Northwest Trek

Today we spent the morning and afternoon out at Northwest Trek with a bunch of friends. This is a wonderful park that is very natural and filled with native animals. A family favorite.

We started our time out on the tram that ventures through an open range portion of the park. Today was a great day out on the tram as we saw every single kind of animal that is living out in this area. A favorite of ours were the bison and the moose, such glorious animals. As well, it was a real treat to see many baby deer throughout the range area... many still with their little white spots, so sweet!

After the tram ride, lunch and some play time we then toured the park area where we enjoyed some very active wolves, beaver, a baby porcupine and more! We also enjoyed a couple of talks hosted in the park. One was on the screech owl and the other on mallard ducks, which amazingly was very interesting! It was a really nice day.

Northwest Trek & Making Ice Cream

Saturday was a very fun day - we had Grandpa Hawk over and headed on out to Northwest Trek for a morning of animals! If you haven't been - this is a great park, very natural, an open range area you take a tram through to see animals and nature paths galore! It is a fun way to spend the morning. Well, Saturday was a nice cool, over cast morning and I swear animals love it way more when it is cool & overcast. They tend to be a lot more active. We took the tram and saw everything out there - three moose, bison galore, mountain goats, big horn sheep, huge elk and so on! We enjoyed a picnic lunch and a long walk through the park too!

That night we came home to BBQ dinner and visit. For dessert... home made vanilla ice cream! We broke out Holly's ice cream ball and worked together to make vanilla ice cream! It was awesome! If you don't already own an ice cream ball OR if you are ever looking for a cool gift idea for just about any age... an ice cream ball is wonderful! I highly recommend it! And, homemade ice cream truly beats anything you can buy at the store, it's easy, quick & fun!

THREE ~ Our baby is THREE

Wow -- where has the time gone! It honestly feels like we just brought her home - it sure flies by. Holly had a wonderful birthday celebration this year! We did her party the week before to avoid Mothers Day weekend plans so many had and as to not overwhelm us all in two days.

So, we did her party on the 3rd. Our theme this year was a Cooking Party! The kids all arrived to decorate their little chef hat and don their cook's aprons! Then they were off to play in Holly's new kitchen. We let them create their own mini pizzas and eventually cupcakes with loads of sugary toppings! I'd venture to say they really had a good time! I know that Holly said she had a really fun party and that is what counts!

On her birthday we spent the day together as a family and enjoyed Northwest Trek. Many babies are out this time of year and the proved true when we took the tram ride. Holly & I enjoyed this one together while we spotted 5 baby bison and some baby goats. We saw everything from big horned sheep to moose to beaver and deer galore! She had a great time. That night we stayed in had a family movie night with homemade icecream in her new ice cream maker- http://www.gifts.com/search/product/Ice-Cream-Ball-Ice-Cream-Maker?ideaID=3823&prodID=30411 - that was fun to roll around, shake and groove with! And, let me just say... home made icecream is sooo much better than storebought stuff - WOW!

So, welcome to three my little one! Hope your year is a fun filled one with lot's of exploration, discovery, growth, love, friendship, joy, laughter and fun!