Family Vacation

Several weeks ago we got an email from Mike's family, Rob's brother who lives in Minnesota, saying they were going to come out to Utah for a few days to visit family and friends and spend a couple of days in Zion National Park. We haven't been to Zion since Parker was about two years old, so we asked Mike and Dana's family if we could drive down to Zion and vacation with them for a couple of days. It was a good way to visit with them, since they live so far away, plus we got to enjoy beautiful Zion together.

Here are several pictures from our trip.

We were driving around the Park looking for a place where the kids could get out and walk around over rocks and go exploring. It was our last day there and we had a nine hour drive ahead of us, and we were lucky enough to find this spot. We couldn't even see the cave from the road, that was just a lucky bonus that we found the cave and a great place to run around. The two little ones loved throwing rocks in the water. Glad they were so easily entertained.

Parker poses in the cave

Garrison and Addison playing in the water

G exploring

Everyone exploring

I love this picture of Addie and Parker. It looks like they are walking thru a desert or something. But, it was just amazing rock formations.

This was Rob's favorite rock formation, so we had to have Parker pose in front of it. Rob said it was like a rock parfait with all the different layers and colors.

Had to post a picture of the mountain goats we saw. We also saw deer and wild turkeys throughout.

The boys pause for a picture on our hike to the lower Emerald Pools. G is just taking it easy.

Parker and Addison behind the waterfall at Lower Emerald Pool. The wind was blowing and the waterfall kept blowing all around us. It was a pretty wet area, but lots of fun.

Me and Addie

Dana and me

The cousins all pose on a huge rock we found on our hike.

Jessica, Lauren, Parker and Addison

Mom and Dad with G

Parker posing like "The Thinker" statue. Remember "Night of the Museum"...."I'm thinking...I'm thinking....I'm thinking"

Group photo

Cousins on the Zion Park bus

Kids sitting around waiting for the bus to take us into Zion. Right behind our hotel.

On our drive down to Zion's we stopped to stretch our legs and took a tour of Cove Fort. It was a really interesting tour, we had a good guide. The kids were really fascinated with how the pioneers lived.

It was such a wonderful vacation. It was a little cooler in temperature than what we had hoped, but it wasn't as cold as Idaho. The kids traveled really well and had a great time. It was a wonderful trip and I can't think of anything that we would have done differently.

For me the highlight was horse back riding with Parker, Jessica, Lauren and Dana. It was gorgeous views on horseback and just wonderful to be back on a horse.

Parker's favorite was hiking and exploring around the cave.

Rob's favorite was hiking to Lower Emerald Pool and trying to avoid getting wet from the waterfall.

And our craziest moment was swimming in the hotel pool during a rain storm. It was the only night we had time for swimming and my kids were determined to get their swim time in. It was windy and raining and just plain crazy that we were outside, but the rainbows were beautiful and so was the sunset. Garrison would not be out done by his siblings. Even he got in the pool, but he only lasted about 10 minutes before I pulled him shivering from the pool.