We’re Home!

So we are back from a wild and crazy two weeks! Our friends from Alabama came in two weeks ago and we have done it up California style! I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation! The first week was filled with the local sights….Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Park, La Jolla with the seals, and of course my favorite place..the Bernardo Winery! We really enjoyed hanging out with our friends and you always see something new at these places so it never gets boring. Then we all loaded up in the vans and headed North to Yosemite! Let me tell you, I was dreading it! I honestly pictured being in a cabin for 5 days and trying to entertain the children unsuccessfully. I was so wrong! What a phenomenal place. It truly is a national treasure. Let me show you what I mean:

and here is Joel taking in the view from Glacier Point:

and the waterfalls…let me show you:

and another:

and one more for good measure, I think we saw at least 6 different ones:

The first day we hiked in the giant sequoias, which was an experience to say the least. The girls did okay for the first two miles (uphill), the last two, not so great. Let’s just say that cold and rainy does not make for happy 4 year olds! Here is a picture of the giant trees:

and just to give you an idea of how large they really are:

and here is the bottom of one that fell:

The second day was a tad bit easier, as we took a small hike to a waterfall and explored the Yosemite valley floor. The third day we took a bus to Glacier Point (elevation 8000 ft) and got to see a live black bear wandering through a meadow (although it was golden brown..only 9% of black bears are actually black…a little known fact that the bus driver informed us of!) We then hiked (straight downhill!) for 5 miles; which will cause any parent to have a few heart stopping moments as their kids get too close to the edge! We had a good hold of their hands though!!! That was a rough hike and my calves were screaming by the end. I carried Matilda down the last half in a backpack on my back. Matty walked most of it, but needed some help from Daddy’s shoulders about the last mile.

The following day, we took it easy, considering Joel and I could barely walk downstairs in the cabin we were so sore! We walked 15 minutes from the cabin to another waterfall, and then followed the stream down until we found a place where the kids could play in the water and on the rocks. Our 6 year old friend Ben put it best after that: “ This was a good day!” Needless to say water and rocks equals very happy and tired kids!

The last day our friend Stephanie stayed home and watched the kids and we went on an adult hike on the “Mist Trail.” Translation = get soaked and walk up tons of slippery steps. But the view from the top was well worth it…see if you agree:

And it was actually really good for the legs to get this strenuous hike in, as it really helped stretch everything back out!!

All in all it was a blast and a few days after we got home I got another treat..my new Stampin Up catty arrived! I got a chance to play briefly this morning with some of my new stamps and new incolors and let me tell you…I am liking them!! Here is my quick card from this morning:

This uses all the new incolors and two new sets, the More the Merrier for the sentiment and Circle Circus for the images. I am loving all the matching polka dotted ribbon! I raised a couple of images on dimensionals for more texture! Hope you are all doing well and enjoyed your visit to Yosemite via pictures. I can’t do it justice though..you have to go see it for yourself sometime!

Ciao for now! Deidre