Yellowstone

Our trip to Yellowstone was AMAZING! I never thought I would have such a great time freezing my butt off each night sleeping in a tent, getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, and having to pack all our food in and out after each meal because of bears. Seriously though, our 6 days we spent at Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park were some of the most fun we've had as a family.

Maybe it is because we had tons of time as a family to just be. To relax, to unwind, to unplug, to explore, to adventure. There is no cell service or no internet service so you have to unplug. Some of our most favorite memories of the trip are spontaneous things we just happened upon, like walking down to lake Yellowstone and letting the kids run and play on the beach while Nate and I relaxed or our day trip to Bozeman, Montana to explore because none of us had ever been to Montana and Nate and I had heard Bozeman was a neat town to explore. 

Another favorite part of this trip was the cost. Our week long vacation ended up costing us under $600 for a family of five which is amazing. Just for comparison, I think our week long vacation to Disneyland cost $3000. If we didn't eat at restaurants the three times we splurged the cost would've been closer to $400 (eating out with 5 people is expensive). I think we'll be taking more vacations where we can drive to the location and camp.

There was so much to see and I took so many pictures, but here are my favorites. Remember, I don't have a fancy camera, just a cheap $100 point and shoot and I do minimal editing with Picasa. Yellowstone has such amazing scenery you don't need anything fancy.

My first time using a pay phone in about 12 years, how retro!

Beautiful!

Dragon's Mouth

Mud pots

More mud pots

The lower falls of the grand canyon of Yellowstone

Another view of the grand canyon of Yellowstone

Beautiful wildflowers on the northern part of the park

That's a baby black bear halfway up the tree in the middle. We were so lucky to see a mama black bear and two cubs from a relatively close distance.

Mammoth hot springs. Looks like the surface of another planet.

Elk just hanging out in the developed part of Mammoth hot springs

During our side trip to Bozeman we had to get a shot of the welcome sign

The famous Roosevelt arch that marks the north entrance to the park and reads, "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People".

The park is huge so there is lots of driving between spots but there is always amazing scenery to look at.

The kids and I at the famous Old Faithful Geyser.

Grand Prismatic Springs

Another view of Grand Prismatic Springs

The kids at the springs

After our last day exploring the park we stop at a road side parking lot for a quick walk and amazing view of these waterfalls.

Yellowstone was an amazing trip and something I recommend everyone visit at least once in their lifetime, we'll definitely be back. The pictures on my camera from Yellowstone lake were amazing. If you can spend an hour there just sitting on the beach, soaking in your surroundings I highly recommend it. Also the pictures of the pictures of Old Faithful Inn did not do it justice. It is an amazing historic hotel, built of all logs with a grand lobby that it worth some time to explore even if you are not staying there. We also got yummy coffee from the coffee bar and sat on the covered 2nd story deck for a 2nd viewing of Old Faithful. Man, I love family vacations!

Thoughts On Growing Up and Letting Go

Looking back on pictures of my kids from just two years ago has me wondering where all the time has gone and how did they get so grown up so quickly. Sure, I love that they are independent and I am proud of the young men and women they are becoming but I'll be honest with you, I am one of those moms!

Which kind of mom, you ask? The kind that doesn't want to see her babies grow up. This whole growing up thing is killing me and I wish they would just stop but I know that will never happen. I know my job as a mom is to prepare them for the big world out there and let go, little by little.

Right now though, I am going to sit back and be a little sad because my babies are not babies anymore. Brennan is in middle school, which is a whole new level of growing up I wasn't even ready for. Wynter is in her last year of elementary and to make matters worse my baby is going to be 9 years old in 4 months. Really, my little heart can't take it all!

The funny part is since my oldest is in middle school and my youngest is in third grade I was proud of myself for being the laid back parent and only taking first day pictures at home. The other moms followed the kids onto the bus paparazzi style but I've been there, I've done that, but my baby is past that. Heck she doesn't even really need me to walk her to the bus stop but I will, because I can, and really what is it hurting? I have to pretend she at least needs me a little bit.

I know all the moms out there fall into one of two categories, the crazy, sappy ones who can't stand to see their babies grow up or the ones who celebrate each new stage and are excited with the child's newly gained independence. So where do you fall? How do you let your older kids achieve the independence they deserve without worrying yourself sick?

Road Trips, Relaxation, Camping, Vacations, These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

We had an amazing, yet super affordable summer vacation this year. With moving across the country at the end of June we couldn't spend a ton of money on a trip this year so we started brainstorming places we could drive to in a day and camp. Now that we were in Colorado a bunch of places popped into my mind but Yellowstone was at the top of my list because the kids and I had never been. I did my research online and booked 4 nights at the Canyon campground at a mere $20 per night (score!). A few days before our trip our schedule opened up and we realized we could leave a whole day early. We took the extra day to knock out the driving plus spend a night in Grand Teton National Park or Jackson Hole, WY.

