Yellowstone

We have had a wonderful family reunion going to Yellowstone.  It was wonderful to see everyone together.  I really miss everyone.  I wish we lived closer together. 

When I travel long distances in the car, I always love to see some of the sights along the way.  We decided to go to the Grand Coolee Dam.  It took an extra 3 hours in the car but Thomas said it was worth every minute.  Some facts about the dam is . . . . it is about 1 mile long. You could construct a highway from Los Angeles to New York that is a 4 lane highway with all the concrete.  The dam was made for irrigation water not for electricity (even though it supplies 21 billion kilo-watts of energy a year. 

It was really hot there.  Going from high 50's to 90's was a shock for the children.  I loved the heat. 

Here we are at the top of the dam.  It was really high up.

I think the best part of the dam was driving to and from the dam. The rock formations were beautiful on the way there (just like out of the movie Cars) and on the way out it was beautiful farmland.  Acre after acre of wheat, canola and other grains. 

Well, we got to Yellowstone and spent our first day in West Yellowstone visiting the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.  It was really cool to see the bears and wolves up close.  Those Alaskan Bears were huge (probably as big as those huge buffalo we saw).  They were probably double what those Montana Bears were.   The wolves were big too and very fluffy.  I really love animals.   

Later that day we check out the lake by the cabin. 

The second day we traveled around the lower loop.  We made quite a few stops, loving each one.  The first stop was the Midway Geyser Basin.  These was Chris's favorite stop.  It was really cool to see the steam different colors--Blue, Red, White.

The second stop of the day was Old Faithful.  We got there just in time to watch it (should have been about a 20 minute wait but it ended up being a lot longer.)  Old Faithful was a little late but totally worth seeing. 

This is such a great picture from Yellowstone. 

How many pictures do you see of wildlife outside a car in Yellowstone.

We were able to see many wildlife up close and far away.  I do wish to have seen a bear in the wild but Lizzy was able to.  

This was my favorite part of the trip.  This canyon just blow me away.  It was so beautiful.  The cliffs were yellow and very deep, the waterfalls seems to come out of nowhere and were huge.  It was amazing.  I think the coolest part about Yellowstone is you travel a couple of miles and the landscape was totally different.  Think of the canyon and then go to the Mammoth Springs.  Totally different but both really interesting.  Could have stayed there for hours and hours looking around.

The cousins (minus James)

The next day we hung out at the lake fishing, swimming and hanging out on the canoe. 

Eli is a great fishermen.  Checking out the water to see if there is any fish.

I love pictures of fishing.  It looks so calm and peaceful.

Well, if we didn't get enough fishing during the day, we decided to go fishing at night or dusk.  We headed up to Madison River and fish for a couple of hours.  Wow, I have never seen so many fish jump, and jump and jump.  It was really fun to be out in the middle of the river and cast back and forth. 

The next day (maybe Thursday) we went back into Yellowstone and did the upper loop.  We were able to see dirt bloop out of the earth at Artists Paintpots.  Just all of a sudden material was coming out of the earth.  It was crazy.  (only picture of all three kids together in Yellowstone.  Probably since there were with their cousins)

We stopped at Obsidian Cliffs. These rocks seemed like someone was playing with Lego's and forgot to pick them up.  It was in the middle of nowhere.  Who would have thought they would have had them in Yellowstone but wow they were really cool.  Columns upon columns of rocks. 

We also went and saw the Mammoth Hot Springs area.  Wow, it looked like a bomb went off.  It was really beautiful but eerie.  I would have loved to walk through it but you cannot so walking around and driving around was the best thing you could do.  Next time, I will have to hike more.

After the Mammoth Hot Springs, Henry, Dad, Brad, Andy and Me went fishing again (no camera).  We started at Gibbons River and then headed back down to Madison River.  It was really fun. I caught my first fish fly fishing.  It was really fun.  Luckily, Henry was there to unhook the fish.  Henry hasn't caught a fish with his pool yet but there is still hope and he is still willing to fish.  We fished until there was no sunlight to see the line with.   

Friday we went river rafting and boy was that fun.  My kids had a blast.  (Brad, Henry found a pair of sunglasses while diving in Lake Crescent yesterday!!!!!  We thought of you and maybe could replace your glasses with the ones we found!!!!!!

Let the diving being.  That is Henry!!!!~

There is Bruce

Oh-Thomas just get wet.

And of-course ME.  Many more dived but some I didn't get pictures of. 

Kids Olympics.  Oh-yes, the stress!!!!

Coming home from the family Reunion we went to the Lewis and Clark Caverns (which I thought was awesome).  It was a 2 hour tour of the underground world of different limestone formations. 

I couldn't believe how it went on forever.  There were places that we had to duck our heads, slide down, and tightly walk through so we wouldn't touch the formations.  If you are ever in the area it is worth the side trip!!!!

