"Lellowstone"

We took a family camping trip to Yellowstone in the middle of June and it was amazing!  The past year has been so crazy for our family and it had been over a year since we had taken a true vacation as a family.  It was a much needed week together of nothing but fun:)

When we told the kids we were going (over a month before we actually went) they were SO excited and had a hard time patiently waiting for our departure day to come.  When the day finally came Brielle woke up and asked "mommy, can we go camping at lellowstone today? Please!?!?" just like she had done every morning for weeks.  When I said yes she was so excited I thought she might pass out:)

The first day we drove to Teton National Park and set up our camp and just enjoyed being in the woods.

Emerging from the tent the first morning.  They thought it was so fun to wear two pairs of pajamas to bed.

Day 2.  Family selfie on our way to hike Jenny Lake.

We got the kids their own pedometers for this trip so they could see how far they were hiking.  It was our attempt to curb the whining that often starts around mile two.  It worked like a charm!  We hiked an average of 10 miles every day and neither kids complained a single time!  Brielle rode probably 2/3 of the time but would have walked more if we had let her.  Van was a hiking machine! We were so impressed with both kids!

Muscles!

The boys found this cool rock wall to climb on during the first hike.  This was impressive for Van, he is still our super cautious kid:)

We made it to hidden falls! It was gorgeous.

They love each other:)

So pretty! The pictures don't do it justice.

Brielle's only goal for the whole trip was to see a baby bear and a baby bison.  We did see a baby bison (pics later) but this was the best we could do for a baby bear.  She actually loved it and wanted to bring it home:)

After our Jenny Lake hike we drove from Teton National Park to our campsite in Yellowstone National Park.  Both kids fell alseep minutes into the hour drive.

Our first bison sighting! We were all so excited!

Camping snuggles.  I really, really love her...

The kids loved all of the junk food we had while camping:)  They also really loved the fire.

Day 3 started out with an early morning drive to Lamar Valley to see all the animals.  We found Brielle her baby bison.

She couldn't find her sunglasses during part of this drive so this was her solution to the bright sun:)

Our hike for the day was in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.  We hiked down 400 stairs to see these falls then hiked back up them and along the rim of the canyon.

As we were hiking back along the rim we found this meadow to have lunch in.  The kids were not being very cooperative for pictures.

Isn't she dreamy?

After lunch we hiked around the mud volcanoes.  These were the smelliest geysers we visited.  Brielle was not impressed.

Van was completely fascinated with all the geothermal features.  He read every single plaque and practically ran as we hiked around.  He still talks about the geysers and wants to go back really bad.  He impresses me every day with his intelligence and is enthusiasm for learning. I love him!

She had a little mishap with her hot cocoa and rather than clean it up right away we laughed and took a picture.  She was being unreasonably emotional about it and it was funny!

Day 4 we got to see Old Faithful

After the eruption we hiked around all the other geysers in the area.

Seriously, this kid was in heaven.

Van commented to me the night before that he never gets to be with me because Brielle always wants me.  It's true, she is still a major momma's girl and she pretty much monopolized me most of the trip.  We decided that this day was a mommy and Van day and he and I would be together all day.  Brielle wasn't too happy about it at first but she got over it:) He held my hand almost the whole day and I LOVED it!  He seems to be growing up so fast these days so I really cherish these times when he holds my hand and jabbers my ear off:)

Visitor center fun.

Around the campsite.  They played together so well and had so much fun.

Our final afternoon there we were all tired and sweaty from hiking so when we found this shallow river we decided to stay and play for a while.  The kids loved it and played and played.  It was a perfect afternoon.

When we had to go home we were all tired and ready to be in our own beds but we were so sad our trip was over.  The kids were SO good this whole trip and it was so fun.  I love our little family so much!