Mike's Happiest Place (to visit) on Earth Part 3 of 3

The week after we returned from Disneyland, Mike and I spent the weekend in Yellowstone. The much cooler temperatures were a welcome reprieve after our hot summer here at home. On Saturday morning as we left our hotel and drove into the park it was 16 degrees... I loved it!!!

Mike has an amazing eye... he sees everything!! He can drive and will see things in the sky, on the mountain, in the meadow, in the river, on the lake... sometimes as we drive by, I'm still looking for what he's already seen. It truly is a gift he has.
He also knows the names of every animal he sees, some of them I've never even heard of before. He's always pleased when I see an animal first, and when I point out things like "this is bear country" or "this is moose country" as we drive through certain areas in the park (I'm not just an ocean girl).

We stopped at Mike's favorite place in the park... Hayden Valley. He got out of the car, set up his chair and spotting scope, and watched for about two hours. I sat in the warm car and crocheted. It was beautiful and peaceful.

In Yellowstone it is not uncommon that when someone pulls off to the side of the road... everybody stops. Everyone wants to know what you are looking at. Sometimes I find it a bit comical. As Mike watched in Hayden Valley, cars kept stopping and people would come over to ask him what he was looking at. I wish that I had taken pictures of all the people who stopped to talk to Mike. He was always friendly as he pointed out the elk that he was watching across the valley and on the mountain, even sharing his binoculars with strangers. Mike loves nature. Yellowstone is his favorite place to visit and I love going there with him.

A Bit of Heaven On Earth

I think pretty much anyone who knows me really well, or reads my blog... knows that I love the ocean (t'ocean). But does anyone know how much Mike equally loves Yellowstone? And that Mike loves to take me to the ocean, and that I love to take him to Yellowstone?... which is what we did this weekend. It was especially fun this time to join our kids Jeremy and Emily, and our handsome grandsons Mason and Tanner. We also took a side-trip to Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg (one of those places you drive by on every trip and say, "one of these days we'll stop there", well... "one of these days" finally arrived).



Mike at his favorite place in the park... Hayden Valley. He, Jeremy and Mason spent a couple of hours sitting patiently waiting for a grizzly bear and a pack of wolves. The bear was a no-show, but seven wolves appeared and joined an eighth and the guys watched them make their way across the valley.



This was one of very few elk we saw on this trip, which was very unusual, we usually see so many.



We spent one night at the lake hotel. This is a great spot to sit and capture the beauty of the lake... although I just wanted to capture a picture of the family (just ask the guy that took the picture for me).



Last look at Hayden Valley on our way out.

We sat and watched this grizzly playing in the water for several minutes at Bear World.

A "tour truck" at Bear World, filled with people feeding the bears. It reminds me of what Yellowstone was like years, and years ago.

Yellowstone: Mike's Happiest Place On Earth

We just returned from a four day trip to Yellowstone National Park. Granpa and Granma were there as well as Uncle Derek and Auntie Dorothy who were visiting from England.And of course....us!!On the way we stopped at the Rexburg Temple and then to see Sean who is attending BYU-I. Later that day Sean received his mission call to the Austrailia, Adelaide Mission.While in the park we saw lots and lots of these.
Including this one that was practically on my front doorstep!! Come in!We didn't see many of these, which was very unusual.But Caitlin managed to get this one eating out of the palm of her hand.Sadly we didn't see any of these (this was last years trip).Unfortunately I saw to many of these!! This picture may have to be deleted!We saw three of these.But most of all I saw these....and I love these!!