This is how we were for the week after our vacation.  Tired!!!!!

Thanks again Sarah and Ben for a wonderful Family Reunion. 

The first part of June was the winding down of school (if though these activities do not feel like winding down but never ending!!!!)

Henry did Moolahland (were he built a store and sold items).  His store was called. . . Tackle your Bait.  He sold fishing gear.  How they figure out the price of each item, I am not sure other then they had to use long multiplication.  He won 2nd place (how he won second place, you would have to ask him.  He has explained it to me a couple of times and I still haven't figured it out.  4th Grade assignments are to hard for me.)  Way to go!!!!  I was able to go buy things at Moolahland and was able to buy running shoes, canoe, blown glass, candy, fancy car and many other things.  It was fun to see all the different stores.

 Henry buying items. 

 Henry's Store 

 All the kids were able to do the kid's marathon.  They tracked their miles and the food they ate for two months.  I am very, very glad they are done with tracking everything.  Thomas was in the top 10 and Henry came in about top 30.  Lizzy had a great time running with her Dad. 

Lizzy was so excited to graduate from preschool and finally be able to go to Elementary school.  She sang a couple of songs, walk over the bridge, and had pizza and ice cream for lunch.  Lizzy had a wonderful year with teacher Lezzlee.  Lizzy has really, really missed teacher Lezzlee for the pass couple of months but teacher Ruth stepped in and worked with the kids.   

 This year we had the end-of-the-school-year-party a week earlier.  The boys had a wonderful time hanging with their friends.  They didn't invite as many friends this year (and only boys!!!!!)

 They shot of pop bottle rockets over and over and over and over and over.  They also went out on the street and did pop-its.  They thought they pop them all and then a truck went down the street.  Oops!!!

 The only girls at the party. 

 Here are some of the boys at the party.  They are excited to show me Thomas is covered with Caterpillar guts all over him.  I guess they put a bunch in the bottle and let it launch.  The caterpillars didn't survive. 

 Oh-yeah!!!!

 The next day I took my Webelo's on their last den meeting of the year.  We hiked up to Marymere Falls.  We learned how to hug trees from Malachi.  He would run up to the trees and jump on.  It was pretty cool to see, so we have monkey see, monkey do.  All the Webelos were jumping on trees and trying to hug them. 

Finally, the last day of school.  Maggie is so excited to know her pack is going to be home all summer long. 

 Love this picture how they are all a head taller then their younger sibling. 

 Henry got super-citizen for June.  Way to go Henry.  He really is one of the most thoughtful, nice people around.  He gets it almost every year and rightly deserves it. 

Henry with one of his good friends---Israel. 
Thomas also got mention during the assembly that he was the third place in the school for AR points.  He worked really hard to get it.  He had something like 285 points.

Summer has started now.  There has been no schedule activities all week (expect for doctor, ortho, hair cuts etc.)  It has been really nice to hang out at home and sleep in (kids didn't get up until 9am this morning!!!!!)  Henry and I have played tennis two times, we have gone to the kid park, played with friends, dog park, have mole traps in our yard again, finish my scrapbooks for the school year---last year not this year.

The Month of May

Well, we have had a busy month doing this and that. 

Here are a few highlights 

 Thomas got super citizen this past month. 

(Funny--Look at how short our principle is!!!!)

 Way to be a super citizen at school. 

It is nice to know that Thomas behaves himself at school even if he doesn't at home!!!!

 I swear Maggie keeps on growing.  Hopefully, she stops soon!!!!

 The boys had a piano concert this past month.  They were both so excited about it(not)!!!!  They both did a wonderful job and I sure hope they kept on practicing and becoming better piano players!!!

 A couple of days later the boys had a music concert.  Henry played the recorder and played one of my favorite songs---Amazing Grace.  Thomas played a couple of xylophones.  He really starting rocking out to the music.  It was fun to see all the kids.

 Just Dance every Wednesday Night.  We love it!!!!

 Lizzy has been taking a tumbling class at the Y for the past couple of months and finally remembered to bring my camera.  She loves it and does amazing tricks at home.

And finally this past week Grandma Damstedt came to visit us. It was so fun to have her out here and hang out with us this weekend.  (Of-course no pictures-- but we did do some fun things with her like the Pinewood Derby)

Henry's pinewood derby car.  He called it unfinished.  (That is because he whittled it, sanded it and then decided he was not going to paint it).  He had fun making his car.  He got 4th place overall and enjoyed watching all the races. 

 This past week Henry brought home crayfish from school.  2 out of the 3 died the first night.  We are hoping the last one will last awhile longer.  She is called flipper.  So much fun!!!

Poor Crayfish, already trying to escape!!!!