Exhaustion hits hard and fast!!

So I know I said I would post pics today but it's not going to happen. I made it to Ontario, OR! 6 more hrs and I will be home. I contemplated just pushing on and driving through. However, thanks to my family and friends for lecturing me to do otherwise I decided to get some sleep tonight. Boy am I glad I followed their advice. I got to my room made the necessary calls to the fam and now my eyes are having a hard time staying open. While tomorrow brings with it the long awaited home coming it also brings a morning without my sis, bro, and nephew. My morning routine with Booger face that always elicits a smile from that little cherub is going to deeply missed and the beloved naps! My sis and Bill have been angels in disguise for the past 2 1/2 yrs and I don't know how I am going to handle life without the daily laughs we enjoy. I had a really hard time saying goodbye to them today. I can't possibly thank them enough for the lessons they've taught me, the good times we had, and the love we shared. Okay I have to stop because if I go to sleep crying I am going to be all stuffy in the morning. I can't wait for this next month to go by so I can see them all again.
I promise tomorrow will bring with it a good post describing the last 24 hr plus the next as well a pics!!
Must sleep now.
Love to all!

Day 2 in the park!

Today started out a little slow. We started out by heading up towards Mammoth and Tower. The Dunraven pass is closed but we are all okay with it. In my opinion it is the least exciting part of the park. The tourons were heavy today. Stopping in the middle of the road to get a picture of one of the million bison in the park and holding up traffic when there is a pull out 25' up the road. Very annoying. However my favorite touron experience happened later this afternoon, I will explain later in my post. We stopped in Tower to feed Dillon and give ourselves a little potty break. Having lived in Casper for the past 2 1/2 yrs has really jaded me to the experience of seeing the great Prong Horn antelope. It is amazing we had a near miss with a couple people stopping in the middle of the road to see a whopping 7 of them. However they are beautiful creatures as well as the fastest land mammal on this continent. It just so happens though that 90% of their population lives within 50 mi of Casper so we see them literally everyday!
After Tower we decided to head back to Mammoth to see the Great Horned Owl that lives there. We have some amazing pics from last years trip and added a few more today. Between Mammoth and Norris there have been many sightings of Grizzly bears so we were hopeful that we would be able to catch one. WITH OUR CAMERA NOT OUR BAIT! (Bait is what Dillon was referred to as today!) We unfortunately missed out. Aftert Norris we headed back over to Hayden Valley where there is said to be many bears and even a wolf den! There were many cars ahead, we were getting excited... more buffalo! Again a gaggle of cars more than we had seen together at once in the park this trip. Excitement. We park. We scan. We overhear a gentleman explaining what all the hubub is about. "Alright you see that gravel bar in the middle of the river (this is already across quite a distance) not the first one but the second one. Yeah there is a white stick in it. Okay go straight up from that to the second level of sage grass. There's a black dot. Do you see it? That is the back of a grizzly he killed two bison calves earlier and has bedded down there to eat. He lift his head up every now and then." We stopped to see a black dot. JOY OH JOY. But we'll still count it. We headed back to Fishing Bridge to let Dillon eat again (it has been 4 hrs at this point since we stopped in Mammoth.) Bummed and all feeling a little edgy we decided to give Sedge Bay another shot. It is past Fishing Bridge and somewhat out of the way however, we are glad we did! There were cars gathered but not for a dot. There was a Grizzly on the side of the road trying to dig up some tasty morsels. Finally saw a bear. We captured some great pics and headed back toward Canyon to go home. Shortly after leaving Fishing Bridge we encountered another Grizzly but this time we had the most amazing Touron experience! People stopped in the middle of the road ABANDONING their cars. This was on a very narrow two way road. With no way around we sat. I got out of the car because at this point we still didn't know what it was that was causing the jam. I saw the Grizzly took a few pics and jumped back in the car. TWO close bear sightings and one dot! Great way to end the day. We did stop and take pics of the Wolf den. No wolves though. To end the evening we stopped and picked up BBQ. Ribs for dinner. Yummy!


My comp is being super stupid and I need to sleep. I will try to post pics tomorrow. Sorry! LOVE YOU ALL!

