Forever Family

I have a family here on earth.

They are so good to me.

I want to share my life with them through all eternity.

Families can be together forever, through Heavenly Father's plan

I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can.

-Ruth Muir Gardner

Bear World

Yellowstone 2015- Last day
(Hallelujah!)

One of the funnest things we did on our vacation was actually in Rexburg, Idaho on our way home. 

Seriously, have you ever been to Yellowstone Bear World?

We've had a few people tell us how much fun it is, but I was skeptical.

Never again.  It seriously was a cool, fun, hawt and hot, awesome place.

It's like a mountain safari you take in your own personal vehicle.

You drive along a path surrounded by elk, bison, deer, and BEARS!

Lots and lots of bears -grizzly and black.

 After the safari you park your car and then the real fun begins.

We decided to take what they call the "curator tour".  I call it the "feed the bears tour" cause that's exactly what we did.

They take your photo before, but we could never find anyone to ask if we get emailed a copy or if we purchase it or what- so when I saw it up on this computer, I snapped a photo myself.

 We piled into a tall truck and off we went to mingle with the bears.

 It was so much fun to hold your bread out the truck

 and watch the bears beg and do cute tricks for it.

 Some, like this one, decided we weren't fast enough. She decided to take matters into her own hands.

or mouth!

 

 We picked an extremely hot day for an outdoor expedition.  It was well over 100 degrees!

Here we are cooling off with snow-cones for the fam, ice water for me.

 Once we were cooled down, we ventured into the petting zoo.

 where #4 lulled this deer to sleep

 Clint has a fixation with deer.  We see them all the time around our house, but for some reason each time he spots one it's like he's seeing them for the first time ever!  

He won't admit it but I think he giddy with joy to be able to rub the velvety antlers of this little buck.

 These two had fun trying to catch the peacocks.  They may or may not have gotten scolded by the park staff for doing so.

 

 My favorite part of Bear World?

watching the teeny, tiny, cutesy, wootsie baby bears.

 Aren't they precious.  I was seriously contemplating how I could smuggle one out and take it home with me.

 Bear World also has a handful of small what I would call kiddie rides.  This is my girls on the roller coaster.  I think the total ride time was 45 seconds long.

 There was also a tilt-a-whirl

 a train, which the boys, as big as they are, both had to squish into the locomotive so they could ring the bell.

We were the only ones in this part of the park (probably because it was so hot, no one but us was crazy enough to be outside).  If we hadn't already been there for 2 plus hours and needed to get home sometime that night, we would have spend another hour or two there.

Yellowstone- Day 6

Friday
This was our last full day (Sniff Sniff)

Today was the day to hit all the sights we wanted to see but hadn't yet. 

First stop:  The Mud Volcano area to see our favorite hot spring:

The Dragon's Mouth

It seriously looks and sounds like a dragon could be in this cave. It's pretty awesome.

Our second stop for the day was the Fishing Bridge area. 

image source

Famous for it's long bridge that use to be the stomping ground of many a fisherman.

It's too bad the park no longer allows fishing off of this bridge.

(By the way, how could this many people fish so close together and not get their lines tangled?)

 In Fishing Bridge we visited the Visitor Center then walked down to the beach of Lake Yellowstone. 

Our Third stop was for lunch at Gull Point (again).

We found the best way to keep everyone happy is to have each family member pack his or her own lunch.  This goes on their lap in the car.  This way if they get hungry while we're driving to our next destination, they have something to eat.  This keeps everyone from getting HANGRY!  Which would be a very bad thing when you're spending hours together in the car.

Our Last and Final stop in YNP was to West Thumb.

 This area has a gorgeous view of Yellowstone Lake

 plus many craters.

I think my favorite are the craters in the actual lake!

 Today we spotted our best animal yet.  An Alpha Wolf eating a bison carcass. (Talk about National Geographic!)  When we stopped to view him, we happened to be standing next to a couple who helps track the wolves in the park.  They let us look through their gigantic spotting scope while giving us the history of this particular wolf.  This was the highlight of the trip for most of us. 

We also had a bison/buffalo charge in front of us.  Boy was he mad! I thought Bison were slow until we saw this guy's moves.  Glad we were in the car.

 

Later that night we ate dinner in West Yellowstone, MT and then walked through the 5, 467 gift shops they have looking for the perfect souvenir to take home.

This was also the perfect backdrop for the 1, 567, 988 selfies that this little diva took.  She'd make a good pick-pocket because most of the time, I have no idea how she manages to always have my phone.

Yellowstone 2015 - Day 5

Thursday:

Back in the car we go.  Today we traveled the Northern Loop of Yellowstone National Park, (or YNP if you want to be cool). up to Mammoth Hot Springs.

 

 On our way we stopped at Tower Falls.

The drive to Mammoth is kind of long, but it takes you through Lamar Valley, a popular place to see lots of wildlife.  Unfortunately we saw nothing, but some Bison and a Pronghorn (that only I saw!)

Mammoth Hot Springs is were the historic Fort Yellowstone is located.

It is full of old buildings, and kind of transports you back in time, which I am fascinated with.

It is also known as Yellowstone's Headquarters.  This is where most of the Park Ranger's live.

 It is famous for its Elk that roam everywhere.

 seriously- everywhere

They are not afraid of people one bit and will lay down wherever they please.

 Mammoth Hot Springs is also famous for

It's Hot Springs (duh).

It's pretty to see all the colors from the minerals in the springs.

While here, these little munchkins completed their Junior Ranger requirements.  

They were sworn in as official Junior Park Rangers and given a badge to pin on their shirt.

This is what they've been looking forward to the whole trip!

Yellowstone 2015- Day 4

Wednesday

 Today, we did the other half of the lower loop which includes all of the Geyser's and Hot Springs.

 The last time we went to Yellowstone, we missed seeing the incredible Prismatic Spring.

From the ground it looks like this, but -

If you hike up high enough it looks like this!  WOW!

 Our last stop for the day was Old Faithful!  This is what Yellowstone is famous for!

 Animal-wise- so far in the park, we have seen lots of buffalo (although not as much as the previous time).

 A moose

 a grizzly bear (yes, that's a bear!  It was miles away in a field).

 Several elk

and a mama moose with her calf .

(I really had no idea what a baby moose was called. Thank goodness for Google.)

We spent the evening at Lake Hebgen again.

Riding around it- that is.

Yes- this boy's got some mad interesting riding skills.
(Don't worry-He was actually stopped when he did this.)