Auntie Rachel's Visit!

 My sister Rachel came out to stay with us for a few days and we had a great time showing her a little bit of Utah!

On Sunday we went up to Causey Reservoir to canoe and give Rachel a taste of the mountains!

Dave and the kids ready to canoe.

It's a good thing we have a long canoe...

Emmett in the front.

Rachel and Vera Gail having fun wading around in a stream.

Gareth floating a piece of driftwood down to the lake.

Emmett and Vera Gail having a good time splashing around.

Everyone enjoying the outdoors!

Hugs!

We had a chill day on Monday, then on Tuesday we headed northwest into the desert to visit the Spiral Jetty (Rachel is an art major and currently in grad school, so it was super cool we could go see the Jetty with her) and the Golden Spike National Historic Site.

Rachel and Vera Gail with the submerged Spiral Jetty in the background. The Spiral Jetty is an earthwork sculpture in the Great Salt Lake constructed by Robert Smithson in 1970.  There was a drought at the time and one could walk out on the jetty (built of the mud and rock of the area), but for the most part it remains almost entirely under water.

Gareth on the hill above the Spiral Jetty.

We love climbing on rocks!

Captain Banana-Head!

Rachel posing by the Jetty!

Gareth hopped in there too!

Rachel and the kids at the foot of the Jetty.

The boys walking along the shore of the Great Salt Lake.

Lunch on an accommodating rock.

Vera Gail sing-songing her way along the shore.

Rachel found a skeletal bird wing.

Vera Gail in the salty sand.

We walked all the way to another jetty - just a normal one, not an artwork.

Rachel by the lake.

The kids being goofy on the hill above the Spiral Jetty.

And here we are at the Golden Spike National Historic Site (do you know how long it's taken me to be able to remember that name properly??).

The replica of the Jupiter.

The replica of the 119.

Emmett watching the 119 steam along!

Rachel and the gang in front of the Jupiter before we headed off for a hike on the Big Fill Walk.

The Jupiter chugging off to the evening house for the night.

Wiggle-butt being king of a gravel mound.

Emmett posing regally on the gravel pile.

And Vera Gail skittered up there too!

Group shot!

Walking along the trail - which was graded in the 1860's for track - through one of the cuts.

Vera Gail up on one of the walls of the cut.

Rachel and Vera Gail and Gareth catching some shade.

Gareth up on the rocks!

Emmett perching on the rocks too.

Vera Gail examining a nifty desert flower.

Camping Trip to Bryce Canyon National Park

 Last weekend we headed five hours south down to Bryce Canyon National Park for a family camping trip!  We had a great time (except for less-than-splendid sleep).  Bryce Canyon is known for the red-orange rock pillars called "hoodoos", and they were very cool.

Our tents.

Making breakfast on our first morning there.

Dave checking out the park map.

Emmett enjoying some hot apple cider after breakfast.

Pyro boy throwing pine needles in the fire pit - again...

Me and Vera Gail soaking up some morning sun.

The crew ready for a hike!

And off we go!

Dave and Emmett along a canyon rim.

Vera Gail fueling up to hike the "Queens Garden" trail.

Gareth on an overlook.

And Emmett too!

On the "Queens Garden" trail.

Dave and Vera Gail and Gareth in front of one of many nifty hoodoos.

More hoodoos.

The kiddos and hoodoos.

Snack and rest break at the end of the "Queen's Garden" trail, before we started the "Navajo Loop" trail.

Gareth found himself a nice perch.

And Vera Gail had to try it out too!

And Emmett got a turn as well.

Super awesome slot canyon!

A great view after we hiked all the way back up from the bottom of the canyon.

Emmett roasting toast that evening.

Vera Gail munching campfire toast.

Gareth toasting away!

The goofy gang around the campfire!

Dave enjoying the blaze.

Yes, I was there too. ;-)

A good morning with a cup of hot apple cider.

The guys having a good time around the morning campfire.

Coooooffffffeeeeeee

He wanted coffee too, but beverage boy had to settle for two cups of tea, lol.

Rooster boy! (That's a mitten on his hat)

Cutie-pie :-)

Me and Vera Gail checking out the trail map.

Group hug!!

Hanging out at an overlook ;-)

Awesome view!

The crew in the pines.

The kids around (and in) a hollow stump.

Dave enjoying the scenic vistas.

Really nifty rock arch.

Sunny smiles!

Another great view of hoodoos and cliffs.

The man cooking the baked beans.

The kiddos roasting toast again!

Everyone bundled up in the truck on Sunday morning - it got down to 38 during the night, and it was COLD!

Emmett and Vera Gail staying cozy while Dave and I packed up the campsite.