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Martin Luther

So we started out late this morning. Well, I didn't, I was in the shower at 0630. Not sure why but I have always enjoyed getting the day started early when I am on vacation. My windshield wipers and Jen's were both starting to fall apart so we decided we would try find an auto-parts to fix them. Guess what! In case you weren't aware it is a holiday weekend and those stores in Jackson are closed. AWESOME! Bill was able to jerry-rig mine last night with some neon green duct tape I just happen to keep in my car. I am not sure how but he fixed Jen's too... in the parking lot of NAPA shortly after we read the sign that stated they were closed to observe this holiday. Jackson was also having a parade of some sort in the down town. If you aren't familiar there is only one main road into Jackson from the Tetons which means there is only one main road out. This just happens to go right through the heart of Jackson where all the tourons (Tourist/Morons) were preparing to watch said parade and shop, for things they could probably find anywhere else at prices that wouldn't choke a horse, were convening. Bill figured out a back road we could take to Chucks house and would drop us on to the main road while allowing us to bypass the cluster F that was downtown. For the future if you don't mind a scenic country drive and a few miles of dirt road and want to avoid downtown Jackson, Spring Gulch Drive is the road you want! If you know anything about me you should know that I love back roads and, with the exception of one trip to Dillon, MT, I love a good dirt or gravel road.

The clouds were low this morning so the Tetons were veiled in a shroud of white. If I hadn't seen them before I probably would have been disappointed however, I've seen them quite a few times and I will have another chance on Monday when I drive back to get my car. Anyway, Chuck and Barbara live near the Jackson airport and and have an unobstructed view of the mountains. One that I imagine would be breathtaking looking out the floor to ceiling windows of their log home. I must say I am envious! However, I am pretty sure what they had to pay to build that where it is would probably make God cry. Seriously I can't imagine. They said that yesterday they had a ton of bison roaming in their yard and the fields around their house and Chuck said he has watched thousands (literally) of Elk migrate through his yard as well. After a lengthy and somewhat reluctant coffee break we hit the road.

To start we took the Antelope flats loop that Jen and I have partially navigated from both ends never realizing it was just a loop and that if we kept going we would end up back on the main road and not in deliverance country! We saw many bison and a few elk. Sadly no moose :(

We finally entered the park and made our way to Signal MT lodge where we had an awesome lunch. I had the "Hidden Falls Hummus," which was a pita stuffed with red pepper hummus, cucumber salad, and feta cheese. I also had sweet potato fries on the side and ice tea to drink. HEAVEN!!!

We didn't see much wild life today. Bison including a "red dogie" (baby bison calf), Elk, a pelican, a bald eagle, and a beaver. When I type it out it sound like more. Our goals are always the big things ie, grizzlies, wolves, or  moose. However, I do love all animals and secretly I still get excited about bison and elk no matter how many millions of them we see. We stopped at the Fishing Bridge gift shop our favorite one out of all the gift shops here. Yeah it was snowing... a lot. We have been to Yellowstone many times but never while it was snowing it is like seeing it for the first time. Truly a work of God!

Oh back to Grand Teton National Park Bill wanted me to mention that we parked next to Billy Bob Thornton. Not really. Remember the "wildlife" is not limited to four-legged beings the ones on two can be just as much and sometime more interesting to watch! LOL!

We ended our day here in West Yellowstone, MT and had a bison burgers (yes, morbid, I know!) for dinner. NUMMERS! However, we were treated to some of the worst customer service by the hostess who obviously need a few in the walk-in. She was stressed I know but rudeness doesn't get very far with this family!


I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.  ~George Washington Carver








Anyway here are a few pics of yesterday and today. Enjoy!

Made it to Jackson!

This is going to be short because I am tired! We left a little late today around 4. Stopped in Riverton for dinner and gas and then forged on. Had to deal with snow, lots of it, over Togwotee pass. Prior to Dubois we saw a bunch of deer and on the way up the pass we saw a moose! This trip is off to a great start! Yes I will admit traveling with an 6 mo old has its challenges but I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Oh and the desk clerk at our hotel apparently gave Jen a hard time because of my Barrel racing window decals. Jen thinks he thinks he is Matthew McConnahey sp? Anyway I am going to get ready for bed now and try and catch some zzz's so my animal eyes are spot on tomorrow.
Goodnight my lovelies!

Love you all!

Dillon it napping and I am jumping at the opportunity!

