What’s another 6 hours of driving? That’s what we thought too when we heard about the beauty of Glacier National Park. It did, in fact, prove to be my FAVORITE national park from this trip!
If this broken world is SO breathtakingly BEAUTIFUL, can you even begin to imagine what Heaven will look like?!?!
When Matthew realized Glacier National Park was ‘only’ 6 hours away from Yellowstone, he said it was a no-brainer. And I’m SO happy he did!
Besides, what’s another day in the car?!?!
Rayna and Parker were on a mission to FISH.
Meanwhile, Ross and Ruthie could not turn-down JUMPING into the beautiful lake. (Even if they didn’t have a bathing suit on!)
Ross spotted a road-side mountain he wanted to free climb. Proooobably NOT the best idea; but, after a lot of waiting and worry, we saw his weak body finally start to descend back down.
Click HERE for: Jackson, Wyoming
Click HERE for: Yellowstone National Park
Click HERE for: Idaho Falls (rest day)
“National Parks get us OUT, but the best parts are the stops IN BETWEEN!”
(Well said, Matthew!)
We spent July 4th relaxing in Idaho Falls. Goodwill, picnic, fishing, disc golf, cooking at home and fireworks at Riverfest (Snake River Landing) was exactly what we all needed!
What a God-story with how I first met Tory, Ryan and Ryder.
I’d love to write all about it, but I’m sure they’d much prefer me to quickly post a few Sneak Peeks from Ryan’s session!
(In short, I’m SO thankful for God’s FAITHFULNESS!)
Since YELLOWSTONE was our sole motivation for this entire trip (click HERE for Part 1), I spent a LOT of time researching hikes, hidden gems and, most importantly, most SCENIC views!
But, despite my folder packed with notes, maps and screenshots, I realized there were 5 other people whose vote quickly out-numbered mine.
Even though we didn’t see or do half of what I planned, we covered the highlights and ended the day with priceless memories in an incredible national park!
(Since many of you have asked, I’ll list the things I LEARNED at the bottom.)
One thing I DID LOVE: Sharing a front seat with this little girl the ENTIRE day!
Another thing I LOVED: Making more memories with my man!
TIPS:
Our AirBNB might have been in Idaho, but it was one of the many highlights of our trip! We all enjoyed eating a home-cooked meal (finally), getting clean clothes (finally) and all having our own SPACE (finally)!
5,844 miles.
15 days.
12 states.
3 National Parks.
19 years ago, a tiny pink line made it clear that our recent travel plans to Yellowstone would be put on hold for a while. Without realizing it, the years with kids went by too quickly. Matthew and I suddenly realized we didn’t have too much time left. So earlier this year (without enough planning), we quickly put together a pretty massive road-trip to enjoy with Ross, Rayna, Ruthie and Parker!
Our 1st stop: JACKSON HOLE RODEO !
The mountain back-drop was enough, but the back-to-back bull-riding made it a highlight! (Bonus: No silly clowns and cheesy jokes! This was a REAL rodeo!)
Next stop: GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK !
The kids made fun of me, but I actually enjoyed Grand Teton National Park MORE than Yellowstone! (We didn’t allow enough time here, but I certainly felt God’s glory in the creation all around me!)
Last stop: TETON WHITEWATER RAFTING !
Soooo… this was probably my FAVORITE part of the ENTIRE trip! Our guide, Tanner, was FUN, KIND and kept the trip SO enjoyable!
Oh, and LOOK what my INCREDIBLY AWESOME parents made for ALLLL our luggage, snacks, fishing poles and air mattresses (just ONE day before we left)! Yes, they are the BEST!
The trip is JUST beginning, so check back soon for some of our favorite spots!
Matthew (FOUND A TIMESHARE OFFER ONLINE) ‘was invited to a meeting with a real-estate investing company’. Sitting through a 2-hour, high-pressure sales pitch on vacation isn’t for everyone, but we couldn’t turn down the offer for a discounted week at an all-inclusive resort in Cabo!
We didn’t leave as owners, but we DID leave with and sun-tan and some great memories! We weren’t able to do it all, but here are a few of our FAVORITE SPOTS in Cabo!
1. Hike Mt. Solmar
Being a dog-lover, this was one of the HIGHLIGHTS of my trip! For the past 33 years, Enrique (and all the dogs living on his property) have hiked to the top of Mt. Solmar. For the past few years, he’s unlocked his gate and allowed others to join him as well. It’s no-nonsense and tough in some parts. But the dogs are well-behaved and the views at the top are INCREDIBLE!
2. Watching the Wildlife
Anyone else experience God’s GLORY and POWER through nature? I certainly do! Whether it was watching the birds waiting for the fishermans’ leftovers or barking sea lions trying to get attention, I was constantly in awe of God’s creation.
3. ENJOY the HOTEL
Aside from our honeymoon and cruises, we have not stayed at an all-inclusive hotel. So we quickly realized that we’ve been missing out! As much as we both love to explore, we found ourselves relaxing more since everything we needed was inside the beautiful resort.
4. WATER TAXI to “Lover’s Beach”
Many people choose more expensive options (sunset tours, clear boats, yacht, catamaran, etc.), but for only $9 a person, a basic water taxi took us to El Arco, Pelican Rock and Playa del Amor “Lovers Beach” and picked us up at our desired time.
“Lover’s Beach” was too crowded for us, but we really loved the short walk on the other side to Playa del Divorcio. Although you can’t get in the ocean because of the violent waves, it was beautiful and much more secluded.
We loved Cabo, so here’s a short-list of things I would NOT do again:
* San Jose: It’s possible that I missed something spectacular right around the corner, but I couldn’t get out of San Jose fast enough. I am a glass-half-FULL kind of girl, but I did not ‘get‘ it.
* Flora Farms & Acre Resort: If you love over-paying for tiny portions of organic food, you’ll love these two side-by-side spots. Learning about the concept was interesting, but both were WAAAAY too bougie for me.
* Going to the Marina is inevitable when getting to “Lover’s Beach,” but unless you’re looking for souvenirs, drugs or coffee mugs shaped like private parts, I’d limit my time there.
I probably missed a lot, but here’s a few things I’d ADD:
* WHALE WATCHING (April-December)!
* SURFING!
* Snorkeling!
