Cowboys for a Day...

...if cowboys start their day with a dip in the pool.

After several days of seeing the sights we all needed a day to sit back, relax and eat lunch by the pool.

Isabelle couldn't wait to dive in and practice her swimming skills.

Maddy preferred floating leisurely and letting Mommy do all the work.
In the splash zone Isabelle enjoyed giving herself a colonic.

Madeleine got out of the pool early and quickly managed to arrange herself comfortably, put on her shades...

...and partake in her favorite beverage.

After we'd sufficiently recuperated we headed over to the Bar J Chuckwagon, a working cattle ranch for dinner and a show. Isabelle was on the lookout for "real live cowboys" and she hit the jackpot.

Before dinner we had some time to explore the ranch and were able to taste some yummy biscuits straight from the kettle, cooked over the open fire. There was fresh honey too, which we eagerly slathered over our biscuits. All you parents out there have probably already realized that the honey stuck around for the remainder of the evening, finding its way onto clothes and into hair. You know, all the places it should be! Wagon ride!

Another bear sighting - this time Maddy got up close and personal. I believe she's discussing proper chin care in this picture.

Maddy also modeled the latest in coonskin fashion.

Finally it was time to eat. They loaded our tin plates with barbecue beef and chicken, fresh applesauce, a baked potato, baked beans, cornbread and spice cake - just like the real cowboys eat. As you can see, Isabelle didn't waste any time digging into that applesauce.

We were then treated to a cowboy concert...

...which made Madeleine very happy.

Jackson Hole Happenings

After a very good night's sleep we took a short drive (thank goodness) over Teton Pass to explore Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Our first stop was at a kitschy children's park that had a giant maze and an area where you could pan for gems. Isabelle had a great time in the maze, hunting for clues. Alas, we do not have pictures of this fun time because a certain adult in our group (hint: it is not the author of this blog) felt the need to race his daughter through the maze and taking pictures would have slowed him down. Congratulations Jas. You beat a five-year-old.

We do have pictures of our little treasure hunt though...

Off to downtown Jackson Hole where we encountered our first bear!

Isabelle begged to have her picture taken with this prince. How could I not oblige?

Lunchtime! Are you thinking what I'm thinking? - That's a whole lot of dead elk, especially when you consider these archways were scattered throughout the city. Does PETA know about this?

In the summertime on Snow King Mountain there is a wonderful miniature golf course with waterfalls, bridges and intriguing obstacles. We played a round while waiting for the big attraction to reopen after a possible storm blew over.

Luckily the sun came out and held off the electrical storm that was brewing in the mountains. Isabelle and Jason headed up the chair lift for a wild ride down the mountain on the alpine slide.

When we got back to the hotel we couldn't keep the girls away from the pool any longer.

Spaghetti dinner at home after a long, exciting day.

All cozy, watching So You Think You Can Dance in bed. What a treat for Isabelle!

Vacation Slideshow

Go ahead and get your groans out now folks because you've just tuned in to the first of what could be many posts about the Brock Family Vacation, 2010. Let the eye rolling and snores commence!

Last summer was Maddy's first home so this was the first time all four of us were taking to the open road in pursuit of fun, scenery and relaxation. We thought a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone would be a perfect way to introduce the girls to road tripping. And who doesn't want to drive close to 2000 miles round trip with a five-year-old and 19-month-old?

Safely buckled...

...and pacified in the Swagger Wagon for the first leg of the trip. Mapquest told us it would take 7 1/2 hours to drive from Seattle to Missoula, Montana. Mapquest lied. They clearly did not figure in the numerous bathroom and meal stops needed when toting two little girls. We finally arrived after our 10-hour car ride with our two troopers who really did amazingly well. Luckily we'd arranged to stay at a hotel with an indoor water park so there would be a big fun reward at the end of the day! Vacation just shouldn't be synonymous with "strapped in a car seat".Isabelle was in heaven. This was her first water park and after trying out the kiddie slide she bravely rode down the huge one numerous times with Mommy and Daddy. Madeleine did too! They loved it so much we booked another night's stay there for our return trip.

Maddy says: "This vacation stuff is pretty awesome. I'm ready to go on day two!" We knew we had about 8 hours of driving ahead of us to get to our resort outside of Jackson Hole so we planned accordingly...

...with frequent breaks. Has anyone else out there experienced the phenomenon of vacation ice cream? I don't usually eat ice cream but somehow when on vacation I must have it - especially freshly-made from an Idaho dairy!

After another long day of driving that included a ride through a powerful electrical storm in the middle of nowhere we finally made it to Teton Springs Lodge and Spa. It was a fantastic resort nestled in the Teton Valley at the base of the Teton Mountain Range. We had a beautiful view of the mountains and golf course out our window and we were really well taken care of by the staff. Here's Isabelle to give you a tour of our suite. She has a new pose you'll be seeing frequently. Embrace it, love it, because it's here to stay.

Isabelle is standing outside our room right in front of her hideaway bed. She thought it was so cool that a bed could pull out of a wall. Maddy had her own little crib to sleep in by the window.

Posing in the girls' bathroom.

"So glad we're here!"

After donning fresh outfits it was a race to dinner!

Isabelle seems to be saying, "This vacation stuff is hard work! When do I get a break?"

After all that traveling it was so wonderful to unpack and get settled for the week ahead. Our adventure had only just begun!

A Few Weeks Ago...

...it was Isabelle's fifth birthday! On June 15th Isabelle finally (according to her) turned five. If you ask me, it came way too fast. While I really love throwing parties at home, since we'd only been in our new house for a few days, I was glad I'd reserved a spot at Color Me Mine, a paint-your-own-pottery shop. It was nice and quiet and the best part was that there was no clean-up! We just showed up with our treat bags and food and they did the rest!

Before we get to the real birthday pics., here's one of the cupcakes Isabelle brought to school for her pretend birthday. I got the idea from one of my magazines and was so excited to find lollipops in the shape of actual flowers! Thank you Michael's Crafts!

The invite.

Isabelle posing with the gift bundles we made.

Treats!

Maddy was ready to par-tay!

Isabelle with her best friend Laney and Laney's big sister Emersyn. If you're wondering why all the girls are wearing make-up it's because they came straight from ballet pictures. We really don't put lipstick and mascara on our children everyday. :)

Pottery selection begins.

Time for a break to play Ring Around the Rosie.

Maddy loved getting in on this action!

Isabelle got to take home a commemorative plate with her hand print in the middle. Each of her friends stamped their thumbprint which were later turned into butterflies with their names. Too cute!

There was even time for painting on bracelets.

Yay for jewelry! - Even the smeary kind.

We're heading out tomorrow for our big road trip to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. Stay tuned for Isabelle's ballet recital and vacation pictures. And, if you're so inclined, send some good thoughts our way. We are taking on a 14-hour road trip with a very opinionated, needs her own way right now, 19-month-old. Yikes!