Yosemite

We decided to do mini family vacation to Yosemite.  It was such a blast and a wonderful way to celebrate winter break.  We feel so blessed to have such fun kids that are easy to pack and go.  We hope to do lots more of these fun spur of the moment trips in this coming year!!

  We left Friday 12/30 in the morning.  We drove up the Mariposa way and stoped for the best burger in town at a place called Happy Burger! We found it on Yelp and it was amazing!  My mouth is still watering thinking about that burger and those curly fries and the amazing root beer float! All of it was so good!!! 

Then we made it to the park.  I forget how luck we are to have a National Park pretty much in our backyard.  Growing up in the bay area it was a good 4 hour drive so to think we can get there in less then 2 hours is amazing.  Seeing all the tourist and thinking about how far they have traveled makes me think I really take it for granted.  We were going to get a membership but found out that 4th graders and there families get in free for a whole year and since Aubrey will be in one in August (ahhhhhhh!) we decided to wait.  Our first hike was Yosemite falls.  The weather was perfect it was cold and wintery but not wet. 

 All the signs of not climbing didn't stop Carter of course! This boy is giving me lots of gray hairs!

After the falls we hiked around and looked for snow to play in.

 The kids were excited to ice skate in their shoes.

 I love that we can take Deuce on trips like this.  He is just the cutest!

 We found a great area to make snow angels 

 and to build snowman. 

 and daddy chased me around trying to put snow down my jacket until Deuce got too cold and he had to hold him.  It was the cutest photo opt!

The kids snowmans came out so cute!

We walked around and saw some others that people had built...

People take snowman making seriously! Some had hats and scarfs.  This one Carter found had a Christmas tree by it!

After our snow play we were ready for some hot chocolate so we went over to Half Dome Village to walk around and warm up.  It's crazy every background is gorgeous there!

 I love my snow bunny!

 After our hot chocolate we were ready to go check in to our cabin.  We got the cutest cabin ever.  It had a queen bed for Spencer and I and bunk beds for the kids.  It also had a bathroom and kitchen. 

After we got settled in we went and had pizza for dinner.  Then we stopped by the cutest market and stocked up on lots of treats and junk food. 

 That night we pigged out while we watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the old one) and played games. 

The next morning (Saturday 12/31) we woke up in our cute cabin and got ready for the day.  On the agenda a nature exercise hike before the snow/rains started.

 The hike was about 3 miles and it was a lot of up hill.  The kids did really great.  through out the hike they had stop areas that had exercise equipment which was fun to do little challenges.

 We found a scary gold mine hole in the mountain at one point.  

 After our hike we went back and packed up.  We really loved this cabin so we will for sure come back.

 The place even had a petting zoo that the kids just loved!

 Once we got home we were all ready for a nap.  After our nap we decided to start putting all the Christmas decorations away.  That is always a big job! We all worked together and got everything down except the tree.  It was super rainy that night so we decided on a New Years Eve at home.  We had soup and grilled cheese for dinner and watched a movie together.  We stayed up until 9pm and watched the ball drop on You tube and had our traditional cream puffs and apple cider for dessert.

What a great way to spend the last few days of 2016!!! We have had a wonderful year.  There have been sad things and happy things happen this year! We are excited for 2017 and what it has in store for us!!