Should family history really be this much fun?

Because one trip south just wasn't enough, we went back down to Cedar City to stay with Granny for the week. We left on July 11th and didn't get back home until July 20th. Before heading to Cedar we stayed in Price for a couple of nights, and then my mom traveled down with us.
(Here are the kids playing Rummikub with Grandma.)















We have been planning to work on a history of Granddaddy (my mom's dad), and this was our week. We did work during the week scanning pictures and hearing stories about Granny and Granddaddy, but we played as well.

These pictures are in Granny's back yard. The teeter-totter was one of my favorites when I was little. The girls had fun in the wagon and discovering Granny's garden, and Bentley loved the basketball court.
The kids did bring their swimming suits to swim in, but on this occasion they asked if they could put them on, and I told them no it was almost dinner time. Well, they obeyed the not putting on their suits part, but decided to swim anyway. What do you do?

On Tuesday Tom and I were even able to break away for a date night to St. George to go to dinner and see Les Miserables at Tuacahn which was incredible.










On Friday, Tom cooked us a Korean meal with seaweed, Kim Chi, and all. The Kim Chi exploded when Tom opened it. I was glad he knew to open it outside but not so glad that I was standing next to him.










On Saturday we had a BBQ at Granny's. It was an unofficial family reunion. The family decided to only do the official/destination type reunions every other year, and this is the off year, but there were still quite a few people there. It was fun to see and visit with everyone.

Cousins at the Cabin

Nora and family came to hang out at the cabin on Wednesday. We met them in Park City for a little Outlet Shopping.
Then, on Thursday we met Heather and her kids to go swimming at the fitness center. After waiting for a while for clearance to get in (poop in the pool:( We managed to supervise 11 kids between the 3 of us. With that many kids there is never a dull moment, and they all seemed to have a good time too.

Jacob Lake and the Grand Canyon

We spent the Fourth of July on the Kaibab Plateau! My cute sister, Kenzer, has been waitressing at Jacob Lake this summer, so we went down to visit her and decided to take a peek at the Grand Canyon while we were in the neighborhood. It was a quick trip it terms of time but very fun and memorable.



We started out by driving down to Cedar City where we stayed our first night. It was fun to see my cousin, Cecilee, and her husband and girls and to visit with Granny. The kids had fun playing and swimming. Granny is the best cook, so the food is always a highlight.



















Then on the Fourth we left for Jacob Lake. We met my family there. We went to lunch, hiked and played.





















We went down to the North Rim that evening. After all, why waste any time. Sunset on the Grand Canyon on the Fourth of July... What a beautiful land we live in!!!









The next day, Britta and I went for an run around the area. It sprinkled a little and was absolutely perfect running weather. Oh, and the smell of the mountains after a rain! Later we took the rest of the family on the hike to the lake that is more like a swamp/pond. Its a good thing they have a sign, or we may have missed in completely.














That night we went searching for condors, but to no avail. We got some pretty sketchy directions... something about a left turn at a rock house and a bridge. Well, here are some rock houses, and we found several bridges, but we were informed that the condors migrate around and were currently somewhere in Zion. Oh well, it was fun to see the land and some cool rocks. We descended and then had travel back up 4000 feet in elevation on our little excursion. I was amazed at the difference in the temperature and so glad to be up where we were.




















After getting back to Jacob Lake we played on the play ground and on the basketball court. Bentley said later that playing basketball was one of his favorite parts of the trip. A boy after my own heart.




















The next day before starting on the long trip home, we went to church and just talked and relaxed. It was such a fun trip and so good to see Kenzer! Love you to pieces!

Father and Son's

Tom and Bentley took off for the Father and Son's camp out on Friday night. They said they were a little cold but had fun and returned home safe. It is all good and grand for the guys to have a little guy time now and again, but when its my baby boy going off with the guys I feel so grateful when they return home without any injuries. I guess I've just over heard too many Father and Son's stories over the years. They're really not that bad, right?


The pictures are of Tom and the kids cleaning up the camping gear.

Diggin'

No, we haven't purchased a new jeep or anything... The gang at the cabin went out to help with the sledding hill. We really can't take any credit however, because its Grandma Christy that has done all the work. She has cleared, leveled and even put down sod in order to make the cabin sledding hill in the winter and green carpet to start off to Rocky Point (our favorite mile hike) in the summer. Luckily we were let in on some of the fun. The kids, especially Bentley, had a blast getting extra dirty. He loves it when Grandma comes to the cabin so he can go out and help her work. He also loved chasing Grandma's new kitten, Oreo.