Yosemite

I know I said I’d do a separate post about Scott's new job but since I’m leery about sharing too much personal info on the web (well other than the personal info that nobody wants to hear about) I 've realized I shouldn't mention what company he’s working for or where the company is or even what he’s doing for them (that last one is only because he’s not exactly sure what he’s doing for them yet). Anyway the main thing is that he’s finally working! The company is nearby so he has an extremely short commute. And after being off for so long, he seems to be getting back into the swing of things and is enjoying it so far. I probably don't have to tell you that I'm thrilled to be returning to life as usual.

The day he got the job he said, “We might as well sell the van. We’ll never use it again.” If I ever wonder where Amanda got her flair for the dramatic I think we have our answer right there. So before he returned to work we took one last camping trip. At least that’s what Scott kept calling it.

We went to Yosemite which was amazingly beautiful, as always, but to be perfectly honest, we didn't always take the time to enjoy the scenery as much as I would like. I remember talking to a park ranger once who said there are two types of tourists: the kind that stops and immerses himself in his surroundings and really takes it all in and the kind who stops only long enough to take a few photos so he can say, “I was here.”

I’d like to think we lean more toward the first kind of tourist but these days we have to make a decision about whether dragging two kids out and then back into their carseats and the possible drama that goes with it is worthwhile. Definitely can’t totally blame it on having kids because I remember taking a long road trip with Scott many years ago when not stopping the car for spectacular scenery became a running joke. We would say things like, “Look! It’s Hoover Dam! You can see everything you need to see if you will quickly turn your head and look out the back window of the car. Oh, too bad. You missed it.”

So here, in no particular order are a few highlights from our Yosemite trip (aka our last camping trip ever):

• Stopping on the side of the road so Amanda could play in a bit of snow! She said she was making ice cream for the animals.
• Amanda thrilled to discover a fallen tree making a bridge across a ditch behind our campsite spent much of her time practicing her “tightrope walk”.
• Alyssa throwing herself into a mud puddle about 10 minutes after I changed her into a clean outfit.
• Lunch at the top of Vernal Falls, enjoying every little thing after that LONG hike: the food, sitting, shade, the amazing view, taking a break at last.
• Amanda narrating in great detail, for all to hear, everything that went on each time we used the restroom. Asking whether I planned to poop or pee and announcing, “Look! I did a small poop like a jelly bean!”
• Scott discovering after repeated tries that the charcoal would not light and sending me off in search of something flammable. Yes, the bug spray saved dinner! And in case you’re wondering, there’s a very subtle difference between mesquite flavor and mosquito spray flavor.
• Scott looking in the rear view mirror and reporting, as I was changing CDs, that Alyssa was sound asleep. Then as the music started, looking back to see her whip her eyes open and start dancing in her car seat.
• Amanda after complaining much of the way to Vernal Falls, “I’m tired and hungry and I just want to be back at the van!” seeming almost as unhappy on the way back because she was having so much fun she didn’t want to leave.
• Scott offering his impressions on the beautiful Mirror Lake (he and Amanda biked there on our first night): “Small and uh… yeah pretty, I guess. People swim in it in the summer.”
• Amanda after falling down the fourth or fifth time on our hike: “I sure have banged up this knee a lot. It’s good that I have another one!”
• Watching the sun set on Half Dome while being serenaded by a bag-pipe player.
• Laying in the pitch-black darkness between the girls, trying to get them to sleep. Complete silence for a long time. And then from out of nowhere a loud giggle from Alyssa followed by a louder giggle from Amanda followed by the entire van shaking with laughter. Guess the joke was on me. I really thought they were asleep!
• The sad moment we discovered that the fudgesicles Grandpa sent with us had melted before we could eat them.
• Alyssa waking us all up at 7:30 by saying loudly, “DA?” and then going right back to sleep.
• Managing to get camp packed up by 9:59am with a minute to spare before check-out time. A personal best.
• Amanda, when asked how many waterfalls we saw this trip: “One, two, three, four… I don’t know. I was asleep a lot.”
• “Woopty-woos” – Scott’s term for those stretches of road that make your tummy feel funny as if it’s suspended in air for a second before it drops down with the rest of your body.
• Upon seeing the breathtaking Yosemite Falls… Me: “Wow Amanda, isn’t it beautiful!?!” Amanda: “Yeah, it’s pretty. Can we go now?”