So I haven't been on here in the past few days. Not a whole lot happening other than the usual, watching Dillon, family time, thinking very hard about packing but not, and helping get the garden up and going. Yesterday, I organized a little lunch for some friends so I could say good-bye. It was fun to see my friends one last time even though I felt like the convo focused on something I wish it wouldn't have. But oh, well. I am leaving tomorrow and I won't have to talk about that topic anymore. I was pleased that I wasn't getting all sad and sappy but that was until Christine came back to the car for one last hug and goodbye and Shelly said it was good getting to know you. I started to get a little teary but held myself together. I would like to think that I will stay in touch with all of my friends and they with me however, I have friends that have moved away and we rarely talk anymore. I am hoping my blogging will help us all stay in touch. Also I don't think any of us have been through something as torturous as nursing school and we all made it together. I for one couldn't have done it without them so maybe our bond is a strong enough to withstand long distance.

I must admit that the past few days of watching Dillon have been a little rough, especially today. Not because of anything he is doing but everyday it seems I have this realization that this will all be over soon. Gone are the days of me getting to play all day, Gone are the morning and afternoon cuddle naps that I have come to love so much (let's not kid ourselves here I have always loved naps and I will probably continue to take them, but I'm afraid it just won't be the same with out my precious angel.) Gone is the little family I have enjoyed being a part of so much. Now I am smart enough to know they are not gone for real and I get to see them a lot over the next year. (I'm pretty sure God had a hand in the timing of all this) However, I can't escape the feeling that I am going to miss out on so much. I have lived in WY since the month before Jen and Bill were married and I have live in this house since before Dillon was born I have watched them grow as a family and I must say I can only hope I am as happy with my new life as they are with theirs. I have learned so much from them and they have been a source of constant support for the past 2 1/2 years. It is going to be very hard for me to drive the opposite direction on Mon.

That said I am super excited at the same time. My life is a roller-coaster. This whole thing is bittersweet. I am stoked to start my life with CJ. We have been apart so long that we both agree that acclimating to one another is going to be fun and challenging. I'm always up for a challenge! We aren't using a step system here, we are going from only talking on the phone to living together. We keep asking the other if they're prepared for this and both of us are. I think it is going to be hilarious! He might want to wear a cup or something I'm afraid that since I will have my human punching bag back he might be in for a little pain. (Please note I do NOT condone partner abuse) We are a couple that enjoys wrestling and sometimes we get pretty physical. To the point of bruises but, none of it is out of anger. It is all fun and we are both consenting.

Well I think my little booger face is awake so I should go and play while I can.

What the helicobacter pylori!!!

It is May 24th. While not technically summer it should, in my opinion, feel like it or at least like spring. Nope the mountain has a fresh blanket of snow and all it did to day was pour rain, blow like the dickens, and thunder.
*Tangent* What exactly does blow like the dickens even mean? I mean was there a family that just sucked so much that people said they blew? I can think of a family like that but I won't mention any names! LOL! Or is this a long lost word that is only used as slang and the only reason that it exists in modern speech is because people have a tendency to take on other peoples phrases? This one being from their grandparents!
*End Tangent*

Today Dillon and I had a tuff morning we were running very low on milk which made a trip to the NCSD necessary so he could see his mom. This afternoon though we had a lovely long relaxing cuddly nap! He is the best of all cuddlers out their!

In other news, today marks the 19th anniversary of my father's death. It is amazing to think that what feels like yesterday was almost 2 decades ago! While I miss him very much, I am grateful for the life I've had. I have had 2 amazing fathers and while losing my first was and continues to be hard I love my father Randy so much. He stepped in and took me in like his own, he has done what I think my father would have. Well I am going to relax a bit and then hit the hay so I can be fresh for my little Dillon B. Monster tomorrow!

Happy B-day to ME!

So today I turned 27. Yeah so much better than 26 or 28... definitely the best of all the 20's. At least that is what I am telling myself. My wonderful sis made me blueberry muffins and she and Dillon delivered them to my dungeon (the basement) which was so nice of them. As my birthday present Bill kindly tasted the OJ I want to drink to make sure it was still okay. Such a sweetheart!  Then I reigned down my wrath on  my stuff in the garage and managed to consolidate it from 4 huge boxes and 2 random bags, to 2 medium boxes and 1 small box. May not seem like a big deal to you but for this self admitted Level 1 hoarder it is! Then I helped work on the new garden a little. After we finished our work we went to dinner at the Outback to celebrate...well...ME, OF COURSE! Anyway we are about to start watching our last episode of our favorite show LOST! So I have to adjourn for the evening!
TOO-DA-LOO!

