MONTANA and YELLOWSTONE

So this has been one of my Dads Dreams. To have his whole family together in one of his very favorite places in the whole world. Usually this trip to Montana is just for the boys but this year we all got in and the party. Seeing as how it was October it was pretty cold up in Montana and Yellowstone but that didn't stop us from a wonderful time. We stayed in a really nice time share that had a big nice pool and two hot tubs. Some of the family stayed across the street at a hotel and so sometimes we'd go swimming over there too. We played lots of games, ate good food, and traveled into Yellowstone to see the animals. I can't believe how lucky we were on one of the days we went into the park to see a GRIZZLY Bear! That would be our second time this year! This older man was pulled off to the side of the road and had his telescope out. When we stopped to talk to him he showed us what it was. Incredible sight. Driving into Mammoth was one of our favorite things too. I LOVE being so close to the elk. Such a cute little town. Elk just walk around everywhere right NEXT to you! While we were in the park we went fishing down on the Lamar River. Funniest story there: Toby had a caught a fish yet (we fished the day before on the Madison River…which was awesome wading up and down that river with all of my siblings, and I caught a fish there;) so he was hoping to get one here. He and I were fishing right next to each other, Jordan and Kristee and Jamie and Jace were up a ways and Josh was right next to both of us. Toby feels something on his pole and looks over Josh and gives him a funny look but doesn't want to say anything because he'd been fooled before. At the same time I'm all "I've got one! I've got one!" We ended up reeling in our fish within seconds of each other! haha. Pretty darn funny. - On Sunday we went to the only ward in the near vicinity and then after we went to this awesome place where the kids got to "feed" the bears. They ring a bell and these huge Grizzly bears go back into a caged area and then they let the kids go into this other caged area and literally hide the bears food under rocks and stuff so the bears have to sort of look for it. Then they come around the enclosures and watch the bears find it. Tate wasn't old enough to go but he was so enthralled with the whole thing he didn't seem to mind observing too much. The main bears name was SAM. Tate had gotten a button earlier at this place with SAMS name and picture on it so as Sam came out it was so cute because he just kept yelling "Sam! Sam! You are on my button!" So adorable. It was so nice being together and enjoying this gorgeous place. My Dad became really emotional as we were all pulling away from the Lamar Valley. I know how special that place is to him and to have all of us, well most of us, together there was like I said earlier…a dream come true to him. A very very special trip. We hope to be able to go there again together someday.