Rocks or kids, which do you think is easier to photograph?

If you’re just joining us, this is the final installment in our somewhat-epic summer journey to Yellowstone, in which I fervently hope we have a bear encounter that ends up well enough for us as well as the bear and whatever we happen to be driving. You can start here, and the whole set up to this […]

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I’d be a killer wildlife marmet photographer

If you’re just joining us, this is the third installment in our somewhat-epic summer journey to Yellowstone, in which I fervently hope we have a bear encounter that ends up well enough for us as well as the bear and whatever we happen to be driving. You can start here, and the whole set up to this […]

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The Grand Tetons, with a serious lack of bears

If you’re just joining us, this is the second installment in our somewhat-epic summer journey to Yellowstone, in which I fervently hope we have a bear encounter that ends up well enough for us as well as the bear and whatever we happen to be driving. You can binge-read the whole series here. We were discussing bear […]

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Boise to the Moon … and then on to Wyoming

When Mike says “we’re leaving early,” everyone around here thinks that’s sometime like “the crack o’ noon” – what the Markley family takes for early. In this case “early,” meant “before 10,” and we were ready. Mostly. We had decided to trade up from the Prius to a rental van, even though the thought that a grizzly […]

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Family Travel Tips: Expect Sleep Disruptions, Remember the Ranch

This weekend we head out on our road trip to Yellowstone, so an original blog entry for today would put me over the edge. Instead enjoy this piece of nostalgia, a version of which recently appeared on Motherhood: May Cause Drowsiness. “Over here you can see an example of Soviet era architecture.” Saara was craned […]

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And so we meet again, Summer

Today is the last day of school. Blessed school. Even though our kids are looking forward to a break, we know it won’t be long before even they miss the structure. The routine. The luxury of lunch every day at the same time. They may even miss music and math and reading and science. Maybe. […]

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Super for-real helpful motivation for summer running

I just found out National Running Day is June 3. I didn’t even know that was a thing. It’s timely, given how much my enthusiasm for running wanes with the beginning of the season I am most likely to want to do nothing more exciting than melt into the couch. Summer. Summer is great for […]

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A Girl and Her Ride

Once, when teenaged Jack was little, I had him strapped to my chest in one of those forward-facing baby carriers while I tried to work, and someone remarked that they’d heard a theory that babies think they’re appendages of their mothers’, at least until they’re mobile. It’s sounds hokey to me now, but at the time, […]

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