Grand Tour Part 1: Yosemite

I've uploaded entirely too many photos of our trip to Yosemite and I refuse, REFUSE, (are you listening blog spot!) to go back and put them in the right order. They loaded backwards and I'm tired. So here for your backward viewing pleasure, is the first installment of our Grand Tour 2010.


Alyson holding Maggie while I packed the car. Thank you for always being such a wonderful helper and sweetheart. We miss you Aly! And Mags, that tongue!


All the cousins/friends having a blast pushing around the "babies" in the strollers.I think that was the longest Drew sat in one location the entire time we were there.


Speaking of my Drewbie, he LOVED throwing rocks down into the water and couldn't resist telling Mom all about the witch on the path and how there were two paths she could go on. I love how imaginative my kids are and I especially love how it aides Mom in getting two very slow walkers down a mountain much quicker...Gotta love distraction techniques!


This was how Maggie spent the hike back from the waterfall. She was such a trooper on the whole crazy adventure I put her through. She was exhausted and cold and yet never cried.


Yosemite Falls and the Haws family...I think we might have a Christmas card in the making.


I love this one close up where you can see the bright grin on Maggie's face. I love my angel baby and the boys too of course. They were amazing little hikers.


This was how we started out our hike to the base of Yosemite Falls...The boys in their PJ's drawing "pipes" in the dirt. Once we had Maggie loaded up into the backpack, we had to wait another 10 minutes before the boys were ready to relinquish their sticks and drawings.


Here is Nathan on top of Sentinel Dome. The pictures don't do it justice. The sheer power and overwhelming glory of that valley is indescribable. And Nate was loving every second of it. It was a moment of glory for this little 4 year old who hiked to the top all by himself and was a little nervous at first to look around but quickly realized how awesome it truly was.


And really, this hunk of man is the reason we all made it to the top of the mountain alive. Eddie is so patient and kind and has a way of helping me adjust my expectations and attitude without telling me to. I love him. (side note for Maggie when she's older: I promise immediately following this picture I made Dad take you down off the mountain for fear of you getting hypothermia. You can see in this picture how shiny and numb your little arms and legs are. We had no idea it would be so cold up top and I promise your Daddy warmed you up right quick!)


I kind of like this one for our family Christmas card.


Maggie: The adorable, non-crying even though she is freezing and breathing rapidly baby after my heart.


Drew: the flamingo dancing, quick to laugh 2 year old after my heart.


Nate: the pine cone collecting, million questions asking 4 year old after my heart.


Ahhh...melts my heart every time I look at this photo. I have the best boys in my life.


I had to include this picture because it sums up not only the entire hike but pretty much the entire Grand Tour! I would say that we spent close to half of the entire hiking time spent on the side of the trail so one or either or both of the boys could relieve themselves of both urine and the other stuff. All I have to say is, thank goodness Eddie was there or I would have had two boys hiking back to the car in their own poop. And not just once, but I do believe it was 2 times for each kids to make a little visit to the back of the log. Nope, I take that back. Drew went 3 times and each time was amazed how much there was. And just for the record, my children are the most "peeing-y" kids ever to roam the earth...I have friends who will back me up in this. It was on this road trip that Nathan learned to pee in a bottle because Mom was not about to stop for the 20th time after having just stopped 2 minutes before and in those 2 minutes the other kids fell asleep.


I love this picture, and let me tell you why. Nathan had found "the perfect pinecone" after having ditched the first 15 "perfect pinecones" (we still have it actually...but what to do with it is the question) and Andrew was feeling left out that he didn't have anything special to hold while hiking. He didn't want to hold a pinecone because somewhere he heard or thought he heard that bees live in pinecones, so he opted for a stick. When I got out the camera to take a picture of my boys they immediately strike a pose with their treasures. Voi la.


Maggie on my back. Lovin' the do!


Nate say "cheese".


Drew say "cheeseburger".


The start of our hike to the top of Sentinel Dome. Notice the smiles on our faces? Yeah, after the 2nd mile, not really there. Although, I have to say that our two little novice hikers did a really good job. It wasn't too hard a climb for the majority of the hike and what parts there were that were hard they took it like champs. We were so happy to be together as a family in "God's Backyard" and to just enjoy the journey. Hopefully we'll get back to Yosemite before another 3 years pass.