surgery, 3 of those weeks on crutches. I was pretty damn proud of myself.

Our reward: a macaroni and cheese pizza!

Our little home for the next 3 weeks.  My parents pop-up trailer.  Lots of card playing and telling the other side to quit moving at bedtime.

We found some fun little hike an hour or so away from Colorado Springs where Bryan jumped into the freezing water!

Next stop: Grand Tetons

We did a lot of paddle boarding on the lakes and hiking.

We got to watch some show in the streets put on during the weekends at Jackson. It was fun to watch and unexpected. Our timing was just right!

We did a little scenic raft down the Snake River. We saw moose, eagles, and osprey.  

Found Mormon Row for great pictures of the mountain range. 

Jackson Lake

Inspiration Point and Jenny Lake

Our camper at the Tetons.

June 2021

Kate finished school a week after Jane's kindergarten graduation. Jane had the time of her life hanging out with me, while Kate went to school.  We ran errands, went to the park, shopped, and got our nails done.  Poor Kate was jealous every day we picked her up.  

Kate excels in everything she does.  She is a perfectionist and gets really upset when she misses a question or spells a word incorrectly.  She has really taken off with her reading skills.  I am very proud of her, as that was a big struggle for me with her.

Her class had a field day, which Jane and I attended.  The kids got pizza and played silly games.  

Kate loves her teacher, Ms. Brinson.

One of Kate's friends had a birthday party at a near by trampoline park.  It was fun to have some of the teachers stop by and the kids having one last hooray before summertime.  

We took Howie to Stillhouse Lake.  He was a little skittish with the water, but eventually warmed up (especially when we all got in!).  We have taken him several times since, and he pulls really hard on his leash trying to get down to the water.

I finally got my MRI done.  I was told I have a stress fracture on the right hip.  I needed to start being on crutches from this point until seen by an orthopedic doctor.  I've literally been walking on a broken hip for 2.5 months- what is 1 more week!  

We grew butterflies and released them!

I saw my orthopedic doctor.  After he ordered a rushed CT scan, I found out surgery was required for my fracture.  I was really sad.  My friend Jennifer sent me flowers.  

The next day, I had surgery.  I was supposed to have it on Friday, but because of Juneteenth holiday and some anesthesia providers not wanting to work, I was schedule (without me knowing) for Thursday.  I came to the hospital for pre-operative work ups and ended up having surgery.  It was delayed until the evening because of course I would eat breakfast before coming.  It was very frustrating and I was all alone and my children were at a camp and Bryan was in Oklahoma.  

Luckily, my best friend saved the day! Stacey grabbed the girls from camp and they had the weekend of their lives! 

Meanwhile, I am over here watching too much tv and using crutches for 3 weeks.  

My sister came to help for the week as she was demobilizing at Fort Hood.  What a blessing this was because my mom and dad couldn't make it out.  

The girls weren't sad she was here! I loved cooking for her and she loved pampering me!

Cavity fix! 

Cavity fix.

After about a week after surgery, I was able to get around better.  I took them to their dentist appointment and the YMCA to swim.  I really hated being in crutches.  They are the worst.