Wild, Wild West

We had a couple of crazy weeks to wrap up our summer vacation. My parents finished their mission in North Carolina. They stopped and visited us for a couple of days before driving across the country to their home in Provo. They served a proselyting mission and worked incredibly hard. They spent most of their time with us sleeping. I was grateful they had this little break before their long drive.

The next week, we visited them to celebrate their homecoming. The kids and I had a remarkably easy trip out, making both of our flights without getting bumped. It's been a while since that has happened. 

Lots of family and friends joined us in welcoming my parents back. Although I do miss having them nearby, it was great to stay in their home with them there. It felt like home again.

Good people and good food

Monday, we spent the day at Seven Peaks water park. The kids had a blast, especially because they were with their cousins.

Lazy  river

Cowabunga!

The next day, we went to the Tracy Aviary.

Bald eagles (the birds, not the girls)

Looking at eggs

Giant swan

Icees!

David got the last seat on the second-to-last flight Thursday night after getting bumped a couple of times. On Friday, we headed to Colorado for a family reunion, stopping over at Arches National Park just outside of Moab. I grew up in Southern Utah and never went to Arches until a couple of years ago. Crazy how we tend to overlook the things that are closest to where we live. Arches is an amazing place.

The windows

Balanced Rock

My nephew's cockatiel was with us every step of the way.

Snowball

Getting a better view

Delicate arch in the background.

Cousins!

Close up of delicate arch.

We stayed in an RV park. My parents have a trailer and my sister stayed in a little cabin with her kids. It was a great little park in a beautiful setting.

Moon setting

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The Monticello temple was the first of the smaller temples built by the LDS church. Monticello is a short distance north of Blanding, the little town where I grew up.

Blue Mountain is known for the horse head on its side (cue melody by Stan Bronson - only San Juaners will understand this reference).

Once we got to Blanding, we stopped at the Patio for lunch. This was the only fast food place in town when I was a kid. In fact, it may still be. My dad used to take us here when we got good grades.

They make an awesome burger!

I loved the fun memorabilia on the walls.

The kids loved the food and ice cream.

I loved growing up in Blanding. It was a place where a kid could feel safe. We'd leave home early in the morning and wouldn't come home until dark - or until my mom rang the cowbell she used to call us back. We were free to roam wherever we wanted. I have so many memories of that little town. The community was settled by my ancestors and I grew up surrounded by family. My cousins were my best friends and my babysitters were my aunts and uncles. When I was in elementary school, I was able to go to my Granny's house every day for lunch.

This is still the only movie theater. We used to pop our own corn and take it with us.

My ancestors helped build this church and my dad played a major role in protecting it from demolition. It's a beautiful building and I'm so glad it was preserved.

Our next stop was Mancos, Colorado, for our family reunion on the ranch where my dad grew up. It used to be that everyone would pitch tents on my uncle's lawn. Now all my dad's siblings have built homes there (moving from Blanding back to the ranch), so we're the only ones that still camp. Jalen "helped" my sister and her kids set up their tent.

He was in heaven in the wide open spaces and he ran wild and free.

He made fast friends with an outlaw (opposite of in-law) and the two of them were inseparable.

Sleeping in the trailer

This is the view from the ranch - Mesa Verde. This scene is depicted on my grandparents' gravestone. To the members of my family, it is very symbolic of where we all come from.

I love being with my family. I don't go to the reunion often enough. Few things are as fun as sitting around listening to my dad and his siblings tell stories about each other.

The Patriarch

Gab sessions full of words of wisdom.

The kids loved riding a "real" horse.

My sister, David and I took our kids to Mesa Verde, an amazing national park that has preserved major Indian ruins. They've built a new visitor's center where the kids climbed the walls.

The Spruce Tree House indian ruin is within easy walking distance and is fascinating. You can even climb down into a kiva. 

Corn grinders

Traditionally, we always have a play at the family reunion. This year we reenacted stories from family history. We chose to tell the story of when my dad and his little brother took my granddad's brand new saddle and rode a pig with it.

After the reunion, we headed to the Grand Canyon. We made a stop at Four Corners. When I was a kid, there was hardly anything at Four Corners. There was a small monument, and Navajos would come and sell jewelry off their tailgates. Now the monument is big, there's a line to take a picture and the Navajos have brick stalls with tin roofs. It's all very formal. Even so, we were still able to get some good deals on jewelry.

The drive from the ranch to the Grand Canyon is a beautiful one.

El Capitan

Camping at the Grand Canyon was a blast. We stayed on the north rim and it was beautiful.

This view was a short walk from our campsite. This view almost caused me heart failure.

This view did cause me heart failure. At least I have a life insurance policy on him!

Where's Waldo?

These white-tailed squirrels are only found in the Grand Canyon.

Jalen loves motorcycles, so he was very excited to see these babies in the visitor's center parking lot.

When I was a kid, my parents read us the story of Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry. It is said that if you rub the nose on the Brighty statue, you will have good luck.

 Apparently, Jalen needed lots of luck.

View from the visitor's center.

When I was a kid, I was fearless (other than a little fear of heights). I would take any dare. Somewhere along the line - perhaps when I became a mother - I became a coward. I took one look at my kids on the edge of the Grand Canyon and I started hyperventilating and crying. I left so that I didn't ruin for everyone else, but it was awful! I could just imagine them plunging to their deaths. No one else in our group had any concerns, so I'm not sure what my problem is. It's frustrating!

David bought himself this awesome hat to protect his sunburned bald head.

Jalen treated the visitor's center's guests to some sweet tunes. (Actually there was a little kid there that was amazing on the piano. Jalen hovered until the kid took a break and then he jumped right in.

My dad utilized his awesome camping skills by burning the twine that was holding the wood together. (My sister had been able to remove the twine from the previous bundle with her bare hands.)

The kids loved throwing things in the fire.

 Jalen in particular was fascinated with the fire. A little too excited, actually.

We had so much fun just spending time together in the outdoors. I realized that we really need to take our kids camping more often.

After the Grand Canyon, we parted ways with my sister. She headed to Zions and we headed to Bryce Canyon. Bryce has always been my favorite national park. It's like no other place in the world. The scenery on the way was also beautiful, especially the clouds.

Seriously, this is such an amazing place! View from Sunset Point.

View from Sunrise Point.

On our way back to Utah, Baylie spent some quality time with my mom's iPhone.

Our trip was book ended with cookouts at my brothers' houses. I love my family! 

Our ride home was a little complicated. Due to flight loads, we ended up flying from Salt Lake to Houston to Washington, DC, only to find out that our flight to Columbia had been cancelled. We ended up flying to Greenville, renting a car and driving to Columbia. The adventure of flying standby!

It was a great trip, but we were all excited to be home and sleep in our own beds. Jalen gave his plush Buzz Lightyear a big squeeze and said, "I missed you, Buzz!"

Now we're under crunch time to get ready for school and seminary to start. What a great summer!