Mammoth

We woke up this morning and decided to ride our bikes to The Stove. Half way there Jake saw people fishing in the stream. Ashton was dying to go fishing. He and Jake decided to go back and get their poles. Sierra and I continued on and ate a delicious breakfast. I got French toast, made with homemade cinnamon bread. Sierra got an omelette. We shared and it was so so yummy! We brought our leftovers to the boys. Sierra and I rode back to the condo. Jake just texted me this picture with the caption "he got one!"

Mammoth in the summer

Arrived Thursday night, went to grocery, Gandolfo's, brought home pizza and salad. Ate up cause we were soooo hungry and then went to bed.
Next morning we got up at 6am. We threw on our clothes and brushed out teeth and hair and ran out the door so we could get to the station before 7am. We heard of a secret, if you get to the station by 7am you can drive your car down into the canyon to see all the amazing sites, instead of taking the bus down. We made it about 2 minutes before 7am and were able to pay the $10 and just take out car down. We have seen Devil's Postpile but we had never been to Rainbow Falls. Such a cool crisp morning and so peaceful, quiet. We were out there by ourselves, hiking. Now, my Sierra is such a girl, complaining on the way back to the car about being hungry and dirty. Ashton is quite the opposite, kicking up the dirt, looking for cool sticks, asking what tree do you think is the tiniest, never complaining, loves to hike. Grammy was with us on our trip and actually played with us this time, usually when we go to Mammoth together, she is working the whole time, fixing this and that and talking to different people, she usually doesn't go on adventures with us, we LOVED having her.





Sierra called these the "love trees".
There was a huge fire there and all these trees are new growth, we loved seeing all the baby trees.
We got lost on the way back, we went on the wrong path when there was a fork in the trail. We made it all the way to Devil's Postpile. We saw a young girl out there for a run and asked if she knew her way around well, and she did. She told us to go that way and follow the road back. We finally made it back to our car!
The stream out in front of the condo, the kids loved to play in it.
On Saturday we tried to find hot springs and found nothing. I was disappointed. :( We hiked to the Inyo Craters, a fun hike and mom had never seen them. It rained on us while we were hiking, that was fun. We had a lightning and thunder storm. We went in the spa and watched Rango. We had such a fun weekend in Mammoth.
(view from the condo) It rained on Sunday too as we drove home. :) Highlight...Rainbow Falls, AMAZING!

Mammoth...

Look at this sweet baby, Corbin, my nephew! I LOVE this picture of him, his first time in the snow...I just love him!

LOOK at all the SNOW!
Funny story about these boots. Ashton has black snow boots but I got out these pink ones that used to be Sierra's because Lincoln needed a pair to take to Utah and we were looking at all of our options before new boots were purchased. Ashton saw these boots and wanted to wear them, HE wanted Lincoln to take his black boots because HE wanted these PINK boots. He was insistent. So funny! He loved his pink boots!


This mountain of snow was right out in front of the condo.

and then we drove and hiked to our original location and had so so much fun! Notice I'm carrying Rossi and a sled. :) Us aunties gotta do what we gotta do.







Sierra and Nixon were snowboarding...on a sled!


kids found several secret hideouts this time in the trees because there was so much snow...can you see Ashton?

snow was so soft, hard to make a decent snowman but we did it and it was tiny

I just loved these babies the whole time...Luke left and Corbin right


Uh oh!! Rossi's blanket got dirty!

until next year!

Mammoth...

We arrived late Monday night, the sprinklers were on right on the walkway by the condo so as we were unloading and trying to get our things inside we were getting soaking wet. We were all freezing! They stayed on the ENTIRE time we were unloading and did not turn off until Jake got the last of our things inside, nice timing! Didn't spoil our week though! :)
TUESDAY
We headed over to Color Me Mine and the kids painted (I helped a little bit). This week is Shark Week, so we have watched alot of sharks jump out of the water and Ashton has been into it. He chose a shark to paint.

Sierra has been into cupcakes and her and I have been enjoying watching a show, DC Cupcakes. So she chose a cupcake that she can put things inside of and then all week she was drawing and creating cupcakes on paper because she wants to own a cupcake shop when she grows up.

Ziplining...we bought Ashton a ticket and thought he would go but NOPE. He would rather play daddy's video games on his phone...

and ride his bike.

Sierra zipped and loved it!



The Meadow, we love the Meadow! Pictures just don't give it justice. So beautiful! We love Mammoth, being surrounded by one of our Heavenly Father's Masterpiece's. So peaceful, so exquisite!


Ashton LOVES throwing rocks in the creek.




WEDNESDAY
Bike Ride to the park in the morning.
Horse Back Riding
We did the loop again and saw a view of Lake Mary from the top. Breath Taking! Sierra rode Star and I rode Pueblo, Pueblo doesn't like to walk I had to kick him alot which didn't do much with my tennis shoes on. The guide finally gave me a stick and with me just holding it he walked faster. :)


Ashton went Horse Back Riding for the first time! He went on a walk and lead with his daddy. He didn't want to go. We just said OK. There was another dad waiting with his daughter for her horse. Ashton said "Dad what are we doing?" Dad said "we're just watching them." Next thing they know here comes Ashton's horse, Lucy. Jake just picked Ashton up and put him on the horse. The horse took 2 steps and Ashton was smiling. He told me all about it, he loved it!

THURSDAY
Grandma and Grandpa came up.
Me and Sierra were matching. She made me a special bottle cap with an M for Mom and we had the same twist in our hair too! :)

We took the bus down into the valley.


Devil's Postpile National Monument


Then we hiked to Mineret Falls
On our hike we had to cross this log bridge. FUN!

We found the falls. And had to dip our feet!





FRIDAY
I woke with a large bump on my leg. Wish I took a picture. A spider bit me and it was crazy looking. Jake and Terry went fishing early and Me, Janelle, and the kids rode bikes to the shopping center and got carmel apples at Rocky Mountain. We also stopped at Minky Monkey Toy Store. Ashton said, "can I buy this? (it was a shark)" I said, "no, I'm not buying anything." He said, "then why are we here?"
When Jake and Terry got back we ate lunch and then went to find Hot Springs and the Fish Hatchery. Can't swim in the Hot Springs, they will cook you like a chicken. People were swimming in the river part, close to the Hot Springs and they said it was warm like a bathtub. We want to try that next time, if caught though they will fine you. :0 At the Fish Hatchery the Fish and Game told Jake and Terry a location of where they planted fish that morning. Jake and Terry made a beeline for the car and were suddenly ready to go. We said that we want to go to Hot Springs first. Then after Hot Springs we went to the Owen's River and they fished with the kids for an hour or so and caught 5 little fish and Sierra was happy because they released every one. :)
Stopped for dinner.
Played Domino's tournament. I won! :)
Saturday
Packed up and cleaned up. Headed home.
We got to babysit Melanie while Travis and Miriam went to a wedding. What FUN! She is so sweet and we enjoyed her very much! She never got put down, she was held the WHOLE time.