The Market Skirt

I try to keep sewing stuff on my sewing blog, but I don't really know how many people read it, and Dana has a great tutorial out that is super cute, so I thought I'd share.

Yellowstone

We, meaning me and the boys, were gone for 11 days on vacation. I don't know how Jim does it, but ever since our first trip with Riley when he was 8 months old and both he and Jim got sick, Jim vowed he would never travel with a baby again. I don't know how he's managed to keep true to his word, but he has yet to go on another family vacation with us (for good reason, so far). Our trip to Montana last summer, he was in the fire academy, and this summer he is still on probation and can't take time off. I wonder what his excuse will be next summer because he will be out of real reasons to pass up our family vacations. This time we packed up our bags and squeezed into my parents Highlander to carpool with them. Again, I was squished in the back (really, the middle seat) between two carseats for a 16 hour car ride. Thankfully, it was divided between 3 days and thankfully, my parents were there to help with the kids, because I wouldn't have even tried to make this trek by myself.
We arrived at the campground, located just outside Yellowstone, mid-afternoon and located several extended family members. The kids had a great time at the campgrounds. Nathan took Riley and Brayden fishing quite a few times and they loved reeling in their fishes. Nicholas loved the water and would run towards it every chance he got and then kick and scream as I pulled him back. All of the kids had fun throwing rocks in the lake, and even the adults got into it as we tried to skip rocks.

Hebgen Lake

Stephanie skipping rocks

On our second day there, we went into Yellowstone Park. I loved Yellowstone and wish we had more time to spend there. We saw Old Faithful (twice), a bald eagle and an eagle's nest, bison and elk.

eagle's nest

Riley fishing with Nathan and Brayden

As we left the campgroud, we stopped at at the "whitest" mexican cafe ever to have lunch and had fun blowing out dandilions in the parking lot.

Athen making a wish (cause that's what you do before you blow)

Our next stop was in kalispell, Montana where my sister and her family live. Emery was being blessed on Sunday, but on Saturday, the day we arrived, we BBQ'd and then Jared and Anita (Julie's brother and sister in-law) took us out on their boat for some tubing. We had a blast! Even Riley and Athen enjoyed it. Riley kept saying "this is awesome!" When we got back to the house, we lit off some fireworks of our own. Now, I have never in my life played with fireworks, and I must say that while at first I was timid, it was quite fun. That said, I don't think I will ever in my life, let my children play with fireworks. Sunday was Emery's blessing, which was followed by a nice lunch. That night we rocked out to RockBand, and played cards.

Nicholas loved the drums

The next morning we headed to Boise, Idaho, where my aunt and uncle live, for a few days of R&R and shopping. One night, we visited my cousin, Kristen, and her family who live on a farm. Riley developed a little crush on Kristen after he found out she had pigs on her farm, and asked to hang out in her cabin our last day at the campground and when in Idaho, kept asking when we were going to visit his friend. The boys got to see the pigs, horses, chickens and cows.

Emma helping Nicholas pet the horses

We drove home in one day, leaving at about 10:00 at night, and arriving at my parents home at about 3:00 the next afternoon. I then drove the kids and myself home that evening after traffic died down. The vacation was a blast, but it still felt good to get home, just in time to go to work the following morning.

My mom and I shopped for fabric at nearly every stop. An aweful long way to drive for fabric! Good thing we had other "business" on the way!