We did something I hate doing and hubby loves doing, we headed out towards Grand Teton with no specific destination and no reservations. Hubby lives for these types of adventures, I envision the five of us sleeping in the packed to the brim Honda Accord. I am all for adventure but adventure with a plan is more my speed. We stopped at a Super 8 in Jackson Hole only to find they only had 1 king size room and they were charging $185. $185 for a Super 8, no thank you! On we went to the National Park campground which didn't take reservations, hoping and praying it wasn't full. Low and behold, it wasn't full and it was only $20 per night. We stayed at the Gros Ventre campground which is the least popular in the park because it is on the edge of the park but honestly I'd rather stay there than fight the crowds. It was a great hopping off point for us and we got to spend a day exploring Grand Teton National Park on our way to Yellowstone. Next trip we'll definitely spend more time there!

Just outside Jackson Hole Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park

Amazing scenery

Menor's Ferry, Moose, Wyoming. Where the Oregon trail crossed the Snake River.

The Grand Tetons

Buffalo up close

Hike to String Lake and Jenny Lake

A hiking we will go!

We had such a great time at Grand Teton National Park and this was only the beginning of our adventure. We still had 5 days in Yellowstone ahead and an unplanned day trip to Bozeman, Montana. Yay, for road trips, relaxation, camping, vacations, and fun!

Today We Celebrate You!

On the anniversary of your birth we celebrate, you, Nate, my awesome hubby. Not a day goes by that I am not so thankful I met you, that I get to keep you forever, I am one lucky girl!

I've told you before that when we first met that I would pray that I would be a blessing to you and the girls, but truly you have been such a blessing to me and Brennan. You are not only a great husband, you are my best friend, and there is no one else on this planet I would rather spend time with. You get me, you understand me, you're patient when I'm grumpy (well most of the time but no one is perfect), you know when to push me to do things I would never try, you always have a funny, albeit sometimes ridiculous thing to say, but there truly are few dull moments. Thanks for having "adventures" with the kids and I, whatever that turns out to be.

Thank you for loving and providing for me and the kids. We are so lucky to have you in our lives. Happy 32nd birthday. This year is going to be the best one yet, I can just tell. We love you and hope you love all your birthday surprises.

Sneak peak of some of our new family photos

Photo credit to: www.marenmillerphotography.com

Yellowstone July 2011

Yellowstone, July 2011

Sleep, Oh Sweet Sleep

Buzz, buzz, buzz, the alarm blasts away, it's 6:45am, my brain says, "no, too early". I roll over hit snooze, aww, 10 more minutes of peace. Soon enough the buzzing sound is back and I can no longer avoid the inevitable, it is time to get up.

Summer is almost over and all three kiddos are headed back to school. We have thoroughly enjoyed our summer vacation although it was a shortened due to our cross country move. Throughout the summer the kids and I have gotten into the habit of sleeping in each morning. It is 8am or 9am before we roll out of bed and we have spent a lot of lazy mornings in our pajamas.

Sleeping in is not necessarily a bad thing but since school is starting at the end of this week and my oldest has to be on the bus before 7am, sleeping in is a thing of the past for us. No more 8am or 9am for any of us. Before 6am will be more like it each day.

The few times I have been up early this summer I have been groggy all day. It is hard to imagine that I used to wake up at 5:15am for work each day for two full years. I definitely am not a morning person! It still amazes me how differently I feel when I wake up at 5 or 6am instead of 8 or 9am. It doesn't matter how early I go to bed either, though going to bed early on those early mornings helps. I have begun to realize I simply am not a morning person. I can get up early, I have done it for years but I function so much better, am more rested, am in a better mood, and just feel better if I get enough sleep.

Now all you mother's of infants are laughing at this post, sleep, what's that? I know lots of little ones don't sleep well and mothers deal with long periods of sleep deprivation but it has been a long time since my kids have woke up in the middle of the night. I know you adjust to what you need to get done but for now I am going to mourn the end of summer, the loss of sleep, and the lazy mornings. I'll be up each day before 6am, drinking coffee, trying to keep my eyes open.

Cake Balls and Cake Pops, Oh My!

My first try at cake balls and cake pops was in June for the kids' teachers end of year gift. My neighbor had made them for me before and I had seen them all over the internet but I figured they had to be too time consuming and difficult to make so I had never tried them myself.

If you've never had a cake ball, you don't know what you are missing out on. It is a whole different level of deliciousness that even the best homemade cake can't deliver. I've now made them twice and both times turned out great.

Cake Balls and Cake Pops

Ingredients

Cake Mix

(I make all my cakes from scratch but used boxed cake mix for these to save time)

Frosting

(whipped frosting won't cut it, has to be calorie laden and thick buttercream)

Chocolate to dip them in

(I use chocolate candy melts from a craft store, see picture below, but any sort of chocolate you could melt and roll the balls in may work)

Optional: sprinkles to roll the balls in or lollipop sticks to turn them into cake pops

1. Bake the cake

Follow the directions on box or recipe. Also, I have been using non-stick dark metal pans to bake cakes in all this time and I can't get over how well the cakes bake in my glass baking dishes and don't stick with a simple rubbing of butter on the bottom. I won't go back to non-stick again.

