i'm smarter than the average bear

not so long ago, my family and i went on a little mini vacay to jellystone, i mean, yellowstone national park. i've been a bunch of times before because we used to go every year when i was a kid. i have very fond memories of candied apples, ice cream, s'mores, jenga, tree stump bears, traffic stopping buffalo, floating the snake river in a canoe, johnny sack's cabin (not actually in yellowstone, but part of the same trip for us), "betting" matches (you know, the kin you use to light a fire) while playing blackjack, spaghetti and chili, george washington's cabin, abe lincoln's cabin, sleeping bags, dad's snoring, souvenirs, stinky geysers, boardwalks, ranger programs at the amphitheater, and so many other things.


this year's trip was pretty great and all sorts of nostalgic, but it was also full of new experiences. sharing a tent with a five year old for one. not to mention campfire cones, cooking breakfast over an open fire, seeing a wolf, not seeing a bear, eating in a restaurant, staying in a campground as opposed to an rv site, seeing new (to me) geysers, getting really close to some buffalo, helping jordan become a junior ranger, encore, singing mika with the parentals, taboo, arsenio hall, "get out of the road you jack rabbit!", tree stump pelicans, camera wielding, raiding other campsites for firewood (totally devon's idea), running at 8 thousand feet elevation (it's really hard, btw), chasing birds away, and so many wonderful little moments with the fam.