Mammoth Lakes (Extremely Long Post!)

This past week we drove to Mammoth Lakes, CA to meet Brian's parents and Aunts and Uncles for a little vacation. It was a LONG time in the car with a 2 month old but I was really surprised with how well he did!

This is Van saying goodbye to Swish before we left. Look at those cheeks!!

On the way there we drove through Yosemite National Park. I had never been there before so Brian really wanted to take this route even though it was a little longer. It was worth it! We didn't stop and hike at all but the scenery was amazing!!

After about 13 hours and two days we finally arrived!! Van had to snuggle with Aunt Lindy right away!

This is the condo we stayed in with Brian's parents and sister.

This is actually the view from the top of a waterfall looking down into the valley and a couple of the lakes. You can't see the waterfall but I promise it is behind us.

Van was being a little grumpy in the car as we were driving around looking at the lakes. Brian reached over and held his hand and that was all that he needed!! He calmed right down! These two Brian's have a special bond. He loves his daddy!

One of the days we were there Brian went fishing with his dad and they both caught lots of fish!!!

Don cleaned the fish and barbecued them on the grill and we ate them for dinner!

This is sort of out of context but I had to put this picture in. While we were there Van got to meet a lot of Brian's family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins). This is Brian's cousin Matt, Van LOVED him. As soon as Van was in Matt's arms he started cooing and smiling like crazy! Even more then when I hold him! It was hilarious and awesome! This is later that day and Van was asleep but I had to get a picture of him with his new hero.

One of the nights we were there we had a fire and made S'mores. Laurel even brought some Reese's Peanut Butter cups to try in place of the usual Hershey's bar. It was good but I have to say I liked the standard S'more better. The Reese's are good standing alone!! We were all a little nervous at first because a couple of nights earlier Don, Laurel, and Lindy had come down for a fire and saw a bear!! Luckily, we all survived.

Speaking of bears..... we DID see one several times, outside the condo in the trash! Pretty much every night actually. We tried and tried to get a good picture but this is the best we could do. If you look closely you will see his eyes glowing.

Our room was at the front of the condo overlooking the trash so here I am multitasking. Feeding the baby and watching the bear out the window (you can't see it but the window is behind me). I saw the bear on TOP of the dumpster one night.

One morning we decided to get up early and go for a hike. We couldn't talk anyone else into going with us but we did run into Brian's Aunt and little cousins on the trail. We hiked to Rainbow Falls and Devil's Post Pile. You have to drive in to the trail heads before 7am or else you are forced to take a shuttle so we got up early and headed out.

We strapped the baby into a front carrier and bundled him up since it was pretty cold still. He was very content!

We saw some wildlife along the way, this one is a deer but it's a terrible picture.

The top of the falls as seen from the trail, almost there!

Brian almost falling off a cliff with our child, very responsible.

We made it to the viewing point!

So cute!!!

Next up was Devil's Post Pile. Van was awake at this point so he got to ride facing out!

This was so cool, I've never seen rock formations like it!

Van's already bored with his parents!

Later that day we took a gondola ride up to the top of the ski mountain.

This is three generations of oldest Storrs boys at the top of the mountain.

We had a lot of fun and it was so good to see so much family. It was a very long exhausting trip but it was worth it. Van had fun too but in true kid fashion his favorite part of the whole trip was not any of fancy places we took him but the hotel room on the way home!! I have never seen him so smiley and happy as he was that night just chillin in his diaper. He was giggling and cooing and squirming.... it was priceless.