Yellowstone!!!

Yellowstone trips are quickly becoming a fun family tradition. Last year we purchased a camping trailer at the end of the camping season. We wanted to take it on one last awesome trip before having to winterize it. Dave suggested Yellowstone. We took our trailer, the kids, and the dog and headed off for a fun three day weekend. We LOVED it. So we decided to do it again this last weekend. This time we left early in the morning to have some more time in the park, and we took Amy, Dave's mom, with us so that we could celebrate her birthday with her while we were there. We had a great time.

The first wildlife that we saw were the buffalo. They were just inside the park on the west entrance. They had a ton of cute babies.

That is the back of a huge buffalo walking right outside of Dave's window.

Most of them looked really shabby from still shedding their winter coats.

Dave and Tucker waiting for Old Faithful to go off.

Amy at Old Faithful

Hanna walking around at Old Faithful

It still amazes me every time.

Dave and Hanna after Old Faithful went off. Hanna was much more pleasant once she realized that we weren't just standing around for nothing.

Amy's birthday celebration. We had actually just finished cake. I wasn't with it enough to remember to take pictures before this. Sorry Amy!

Our campsite was great.

We camped at Grant Village. When we checked in we were told to be careful because they had a resident bear that walked through the campsite every couple days. To me this made it sound like a friendly little black bear that came wondering to check things out. We found out later that the bear was actually a 600 lb grizzly. We never saw it, but we believe it was there our last night because the rangers were driving around at 11:00 at night with huge spot lights. I was happy to have a camping trailer, and worried for our neighbors in tents.

Dave fishing at Yellowstone Lake. I love this picture of him.  

Tucker did not like fishing. Maybe next year when he can walk under his own power he will have more fun.

Amy and Hanna fishing. We only had a little stick tied at the end of Hanna's fishing line, but she had a blast reeling it in and making one of us cast it back out for her.

We ended up getting skunked that night, but we didn't stay very long at all because it was late, we were tired, and the mosquitoes were eating us alive.

Tucker passed out on the bed after fishing, while the rest of us were still buzzing around getting ready for bed.

Hanna, Amy, Tucker, Me, and Koda. The elevation here was 7988. It was actually on of the lower elevations along the divide. 

Cute family picture that morning while everyone was full of breakfast and in a good mood.

Yellowstone Lake

Coyote jogging along the road.

This Buffalo was just hanging out and panting next to the Dragon's Mouth. I was grateful for the fence between us, though it was small.

Dave supervised Hanna and Tucker checking out the buffalo.

Amy and Hanna looking at the Dragon's Mouth. Hanna thought there was a real dragon in there. She was super excited. It is actually just a hot spring coming out of a cave, and it gurgles and steams.

Tucker and Dave checking it out. I can't wait until Tucker is old enough to believe there is a dragon in that cave. I makes it so fun.

The Dragon's Mouth

We left Koda in the truck for this one and he wasn't very pleased. This is zoomed in about 20X.

There was another buffalo at the mud pot next to the Dragon's Mouth. 

We watched these five cow elk swim across the river. 

Amy and Dave looking at elk.

This big guy was right next to the road. We though for sure we were going to see some girls get attacked. They were trying to get closer and closer to get a picture with it.

One of the falls at the Yellowstone Grand Canyon.

Big Horn Sheep

Hanna and Tucker climbing on a rock during our lunch break.

You can't really tell in this picture but there are a few antelope out there.

Beautiful little lake on the drive from Lamar Valley to Mammoth.

Do you see the furry patch to the right of the stump and just in from of the trees? That is a little black bear. He was nice enough to pick up his head for a second and look at us so that we could get a good look at him. He was not nice enough to wait until I was ready with the camera.

This is the falls near Mammoth. They are awesome.

Dave with the falls.

Me with the falls.

Amy with the falls.

The kids are not in many of the pictures where we were driving in the truck to see things because they spent a lot of time napping and snacking in the truck which made them happy. If they were happy we were happy. Everyone had a good time, and that was the point of the whole trip.