field days

Along with the changes coming up this next month, I have been able to re-arrange my schedule to 3 ten hour days. Boy is that hard to get used at first when you're used to being there for six hours a day, but it's been fun. The days off I've taken the kids to attractions around the valley and a bit beyond. We've gone to Kennecott Copper Mine, Hill AFB museum, and Timpanogos Cave.

I have to say I was nervous for the cave. It's a difficult hike for adults - 1056' vertical rise in a mile and a half. I told them we could stop as often as they wanted, but they couldn't whine. They were amazing. We were nearly 3/4 the way up when Andrew in his nicest voice asked if there was much more to go. By that time I could see the roof on the entrance and pointed it out and they were good to go the rest of the way. We even lucked out and no one else was booked for our time slot so we ended up with a private tour!

We finished the day with a picnic by the creek in Tibble Fork. It was a nice way to cool off and water is always fun for kids.

Changes

This was the picture I took the morning we woke at 4:00 am to get to the other side of YNP to wolf watch. I not only made Paul stop the truck, I had to make him back up....he doesn't like stopping, let alone going backwards, it was impeding his progress. Everyone else was so busy looking forward I didn't think any of them caught this. There was so much steam/fog rising off the lake since it was warmer than the air. It created nice visual effects the whole drive. Everyone else was glad I made him stop (I think he's still wondering). It might be my favorite picture I've taken there. I love how everything is constantly changing if we just stop and notice. The sun rises, it sets the wind blows, it's never the same. Big changes are coming for our family next month (no, I'm not pregnant). I'm a little nervous, but more excited.... and I think the changes will be beautiful.

YNP 2010

I didn't down load my pictures yet so you'll have to settle for this one from google of Grand Prismatic Springs (thanks to the photographer). We hit Washington again for the forth and it was wonderful seeing friends we only see once a year. A few of them from Canada followed us part of the way home hitting Phillipsburg and Bozeman Montana before stopping in Yellowstone. Amazing trip this time. Thursday we woke up early and headed to Lamar Valley hoping to see wolves. We saw eight bears (one was a momma and three cubs, a grizzly, two black bears and a cinnamon brown), a wolf with three pups, a coyote, herds of buffalo of course, and pronghorns, which we missed in Oct. It was awesome. I saw more bears in one morning than the rest of my life put together. We didn't see any moose this trip, but I'm more than satisfied.