Old Faithful

Old Faithful was pretty cool.  Unfortunately we didn't have a very blue sky so it is hard to tell the difference between the water, steam and sky.  The water is on the left.  It was a beautiful day and we got there early so we ate PBHoney sandwiches in our car and then got a really good seat on some bleachers right in front of the geyser.  Old Faithful goes off about every 90 minutes.  They give it a +/- 10 minute window.  They predicted 1:00 and it erupted at 1:10. 



Junior Ranger

The highlight of our trip was Danny becoming a Junior Ranger.  He wasn't very keen on sitting in the car for 8 hours so we hyped up the fact that he would become a Junior Ranger.  He was so excited that He could be one. We went to the Junior Ranger station where he needed to listen to a program which was about Owls and Eagles. He had lots of activities At the end of the second day we went back to the Ranger Station and he got his patch and they had a swearing in ceremony.  He was really excited.  Justin bought him a Junior Ranger hat, a sheriff's badge with his name on it and a Junior Ranger wallet

Bison

After about 15 minutes from the entrance of Yellowstone we were greeted by Buffalo. The upper left was some kind of animal that looks like a squrrell but I really couldn't tell. We saw some wildlife but not a lot. We saw LOTS of Buffalo, one Bald Eagle, I think one Bear (it was too far away to really see it but I saw something moving and others stopped on the road said it was a Bear), what looked like a moose without antlers, a beaver, and some birds.

Rexburg, Idaho

On Tuesday we set out to drive to Yellowstone.  On our way we stopped in Rexburg, Idaho to visit Justin's almamater, Ricks College, now BYU Idaho.  What was really nice was that Cameron was there for the summer semester and we got to visit with him and his girlfriend, Brooke.  They showed us around campus and a lot has changed since Justin was there 14 years ago. 

Fossil Butte Museum

On Monday morning while Justin had an arbitration Danny and I braved the drizzle and went to Fossil Butte National Museum. There wasn't a lot to see and Danny wasn't very cooperative but we did get out of the hotel. On the way into the parking lot of the museum there were signs showing from millions of B.C. what plants and animals started emerging. I guess the area used to be a big swamp millions of years ago and there are many fossils found there. Had we come on a Saturday we could have gone out and helped an archaeologist dig for fossils.

For More Information http://www.nps.gov/fobu/index.htm

Lu Lu and Milo

At the start of our vacation Danny and I flew into Salt Lake City to visit Russ and Carrie and their 2 dogs, Lucy and Milo.  Danny had so much fun with the dogs.  They had a green laser pointer that the dogs loved chasing and he would move it around on the floor from one side to another and the dogs would chase it.  Both Danny and the dogs loved doing it.  Both Justin and I gave it a try and it was fun.  At first I thought it was mean because they couldn't catch it but then I realized they actually enjoyed playing. 

We all took the dogs out for a walk at a nearby park and part of the time Danny was half-dragged by Lu Lu.  He had so much fun playing with the dogs.  Of course now he wants a dog.  Thank goodness I'm allergic.  I think dogs are just too much work.

We had such a nice time with Russ and Carrie.  We stayed over night on Saturday and then on Sunday we headed off to Kemmerer, Wyoming where Justin had his arbitration.

The Art Museum

We took the kids to the Art Museum and got in free -- THANK YOU UNCLE SAM -- and Brandon too.  The Chihuly blown glass exhibit was there and we were able to go see it.  Actually, there wasn't that much to see but they had a neat kids art room where the kids painted and played with colored paper.  It was fun.  Justin and I really like Chihuly's work.  

Two really cool things were the Glass Ceiling Bridge which showcased a lot of his work and then on Friday before we left town we went to the Glass Museum which was sooooo cool.  You go into an actual glass blowing studio and you watch them blow glass and shape it and add color.  The ovens are hot but they have the AC blasting so you don't feel warm at all.  They also had a kids area where each child can draw a picture and if selected, your drawing will be made into glass and put on display.  They choose one every month and they are put in a display area with other projects made from children's art.  You could totally tell that the sculptures were designed by children. 

http://www.chihuly.com/

You should go check it out.