The 4th...Cody Style

Well the Griswolds loaded up the family truckster and headed out west to Cody for the 4th. We had Jan and I, the boys, my mom (Mary Jo) and Bentley! All packed into our van complete with the rocket box adorning the roof.



We had a fabulous week out in Cody. I got to take my mom to a lot of the "tourist" spots, which I enjoy seeing every now and then - plus I talked the locals (Jan, Betsy, and Betty) into going into Yellowstone for a day and taking a ride over the Beartooths! I'll warn you now...this is not my typical post, it has a ton of pictures!! We just did too much to skip any of it.

Jan's Grandma taught us how to pick spinach in the garden.


The boys each got to ride with Granny B in the parade - and she won first place in single hitch of course!! This was the day that Cayden and Paige got to ride with Granny B and Char (Betsy's good friend).


The cousins got to hang out and play - here are Dylan and Cayden with our niece Paige enjoying some shaved ice.


The boys loved feeding the animals. Grandpa Dan was helping Dylan pick grass to feed to the mule.



Grandpa Dan had a little golf clinic with the boys. I love this shot because Dylan is just walking along and has no idea he is losing his clubs.


Dylan and Cayden getting pointers.


We headed over the Beartooths, which is my favorite mountain pass!


Sometimes my mom missed the views for the flowers... :)



She had a great time out there with everyone and doing all our adventures.


We all had an ice cream treat in Red Lodge, MT.


We loaded up the van for a quick trip through Yellowstone...5 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs...we were packed tight but we managed from 9 am to midnight!

The boys with Granny B at the West Thumb Geyser Basin.



Evidence that my mom made it to Old Faithful...which isn't as faithful has it used to be we found out. But we did get to see it...twice.


Everyone standing at the brink of the lower falls.



We got to see a whole herd of buffalo cross the river from close up. It was awesome.


And the crowning moment as we were leaving Yellowstone - we finally got to see a Grizzly. It was really dark so it was hard to get a picture but we watched him dig around for food about 30 feet off the road for 15 minutes. When Jan saw him and said there was a Grizzly I tried to grab the camera so fast I dumped all the crackers on the floor! The boys were a little nervous at first because they were eating meat and cheese and "Grizzly's like to eat meat". :) By the time we were about to leave they both had their heads out the sunroof with me trying to get a good look.



The boys loved to ride Smokey.


We took the opportunity at Bill and Betty's 60th wedding anniversary party (Congrats Grandma and Papa) for a family photo.


Dylan hanging out with Grandma waiting for his turn on Smokey.


Granny B and Dylan hanging out on the porch.


It's always fun to go back to Cody for the 4th!!

On the way home we met with Rick, Josephine, Nan, and Phyllis for a picnic at the Boysen Reservoir.

Nan and the boys.



We also decided to drive through the Badlands since my mom hadn't ever had a chance to see it very well (it was foggy the other time she tried). The boys thought it looked pretty cool.


They, of course, loved the part where we got to climb all over the hills. Bentley appreciated the walk also.


CCV