Great Adventure - Day 10 & 11

Sunday, June 28th - We said our reluctant goodbyes and left at 8:15 am. Our goal for the day - Ogden, UT. Saturday night, I realized we'd be driving home along the Oregon trail and that there's a Junior Ranger badge for that. So, I printed the papers for the kids to work on along the way. But, alas, the site we wanted to visit was closed due to COVID-19. We ate our picnic lunch as close as we could get to the trail site. But then, we didn't have time to find another good site to stop.

The first part of the drive was pretty barren. But, around lunch time, we started to see beautiful landscapes again.

Around 5:00 pm 

Around 8:00 pm - almost to our hotel in Ogden, UT

Monday, June 29th - Ogden, UT to home! Cold and raining when we arrived in Ogden, cold and raining when we left.

We saw so many beautiful landscapes, mountains, waterfalls, geothermal features, wildlife! And, we enjoyed our family time! So, glad we went! So, thankful for this great adventure! And, thankful for home sweet home!

Great Adventure - Day 9

Saturday, June 27th - Bill's Berry Farm in Grandview, WA. What's a trip to Washington without some fruit picking?! Fresh homemade donuts and tire swing fun - first!

Bing and Van red cherries, apricots, Rainier cherries, blueberries, blackberries, and red and black raspberries.

So much fun to pick your own!

We loved this place - such a nice family owned business!

 Lovely

Enough to share!

We saw these hops farms everywhere we went - I finally remembered to get a picture. So interesting to see how things grow.

Stopped in Zillah, WA on the way home to visit this famous Teapot Gas station. Built in 1922 on Route 12, served as service station until 2006. Moved to this location in 2012.

After lunch, Kellen got to work on his Rainier Delight jelly - apricots, red cherries, Rainier cherries, blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries (that Katie had bought and made jelly with Wednesday night).

Some play dough time with Owen while waiting the or the sugar to mix into the fruit and the pectin to boil. Then, ready to add the pectin.

"Horton Hears a Who!" movie and dot painting rounded out the afternoon.

After dinner, Uncle David graciously took the kids to the fishing pond at Yakima Training Center, where he works. They didn't catch anything, but it was a fun way to end our time together. Kellen had been wanting to fish for weeks.

Great Adventure - Day 8

Friday, June 26th - Mt Rainier National Park is only about an hour and a half away from my brother-in-law and sister's house. I had thought about the possibility of adding this national park into our trip, but wasn't exactly sure how far away it was, and wasn't sure if they'd want to go. So, I was delighted when they suggested it! They had never been before, either. As we were getting ready to leave, Katie asked, "Should we bring P A N D Y?" (Owen's favorite stuffed animal.) Owen said, "Pandy! I need Pandy!" So very cute!!

Gorgeous day, gorgeous drive!

We were excited to see a makeshift Ranger station set up at the Grove of the Patriarchs trailhead. The kids were able to get Junior Ranger workbooks to work on - this was great because the Mt Rainier book is not available online like the other parks we visited this trip. Ranger Matt stopped, visited with us, and told us some interesting things about Mt Rainier.

Amazing trees all around!

Such a cool trail - walking under trees

Kellen was really into jumping pictures this trip.

Swinging bridge - recommended one person at a time

This uprooted tree was the perfect fit for Kellen

The only picture of all of us that turned out well

Amazing - Western Red Cedars

Power stance

1,000 year old twin Douglas Firs

3 years old, 9 years old, 13 years old, and 1,000 years old!

Huge trunk perspective!

See water, must get in! Sooo cold!! 

Ohanapecosh River 

 Owen was a super hiker of this 1.5 mile hike!

So fun to get an in-person Junior Ranger badge this trip! The others, we had to mail in the completed booklet and wait to get the badge in the mail.

The Rangers were really helpful and suggested Silver Falls trail for us to do next and it was right across the street!

Gorgeous trail with water all around.

Simply incredible falls!

Attempted family photo - can you find Owen?

We loved Silver Falls

Pretty girl/silly girl

A little break before heading back - another 0.6 miles for Owen by the time we got back!

The trees, the falls, the color of the water - we loved Mt Rainier National Park!

We stopped at some turnouts on the way back - stunning landscapes! Home again around 6 pm, a delicious spaghetti dinner, showers, and bed! Another amazing day!