Marvelous weekend!

We had such a marvelous weekend!!! Tim had a semi-spontaneous notion to spend the weekend in Yellowstone with the family. It was a great idea!!!! Tim had a park pass from last year that expires the end of this month, we packed picnic lunches, snacks, a water cooler and we were off. We got out of the the house with chores done, cars packed, etc at ten minutes after six (yes in the morning) and started driving. We got into the park about 10 am and started exploring. Of course there was NO way to do everything we hoped to do in just a day but it was a very full, very memorable day. We came in the north entrance by Gardiner and drove in past Mammoth where we saw some elk, one cow with calves and we stopped at the ranger station there and signed the youngest boys up for the Junior Ranger program. From there, we drove down to Canyon Village. The falls are definitely my favorite part of the park so far. We loved it in September when Tim and I went and this time was no less spectacular. We went to the upper rims and hiked the South Rim Trail. It is about 3/4 a mile to the end where the Canyon Bridge is and then we crossed the falls, walked back the other side and then back to the car -- I think it was about 3 or maybe 3.5 miles. The kids did great! We saw some interesting wildlife including a marmot or rock chuck which I had not seen before. Those are a weird creature -- they reminded me of a huge gopher or prairie dog but with a little different look. Very strange but interesting to watch. We also saw and crossed a very old bridge which was fun and of course the falls are breathtaking. It was simply amazing!!!!

Last year when my dad visited we went to a used bookstore and Judah bought a bird identification book. He LOVED it!! He likes to look at things and learn about them. So when Timmer and I went to Yellowstone last year we got little gifts for the kids from the park. Gabrielle got a pair of earring, Elijah a cup, etc. Well the three middle boys got identification books. Josiah got a tracks and scat book (which of course is cool - a book about poop! BOYS!!!!) Zachy got a skulls and bones book and we got Judah a flower identification book. We chose it mostly because it was about the only option left and I was worried if we would think a flower book was too girly. He thought it was great however and loved looking up things around here. Only problem was we have a LOT of flowers around here that were not in the book. So my dad bought him a Wildflowers of Montana book which he has been using like crazy, gathering flowers, plants, berries and looking them up in his books. We are working on a scrapbook of the plants and flowers around our home. ANYWAY...... all that to say that he took both his flower books to Yellowstone and we were excited to see and identify numerous flowers for his scrapbook. Of course Yellowstone is a little touchy about picking their flowers so we had to use pictures instead but he was still jazzed (just so you don't worry, we didn't include those pictures in the slide show!)

At the falls we also attended a ranger lecture (part of the Junior Ranger requirements) and both of them were able to get their Junior Ranger patches which THRILLED Judah no end. Zachy was excited to but he has done Rangers and things so patches were not quite as exciting to him as they were to Judah. This was his first one after all!

Our time at the falls was so wonderful! I could easily spend a day or two at the falls but there was so much to see. We didn't hike the lower falls this time but got back in the car and started driving.

Yellowstone has such phenomenal country; it really is unique and completely amazing. Words really don't do it justice. We were up in the mountains at almost nine thousand feet where there is still snow on the ground - enough snow to build snow caves and yet if you go down just a little it was warm and green. We saw a great selection of wildlife - such a variety!!! Antelope, deer, elk, bison, all kinds of birds, the marmot, Canadian geese with goslings, a pair of swans with cygnets, bears, marmots, prairie dogs, chipmunks, squirrels --- we even had THREE bison that popped out on top of the road as we were driving and were walking down the road alongside our van!!! SO cool!!! Of course the flora and fauna are amazing as well and the countryside is so gorgeous!!! Creeks, rivers, mountains, plains, lakes....... when I see all of those it is so evident to me that we serve a Heavenly Father who is amazing. His creative power and ability are so unmatched!!! All throughout scripture we are told that creation declares the glory of God -- it is so easy to see in places like Yellowstone!! Everywhere you look you see the marvels of the works of His hands!!!!

I love one of the passages in Job and there is a song called Indescribable based on that passage. The lyrics make you really ponder how BIG God is -- the earth is something he controls........ it just takes your breath away to think of it. Maybe I will post it separately. I LOVE that song!

ANYWAY.... back to the chronicle of our adventure........ we drove from the falls around the park to the Mud Volcanoes and the Dragon's Mouth -- such amazing things to see bubbling up from the earth. I can't stay too long though, the smell gives me a nasty headache. The Dragon's Mouth is kind of erie -- the rumbling from inside really does sound like a dragon ready to eat you!! Then we went down around the lake to the West Thumb Geyser Basin -- the pools are so remarkable -- different colors of pools from the clearest ice blue to red and orange. Those don't have the same smell which makes it far more pleasant to explore. It is an interesting sensation to have the cold wind and mist blowing off the lake at your back and the hot steam from the geyser pools blowing into your face. Really interesting place to visit -- they also have the painted pots which are colored mud volcanoes in blue, pink, white and grey -- very neat!!

