Recall my mom a.k.a. "Gram Gram" joined us on Day 3. Off we go to enjoy the wonders of the great Yosemite Valley....a day trip that first sees us in the presence of the Giant Sequoias...

They were AWESOME

As we walked along we would stop now and again to ponder rocks:

Rest on said subject of pondering:

Notice the "treasures" in her sweet little hands :)

We had the opportunity to investigate the root system of one of the fallen giants. The Sequoias have a very shallow root system and are unstable at best given their overall heigth and girth. For this reason you are not permitted to walk around the base of the trees.....

After wandering around the entrance of the Sequoia Park we packed up the famiy truckster and ventured deeper into the Yosemite Valley where we saw :

Yosemite Falls

El Capitan:

Half Dome:

We stopped in Curry Village ( a camping community) for lunch and a 1:30 showing in the small theater for the kids. Then we headed back to the cabin. We returned to Bass Lake around 4:00 just in time for dinner prep and baths.

Visiting Yosemite Valley is really a trip unto itself and days can be spent experiencing the wonders of God's Creation....the few hours we shared were perfect for the little ones, but Daddy would like to go back to see some of the things we missed.

First of all.....I forgot to tell you that on Day 2 when we returned from the Sugar Pine Railroad trip these were waiting for me on our dining room table:

These gorgeous Orchids arrived all the way from Thailand. When I called Michele to thank her for them she informed me that they were supposed to arrive WITH the gift basket...but I thought it was much more fun to see something waiting for me both days :)!

Day 3 was our first day on the lake itself. We rented a party barge and "toured the lake in style" ala John Candy "The Great Outdoors" circa 1988.

These things are AWESOME complete with lounge type seating, multiple cup holders, shade awning, bbq, tons of floor space and side railings. Perfect for a large family with small children or unsteady intoxicated party goers :). Everyone had a turn driving...here we see Daddy and Bella.

And here we see Ry Ry the Guitar Guy (so labeled by his guitar teacher Alexander Sack)

Around 3 that afternoon my mom, aka Gram Gram, arrived to spend some time with us. We still had the boat for an hour so we took her for a ride...then headed home for some famous Forks Burgers.

A father's love for his son, an unwavering faith in God's plan and the will to sacrifice; who does this remind you of?

This was sent to me by my husband this morning: