Yosemite

For our second camping trip of the summer, we went to Yosemite! The Candells in our ward are super awesome and reserved a group camping site for a group of families. We were only able to go up a couple of nights, but it was so much fun! We hope to do it again next year and hopefully stay longer!
Glacier Point
Hike to Bridal Veil Falls
The Visitors Center and Indian Village
This is how Maddie spent the hike to Yosemite Falls
Kailey was really into posing for the camera on this trip
Dirt--the BEST part of camping according to our kids
Sitting around the campfire eating a snack

Utah

Kailey loved being in the garden with her Papa
Maddie at our picnic up the mountain. For some reason we hardly took any pictures at all up there!
Playing on the deck and roasting marshmallows
Taking a bath in Nana's giant tub

Day of the Dinosaurs

Since Kailey is still set on becoming a Paleontologist when she grows up, we decided that our summer trip wouldn't be complete without a trip to Dinosaur National Monument and the museum at Thanksgiving Point. So, after packing up our tent and other camping supplies in Yellowstone, we headed to Vernal, UT. Imagine our surprise when we found out that the dinosaur quarry and museum is closed down due to the building being unstable and won't open again until next year! Though we were disappointed, there was a hike we could go on to see some dinosaur bones that were still in the rock and learn about the different fossils. Unfortunately, it was also 90+ degrees outside and Kailey has decided she is allergic to heat. By the end she was crying that she didn't want to be sweaty and refusing to walk anymore. Despite us telling her that if she is a paleontologist when she grows up it will be hot and sweaty work, she still wants to be one so I guess dinosaurs still trump heat.
Posing with the dinosaur outside our hotel
The Hike
Touching real fossils
Hating the heat
Back at the little mini museum they have set up
After finishing up with Dinosaur National Monument, we drove to Thanksgiving Point and had a blast at the museum there.
This is what it looks like when we try to get a picture of both our girls smiling and posing together at the same time
Picture #1--Maddie and Kailey both fall off the dinosaur right before the picture is taken
Picture #2--We finally get a good picture--a miracle actually because usually we have to take at least 10 pictures to even get one good one!
Our little family

Yellowstone

For our family trip this year, we decided that we would be adventurous, so we reserved a campground, packed up our car (and fit everything amazingly enough), and headed to Yellowstone National Park. I was really excited because I've never been there, and I'd heard so much about it. We were entranced by the beauty of the place, amazed by the many different wonders of nature that we saw, and absolutely loved seeing so many different kinds of animals. We can't wait to go back there in a few years once our kids are a bit older and do even more things with them!
This is how our trip started
And this is how it ended
Kailey was a perfect angel in the car as usual. Reading, coloring, and sleeping!
Old Faithful. We were lucky and got there just a few minutes before it erupted.
Kailey attending a Ranger Program about the geysers at Yellowstone
One of the many hot springs there
The Fountain Paint Pots Trail
Another Geyser erupting


How Maddie spent every hike we went on. Thank you again Megan for letting us borrow the backpack! It was a lifesaver!

Buffalo--we saw several hundred!
Our Campsite
Maddie in the tent
Roasting hot dogs
The view right by our tent

Maddie and Kailey going on their own little hike
By the lake