Where shall we go explore today?

This has been our refrain since moving to Wyoming.  It's summer, after all, and we are in a beautiful area that will all be covered once it snows, so....let's go explore!  Plus, it's a nice break from the never-ending task of unpacking and organizing a new home.  Win!

First up: Jackson Hole! Our friends the Jacksons came with us to help us move and explore our new home, so we had to stop in Jackson with the Jacksons!

 Bella and Ella

 Models by the antler arches - Madelyn, McKinley, and Rachel

 A labrynth on the campus of St. John's Catholic church - we mocked until we all got busy walking it!

 Moose!  We didn't see any real moose, so this was the closest we got.

 ...and, ice cream!  Gourmet, expensive, organic, blah blah blah, and delicious!

Second stop: the Palisades Dam and Big Elk Trail (over the border in Idaho)

 My favorite road sign!

This time we remembered the bug spray but forgot to make sure everyone had appropriate hiking footwear.  But it all worked out ok!

 Sisters from another mister / partners in crime

 My sweet Rachel!  She earned a dollar on this hike by not yelling at anyone. ;)  She needed a little extra mommy attention today.

Third stop: Grand Teton National Park!

 Where they all learned about rocks, became junior rangers, and gobbled huckleberry taffy.

 Then a little hike by Jenny Lake 

 Aw, big brother helping little sister...or something...

 View from the bridge

Fourth stop (homerun!) - Yellowstone National Park, the condensed tour 

 Backseat buddies

Haha, I didn't notice until these pictures were right next to each other...the open mouth must be hereditary!

 Bella and Ella at the Lower Falls

 West Thumb Geyser Basin

Ranger presentation at Old Faithful

  There she blows!

 Sweet staircase

Fifth stop - Swim hole at the Palisades Reservoir

They kids were so happy to get in some water *finally.*  We do miss our neighborhood pool!  The Reservoir is really high right now, so I keep hearing that many of the swim beaches are under water, but they were happy for almost 2 hours throwing rocks, and throwing sticks, and swimming, and splashing, and collecting treasure.

I hope it's obvious that these five trips were on five different days over the course of our first 2 weeks here - there's no way that we could have squeezed it in less time than that!  The kids have a great attitude about our new home and love being in the mountains again.  

One thing I did not realize about moving so much further north is the long summer days - they don't mess around here!  It's almost 10 om before it's dark, even though solstice was a month ago!  So no one has gone to  bed "on time" for well over a month.  I am having trouble adjusting, but I am sure we'll get there!  

We also visited the 2 elementary schools (not in town, but in two neighboring towns), as the girls are interested in attending public school again.  It seems like a good place to re-enter - very small class sizes, new facilities, not as many crazy tests and regulations as CO schools.  They are excited and were hoping school could start SOON so they could play on those cool playgrounds.

Whew.  I'm tired after recording all of our adventures, time for a nap!