On Our Way Home From Yellowstone & Island Park

We made several stops on the way home. We just didn't want our vacation to end. We stopped by Big Springs and Johnny Sack's cabin in Island Park. Then we stopped by the Mesa Falls outside of Island Park and what a hidden gem this was. Last stop was for lunch in Idaho Falls.

Yellowstone & Island Park Day 3

Also while in Yellowstone we spent sometime viewing the Grand Canyon area and looking at the amazing (huge) waterfalls. We decided to go the south side and hike down Uncle Tom's trail. Which was a beautiful view of the falls but was basically straight down and straight up the mountainside. The trail was a staircase that consisted of 328 stairs. My kids did great, Sadie made it down all the stairs by herself but needed to ride daddy's shoulders on the way up the stairs. Which sounds harmless but he already had Maleah(sleeping)in the carrying backpack on his back. So yes both girls were carried up the stairs by dad. I wished I had taken a photo and Kerry got a few comments by others on the trail for his strength in doing that task. I was of no help since I was doing the best I could to get myself up all those stairs.

Wildlife in Yellowstone

If you were to ask my kid's what their favorite part of the trip was, they definitely would tell you seeing the animals. Animals we saw, plenty of animals. It was great fun and I know that even when Kerry was outside the van filming the black bear cub he admitted that his heart was pounding. We saw a few herds of elk through the park. We also saw a few lone bison here and there throughout the park. We saw squirrels, chipmunks, Ravens and Canadian Geese. We saw a snake and a coyote. But we scored with amount of animals and what we saw by driving into the Lamar Valley. There we saw a grizzly bear, a black bear cub and more bison herds than you can count.

Yellowstone & Island Park Day 2

We decided to visit the upper northern section of the park and then go east in into Lamar Valley in the evening to spot wildlife. The wildlife we saw is an additional post because we saw so many animals. We visited Mammoth Hot Springs, Albright Visitor Center, Historic Fort Yellowstone and Roosevelt Arch. We also stopped by Gibbon Falls, Undine Falls and a petrified tree.

Yellowstone & Island Park Day 1

Firehole Falls is in the background Lower Geyser Basin Midway Geyser Basin Old Faithful

Maleah rode all week in a carrying backpack designed for babies. She loved it up there; she and dad became even more attached than before. Even when she wasn't in the backpack she was in her dad's arms.

Here is a photo of the place we stayed at Island Park Village Resort. The condo was very nice. The kids enjoyed the pool and playground. The view behind the playground was just so beautiful.

She is so big

My baby is growing so fast; it is so hard to believe that she is already over 4 months old. She is a pure joy and such a wonderful baby. A few highlights of Maleah: -A few weeks ago started sleeping through the night. -Smiles, smiles, smiles (I don't remember any of my others smiling this much) -Laughs, especially at Carson -Growls, we call her GG for Growling Girl -Sucks her thumb, will not take the binkie wants her thumb. I have never had a baby do this before. -Rolls over, rolls over and then rolls over some more. You lay her down and she will roll over instantly. Then she lifts her head and and will stay there for a while. But then cries when she is tired. I have never had a baby roll over this soon and never like tummy time. Just yesterday I had to get the saucer out to put her in because all day she rolls on her tummy and gets stuck. So it isn't uncommon to hear me say go roll your sister back over. -She weighs 15 pounds, average considering the large birth weight.

Lots of Girl Power

Having another daughter is a dream come true. I never had a sister growing up and always wanted one. I feel blessed that we were able to give Sadie a sister. I have a few pictures of Sadie loving Maleah. I just can't wait until the baby is bigger and I can see the two of them playing together all the time. She tries so hard now to play with the baby but she is still to small.