Yellowstone Summer 2014

The last 5 years or so, my folks have gone to Yellowstone.  This was one of my brother's and I favorite trips ever.  We loved riding in the camping, exploring the different aspects of God's nature.  Last year my parents offered to take Hudson but I thought he was a bit young and this year they offered again but I wanted to go too!  SO off we went!

So off we went!  The kids and I traveled with my folks the first day so we could have a swimming party in Missoula the first night to break up the trip.  The 3 of us rode in the bench seat in the pick up.  It was snug but not bad actually!  I was pleasantly surprised:).  The downside was the kids were right next to each other so they egged each other on in silliness!  The joys of young children:).  

Shhh!  Hannah's asleep!

We stopped at the 50,000 Dollar Bar Ranch.  That was always a highlight for my brother and I.  Hudson picked out a weapon set (shocker!).  He was mostly interested in the bow and arrow but wanted another set of num chucks (which broke immediately).  He loved it!  Hannah got a cute little dog in a carry purse.  She loves her "doggies."  

Then we headed to Missoula and swam.  Jared was coming after work but made pretty good time and was there to witness the swimming:).  Then it was off to bed.  Again, I forgot how hard it is to be in the same room...all 4 of us with an active little girl:).  

Then we were off to Yellowstone!  Now Hannah, Jared and I were in the van, my dad's van, so we could all ride around in Yellowstone together.  Hannah kept asking "Where Hudson?" which sounds like "Where highchair?"  LOL

My favorite game was of course the license plates game!  I got SUPER excited as we were heading to West Yellowstone because I started noticing lots of different license plates.  Pops had brought along some walkie talkies so we could communicate between vehicles (there is little/no reception in Yellowstone so these were SUPER helpful!).  I would tell them "Maine coming up on your left" and it kept me entertained for hours!  

We ended up finding 49 out of 50, just missing Vermont.  A friend gave us the stickers so I thought this was the perfect trip to use them on.  SUPER FUN!

Then we finally made it to West Yellowstone.  I love this little town.  The last time we went, 6 years ago before our Hudson was in the picture, we stayed at a nice KOA here.  They had some nice little cabins.  They have lots of food joints but our favorite place to visit was the Grizzly Discovery Center.  They have a few grizzly, wolves, birds to view.  Very neat!  The kids can even feed them!

Hudson found his favorite bird, the Perican Falcon.

Looking at Jago

Bald Eagles

Barn Owl-Can you see him?

Hudson would ride on someone's shoulders all the time if he could.  Pop's still humors him...

Then it was time for some dinner, pizza that was delicious, and into the park we headed.  Since the roads are only 45mph it took us 1 1/2 hours to get to our campground which means we got there just before sunset.  We had the camper for the girls but the boys were sleeping in the tent which means the boys had to put it up in the dark.  Not ideal but it was assembled:).  The kids, fortunately, were amused in the van.  They were laughing and playing with their new toys so I kept them "contained" while we set up, in the dark.  

Here they are playing in the van:).

This was Hannah's set up in the camper the next day.  She slept in the table area of the camper in her pea pod.  I love this thing!  I wanted one with Hudson but we didn't need it.  

Before the trip we practiced at home:

And in her crib so she was used to it.  She called it her "tent" and loved going in it!

After our first morning, Nana and I wanted coffee!!!  We just don't function right until we have it...

After coffee, few, we headed off to Fishing Bridge at the Ranger Station to get Hudson enrolled in the Junior Ranger program.   Hudson was so excited!  So we bought the book, $3, and he had to accomplish three activities to earn his badge. 

Hannah was scoping out the joint:).

At Fishing Bridge, they were having a Wild About Yellowstone Junior Ranger Wildlife Olympics program on the beach.  Here is an overview:

One of Hudson's requirements was to attend a ranger-led program.  So luckily the Wildlife Olympics was right there at Fishing Bridge so we went down to the beach and participated:).

Station 2: Bison Jump

A bison jumps this high, over 6 ft.
Hudson can jump 6 inches vertically.  

Station 3: Beaver Breath Hold

A beaver can hold its breath under water for up to 15 minutes.
Hudson can hold his breath for 22 seconds.

Station 4: Great Blue Heron one legged stand

A Blue Heron can sleep on one leg for over an hour.
Hudson can stand for 2 seconds.

Station 5: Owl stare

The owl has the ability to stare for hours.  Hudson went 8 seconds:).

Station 6: Grizzly Bear Smell

A Grizzly Bear can smell a carcass from 2 miles away.
Hudson can smell 2 feet away:).

Station 7: Pronghorn Sprint

A Pronghorn can sprint 60 miles per hour or 25 yards.  Hudson can run 25 years in 7.69 seconds.

Station 1: Snowshoe Hare Leap

A Snowshoe Hare can leap 10 ft.
Hudson can jump 2.5 feet in one leap.

Once we completed our checklist of activities, we had the ranger sign off on our activity.  

Hudson of course had a lot to say to the Ranger...

On our way out, we analyzed the Crow vs. the Raven

Fishing Bridge Visitor Center Pic

Then it was off to Old Faithful!  

Hudson was a still using his walkie talkie, even though we were right next to him...

Here she blows!

It wasn't the highest I've ever seen her blow but it was amazing!  How cool is it to have a geyser you can predict and witness.  Then we headed on the Oldfaithful and Geyser Basin boardwalk.  This was another activity Hudson was required to do, hike a park trail or boardwalk.  

Now we didn't need to take the double Bob on the boardwalk but we did.  Hudson should have ridden in it, but Pops carried him most of the way and it was hard to pass people with our massive stroller.  Hannah was a bit, temperamental and wanted to be held.  LOL but the sites were beautiful!

