Yellowstone National Park

I completely underestimated Yellowstone. Months ago, I put it on our "map" as one of the cultural sights that the kids simply must see. Even though I knew it was the first National Park in basically the whole world and that many people had already described it as a place of great beauty and wonder, I mistakenly thought it was a smallish touristy type place largely dominated by Old Faithful. On the day we arrived we marched straight up to the massive viewing area about 3 minutes before an eruption. Indeed, within 3 minutes the geyser erupted and shot an amazing amount of steam and water high up into the air. The kids were shocked, spellbound and eager to stay to see the next eruption 80 minutes later. I thought, "Great, check this off the list and on we go...." But first we headed back to the visitor center to get all of the Jr. Ranger and Young Scientist worksheets. At Yellowstone, we discovered you can also check out a backpack which has a supercool thermal radar like thermometer. This gun like device allows you (or in this case the kids) to zip close to a high spring, geyser, or mud pot, aim the red laser light from the gun at the target, mash the button and presto the digital read out displays the temperature. I can't describe how neat this was. Right beside Old Faithful is a huge serious of thermal oddities right alongside a boardwalk. The kids zipped up and down going from geyser to mud pot to hot spring recording their temperatures. Even the ground near the geysers were hot AND many of the geysers changed temperature just before eruption. Nate, of course, was less than enthralled... the whole place smelled a bit like day old, slightly rotten boiled eggs. He kept yelling, "STINKY VOLCANOES!" everywhere we went. It was pretty cold here, snow still on the ground in places, so Joe and Louisa gloried in standing in the midst of various warm (but stinky) steam showers. In one place getting so steamy that their hair was wet afterwards! That first day we managed to see Old Faithful erupt three times, a definite highlight of the whole trip. But what to do the next day? More geysers! Nate was horrified, but on we went mile after mile of eruptions and bubbling brews. An amazingly huge fairy tale land of steam and brilliant blues, greens and whites. And then, on a lark, we stopped to see the upper and lower falls. It was as if time stood still for all of us. A beautiful canyon of yellow stone. I had no idea. At the far end a huge beautiful waterfall. This was one of those scenes to stare at for hours and still not be satisfied. So we saw no bears, not even one. But hundreds of buffalo and just like the cows in BGO, they ended up on the road stopping traffic! Yet another taste of home for the kids as we continue to connect with God's creation on this side of the ocean.