6.27.15
I got booted out if my air mattress by Alex, who is perpetually scared of everything. If it's not gonna rain, he's worried about the trees falling down. If it's not windy, we're going to get eaten by bears. If there are no bears, aliens are going to descend from the sky and cart us off for scientific experimentation. He is the king of worst-case scenarios. I slept poorly on his lowly air mattress.
Once pop tarts had been shoved in half awake mouths, we hauled our butts to Old Faithful. I think Dad is still kind of in awe of this place. He spent a lot of time planning and I think this is like a dream come true for him. Dad and I walked around to see all the hot spots, algae, and colorful bacteria.
I finally had my first kiss! He was a great gey...ser. His name is Sawmill. He was really really hot, and I gotta admit, it got a little steamy. Except then he kissed my dad too. I'm talking about a geyser kiss, by the way. That's when a geyser spouts up and the wind blows warm steam and water towards you. Providing the water isn't boiling, it feels pretty good. Although I sorta wished he'd used a breath mint.
Dad and I finished our walk in time to meet up with Mom, who was in heaven. She, Sus, and Alex had hopped aboard a tour of the Old Faithful Inn. I was perfectly fine sitting in the wooden rocking chairs and taking in the entirely log interior. Mom was loving the history, and apparently some woman approached her and told her how lovely her children behaved, and she should be so grateful for that, and enjoy it while it lasts because they don't stay kids forever. I think this woman probably had my mom mixed up with someone else. Because no way were Susanna and Alex that well behaved! But this time they were, so we all earned some ice cream. By that point, it was almost time for Old Faithful to erupt again, so we sat on the balcony of Old Faithful Inn, slurped ice cream, and watched as a couple hundred year old geyser sent steam and boiling water into the air.
Dad took us out to a picnic area on the Yellowstone Lake. We ate our sandwiches and Oreos, and then descended to the waters edge. Shoes were thrown off and feet landed in the frigid water. At first it was cold, and then it started to hurt, and then it stopped hurting because you couldn't feel your feet at all! That's when dad decided to make us deal. "If all three of you go all the way underwater, I'll pay you five bucks." Then he sweetened the pot a little more, "And I'll get in too." I think he might have been a little surprised when all three kids trudged up to the van to get their bathing suits. Ten minutes later, Alex, Susanna, and I stand at the beach, ready to call Dad's bluff. There's a method to preparing to take the Polar Plunge. First, mom has to take her sweet time getting the camera ready. By the time she's ready, you're already regretting your decision. How badly do I need five bucks? But then you remember, Dad promised to take a dip, and that is definitely a valiant cause. So, with that in mind, you mentally prepare for two seconds of freezing cold lake water. Finally, you steel your resolve, say a little prayer, and let gravity do the rest. Under water, you only think in word bytes. Cold! Cold! Cold! Freezing! Humans were not meant to do this! Then you come up and hustle your bustle back to shore to find the nearest towel. I went first, then Alex, and then, finally Susanna. She was our wild card, since she's pretty adverse to getting her face wet. With a wet flop, she ducked her head in and came out victorious!
Then along came Dad. With cameras at ready, all four of us and the strangers who got lucky enough to witness our little floor show, waited in anticipation as Big Daddy waded into the deep. The tension mounted, and then suddenly, he was under!! I don't think Mom has ever been so proud of us all. We shivered and giggled until it was time to pack up and head to Mass.
I made it to my first outdoor Mass. We had a priest and his father, the deacon, from Colorado. It was a mosquito ridden Mass, but I think the Holy Spirit kept most them at bay. It was super short, and afterwards we headed to the Yellowstone General Store.
The Yellowstone General Store was like Wonderland. There was the typical stuff: T-shirts, hoodies, magnets, etc. but there was awesome stuff too, like jewelry, buffalo shot glasses, and colorful rocks. My favorite section was the Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na BAT-MOOSE! They had stocked mugs, shot glasses, coasters, and magnets with the Batman yellow, but instead if a bat, it was an epic looking moose. I tell ya, I would not commit crimes if there was a moose protecting the city. The best part was the discreet t-shirt right next to all the Batmoose paraphernalia. It had a similar looking moose on the front, but this time in gold and hot-rod red. The truth is, I am Iron Moose. Or at least the proud owner of a Yellowstone National Park Iron Moose t-shirt!
Alex had to be drugged again so that he would sleep. That sounded a lot better in my head. But we gave him some Benadryl and he was out like a light. The rest of us slept pretty well thanks to a lack of storms and some melatonin gummies.
