1st Family Vacation: Yosemite

Last Friday we loaded up the mini van and headed for Yosemite with the Way's and Water's families. It was our first family vacation that did not include a trip to visit our immediate family or the midwest. We stayed at the Loggers Retreat near the town of Oakhurst in Fish Camp which is about an hour and a half from the Yosemite Valley. The home had an amazing view and just enough room for 6 adults and 7 kids. It was a wilderness heaven. We had a view of the mountains and were surrounded by trees and hills.
The kids loved spending every waking minute...starting at 6am...together. They sat in the hot tub, played with dirt and sticks, went hiking, through rocks in the river, swam in Bass lake and the Merced river, rode the Sugar Pine Railroad train and slept hard at night.
We drove to the Valley two different days and spent most of the day there. Angela was happy just sitting in the backpack watching everyone. She was such an angel the whole time. She even took naps on schedule. She would just fall asleep on the trip to the valley and would take a nap on the hike after lunch.  She loved playing in the lake. We had to watch her carefully or she would walk herself right into the deep part.

Ang loves animals...she is peaking through the fence at the horses.

The Way family on a river bridge

Lower Yosemite Falls in Black and White

Tunnel View of the Valley. On the right is Bridalveil falls. Straight ahead is Half Dome.

This is a meadow in the valley near El Capitan. While were here we saw climbers on El Capitan that were setting up to spend the night on the face of the rock. they had probably already been climbing for a day or two.

View from Glacier point at Sunset. To the right is Nevada Falls. Straight ahead is another view of Half dome from above.

Mariposa Grove. There are lots of really big trees. They used to be able to drive through this one, when the cars were smaller:)

Ty lovin' on Lil' sis while she watches the horses.

The porch of the home that we stayed in. It had a beautiful view of a valley and mountains.

This is right after the hour long drive to get to the valley through winding roads. Ty was happy to get out of the car, but not too happy about having his picture taken.

The Way family at Tunnel view

The Water's family at Bridalveil Falls

Dave and the kiddos at Bridalveil Falls. Ang enjoyed riding around in the backpack.

Mommy and kiddos at Vernel Falls after an uphill hike and hour long nap for Angela.

One of Ty's first Photographs. He took this of us after many shots of the sky and ground he caught this:) Angela is peeking from behind.

Dave carried these two for a while on one of the longer hikes.

The view from our cabin

A snow plow for The Logger train

Bass Lake, Angela getting ready to go in.

Ty and Ethan making a house in the sand at Bass Lake

Ty had a little spot of dirt on his face and went to wash his face off and came back and wiped his face and said, "Did I get it all?" He cracks me up!

It has always been a dream of mine to photograph Yosemite. I will never be near as good as one of my favorite photographers, Ansel Adams, but it was a joy to spend a few days trying to capture the beauty of Yosemite Valley. I got to go to his gallery in Yosemite and see his work. One evening Ally, Elizabeth and I went to Glacier point which over looks the whole valley floor with a view of Half Dome. We spent two hours up there just sitting and watching the sun and the shadows. I took a zillion photos:)