Yellowstone June 2016

When my mom was visiting in June, we went to Yellowstone National Park. My mom has talked about wanting to go to Yellowstone since I was a little girl and seeing how we live so close now we made a day trip out of it. We packed our lunches and picnic styled throughout the park. It couldn't have been a better day weather wise- it was beautiful and warm. Yellowstone is notorious for its crazy weather (I.E snow in July). So we packed the car with spare clothes, layers and coats just in case, but didn't end up needing a single thing. It was a pleasant surprise. We focused on the SW area of the park, but we made a huge loop to see other parts of the park as well. We saw countless buffalo, tons of geysers, hot pots, water falls and huge lakes. We ended the day with dinner in West Yellowstone, Montana and then made our way home.

The Summer of Six States, Stranger Things & Sprague Reunions

Summer 2016 was by far the busiest summer so far. We traveled in and through six states (all driving) in our good old Volkswagen, Wolfie.

-We hiked and camped our way through the middle of the Wyoming plains.
-Ten year high school reunion in Oregon (go Sprague Olympians!)
-Austin's mom's side of the family (the Sprague's) reunion in Sacramento, California.
-Day trip to San Francisco and Muir beach
-My mom came to visit for a couple weeks, which included Yellowstone, Gold Bug hot springs,
 Rexburg Rapids, Finding Dory etc.
-My Grandpa's birthday bash in Oregon (thankfully this worked out be be during the week of our  high school reunion so we killed two birds with one stone and saved our car a ton of miles haha).
-While in Oregon we blew through the entire season of "Stranger Things".
-Since my parents were in Oregon the same time for my Grandpa's birthday we had a day trip to  Enchanted Forest.
-Beach day at Neskowin
-East Idaho State Fair
-Tautphaus Zoo

I will make separate posts about some of the items listed above because I have TONS of photos!

Random iPhone photos from our various trips:

Roadtrip diva

Sacramento Reunion

Private bowling room with 75+ people

Maisie feeding her baby in Oregon haha!

Ellie passed out after Enchanted Forest

Cousin snuggles

Lunch in San Francisco at Rainforest Cafe

Entertaining the babe at my Grandpa's birthday

Not an iPhone photo but a professional photo from the family reunion in Sacramento. It was 105+ and beyond muggy in this photo, we were all miserable, but somehow the photo turned out:

Palisades Reservoir

Shortly after Maisie started her first summer break (the end of May 2016) we took a day trip to the Palisades. We had intentions of hiking the Upper Palisades, but ended up just exploring the Reservoir and buying fireworks in Wyoming (note to self: buy more lady bugs next time haha) instead. This little day trip is when we first became aware of Ellie's motion sickness and unfortunately hadn't stocked up on baby Dramamine yet. So after a quick stop to change her clothes and sanitize her carseat as best as possible, we continued with our day. I took a picture of Ellie post clean up and she looked so darling, even for a baby who just was sick all over herself just minutes prior. Need evidence? Here you go:

Need evidence that Idaho is incredibly beautiful and that our girls are cute (albeit crazy)?

Catching up: May 25th, 2016 - Kindergarten Graduate

In the last 11 days this little girl turned SIX, graduated Kindergarten and is getting her first permanent molars. I can vividly remember and recall each emotion the second she was born and It's beyond confusing and terrifying that that moment was over six years ago. How can that be? 

I have this love-hate relationship with time. It seems to pass impossibly fast and I find myself trying to grasp it and save it from slipping by, but then I see the changes my daughters make in that time that I'm so selfishly trying to hold back and I'm forced to let go. The older they get the more I truly see them and know them so why would I want to try to prevent that? Knowing them is my greatest joy and that will never change.

Catching up: May 14th, 2016 Maisie's 6th Birthday & Tavaci Performance

Maisie's sixth birthday was chock full with excitement. For one Grams and Gramps came to celebrate with us and secondly, Maisie's Tavaci class (performance choir) had their final performance ON her birthday. Maisie loved the excitement, she adores performing so I think that was just one extra gift to her on her birthday. Speaking of gifts, Maisie was very spoiled this year! It was quite the birthday weekend. How in the world is she SIX already?!

p.s We didn't have a birthday party on her actual birthday because she wanted a "Summer party" post on that coming soon :)

"Let it go"

A few months ago Ellie (and Maisie... again) went through a big Frozen obsession. It all started when Maisie would come home from school and the girls would watch it (wearing their princess dresses obviously). It then turned into excited Ellie screams every time she saw anything related to Frozen any where (Elsa and Olaf being her favorite, but she doesn't discriminate). Then one day a couple months ago, I hear them bouncing on Maisie's bed belting out the famed and way overplayed "Let it go". I walked in as they finished, sat down on the bed and started another round of the song, but this time recording it. I still laugh when I watch it- Ellie's hesitant face at the beginning and then her enthusiasm as she hits her stride. 

Enjoy!