Wonderful Wyoming and Montana

Last week Kate, Archie, Alex and I decided to go on a trip to Montana. Actually, I had decided a few months ago to try and visit home once more before I got to big and pregnant to drive, and I knew no one would let me drive the 10 hours alone. So I invited Kate and Kara to join me. Unfortunately the weather cut our trip short and due to the excessive bulkiness of car seats these days we couldn't (try as we might, and oh we tried hard) fit a 3rd adult, so sadly Kara had to stay behind in the end. Driving all that way with the 2 kids wasn't as bad as I had feared, it wasn't a cake walk, but it wasn't that bad.

I made Kate stop at all the places from my youth. The places that I remember going and loving with my family when i was like 8. Unfortunately a lot has changed in the last 15 years and so these places were not near as cool as they were, but Kate pretended and we still had fun. We learned that gas stations are about the worst places to let kids run around, although in 13 degree weather there wasn't much choice. Randomly I got an email about this place we went...... check it out, we ate icecream there and it was good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsaDMZYs7wQ

I was most excited to go to the Yellowstone Drug, home of the Best Malts and Shakes, but when we arrived they had moved from the really cool old building they used to be in, to a tacky old malt shop store. It was sad, but the ice cream was still decent.

Montana was cold. Like, hurt your nose hairs when you breath, cold. But we still played outside in the snow a few times. Alex like following her Grandma Asay around the farm.

I love this picture because their body language is just about the exact same. Very cute.

Alex wasn't sure about the horses this time around. She just stood there and started at them.

Kate took the kids on sled rides around the yard.

Alex really liked the snow.

This is the face Alex now does when you ask her to smile.

We even went out and "helped" feed the animals one bitter cold morning.

Archie was fairly interested in the cows.

Sadly, our time to leave came way too soon and we were off through Wyoming again. We decided to stop and get our pictures taken in front of the worlds first J.C. Penny store.

Kate trying to wrestle the kids who were just out of the car for the first time in 4 hours, and wanted to run.

It was hilarious to watch, she would get one to stand still and the other would bolt.

All the trees the entire way through Wyoming were frozen and beautiful like this. We didn't get many good pictures, but it was amazing.

Thermopolis.

The kids behaving quite well in the back seat.

It was fun to go home and show off my roots to Kate as well as spend some good quality time with my Mom and brother! It was so fun to see how well Alex remembered the farm and how much she enjoyed playing with Grandma and running through the house with Archie. Thanks for the great time Mom and David, we will try to make it up again soon!

Canyon lands

Last weekend Michael and Danielle invited us to join them on an adventure to Canyon lands National Park. It was a LOT of fun, although my poor pregnant body didn't recover from all the sitting in a car for a few days, we would do it again.

When we arrived it was really really cold, and and Alex insisted on being held and carried. We decided to take the shorted hike a 1/2 miler to Mesa Arch I believe. It was a beautiful walk on the packed snow and slowly warmed up by the time we got there.

The Arch wasn't huge, but what you can't see is that if you were looking at it from the side... one side is where we are standing, and the other is a sheer cliff.

As soon as we got to the dangerous part Alex decided she wanted to walk around, and everyone (except me) took turns holding her hand while she climbed like a mountain goat over the rocks and snow. It was so funny to watch her explore.

This is the picture taken while we were all yelling at Tyler to get Alex OFF THE EDGE. She just wanted to climb right up, and of course Tyler is just as fearless. Half of me wanted to turn around and ignore him, closing my eyes because I couldn't watch him get up there, the other half had to take the picture.

Alex walked the trail on the way back and was pretty intrigued by the snow. It had formed into strange frosted flake like cereal crystals so when you scooped up a handful it was like you had a bunch of cereal in your hands.

This past week we have had a lot of Tyler time and Alex has become a daddy's girl, through and through.

And last of all, here is my 23 weeks picture. I took about 2 pregnant pictures with Alex, so i'm trying to make up for it this time.

A whirlwind

The last month we have had the treat of seeing Tyler's Brother Sam, his wife, Natalie, and their kids Nicholas and Christian. Unfortunatly I didn't take many pictures until yesterday, but those ones sure turned out cute. They are in reverse order, but you will get the picture. I tried to get a cute "all the grandkids" picture for Susan, and here is the progression more or less. These were all taken just after church, so you can imagine all the pent up engery that was being released and all the running around going on.

All the kids united trying to get Kara's shoes off.

Nick and Chrisch wrestling

Ben and Kate taking a breather

Aunt Kate helping Christian out

Nicholas and Alex running and spinning like crazy. She LOVED it.

Uncle Tyler trying to get a handle on things

Alex and Nick laughing it up. Ok, now scroll from the bottom up so you can see the picture progression on these group shots!!!

Archie is just begging me with his eyes to let him go. Poor kid had a ear infection.

Archie did NOT want to be a part of the picture.

The response I got to "show me your teeth"

Grandkids with Great grandma Jake