I got booted out if my air mattress by Alex, who is perpetually scared of everything. If it's not gonna rain, he's worried about the trees falling down. If it's not windy, we're going to get eaten by bears. If there are no bears, aliens are going to descend from the sky and cart us off for scientific experimentation. He is the king of worst-case scenarios. I slept poorly on his lowly air mattress.
Once pop tarts had been shoved in half awake mouths, we hauled our butts to Old Faithful. I think Dad is still kind of in awe of this place. He spent a lot of time planning and I think this is like a dream come true for him. Dad and I walked around to see all the hot spots, algae, and colorful bacteria.
I finally had my first kiss! He was a great gey...ser. His name is Sawmill. He was really really hot, and I gotta admit, it got a little steamy. Except then he kissed my dad too. I'm talking about a geyser kiss, by the way. That's when a geyser spouts up and the wind blows warm steam and water towards you. Providing the water isn't boiling, it feels pretty good. Although I sorta wished he'd used a breath mint.
Dad and I finished our walk in time to meet up with Mom, who was in heaven. She, Sus, and Alex had hopped aboard a tour of the Old Faithful Inn. I was perfectly fine sitting in the wooden rocking chairs and taking in the entirely log interior. Mom was loving the history, and apparently some woman approached her and told her how lovely her children behaved, and she should be so grateful for that, and enjoy it while it lasts because they don't stay kids forever. I think this woman probably had my mom mixed up with someone else. Because no way were Susanna and Alex that well behaved! But this time they were, so we all earned some ice cream. By that point, it was almost time for Old Faithful to erupt again, so we sat on the balcony of Old Faithful Inn, slurped ice cream, and watched as a couple hundred year old geyser sent steam and boiling water into the air.
Dad took us out to a picnic area on the Yellowstone Lake. We ate our sandwiches and Oreos, and then descended to the waters edge. Shoes were thrown off and feet landed in the frigid water. At first it was cold, and then it started to hurt, and then it stopped hurting because you couldn't feel your feet at all! That's when dad decided to make us deal. "If all three of you go all the way underwater, I'll pay you five bucks." Then he sweetened the pot a little more, "And I'll get in too." I think he might have been a little surprised when all three kids trudged up to the van to get their bathing suits. Ten minutes later, Alex, Susanna, and I stand at the beach, ready to call Dad's bluff. There's a method to preparing to take the Polar Plunge. First, mom has to take her sweet time getting the camera ready. By the time she's ready, you're already regretting your decision. How badly do I need five bucks? But then you remember, Dad promised to take a dip, and that is definitely a valiant cause. So, with that in mind, you mentally prepare for two seconds of freezing cold lake water. Finally, you steel your resolve, say a little prayer, and let gravity do the rest. Under water, you only think in word bytes. Cold! Cold! Cold! Freezing! Humans were not meant to do this! Then you come up and hustle your bustle back to shore to find the nearest towel. I went first, then Alex, and then, finally Susanna. She was our wild card, since she's pretty adverse to getting her face wet. With a wet flop, she ducked her head in and came out victorious!
Then along came Dad. With cameras at ready, all four of us and the strangers who got lucky enough to witness our little floor show, waited in anticipation as Big Daddy waded into the deep. The tension mounted, and then suddenly, he was under!! I don't think Mom has ever been so proud of us all. We shivered and giggled until it was time to pack up and head to Mass.
I made it to my first outdoor Mass. We had a priest and his father, the deacon, from Colorado. It was a mosquito ridden Mass, but I think the Holy Spirit kept most them at bay. It was super short, and afterwards we headed to the Yellowstone General Store.
The Yellowstone General Store was like Wonderland. There was the typical stuff: T-shirts, hoodies, magnets, etc. but there was awesome stuff too, like jewelry, buffalo shot glasses, and colorful rocks. My favorite section was the Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na BAT-MOOSE! They had stocked mugs, shot glasses, coasters, and magnets with the Batman yellow, but instead if a bat, it was an epic looking moose. I tell ya, I would not commit crimes if there was a moose protecting the city. The best part was the discreet t-shirt right next to all the Batmoose paraphernalia. It had a similar looking moose on the front, but this time in gold and hot-rod red. The truth is, I am Iron Moose. Or at least the proud owner of a Yellowstone National Park Iron Moose t-shirt!
Alex had to be drugged again so that he would sleep. That sounded a lot better in my head. But we gave him some Benadryl and he was out like a light. The rest of us slept pretty well thanks to a lack of storms and some melatonin gummies.