It was so nice to walk around and see the amazing sulfur pots, geysers, and natural landscape:).

Afterwards we tried to watch the Yellowstone video but it was broken:( so we walked around.  On our walk, we saw this adorable little boy with a Junior Ranger vest so we found one at one of the local shops.  Hudson really wanted a headlamp so that was his souvenir:).  

Junior Ranger vest and headlamp

"Hey Pops, leave your walkie talkie on incase I want to talk to you in case you want to talk to me.  You know what I mean Vern?"

Best part?  The vest has a pocket for his walkie talkie:).

Then we toured the lake.  They do some boat tours that maybe we can take in a few years:).

Later that night, our junior ranger went to the evening "ranger talk" program.  Headlamp, vest, and all:).

The next morning, we toured some mud pots.  Dragon's Mouth was a hit!

Then it was off to Yellowstone Falls!

On our way there, we saw more cars alongside the road.  Apparently there was a dead bison carcass and there was wildlife around it!  I saw a wolf and a bear near it!  I saw a wild wolf!  It was so cool!  I couldn't tell what kind of bear it was, I'm guessing a black bear but I didn't know for sure.  

Hudson's idea of fun above

Hannah's idea of fun below

Then it was our last stop of the day, Mammoth to visit the elk.

One of my favorite parts of Yellowstone is the ice cream!  We ate ice cream every day.  It helps cool you off:).

As you can tell, we were in the car a while so the kids needed to move a bit.

They ran up and down this ramp quite a few times:).  

Then we found some photo ops:).  

And then Hannah found some rocks!

On our way home, we were tired.  Naps were off a bit for Hannah but then again she isn't super regular with them, so we were headed back to the campsite for a nap.  We saw all these cars on the side of the road (good sign for wildlife!) and the road was backed up.  We thought maybe it was just a narrow passage in the road.  Nope!  It was a grizzly!  A wild grizz!  

A fellow spectator, who must be a regular there, said it was an older grizzly and gave him a name.  It was so cool to see one in the wild.  I have never seen my mom jump out of the car so quickly, and she was in the 3rd row of the van with me!  Mom said they've been going to Yellowstone for years but they have NEVER seen a wild grizzly.  I guess we are their good luck charms:).

Then we headed back to camp.  Here's what it looked like:).

She's such a poser in her daddy's flip flops!

Time to change and get our bug spray on!  Those mosquitoes are nasty!

Cheese!

The kids were having a blast playing at the campsite.  Hudson with his weapons, Hannah, well, running, running, running!

The last night we were there, we went for a Haak family walk:).

Hudson found a comfy spot next to the dumpster but it had a ledge just perfect for sitting!

Hannah discovered the drinking fountain:).

Last campfire of the trip!  Smores and all!

More campsite fun!

We even met some friends from Utah, Haven and Cedar.  Hudson LOVES making friends:).

The last morning, Hannah needed some morning snuggles and eventually fell asleep:).

I see you Nana!

Then it was time for breakfast!  

Morning Prayers

Then it was time to pack up!

Hannah loves anything she can climb in, especially with buckles!

All smiles, coffee and all!

Yes, she is a coffee lover and grabs my coffees!  Notice the cup holder?!

Then we were off!

At first it was all smiles.   She napped the first 2 hours.  Then we had to stop a few times for her to stretch her legs and there was lots of entertainment going on.  Her musical Hello Kitty book is a big hit!

Then she lost it...

Shortly after that we stopped for "Nacks" as Hannah says meaning "snack".  Well she kind of got spoiled on the trip because Yellowstone is LOTS of driving so that means lots of snacks.  She particullary loved Hudson's fruit snacks.  So we stopped in Butte and I bought A LOT of fruit snacks!  I bought apple sauce pouches, gold fish crackers, anything she would eat.  She's getting her 2 year old molars, so she's not my best eater lately and I wanted a peaceful trip home:).

A few fruit snack packs, applesauce pouch or two later, she found Hudson's turtle com!

Then she was making her baby happy:).

And of course gold fish...between the TOES!

Yes she'd eat them but I don't know if I would have!

9 1/2 hour drive home and we made it.  We sure could have used a DVD player with her!

While we were driving, Hudson stayed an extra few days with my folks.   

Hudson went that day to the ranger station to get his badge!  

Showing his work book pages (the last activity he had to complete-different amount of pages per age group up to age 13+) and explaining what he learned.

Signing off on his workbook

Then it was time to get his badge.  The junior ranger hats didn't fit, neither did the real ranger's hat.  Oh well, he's that smart:).

Official Badge

Then it was time for an afternoon nap:).

Here he is on his last morning camping!  

Packing up camp.

That night they stayed at some hot springs.  Hudson thoroughly enjoyed the swimming:). 

He's my little fish now!

And of course on the way home he got SUPER silly.  Lack of naps will do that:).  So he decided to tell lots of jokes.  Below he is laughing so hard he can barely breathe.  He was cracking my parents up!

When we entered the park, they gave us animal identification chart.  This is what we checked off

We didn't know what a Clark's Nutcracker was.  Grandpa would have known!  We have seen lots of Magpies since and Osprey:).

What a fun trip we had in Yellowstone.  

The kids did awesome!  Hudson loved the junior ranger program and looking for wildlife and license plates.  He was so excited to go and do everything!

Hannah was super busy and loved exploring everywhere.  Daddy was good at entertaining her.

I can't wait to go again!  This trip rejuvenated my love for camping!  I want to hit more national parks and definitely revisit Yellowstone soon!  What a fun, family oriented trip exploring God's creation!