Dr. Hausfrau: August 2010

Back on the Road

We left Thermopolis and had the delight of driving through the Wind River Canyon.

The next morning, we returned to the dinosaur museum to take the hour-long tour to a *real dig site*! We loaded into a little bus and proceeded down the bumpy and steep road until we got there!
Real footprints can be seen above!

Real bones!

Just one dinosaur vertebrae is the size of your whole neck!

Dig! Did I mention you can go to summer camp here?

Thermopolis State Park

It's called Thermopolis because of the hot springs which are there. The above fountain demonstrates that lots of minerals are in the water of these springs! Most people only need to smell the place ( think sulfur) to figure that out, but for those who need a visual: This fountain, 100 years ago, was just a little metal spicket and now look at it!

The stream was like warm bath water!

Sean thinks it is funny to watch me cling to the edge of the suspension bridge over the teaming and swirling Big Horn River.

Thermopolis, Wyoming

We made it to Thermopolis on the first day. They have a super dinosaur museum there that just happens to partner with a dinosaur museum we used to frequent in Switzerland!

Granddad, this is where we "found" the fossil we sent you...in the giftshop.

Help!

We saw parts of crinoids in a stream in Indiana, so the kids were very impressed to get to see a WHOLE one in Wyoming! I think I remember it was from Crawfordsville, Indiana. :)

There is a week-long summer camp you can do here, for eight year olds and up. Grown-ups can volunteer, too! You get to take part in the activities of a REAL dinosaur dig! Sign me up!

Eric and Mama at the dinosaur museum. He looks a little wide-eyed!

Welcome to Jeffrey City: LOST?

We took a road trip to Teton National Park and Yellostone National Park this summer. All five of us, Glenn and Ineke, and a whole bunch of stuff in the minivan. Our first American road trip as a family! It prooved educational in all kinds of ways. We learned about ancient history: Ms. Pacman!

We visited a Jeffrey City, population 51. The biggest "city" anywhere around and the only food to be found for hours, unless you wanted to kill it yourself. Good thing we were in the mood for double hamburgers and fries. The above sign grumpily answers most of the typical questions travellers to Jefferey City have, so the silent-type waitresses don't have to keep explaining. We surmise that the typical questions are " Where am I? " , "Are there ANY other towns around here?", " Oh, GOD. What is the winter like around here?" , and "What's fer eats?"

William embodies the mind-numbing boredom of a road trip as he inspects his brother's shoe for excitement.

Katy's Birthday!

I celebrated my actual birthday in Indiana...but when I got home, I had a wine and cheese party for my friends. Margaret joined us in her PJs. She felt very grown up. And it was very amusing to have her attempt to take part in the conversation. Looking forward to more parties with these friends and with Margaret.

Back at Home

We were thinking of Germany back home, too. When Germany lost in the world cup, William was a puddle of tears on the couch.

Friends in Germany

Sean and William got to see old friends in Konstanz in June. They saw Oma Hannah.

They saw Frank and family.

Amy and family!

Sammy and Timon...

Noemi...

Juergen...

...and Nadia!

Am Bodensee

Sean and William went back to Konstanz this summer. They got to take a dip in the Bodensee! (brr!)

They got to see Claire! William really was more excited than this to see her, I promise.

How Dada appears from William's angle in the Biergarten.

Why so nervous? Oh, the world cup is on the tele!

They got to see old friends who had a new arrival!

And, the highlight of the summer! Berolino! With Christopher!

And Kian!

And Darien!

Horrah!

Woo Hoo!

Stay Tuned

Faithful readers: Please stay tuned for the rest of the summer adventures, blogged! Includes adventures in Yellowstone and the Tetons, Germany, and Indiana! And much, much more!

Bill!

Bill is a friend from grad school. He was an usher/bouncer at our wedding. He came to the lower 49 this summer and came to visit us!

Sean took him out to see the sights. Bill lives in Alaska, so wasn't really surprised by the sight of snow in July.

He's become quite the tree-hugger since moving up to Alaska.

Bill and William were on the same page about climbing rocks. How can you resist?

Thanks for the visit, Bill! See you next year!

Gail!

Gail and Craig came to visit us this summer! I am terrible about taking pictures of them, and sadly only have these two pictures of Gail helping me keep track of the children in a very rocky park, Vedauwoo.