It's that teary season...

I dawned on me today, while I organized my kids' closets that in two weeks Owen will be starting 2nd grade, but more importantly Raymond will be starting Kindergarten and even more importantly Judd will be starting his first year of school ever, preschool. I am not stable when there are major events in my kids' lives. My eyes swell up with tears at the mere thought of it. So crap, I now have it stuck in my head and I've already started tearing up today. What a huge change in my life. Two of my kids gone full time to school, and #3 gone two mornings a week. They are leaving the nest, growing up, and leaving me. Boo-hoo. Of course it's mixed emotions because of course I am happy for their new experiences, but man two weeks from tomorrow I am going to be a mess. I better invest in some kleenex and water proof mascara today. Then on the 29th I'm going to be a mess all over again when Judd starts his first day.

It's my favorite season coming up, Fall, but it is also a time for tears, every year. I will keep you posted, cause as of now we still don't know for sure where Raymond will be starting Kindergarten, hopefully Owen's school. But I will also update you with first day of school pictures. Keep me in your prayers while I suffer through my rough first days of school, ha ha.

On the Road - Day 8 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo

 The Daddy of them All! Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo! The dust, the horses, the smell of manure, the hot determination of those cowboys and cowgirls all packed into an arena full of anticipation. Oooh, it gives me chills. The rodeo. A place where men can show everyone how manly they are and where cowboys gets real meaning. I wanted to share this experience with my kids, who had never been to a rodeo before. I wanted them to get a taste of Wyoming and the wild west and one of the many reasons that I love this state. They LOVED it! After all the adventures we have had along this vacation, they were still excited to see this main event. Their Aunt Kimmie was there working and she bought them cowboy hats and took the boys behind the chutes during the bull riding event, which they were speechless about. They got to stand on the wooden fence watching the dust fly while the cowboys hang on for dear life on the back of the untamed bull, along side other cowboys. Ahhh, to be home in Wyoming and a part of history once again. These are our Rodeo pictures, the last leg of our journey, the end of this vacation chapter. Sad to leave Wyoming, my heart ached after the Rodeo when we loaded up in the car and drove across the border back to Nebraska. I felt like I was leaving my family, friends, and home all over again. But oh what a time we had! I hope you enjoy our pictures once again!

Future Bull rider?? Quiet meditative, watching his herd of cattle and horses through the fence.

Future bronc rider??

Future barrel racer?? Or Frontier Days Rodeo Queen??

Seriously?? Could you get any cuter?? What a cute cowboy!

Future Steer Wrestler I think.

Tess looks like she is sitting with the Rodeo Queen herself, but actually it's just one of my beautiful older sisters, Aunt Kimmy.

Tess' cowgirl boots. Pretty in pink.

A long day of being a cowboy. It's a tough life.

On the Road Days 5-8, Yellowstone National Park!! Yee-haw

One big chunk of our family vacation was to meet up with Tony's mom and her family in  Yellowstone to camp for three days for our family reunion. It turned out to be lots of fun (very cold nights, which I thought we were prepared for, but tent camping is colder than you think). We ate lots of great food, saw lots of beautiful scenery that you can't find anywhere else in the world, saw lots of wildlife like grizzly momma with two cubs, black bear, buffalo, lots of elk, a baby coyote and deer. It was an awesome trip, and the kids were awesome campers and awesome travelers for our entire week long vacation! I'm so impressed by them. 

We got to hang out with our cool family and just simply have a wonderful time. We were told when we first checked into our campground that there are a couple of resident grizzly bears that frequent the campground, but have never been aggressive as of yet, but to just be aware and keep your food, etc. put away. Luckily we never saw the grizzlies that close and they never came through our campsite. Only some elk did and a family of moose came to the outskirts of the camp, but no grizzlies (though I stayed awake probably longer than everyone in the family listening for animal sounds outside our tent.)

Since there are so many pictures for this post, they basically tell the story of our adventures. The family got an awesome reunion t-shirt designed by Tony's Aunt Patty. So you'll see that too when everyone is wearing the same shirt. I'll add some little blurbs here and there to make a note of something, but otherwise, come along with us on our journey to Yellowstone National Park - most unique and beautiful place there is. :)

Judd was so excited to sit by his Great Uncle Gene, who sings and plays the guitar. He was amazed by him, cause he wants to be a singing cowboy too.

Gene and his daughters sing (the boys wanted to be right in the middle of it.)

North Yellowstone is beautiful mountains covered in every inch of wildflowers! You could smell them through your air vents.

The black bear we saw. Judd said it was Yogi

Mammoth Hot Springs

Our picnic in North West Yellowstone!

Our picnic friends, the ground squirrels, who were NOT shy.

Look closely and you can see the tail and butt of the baby coyote. He was laying down by a rock and hard to get a picture of his head.

She is my wilderness girl. Though none of us showered for 3 full days and nights, she was by far the filthiest of us all. She was rolling in the dirt and eating it. Definitely not afraid of the outdoors.

The first view of the Tetons as we left Yellowstone on our final day. SOOOO beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Famous antler arch in Jackson, WY

 

As we left Yellowstone and Tetons, we made a detour pitstop in Rock Springs, WY (our first home) because we don't know when we will ever get back there and we wanted to show Owen where he was born and our first house, pictured above.

The Motel 8 that we used to run.

The hospital that Owen was born at. They have remodeled it.

 

 

 

 

 

And our old church that had just been built brand new before we left. We never got to go into the sanctuary because it wasn't finished by the time we left.