Trip to Zion

I missed a week of blogging, but I guess that's because I've really been living.  The past two weeks have been full of fun and excitement.  I'm glad I take pictures and write this blog because they help me remember my life.  Otherwise it would all be a blur--a good blur, but a blur nonetheless.

Last Monday we went to the first library program of the summer.  The Springville library is so fantastic.  Every summer they do weekly programs with puppet shows and other fun presentations.  Afterward, they have crafts and snacks outside in the lawn.  The girls rode their scooters to the library, which is really impressive, especially for little Reagan.  We watched the puppet show, checked out lots of books, and decorated crowns and fire-breathing dragons.  We also checked out Oliver and Company, which I hadn't seen since I was five, and the girls enjoyed watching it last week.  The library is such a great resource for us to have in our lives.

Here are the girls wearing their princess crowns.

 On Tuesday we drove up to Holladay to visit my friend Jennie in her new home.  They just moved from West Jordan where they were living with Jennie's parents for a time.  So, it is really exciting that they will have their own place.  We played out on their patio for quite awhile.  They have a trampoline, a kiddie pool, and a slide, which kept the kiddos entertained.  After lunch we played inside, and there was hardly any fighting.  I love it when we have play dates, and the kids get along easily.  That makes it so that I can talk to my friend!

Kirsten, Reagan, and Brett playing on the trampoline.

 After going to the Rec Center on Wednesday for our usual work out, we went to the Springville Art City Days Carnival with my parents.  We ate some Carnival food for dinner and enjoyed riding the Ferris Wheel.  Reagan was so excited that she was tall enough to ride the Ferris Wheel with a "responsible adult."  We all doubted whether or not there actually was a responsible adult present, but she got to ride the ride anyway.  Kirsten was so excited to do it, too!

Waiting in line for the Ferris Wheel

Matt and Kirsten getting on the Ferris Wheel

Me and Reagan

Riding the Merry-Go-Round

Nana and Grampa enjoying the Carnival

 On Thursday morning I went with the girls to the Fire Station breakfast.  Their favorite part was finding a roly poly in the driveway.  They played with it for more than fifteen minutes before I said it was time to start getting ready for our trip to Zion that afternoon.

Intently playing with a roly poly

 When Matt got home from work around noon, we ate lunch and drove down to Zion National Park.  It's about a three hour drive.  We stayed in a cabin at Zion Lodge, which turned out to be even nicer than we were expecting.  There were two double beds, a bathroom, and air-conditioning.  What more could you ask for?

Thursday evening we hiked up to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools, which was about three miles round trip.  Reagan and Kirsten did a fantastic job hiking.  Matt was very good at encouraging Reagan to keep going.  I was impressed by how happy she seemed to be when she was hiking with Matt.  When she hiked with me, she dragged her feet and kept saying I was going too fast.  Obviously, we tried to have her hike with Matt as much as possible.  I guess Matt and I just have different relationships with our children.  I'm the nurturer, and she thinks I should carry her if things get tough.  Oh, how I love my little stinkers!

Matt and the girls at the Lower Emerald Pool

Me and the girls hiking up some rocks

Me and the girls at the Upper Emerald Pool

 It took the girls a long time to fall asleep that night because they were so excited to sleep in the "cabinet," which is what they kept calling the cabin.  Fortunately, they weren't too grumpy in the morning because we had a lot more exploring to do.  We hiked the Riverside Trail, which took us to the beginning of the Narrows.  No, we did not hike the Narrows (or Angel's Landing) with our children, but the trail along the Virgin River was beautiful.  We saw a bachelor herd of mule deer, another roly poly, and lots of rock squirrels.

Sitting on a huge log that had been deposited by a flash flood

Taking a rest along the trail

The girls and I put our feet in at the mouth of the Narrows.  It was cold.

After our morning hike, we ate lunch and had the girls take a nap in the cabin.  They were both pretty exhausted.  When they woke up, we all put our swim suits on and went swimming in the Virgin River next to our cabin.  This was the highlight of the trip.  The water was a pretty comfortable temperature, and there was lots of sand to play in.  I skipped rocks for awhile, and Matt and I rode the current a short way down the river.  It was a lot of fun.

The girls and Matt

The whole family

Reagan playing in the sand.

That evening we hiked Archaeology Trail, which was very short.  At the top there was the foundation of an old Pueblo.

Friday night the girls fell asleep right away, and then we woke up to do some more short hikes.  First we hiked to Weeping Rock.  It's so neat that the water comes right out of the rock instead of a river.  At the top, Reagan splashed some muddy water on Kirsten, and Kirsten had a complete meltdown.  Matt and I couldn't help but laugh when Kirsten screamed, "My beautiful pants are all muddy."  Granted, they were new-ish pants, but it was pretty funny to hear her lament the soiled beauty of her pants.  Poor girl!  It's tough when your parents can't help but laugh at your pain.

A cactus flower.  The girls loved the cacti, which was one way we motivated them to keep hiking.  We always knew there would be more.

The girls and I standing under Weeping Rock

 Then we walked up to the Court of the Patriarchs, and at the lookout point, a man was playing his recorder.  The music was very fitting.  My favorite song he played was "Simple Gifts."  The girls danced around to his music and were quite possibly his biggest fans.

The Court of the Patriarchs:  Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

 After we got back to the Lodge, it was one o'clock.  So, we decided to drive through the Zion tunnel to see what it was like, and then we went to Springdale for lunch.  We ate at Blondie's Diner, which was the same restaurant we ate at the night before my half marathon.  Matt and I had Buffalo Burgers, and the girls ate Mac and Cheese.  After lunch, our server asked us if we would like dessert.  Matt and I declined, but Reagan said, "I would like dessert, please."  Our server responded, "Tell you what, if you girls eat all of your Mac and Cheese, I'll give you some ice cream, if it's okay with your parents."  They each had one bite left, which they promptly finished.  Then she brought us all some ice cream on the house.  How nice!

As we were driving home, I noticed a sign for Historic Cove Fort, which is a Church History site that I had never heard of before.  We decided to go check it out, and boy, am I glad we did!  It was so neat.  Apparently, President Gordon B. Hinckley's grandfather Ira Hinckley was called by President Brigham Young to build a fort in the middle of Southern Utah to provide protection for travelers and facilitate communication via telegraph.  The whole family spent about twenty years there.  I was impressed by their faith and obedience.  I hope that I can express my faith in the Gospel of Christ with similar fortitude, if not in similar circumstances.
  

The girls got to sit in a covered wagon

We all played this pioneer game, but I got a picture of Matt doing it.

The girls in front of the Blacksmith's 

The inside of Cove Fort

 When we got home, the kids went straight to bed, and we woke up to a busy Sunday morning.  We all managed to get showered and off to Church on time, which was impressive.  I led the music in Primary.  Matt taught Elders' Quorum.  After Church I went Visiting Teaching and conducted choir.  Then our Home Teachers came over, and we went to dinner at my parents'.    When we got back to the house, we found Goldie, one of our chickens, walking our fence.  What a sight!  Today I have been cleaning and doing lots of laundry.  It was nice to take a break to write this blog post.

Goldie walking the fence