LABOR DAY RIVERS

We had a pretty fun Labor Day weekend- full of adventure, rivers, camping, and lots of fun. First off, we headed down to the San Rafael Swell to camp the first night. We love this place. It is SO beautiful and very remote, so not very crowded. It was a little rainy (and thus, muddy) but that cleared up and then it was nice.

Princess P and the 'hair extension angels.' (That's what she and Sister S named this part of the Buckhorn petroglyphs.

After dinner Big C decided some of the crew needed to brush up on their rappelling skills for the adventure the next day, so they practiced off a cliff right by our campsite. It was dark by the time most of them got down, but hey, who needs light to back off a cliff, right? (Sarcasm). Our family is crazy sometimes...

Princess P, Sister S and Companion B rappelled in the dark! New sport!

We woke up the next day and went to hike the Black Box in the San Rafael. It is one of my favorite hikes, but also holds very intense memories for our family- Sister S almost died there about five years ago. We definitely respect that place! It's a beautiful gorge/slot canyon cut out of stone by the San Rafael River, so we hike in water pretty much the entire way, even swimming sometimes (that's why the kids have life jackets in the photo).

The Black Box crew at Mexican Mountain! Ready to go!

After an amazing hike and some much needed lunch we packed up and drove to Moab to meet more friends. Moab was PACKED with people. It is a madhouse down there and I will be happy to never go there again on a holiday. What a joke! We ended up camping in a parking lot. Not the worst place we've ever camped, but not the nicest by far. 

Extra large piggy back on C Man. What a tough guy!

The next day was Sunday, so we put skirts and ties on and went to Church in Moab, then hiked, explored and played the rest of the day. We finally found a campsite by the river that opened up and go to move to a prettier spot. 

Video of Christian doing a side flip off the rocks at the big sand hill just north of Moab.

Gemini Bridges.   

The last day (Labor Day) we ran the Colorado River with some friends. Sister S and her friends went home, so it was just Princess P and C Man with Big C and I. We had a good day even though the river was pretty mellow (boring, as the kids said). It was a great last summer trip. 

Princess P in the kayak with C Man on the paddle board.

One of my favorite pics from the trip: My friend, hauling up her 'gear' from the river. hahaha

Loading up the truck after our big weekend. We were pooped!

MOAB SPRING BREAK

We finally got around to taking our kids on a Spring Break trip. We went to Moab with Big C's brother and family. The kids had so much fun with cousins and we had a great time hiking, biking and camping. I love Moab and especially Arches National Park. If the wind and rain had cooperated a little better it would have been perfect, but we very nearly got blown away and the rain limited our activities at times. I do have to say it was a fun trip though. 

Customize a free slideshow design

CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME

My two college boys went to California with their buddies to camp on the beach for their Spring Break. I think they had a great time, but it was pretty windy and their stuff came back coated in sand. 

My boys are the ones in the hats.

Point Mugu, with no filter according to Awesome A...

PAYETTE RIVERS, IDAHO 2015

Our annual trip to Idaho to run the Payette Rivers was VERY FUN! Our two oldest sons wanted to go to a concert instead of with us, so we took some other YSA kids with us. 

Getting ready for the first run- Cabarton.

Since we didn't have tons of little kids with us this year, Big C was able to run lots of Class IV stuff he has always wanted to try, but never had been able to do. Sister S was a little cautious, so I kept Princess P with me on the bank and let the big kids do it.

Staircase in the setting sun.

We had HOT weather this year, which was a nice change from some of the years we have gone. It was great rafting and swimming weather because the water wasn't too cold, it felt great to beat the heat! 

Sister S got back in a hard shell- the first time since her mission. She is amazing!

Kayakers on the Main Payette: Sister S, C, W, N and C Man.

Our awesome group! We'd definitely invite them again.

Our camp on the river.

One of the Class IV runs Big C wanted to do made Sister S a little nervous (she hadn't been on it for 3 years), so one of her friends gave her a 'temporary tattoo' in Sharpie of the map so she would know what was coming and when.

The only tattoo I'll ever approve of.

The big kids were the only ones to go on this run too. They had a blast!

Sister S's  edit of The Canyon group.

While we were there, the local kayakers held a slalom kayak race down a Class IV-V section of the river. One of the guys that came with us, C, wanted to enter, so we all went and watched. It was crazy! I can't believe he wanted to do it! He made it through the course, but it was NOT an easy thing.

'Those waves were this big!'- Kayak stories.

C Man and his buddy N wanted to try the hard shells, so they did Swirly in them. C Man did great! He's a pretty good paddler!

Kayaker in training.

On the last day, as is tradition, we packed up and got into our church clothes so we could attend on our way home. We went to the Horseshoe Bend branch and then made the long drive home. What a blast of a trip! Definitely one for the story books!

