Day: June 8, 2015

Yellowstone

I came back from Yellowstone reformed. In the past, I’ve always thought of Yellowstone as a rather macabre national park; the smoking earth, charred trees, and empty green fields never quite excited me the way other national parks do. Honestly, up until this weekend, I thought Yellowstone was completely overrated.

But. But. This weekend transformed my attitude toward Yellowstone. We saw so many beautiful, amazing things! Maybe I’ve never visited Yellowstone in the spring before–and there lay the problem. In the spring, the greens are so intense, and, well…I’ll just have to throw up our pictures. I’m not talented enough to think of words that could describe everything we saw.

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And then here are the pictures with people in them:

We have streamlined the toys that the kids get in the car. They get: magnetic sketch pads. And the occasional iPhone. It's so boring that they're sleeping in this pic.
We have streamlined the toys that the kids get in the car. They get: magnetic sketch pads. And the occasional iPhone. It’s so boring that they’re sleeping in this pic.

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At the mud pots and hot springs with Ed and Isabella.
At the mud pots and hot springs with Ed and Isabella.
We got this bison all to ourselves. I stayed safely in the car.
We got this bison all to ourselves. I stayed safely in the car.
Abe, Ed, Isabella, and Lydia ventured out.
Abe, Ed, Isabella, and Lydia ventured out.

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In the lodge by Old Faithful.
In the lodge by Old Faithful.

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Old Faithful.
Old Faithful.

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Eating lunch at the lodge by Old Faithful.
Eating lunch at the lodge by Old Faithful.
In these pictures, I look at myself and remind myself of Stephanie Nielson's encouraging phrase: You don't have to have a perfect body to have a beautiful life. Also, doesn't Mary look adorable?
In these pictures, I look at myself (those arms!) and remind myself of Stephanie Nielson’s encouraging phrase: You don’t have to have a perfect body to have a beautiful life. Also, doesn’t Mary look adorable?

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Lydia got new pj pants because she had an accident. We think she is coming down with a UTI, and I will take her to the doctor this week.
Lydia got new pj pants because she had an accident. It hasn’t happened in so long that I was completely unprepared; she had to go commando and wear pj’s for the rest of the day. She ended up peeing on them because she had to go so often that Abe and I just let her squat next to the (busy) walking paths. We think she is coming down with a UTI, and I will take her to the doctor this week.
By the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
By the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
The Lower Falls lookout to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
The Lower Falls lookout to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

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I forget what this part of the park was called, but it was so beautiful.
I forget what this part of the park was called, but it was so beautiful.

We also had so many other amazing vistas that we didn’t take pictures of, but at least this captures some of the highlights. We had a wonderful time, and even though my ankles are swollen from the travel and my back feels kind of sort of broken, it was worth it.