27?! Really?

Have you stepped back and said holy metal batman I am turning 27 tomorrow and what do I have to show for it?! That is just what I did tonight. I can't believe that tomorrow is my 27th birthday and all I have to show for it is an associates degree and an annoying habit of procrastination. I'm moving back to Oregon to start my life. I have been saying that for 10 years. "Tomorrow is a new day and the day I will start over and change everything." I actually did it when I moved out here to go to school. Now I have accomplished what I came here to do. It is crazy that while I see it as a massive accomplishment it is never good enough. I see all these people around me that have all of these great qualities. Families, careers, friendships, etc. I realize that even though I have a degree, I haven't found a job, I don't know where I am going to live, and I still don't have my paperwork in to take my NCLEX. I get so frustrated with myself and I hate it. I know I have friends, a great family and a great career waiting in front of me but why has it taken me so long to get here. I have to start realizing I am enough, and the only one that defines "enough" is me. WHINE WHINE WHINE BLAH BLAH BLAH! Okay Meg quit your bitching and just do something about it already!
Here I go!

Can you believe I've made it two days in a row?!!!

Today I am going to work on packing the rest of my crap for my big trip home. We leave on Fri for Jackson and then we are going to Yellowstone for a couple days. I am going to leave my car in Jackson while we're in Yellowstone so on the way back to Casper Jen and Bill are going to drop me off at my car in Jackson and they will head home while I head to Oregon. This is going to be a very bittersweet trip. I am so excited about going home but leaving the two (now three) people that I love so much is breaking my heart. I am so grateful that I have this amazing family. It saddens me that not everyone has the connection my family does. I want them all in one place so I don't have to feel like I am missing out on their lives. Who knew day-to-day life could be so full of fun and that I wouldn't want to miss anything. I used to make excuses to get away from my family but that was before I knew what I was missing. My dream was always to move away on my own or with Ashley and start a whole new life with people that didn't already have their minds made up about me. Now that I have, I realize that I have been truly blessed by the life the Lord has given me.  Well it is time for us to go shopping so I have to end this. Maybe more tonight or tomorrow. I really am going to make this a regular thing this time! 

Finally!

Yeah so my resolution back in October to maintain a regular blog schedule didn't happen. For good reason though! LOL! I was super busy finishing this thing called Nursing school! I am happy to say I am officially a college graduate and getting ready to take my NCLEX! The last year was both extremely difficult and a blast at the same time! In Nov (on Thanksgiving actually) my sister gave birth to a baby boy Dillon Benjamin. I love my nephew SOOOO much! I never thought it was possible to love someone this much! Not that I don't love everyone else including CJ it is just a whole new type of love! It practically hurts I love him so much.
As of right now I am getting ready to move back to OR. I leave next Fri. It is going to be so hard to leave my family and the friends I made here but I am so excited to move home. CJ and I are planning on finding a place of our own and both of us are excited to start our lives together. I am a little worried about the blending though. Not that I think anything will break us, we are stronger than ever and I am crazy in love with this man, it is just so much is happening this year that we will already be stressed so combining our two lives may be a little harder than I thought.

Oh by the way watch out for me I am officially part of the "Bad Girls Club"! LOL! I received a call from the Casper PD stating that if I didn't leave this girl alone I was going to be charged with harassment and stalking. A restraining order would be filed and I wouldn't be getting my RN license! I have done nothing to this girl. She and my other friend were in this huge fight a long time ago but I remained friends with both of them... that is until the one filing charges quit talking to me. The real crappy part of it all is she lives across the street from me! The fact that she couldn't just talk to me and chose to call the cops due to a general statement on Facebook is absolute ridiculousness! Some people's kids I tell ya!!! Oh yeah and I am pretty sure she is the one that got me in trouble with the school. That is a whole other story that I am too sick of talking about to type it up here.

Anyway that is my life as it stands right now. GOOD TIMES!!!