2. Let the cake cool completely

I repeat, let the cake cool COMPLETELY. I have read different recipes online and this seems to be the step people skip and them complain that they cake balls don't turn out or are a big sticky mess. Honestly, I make these over two days since there is a lot of waiting time between steps. We bake the cakes, cool the cakes, and roll the cake balls one day, then on the 2nd day we dip them in chocolate and decorate.

3. Crumble the cake

Break up the cooled cake with a knife or frosting spreader.

4. Mix in an entire can of frosting

Frosting must be stirred really well so stir, stir, then stir some more.

5. Roll mixture into balls

For easier handling refrigerate crumbled cake and frosting mixture for 30 minutes before rolling. The first time I tried a melon baller but found rolling the cake balls by hand works better.

6. Chill the cake balls

Place rolled cake balls onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet, cutting board, or other hard surface. Place cake balls in freezer for 1-2 hours or move to fridge and chill overnight. The firmer the cake balls are before rolling in chocolate, the better.

7. Roll cake balls in chocolate

You have to be careful with the chocolate when warming it. You warm the candy melts in the microwave but only at 50% power and only for 1 minute to start and 30 second increments afterwards. You must stir a lot between each cycle in the microwave and don't overcook. It is very easy to scorch chocolate and the whole batch will be ruined. Also even a drop of water can seize up a batch of chocolate so make sure all your tools are dry. There are different methods for rolling the chocolate but I found using a metal spoon is easiest. Some people like using a toothpick but I didn't find it any easier. If you are making pops instead of cake balls dip the lollipop sticks into heated chocolate and pierce cake ball with lollipop stick covered in chocolate, put cake pops with sticks in freezer to firm up. Take cake balls or pops and roll them in heated chocolate, return to freezer to harden, minimum 1-2 hours, usually longer. Chocolate can also be heated in a small squeeze bottle and drizzled on cake balls.

8. If desired, roll in sprinkles or decorations

Before chocolate hardens roll in sprinkles or other decorations.

9. Store in fridge and enjoy!

Try not eat all the cake balls yourself, they are so delicious!

Loneliness

I love my life! Things are going great for us, hubby has a great job, we own a fabulous house, we love our neighborhood, we're happy to be back in Colorado, but tonight I am feeling a little lonely.

Hubby's job has him working all sorts of crazy hours. While most weeks it is about 45 hours, some weeks it is more like 60 hours. He gets compensated well for overtime but it still contributes to his crazy schedule that we are all still adjusting too. Add to that the fact that I had all three kids 24/7, all by myself for 16 weeks and have spent almost every waking minute with them since we got to Colorado and it is safe to say I am in need of some adult interaction.

I miss my hubby but I know he has to work. I wish we could all sit down to dinner together tonight but right now that's not our reality. To be honest I spent most of the morning with him, we went to a family movie together but still something is missing. Time alone, engaged, not working side-by-side on our laptops or reading side-by-side in bed, engaged with each other and nothing else in this world. We have a date night coming up, more like a date 24 hours this weekend and I am going to soak up every second of alone time I have with him.

I have so many friends here in Colorado but we're all busy. Busy with work, with kids, with husbands, with life, I get it. Still I wish I had some company tonight, a friend, a family member, a neighbor, someone; someone who just wanted to hang out, chat, share life. My dear friends are so dear and will never be replaced but I need to start putting down roots here in my new town, the place we are going to raise our family, the place we belong. Maybe getting involved in church will help or volunteering at the kids school or joining a running club or a taking a sewing class, heaven knows I have a million interest, but then there is time, never enough of it...

Tonight, I'm lonely and that's ok, I'll survive. There's dinner to be made, and kids to get ready and tuck into bed, and laundry to wash, and dishes to do. I'll find something to keep me busy. Soon enough hubby will be home and keep me company and the loneliness will fade. Moving, making friends, adjusting, change, it's all a process. I have to remember it won't all come at once.

My Kids Speak A New Language

The language of money that is. It is amazing to me as older kids how little else motivates them but how a small amount of money motivates them greatly.

This of course has both positives and negatives. The positives are I can "hire out" the chores I don't want to do like lawn mowing and vacuuming and cleaning out my car. Sure they kids don't do as good of a job as I do but for a couple dollars it is worth it to me. The negative is I could go broke hiring out chores, depending upon their desire for money any given week. Also, hubby and I firmly believe that there is a certain amount of chores necessary just due to being a member of this household.

The things my kids want to spend their hard earned money on also cracks me up. Mostly it is junk, candy, gum, soda, stuff I don't usually buy them. Occasionally they will save for a toy they want but usually the money is spent as soon as they earn it. I do force them to save too. Right now we are saving for our Orlando trip. When we went to Disneyland in March of 2009, the kids were able to save $1000 in 15 months, pretty impressive! I also encourage them to give to those less fortunate than themselves, our Compassion children, charities that interest them, or even our church. Despite all this most of their money gets wasted but they've worked hard for it and they're happy so I try not to put too many restrictions on how it is spent.

I know they are getting older and their tastes will just keep getting more and more expensive. Hopefully I can keep this up so when they want a cell phone, designer jeans, and the latest electronic, I can simply say, "sorry, you'll have to save your money for that". We'll see how that works for me!