Yellowstone, Part 1

This week we had the opportunity (and challenge!) of spending some time camping in Yellowstone. I've never really been there so I was super excited but nervous about taking Lucy on her first camping trip. Well, overall the trip was great, but there were definitely some bumps along the way. We left Monday early morning and headed north. We stopped in Idaho Falls and spent some time stretching the legs at the temple. From there we headed to Rexburg, Spencer's old college stomping ground. We checked out the new temple and toured campus. We had a picnic lunch and tried to tire out Lucy so she'd sleep a bit more in the car. Then we headed the rest of the way into Yellowstone. By the time we got there we were very ready to get out of the car. We set up camp (an adventure in and of itself when you've got a one-year-old walking, and falling, around), made dinner, and watched a ranger talk on the early explorers in the area. By the end of the day we had learned that we had to divide and conquer in order to make camping with Lucy work. Within an hour or two of arriving she had skinned both a knee and a hand. We learned one of us had to focus on her while the other did the camping part. She also learned to ask for help up and down the asphalt so she wouldn't fall anymore. Tuesday we went for a hike to an overlook of Yellowstone Lake. Lucy slept the whole way up in her backpack. The view was amazing and the hike was beautiful. It was nice to get in some good exercise. That afternoon, my dad got married. He and Patti had their wedding on the porch of Yellowstone Lodge, on the banks of Yellowstone Lake. It was a beautiful day and the view was nice. It was a fun afternoon and evening, complete with the ceremony, toasts, cake, and bike ride. We finished the night with a wienie and marshmallow roast. We also met the resident bison in our campground, who was hanging out in the meadow nearby. The next afternoon I actually walked right by him on my way to the bathroom without realizing it. Once I did, I was a bit shaken.
The nights were super cold up there. We were not prepared. Next time we will bring coats and beanies. To help with the cold, we got Lucy this cute little moose beanie. Doesn't she look adorable?! :)