On the way home from my mom's place in June, we stopped and spent a day in Zion National Park. We stayed in a great motel in Springdale that backed up to a little river. Pretty much all we did the first night was walk down there and try to keep everybody from falling in and getting drowned. 
The next day, we boarded the dogs at a place called "Doggy Dude Ranch" and took the shuttle in to the park. We even discovered a deranged wild boy (apparently from the age of the dinosaurs). 
We did a great little hike to the Emerald Pools. This turned out even better than we expected, because we took a wrong turn and ended up at the second pool instead of the first. (I had my suspicions, when the "level, paved road" that we were supposedly taking turned into dusty switchbacks.) 
The effect of this, though, was that we figured we might as well go the extra 20 minutes up the canyon to the third pool, which was breathtaking. 
We visited the first pool on the way back, very happy to have been tricked into doing the harder hikes. It kept threatening to rain, but didn't really get started until we were almost back to the shuttle. Perfect hiking weather! We debated whether to spend the night somewhere on the way home, but since the kids were being pretty good we just sucked it up and drove back that night. Here are Connor and his dad throwing rocks somewhere off of I-15. 
The last pics are the kids covering their brother in play-silks. What a good little baby!
Well, the beginning of June was our Spring Utah Trip. My mom gave us a ride up in her RV, which is totally the way to travel with little kids. After we got to Grandma and Grandpa's house, the kids wasted no time in eating popsicles on the porch, even though the neighbor dog seemed to think they were for her.
My mom bought these kid-size aprons and cooking utensils, they're too cute. Whenever I ask the kids what they like about Grandma and Grandpa's house, they always say, "Making cookies!"
So, after the popsicles and cookies, the kids got to visit the dentist. Connor had a whopping seven cavities! We couldn't believe it. Neither Ryan nor I had any cavities as children, and I'm continually mocked by my husband for my obsessive attitude towards brushing these kids' teeth. I guess I was supposed to be flossing them, as well. Connor's filling visits (yes, he needed more than one) were not exactly pleasant. Not for anybody involved. Elise, however had a great time! Here she is posing for her "first dentist visit" picture.
The kids also got to meet Kyle and Kelli's slightly shy kitten Ally, who eventually did let them pet her, at least for a minute. 
We did a trip to Payson Pool, where Evan had a major blowout in his clothes, and was forced to wear this fetching muumuu. 
We also got to see my parents' new house, which has come a long way since we'd seen it last (and should be ready just in time for our next visit, right Mom?)
Of course, we all spent some time just hanging out and making fun of my mom's wildly overgrown lettuce machine. 
What else? Oh, the Vernal campout! I know Kelli talked about this trip quite awhile ago (when it happened), but here's our tardy version. It was really cool to have so many people together at once. My grandma came, Kyle, Kelli, their niece Jessica, Kevin, Mom, Chuck, and the five of us (Ryan joined us Saturday afternoon - a 16 hour trip from Los Angeles). The "grown-ups" stayed in the RV, about a 5-minute walk away, while everybody else stayed in tents down by the fire rings. I was a little worried about camping with baby Evan, but he was totally cooperative, as usual. 
Ryan, Evan and I hiked up to see these petroglyphs while the Aunts and Uncles watched the other two, asleep in the car. They were pretty cool petroglyphs, but I guess there were even better ones farther down the trail. 
We, of course, did marshmallows and hot dogs, and even tried out dutch oven cooking, which went surprisingly well. It was just really cool, being outside and spending time with family. I hope we do it again next year!
The next day, we boarded the dogs at a place called "Doggy Dude Ranch" and took the shuttle in to the park. We even discovered a deranged wild boy (apparently from the age of the dinosaurs). 
We did a great little hike to the Emerald Pools. This turned out even better than we expected, because we took a wrong turn and ended up at the second pool instead of the first. (I had my suspicions, when the "level, paved road" that we were supposedly taking turned into dusty switchbacks.) 
The effect of this, though, was that we figured we might as well go the extra 20 minutes up the canyon to the third pool, which was breathtaking. 
We visited the first pool on the way back, very happy to have been tricked into doing the harder hikes. It kept threatening to rain, but didn't really get started until we were almost back to the shuttle. Perfect hiking weather! We debated whether to spend the night somewhere on the way home, but since the kids were being pretty good we just sucked it up and drove back that night. Here are Connor and his dad throwing rocks somewhere off of I-15. 
The last pics are the kids covering their brother in play-silks. What a good little baby!