Sunday clothes at camp.

A TRIP TO ZION

Elder Gordon got released at 8 am on Friday and we took off for Zion National Park at 10. It was his requested destination for a quick family trip before Awesome A leaves for the summer for a job in the  Mid West. It poured on the way there, but cleared up for a bit while we did some hikes.

Back together again and in an amazingly gorgeous place.

I always forget how beautiful (and crowded) Zion is. I LOVE that place! Every thing I look at I want to paint! We had a good time being together again. What a great family I have been given!

Trying to put the rock back... haha! Elder D is the 'counter weight'.

 We hiked up to Angel's Landing, but Big C, Princess P and I only went to Scout Lookout. I am just too afraid of heights now. I did it in college and that was good enough. The older four had a good time though. (For those of you thinking I am a wimp... well, that's true, but there is a sign up there that warns you in this way: 'Since 2004, 6 people have died falling from the cliffs on this route...' I had a hard enough time sitting there waiting for my children to come back alive. It is a scary hike- enough said).

Sister S's photo of the boys on top of Angel's Landing. A breath-taking view! Note: That is a sheer 1,400 ft cliff behind them.

We didn't end up camping up on Gooseberry Mesa because of the horribly muddy, slick roads up there. (That was quite a story!) We ended up pitching tents well after dark down by St. George, just over the border in Arizona, out of the rain! 

Standing around the fire the next morning. 

The kids found a mountain bike trail on their phones the next day, that had rock climbing right by it. It was perfect! Everyone was happy!

My three biking sons heading out to do the Bear Claw Poppy Trail.

Sister S climbing with Big C belaying. 

 Princess P and I were content to draw and hike. After lunch the boys rode the trail one more time and then we drove home. One the way home we stopped in Kolob Canyon (it's part of Zion National Park). Why have we never been there before?? It was gorgeous, especially with the clouds on the mountain tops. I highly recommend it.

Princess P and I with Hanging Valley in the background.

LAKE POWELL IN THE FALL

Big C just bought some new paddle boards and we couldn't find anywhere to try them out, so of course we had to go to Lake Powell! haha! Some of our friends came down too and we had a ball! It wasn't super warm, but for October, it was beautiful!

Sunset with Little C, Princess P, M and R.

 The kids fished, and paddled, and hiked, and explored and generally had a blast!

Little C fishes for Sunfish on the paddle board.

Princess P and Little C relax while Big C makes breakfast.

Headed out on for a boat ride. Thank goodness for friends who have boats!

Hiking out Moki Canyon to look for some ruins. We weren't sure what this was...

The hike was the best part! What a beautiful place!

The ruins are right in the middle under the desert varnish on the cliff. You can see Big C climbing up to them.

On the hike the kids found a 'slide'.

On the way home, we took the Burr Trail. It was a beautiful (but long) drive. 

Little C, Me and Princess P.

WESTWATER WEEKEND

Big C and Sister S went to Westwater again this weekend. 

J, V, Big C, J, E, ? ?, Sister S ready to go.

Sister S buying a watermelon in Green River for the trip.

 I stole borrowed the photos off of Facebook from one of Sister S's roommates. 

Sister S and her roomies.  

Sleeping on the beach at Little D.

My favorite river guide- Sister S.

Eating at Ray's Tavern on the way home is a tradition!

GREEN RIVER FOR MEMORIAL DAY

We invited lots of friends and family and took off for Green River after Sacrament Meeting yesterday. Green River is one of the family favorites. The river's kind of mellow and sometimes downright boring, but the camping and the 'beach' are always favorites.

Princess P and Awesome A as we drive through the almost ghost town of Green River.

That night we had walking tacos and visited with everybody. It started to rain pretty good after a while, but we lived through it. The boys started to experiment with photography after a while. My good friend A is a photographer and helped them set up the camera for some fun shots.

We call this one 'Multiple Personalities.' A on the left and Little C on the right.

A wrote his name with his phone screen.

The next morning was overcast and a little chilly. No one was very excited to get on the river (except the kids- haha). I ran it the first round, however, and it wasn't bad at all. Not near as cold as the Sevier the week before!

The kids warming up by the fire the next morning.

Uncle D and cousin C helped the kids paddle the raft.

The beach is even enjoyed by the parents!

On our way home we stopped and looked at this strange hippie compound in the middle of the desert. They called it Jenkstar Ranch and it was a Sustainable Living, Art and Music Festival. There were some very strange things there, but it was interesting to investigate.

Tallest bike we'll ever ride- don't sit down!

The red ropes are a 'man' and they were on pulleys to stand it up.

The winged chair of strangeness. haha