Natalie & Ryan: To Yellowstone We Go!

After shaving Angel and packing like a maniac for our evening Yellowstone departure, we finally headed out the door. All I could think about was how grateful I was that we had this new car. There was no way we were going to be able to fit everything, had we taken the Camry. Lilly was all jammied up, since we would be getting in late. Even though she didn't know where we were going or why she was in her jammies, she was happy to have her bear-bear and the new iPad holder for the car.

She did very well with the drive. She didn't like that we were making her endure a late dinner, so she started to lose it right before we pulled into Pocatello. We always stop in Pocatello so that we can hit Jack In The Box. Ryan used to live in Idaho, and that's where we find his all-time favorite burger. Lilly got some chicken nuggets and an orange juice...her FIRST ever orange juice. She's still not sure about it. Let me just say this about Jack In The Box. We asked for fry sauce, and they gave us a packet of "Secret Sauce." It was horrible!! The first thing I tasted was mustard. After reading through the ingredients, I came to find that the terrible flavor was coming from a combination of mustard, steak sauce, Tobasco sauce, orange peel, and about a dozen other ingredients that you wouldn't peg as going together...because they don't! Big fail, Jack, big fail!

Lilly handled the rest of the drive really well after that. I got a headrest iPad holder, so she just watched Disney movies the whole time. Eventually she fell asleep. I didn't dare fall asleep, because I always get too freaked out about wildlife darting across the road. Especially at night! I was traumatized when I was younger during a trip to Glacier National Park. We hit a deer while I was sleeping, and I woke up screaming "are we going to die?!" I was right to be scared this time! We were about an hour away from West Yellowstone, when Ryan slams on the breaks and lays on the horn. I looked up to see two deer in the middle of the road, about 5 feet apart. My instinct would have been to just slam on my breaks and pray that I wouldn't hit them. Ryan impressed me with his reflexes, when he gracefully maneuvered the car between them. He looked over at me, serious face, and said "that's why I play video games!" Ha! He claims playing Grand Theft Auto saved our lives. I had only just calmed down when we were about 5 minutes from our hotel, when I screamed "RYAN!! BUFFALO!!" There was a giant buffalo crossing the road, but we couldn't see him until we were about to hit him because its fur is was so dark. I perfected my grasp-n-brace technique far too soon for my liking. I was so happy when we finally arrived without destroying my new car.

The cabin was cute. I know the rest of the family will say that it was too cramped, but I really liked it. The view made up for any lack of space, that's for sure. There was a front "room" that had a futon and dining table, that led into the kitchen that had a microwave, sink, and mini fridge. Off the kitchen was a tiny airplane-size bathroom, and in the back, there was a bedroom with 2 bunkbeds (4 beds). It was a bring-your-own towel and sheet kind of place, but I didn't mind. Ryan and I got the futon. Lilly's pack 'n' play fit next to the table, and then everyone else got the bunk beds. The futon was actually very comfortable. It's just always hard to sleep in the same room as two loud snorers (yes, I'm talking about Lilly). Lilly's favorite part about the cabin was the Lilly-sized cabinet in the kitchen. She would open it up and hang out inside with bear-bear. Oh, and did I mention the coyotes? There was one that liked to sit out by our porch and howl all night. Talk about creepy!! Lilly's least favorite part was the lack of tub. She got so dirty each day, a bath was necessary. Ryan and I just ended up taking a family shower at the end of the day, so one of us could hold her while she screamed, and the other could focus on cleaning her. Too bad I don't have any pictures of that...

Ryan and I refinanced the car during lunch time, so Lilly got to have her first Happy Meal.

He only gets to enjoy this burger maybe once a year. This is pure joy on his face, ladies and gentlemen...uh, maybe pure crazy.

When I first turned on the iPad, she just pointed at it.

She loves her bear so much

Playing ball with daddy. Having fun even after getting bonked in the face.

We've all agreed that Lilly is going to be a geologist, just like her uncle, Colton. She loved picking up rocks and immediately handing them to anyone she could. Once in a while she'd try to eat one...