From there we had to drive out to Old Faithful - it would hardly seem like a trip to Yellowstone without seeing Old Faithful! She isn't' doing as well in her old age -- she only spews now usually between every 90-120 minutes. Thankfully our timing worked out pretty well and we only had to wait about 20 minutes for the show! She did well for us although Tim said it is getting weaker. He said when he was young it was extremely powerful. When Elijah and Josiah went through last summer she only spewed about 20 feet - a total choke. Gratefully the show was spectacular this time and we were able to see a good spew.

At that point our day was slipping away so we had to rush. It was already about 6 pm - where had the day gone??? We left the park out the west entrance and went zooming home up through Ennis, Three Forks and home. The country there is beautiful also - I love that drive.

We got home at 11:01 --- exhausted but elated. We had a wonderful day together!!!

Sunday morning came far too early - I got up at 6 am and started making my dishes for dinner with our friends. Lana had invited us to spend the day with them so after church we joined them for a BBQ lunch and dessert to celebrate Father's Day. You know how some people are just ALWAYS a joy to be around? That is the way the C-family is -- you can't get enough of them! Their company is always encouraging and refreshing -- I always leave renewed and also challenged to be my best! I love their company!!! It was a delightful day! Larry even made homemade ice cream - totally the best!!! The girls played softball with my kidlets (yes, even Judah and Bekah)! I think it ended up more like Calvin-Ball from Calvin and Hobbes than any real semblance of baseball but everyone seemed to have fun. It was fun to watch!

Monday real-life returned. Back to school, weeding, mowing, walking, and dishes!!! Do they ever stop? I don't think so! I am so grateful however that not only do we have dishes but we also have food to eat that dirties them. So many parents don't have food to even offer to their children. I repent for my complaint :)

Do have a testimony regarding mowing that I will share :) Our lawnmower is old and doesn't run very well most of the time but lately it quit running all together. Now this is sort of a huge deal because we really needed to mow. With all the storms the grass has gone bananas -- it was SOOOO tall! Tim had looked at, we put in a new spark plug, we had sprayed carburetor cleaner in it - nothing seemed to work. I was frustrated and asked Gabrielle to try and start it one more time which of course it wouldn't start. So I asked Elijah to come out, put it back together and then load it up so I could take it in to a repair place - a new lawnmower really just isn't in the budget right now. Elijah put it back together for me and as he was getting ready to load it up I felt compelled to pray with them about it. We did and Elijah tried to start it again -- no luck...... it was just dead. I pondered it as I turned and I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to have Elijah clean the spark plug. I asked Elijah to and he was frustrated -- we just replaced the plug - it wouldn't be the plug. I asked him to do it anyway. He complied and put it back together. IT STARTED ON THE FIRST PULL - it NEVER does that!!!!

It was such a great opportunity to tell my children again how God cares about even the most mundane, simple pieces of our day. God is faithful! He gives wisdom to those who ask freely and without reproach! God is GOOD!!!! I was happy to mow the lawn that afternoon knowing not only was the lawnmower working because of God's blessing but because my children got to see His care for us in action!

Yesterday we had our study group - it really is an exceptional study. We only have two weeks left. I think we will continue on with the Way of Agape and Faith in the Night Seasons. Hopefully all the ladies will be able to continue -- time is such a valuable commodity! It has been a life-changing study of the tabernacle. I definitely have work to do!

Today was chores and working with the bees and school and dishes and laundry (okay I won't complain about that one!) Koliah has kept me running non-stop. He has two bottom teeth now that erupted a few days ago (Friday for one and Monday for the other). He is cranky and chewing on everything -- not quite as bad as a puppy but pretty close! He is crawling like a little race car; getting into everything. I am so grateful to have a baby who is busy and active and curious!!!

The kids worked at a local food bank today helping get items ready for tomorrow. It is a good opportunity to serve the community = I am glad that our church youth group is serving there every few months.

I guess that catches me up -- I came home and after a small thunderstorm saw two rainbows out our front porch. Everywhere I look I am reminded of God's LOVE for us!!! My house is quieting and I need to go take advantage of the quiet to get some things accomplished. Thanks for sharing in my rambling -- I hope you have opportunity to marvel at God's creation tomorrow and experience His faithfulness and KNOW His love!!!