Yosemite has our hearts

This is a miss mash of all the rest of our favorite Yosemite photos spread over most of the week. Some of these photos are my favorites of all. The one above, playing in a meadow at sunset with towering El Capitan  looming over us. El Capitan is three times taller than the World Trade Center was, it is MASSIVE.

Both kids and their mama. ;)

Both kids were able to pick out a new toy at the visitors' center, so the raccoon and squirrel went everywhere with us.

One thing we were most excited about was swimming in the Merced River. This river is deep, and cold and absolutely stunning. The water is emerald. When I got married in Yosemite I seriously considered wedding photos on the banks of the Merced (now I wish I had!).

Our favorite beach is in the shadow of El Capitan. Not sure if you can see that rock in the middle of the river, but we've been visiting that rock since I first came to Yosemite when I was 15. It's in the middle of a deep part of the river and requires swimming to get to it. Once there it is the BEST rock to jump off of. When I was getting my laser eye surgery ten years ago they told me to just relax and imagine somewhere that made me feel peaceful, I spent the entire hour surgery imaging I was lying on that rock, in the sunshine, so it feels extra special to me.

I begged the family to join me out there on my favorite rock, but man the water is cold! Only James went out there with me. He's my best adventure buddy. He's always up for something exciting. And he jumped off with me too!

We spent hours on this sandy beach. Playing, swimming, splashing, enjoying.

It doesn't even look real when you're standing there.

Another day we went to a different beach and the kids loved this log that had fallen across the river.

All these little ladybugs had landed on the log and they both spent so much time "rescuing" them.

E didn't want to swim or get wet so he found another log and enjoyed his book.

I never don't want to swim. I ALWAYS want to swim. This reminds me a lot of this photo from Teton National Park two years ago.

On our last night there we went to The Ahwahnee to have a fancy dinner and enjoy the historic lodge where we were married.

The Ahwahnee is everything a historic hotel and lodge should be. It's grand and fancy and stunning. The entire building (and even its name) is inspired by the Native Americans that originally lived in Yosemite Valley. These historic chairs were specifically designed for Ahwahnee, they tip back letting the gust view the amazing Native American paintings on the ceiling above.

Look at how grand this fireplace is!

Can you see the stained glass above the windows? And the ceiling? It's hard to get an idea how large this room is, but it's just so grand!

Everyone packed one fancy outfit for our evening at The Ahwahnee.

This love was all smiles while we explored the grounds. We walked over to the Merced River and watched the deer that hung around the grounds.

Soon it was time to go into the stunning restaurant. Luckily we made dinner reservations a week earlier, everything was booked! 

We decided on the cheese plate for an appetizer and joked it could feed six people. Luckily we ate almost all of it. 

While eating dinner this tiny baby fawn followed her mama out of the grass, we watched them throughout dinner and couldn't get over how tiny she was. 

We asked James to snap a photo where we said "I do". Thanks kiddo.

This is the room where we danced and had appetizers all those years ago.

Until next time Awhanee.

On the last day of our vacation, we said goodby to our little condo that we stayed in and took the long road back through the high country. We decided to eat lunch at Tenaya Lake. What a spectacular place to spend our last meal! 

 STUNNING.

Yosemite High Country

Due to the fact that we drove to Yosemite and entered on the east side of the park, we were able to experience high country both the day we arrived and the day we left. Yosemite is so large, that visiting this area is very much worth it, but it's hours from Yosemite Valley. But due to how far away it is (and closer to the Nevada side vs. the busier California side) it is much less busy and equally stunning.

We asked a ranger at the Tuolumne Meadows Visitors' Center where would be a good place to take the kids and play in the water. She suggested we follow Lyell River upstream where the river flows over a granite shelf.

It was an amazing suggestion, because that was just it, the crystal clear water flowed fast in places, and slow in others over a huge solid piece of granite. Small swimming holes were formed beside the main current. The water was so clear it didn't look real, and cold!

 The river is in the shadow of Lembert Dome, another huge piece of solid granite.

Some areas the water was fast and swift, and other areas it skimmed over the granite in a lazy pace. Everywhere little waterfalls formed and this waterfall loving boy never ever wanted to leave.

So many spots to explore!

In areas where the water was slow, little pot holes would fill with water and warm up in the sun. The kids called these their hot tubs.

Look at the color of that water! Emerald! E and I kept commenting that it didn't even look real, everything looked too perfect.

 Lots of logs to balance on.

 And rivers to ford. Such a good beginning, and end, to our vacation.

Yosemite for our TEN YEAR anniversary!

Wow, I've really fallen off the blogging wagon, haven't I?! We've been SO BUSY this summer, lakes and rivers and hikes and swimming lessons. The gym and the garden. By evening I just want to relax and read, so alas, my blog has been pushed to the back burner. The far far back burner.

But we went to Yosemite last week with the kids and had an incredible time. I want to blog more of the days because vacation blogging is something I do often read and look back on. 

Until then, here are a couple of my favorite photos. Ahh, Yosemite, you are good to us.

Easter Day!

Easter was the best this year, truly. We could have had a bit warmer and sunnier, but otherwise it was such a good day start to finish. 

We started the morning with Easter baskets and inside the baskets were only a few small toys. But there was a clue leading them to a location with one larger present. This was James's face when he saw the Lego set he wanted desperately but wasn't expecting. 

Juliet got a leopard "soft friend" who hasn't left her side since Easter day.

A few candies and chocolates, some seeds for the garden, sidewalk chalk and blueberries.

He couldn't wait to get building. And even though this was a set for 8-14 year olds, he only needed help a few times.

And it wasn't really warm enough for sidewalk chalk, but when you've got bunny jammies and slippers, anything is possible. ;)

Once dressed we modeled a bit in front of the forsythia.

She is such a good model. But look at that sad face! Maybe I told her I didn't like where she was standing?

Soon the house filled with brunch guests. We were hoping to host in the backyard, but alas, not quite warm enough.

Melissa is a kitty whisperer.

Juliet was SO MUCH more social at this party than every before. Yea!

Breakfast was AMAZING. The strada was out of this world good and my mom's homemade sweet rolls...

My four sibs, all in a line. Me, Brandon, Melissa, Chandler.

And my mom the Easter Bunny had a chance to hide more baskets plus tons of eggs in the backyard for the kids to have another hunt!

Everyone was so interested to see what the kids got.

Full house! Seriously such fun.

Brandon had an app on his phone that delighted James and Juliet, and he played with them the majority of the time.

After a quick quiet time we drove up to Midway to join E's family for dinner. Chelsea and Joe hosted, which was extremely nice of them, due to the fact that Chelsea is 17 weeks pregnant! 

After (more!) Easter baskets were explored we started the annual egg hunt. Every year E's dad the Easter Bunny puts on an EPIC egg hunt with clues, tricks, driving, and scavenging until we find the final goodies. For a couple of years now, he's been doing it for the grandkids (because for years and years he did it for his adult children!). He's amazing.

We went all over town looking for clues.

These three cousins (and another on the way) are the best of friends.

Happiest Easter!

In this post Juliet is wearing my favorite outfit I've ever found for her. It's vintage (purchased with the original tags!) and is just perfection. I paired it with a classic knee sock and black leather mary jane. With her little bob she looks like she just stepped out of the 1940s.