Trip To Zions National Park And Bryce Canyon

We started on our trip to Zions. We had a lot of fun other than the park we stayed at must have been a (no offense intended) senior campground. Every time we turned around we were in trouble. The first night we had to stay in a handicap campground being the only spot at 10:00p.m. on a wed. night. We had permission to camp there only if we moved to a different site in the morning. We called before hand and they said they never fill up on Wed. Go figure. The rules being only 6 people to a campground the Cannon family were already in trouble for having 8 people in their family. Luckily, they decided to let that one slide. Next we were in trouble for having our tents touch a little portion of the vegetation. So we complied and moved and setup our tent for the 3rd time. Next we were in trouble for our kids singing camp songs at 8:30p.m. I thought all quiet time started at 10:00p.m. When we asked the manager when would be a good quiet time for the next night he laughed and didn't seem to happy that we would be staying another night. Claiming he has never talked to a group as much as ours. I think the so called nice lady next door was secretly telling on us. Next we were in trouble for the kids catching lizards. The manager came by and said, "I have heard from several people that you guys have lizards and I just want to warn you of the hefty fine if you take them out of the park".

All in all we had fun and the trails were beautiful. I look back and laugh at all the things we were in trouble for.





Standing under the Weeping Rock.





The kids found this beautiful butterfly that they were able to hold for a long time.










On our last day we decided to drive up to Bryce Canyon. The Prices needed to leave for home so it was just us and the Cannons. When we got there we realized that we could not see Bryce Canyon in just a couple of hours. So we decided to get a hotel at Ruby's Inn. (Thanks to my cousin Luciene for getting us a room there on short notice. Her husband is a descendant of Ruby Syrett). I am so glad we stayed an extra day. The look outs in the car just don't give this canyon justice. I highly recommend hiking. Our favorite trail is the Navajo trail. Which are the pictures below. In person it was just amazing. I have never seen anything so majestic and beautiful.









This picture is looking down in between the hoodoos on the trail we were on.



This picture is looking back the trail we were going down.




This tree grew in between these high hoodoos.



The kids demonstrated how big this tree was.









Thank you to our friends for talking us (meaning Kent. LOL!!! ) into going.

Happy Birthday Emma!!!

Emma was my easy-going happy baby. She is my sweet independent child. She is always concerned for me and for those around her. Asking me if I ever need anything and likes to cuddle. She can be very independent. She doesn’t like anyone to help her especially her brother and sister. In those times she can have looks that make people go whoa!, which I think are hilarious. She makes me laugh at something silly each day, like the video below of her dancing. She loves to dance. She loves to do homework with the other kids and draws letters that I didn’t even know that she knew. She is a great walking companion who keeps up with me on her bike or scooter, I love this child and I have enjoyed her company each day. She just got into preschool and I will miss the time we had with just the two of us.

Here are some baby pictures of Emma.

Elk Hunting

Kent went hunting last weekend with my dad, brother and Karl. They had a good time other than the rain and snow.



This is my Dad and my brother Jesse is standing on the four-wheeler on top of a mountain trying to get cell phone service.



Kent wanted to go hunting again Tuesday and talked me into going with him. I thought I would be real bored, but it actually was really fun tracking elk. We hiked 8 miles that day and I enjoyed hiking, being in the outdoors and looking for things. We saw lots of elk, deer, moose and bear tracks. We thought we were behind a bear with fresh bear droppings and the tracks being so fresh. Kent heard rustling in the bushes and said, "lets keep moving up the trail". And I asked him why and he didn't want to tell me. He was worried he'd freak me out thinking we were so close to a bear. In a way it would have been cool to see a bear but only at a distance that I was safe. I did figure it out and I was surprised I didn't freak out all that much since Kent had his gun. Thank you to his mom for coming to our house at 5:30a.m. in the morning to watch our kids for the day. I really appreciate it. The kids had a great time with grandma.



Kent fixed ramen noodles for lunch.