Every year we try to spend a decent amount of time at my parents' cabin. We always wish we had more time up there, so this year we decided to turn it into our family vacation and stay an entire week. We had all been looking forward to this trip for a long time, and it really ended up being such an amazing trip. Usually I am looking forward to coming home and sleeping in my own bed, etc. But at the end of this week I was seriously sad about coming home. The boys kept asking if we could spend the rest of the summer at the cabin. I wish!
Day 1: Four-wheeling to one of our favorite spots, the Indian meadow, Big Springs to feed the fish, and sunset on the top of Mount Sawtell.
Just like his older brother Bode used to do, Davis fell asleep on our ride:
Bode somehow managed to scare all of the annoying seagulls away with a stick and we got to enjoy our time at Big Springs in peace! We even saw the muskrat, which we haven't seen in a few years.
We'd never been at the top of Sawtell at sunset before and it was so beautiful! The colors kept changing as the sun went down and the view up there is always incredible.
Day 2: Yellowstone Falls and Firehole
Playing around during our picnic stop in Yellowstone
Our favorite line of the day was when we drove by a geyser and Bode said, "It smells like hot pigs!" :)
View of Tower Falls at the beginning of the Yellowstone Falls trail
The boys thought it was pretty cool throwing rocks over the edge
On to swimming! The boys loved jumping off of the rocks in this calmer section at Firehole.
The rapids are always a hit, and Davis even jumped in and loved them this year!
Day 3: Hanging out at cabin, West Yellowstone, Playmill Theatre
Picking out a new rock at his favorite place: the rock shop
Mary Poppins at the Playmill! I hadn't been to the Playmill since right after graduating high school, so it was a lot of fun to go back. The kids liked the music and I caught Bode singing along a few times. Davis was tired by the end and had to be taken out about 20 minutes before the show ended, but overall, it was a good time.
Day 4: Campfire Lodge, Wade and Cliff Lakes, horseback riding
Not a bad view waiting for our table at breakfast
Wade Lake: such a beautiful place! The water felt amazing and is such a gorgeous color.
Molly had a blow out on the beach, so she got to dip her toes in the buff.
Horseback riding
I should probably do a post about this all on its own because it was so much fun and we have so many pictures! My parents used to take us to the Diamond P Ranch when I was growing up, and I still remember how much I loved it. I wasn't sure what our boys would think, but I was really hoping they would love it too. Bode was a bit nervous about the idea at first, but as soon as we got there, both he and Jackson were so excited. Horseback riding ended up being one of (if not the biggest) highlights of the trip.
Jackson and Turkey, Bode and Hurricane (who he nicknamed "Peanut"), Sean and Lonestar, and Jenny and Nikita
Bode got to ride in the front with our guide, and he loved it. These two chatted the entire time, and I think Bode idolized him a little bit. "Cowboy" was added to his list of career choices when he grows up, so I'd say it was a success :)
These are a few of the photos from the cd we bought from the photographer from the ranch. We don't usually buy stuff like this, but Sean randomly decided to, and I am so glad because there are so many great photos!
I think these two make pretty cute cowboys :)
Day 5: Canoeing, visiting family
We saw a mama moose with her twins!
You can see them over Sean's shoulder on the left in this photo:
Seriously perfect weather. Not too hot, partly cloudy, and calm. It was such a beautiful day.
Molly rocking with grandpa on the front porch
Day 6: Fishing, Virginia and Nevada Cities
Sean and Jackson started their day fly fishing near the cabin. Jackson had never fly fished before and he had a great time waking up early and going with his dad. If you look really closely, they are the two little dots in the river.
The other boys and I four-wheeled to meet them a little later on.
Just a cute, random picture of Molly and Sean at the cabin
Virginia City
Checking out the graves of some of the infamous outlaws that were hung and buried on Boot Hill.
A local rock shop owner was talking to us about Montana garnets and how they are everywhere. He offered to take us right outside and show us how to spot them and we were able to collect a bunch!
Homemade ice-cream at a cool shop that had all sorts of cool pulley systems configured to churn the ice cream.
Nevada City
We walked through the old village in Nevada City and unfortunately I didn't take many pictures. The highlights were definitely the music room (a room with a bunch of antique automated music machines), where we played every machine that was still operational, the school house where the boys played the old-fashioned game where you roll a wooden hoop with a stick), chasing a bunny around the town, and this double decker outhouse.
Bull moose we saw on our way back to the cabin
Davis loved the hammock at the cabin and would yell at you to go away if you disturbed him :)
It really was such a fun week. I may have even cried a little bit going home. So many fun new memories made and such a nice break from the heat at home and the daily grind. Jackson said it best when he said, "I love it here because it's like every day is the weekend." I'm so grateful my parents have this place and share it with us. We can't get back soon enough!
