We're Marching to Zion Beautiful Beautiful Zion

So last nights RV spot was a step or two above Newberry. It was in the back parking lot of the quality inn. But at least this one had a nice bathroom and laundry room. The part when I was scolded by a lady at 10 in the morning for being too loud was a lovely touch.
We left Tuba City around 11. Delvin had said that he had seen a taco stand down the road that had breakfast burritos for $3. We headed that way and just kept on going when we passed a car with the trunk open and coolers sitting around it. Something about that set up told us to keep going. So we did.
Between Tuba City and Zion we saw some beautiful scenes. We made a stop in Page for lunch at a little diner. After that we came across some vendors from the indian reservation. We stopped and checked it all out.

We stopped at Glen Canyon and went into the visitor center. The kids tried to earn their Junior Ranger badge but got sidetracked before completing it. {I have no idea where they get that from}


As soon as we got into Zion we saw two Desert Bighorns. I can't even believe how quickly we stopped the car and jumped out to take pictures. Another family was stopped as well taking pictures. They said that they had been in the park all day and hadn't seen any other wildlife.


A little further down the road the fun began. We all got out to take pictures, and Matt and Delvin decided to go for a quick hike. Of course the kids wanted to go along. Jude didn't have any shoes on so I ran back to grab them. By the time I got back they were already quite a ways up the cliff. So I just let them go. I didn't figure they would be going far. Rose and I wandered around down below and watched them get smaller and smaller until they actually disappered. After they had been gone for quite a while I said to Rose " I bet in five minutes we will see them on that highest peak." And sure enough about two minutes after I said that I heard little voices echoing from the top! Matt said the kids had made it all the way to the top without being carried. And Jude, shoeless. They made their way back down and were so proud of themselves. Matt took the camera to the top and brought back some pretty great/scary photos of the kids at the top!
On our way out of the park we got to go through a tunnel that was one mile long! It was pretty cool and the kids loved it and pretended that they were a train going through. It was pretty cute.

We found a great camp site just about a mile out of the park. But I guess after the last two beauties anything with grass would be nice. And the best news of the night.....We got to have a campfire! I think I ate enough s'mores to make up for the last few nights that we couldn't have any. Actually I just had two but still. Another highlight was when Jude got marshmallow on his hand and tried to clean it off by rubbing it in the dirt! Such a boy.

This is Matt with his blue ribbon winning marshmallow.This is Madeline after she decided that wearing her sweatshirt backwards with the hood over her face to keep the smoke out wasn't such a good idea since she couldn't see a thing.

Here's Jude bringing me a cold marshmallow.

In the morning I will take some pictures of this site for comparison. Tomorrow we will enjoy more of Zion. We are going to take a shuttle tour to all the places that we can't drive through ourselves. From there, I believe will be Bryce Canyon.
The men planning out the route for tomorrow that will most definitely be changed about a hundred times throughout the course of the day. We will on no terms end up at any of these places at the right time. :o)

Next Stop, Grand Canyon.

Now if this isn't a site to wake up to I don't know what is.





Please let this be a lesson to you. If you want a campsite that doesn't look like this. Maybe you should start looking for a campground before 11pm. I have no idea how this happened but it did. When we pulled into the site around 11 I could tell that it was very bare but there were other motorhomes and trailers there so we figured it wouldn't be too bad. When we got up the place was empty. We didn't stick around to eat much breakfast just got going.
After we stopped for lunch we headed to the Grand Canyon Cavers off of Route 66. We took a 3/4 mile walk through the caverns. But first we had to take an elevator down 21 stories into the ground. And let me tell you that elevator was a bit scary and a lot stinky. But we made it and the kids just loved it.
At one point I told Madeline that maybe she should be carried because her legs were going to get too tired, but she insisted she could walk, and that she didn't care if her legs her this was the coolest thing EVER!
When I asked everyone what there favorite thing about the cavern was Matt and Rose said they both liked the snowball areas, whice are basically calcium or as the tour guide called them, TUMS. Madeline and Jude both like the sloth and Delvin liked the Big Room. I don't really remmeber something being called that but he did. I was probably too busy looking at the sparkly walls. Another thing that was interesting was the giant stockpile of food they have down there. Our friendly tour guide Johnny told us that there was enough food and water to feed 2,000 people for two weeks. Johnny said that it was considered a bomb shelter in the 60's and has just remained that way. He said the food was still as fresh as the day it was put in but the water not so much. From there we continued to the Grand Canyon. We got there at just the right time to see the sunset and the beautiful colors. Pictures can not do this justice! I was incredible. My stomach only did a few flips and I thing the week knees are getting better. I am a bit scared about my boy. I think he is going to be a bit of a dare devil considering he really wanted to climb out to the tip of a rock that hung over the canyon! I can't quite figure out who he would have picked that up from. The kids were also making me sick jumping to Matt from the top of another rock. I seriously are trying to put me in an early grave. If this keeps up for the next 9 days I may die.
Here
Here are some pics of the kids trying to kill me with fear of falling off the edge




I think tomorrow we will be driving a little extra. We would like to hit some of the big parks in Utah on our wayt to Wyoming.
So on our way we go!

P.S. I am hoping to get a great picture for our christmas card this year. Any votes on any of the pictures I have already poted would be great. Or maybe, I'll do an 11x14 glossy of all of the family pictures taken on the trip and that could be the card.

For you Brooky!

Yosemite, Lame Fruit stand,Papa Johns, Walmart, and Newberry

Tuesday morning we woke up to beautiful sunshine. Delvin and Matt were up making us eggs, sausage and toast! By 10 we were on our way back into Yosemite.

Once we were in Yosemite we took the road up to Glacier Point. The drive was 16 miles of twists and turns along roads that had no guardrail and had a drop of straight down. When we got there it was definitely worth the drive. Glacier Point is said to be the most visited view point in Yosemite. I proved to be the biggest chicken of the group. Any time the kids were anywhere near the edge my knees would go weak. Seemed like each placed we would stop at Matt would climb out to the farthest point, I am pretty sure he just like to watch me squirm! Although I can't complain too much considering he got some pretty amazing photos and videos from those places.
We stopped in Bakersfield for some pizza. And were going to stay over at the ol' walmart for the night. One step out into the parking lot and we decided to move on. It was NASTY!!! I don't know where we are now but we stopped at a little RV park, we didn't get here until 1am ish, so we just went straight to sleep!

Day 2

Day two was spent mostly driving, the kids did a pretty good job of keeping busy. We made a few stops for snacks, and a fun stop at the olive pit where they have tons of different varieties. I picked out the spicy sicilian style blue cheese stuffed! Yum Yum. And Madeline picked out boring old black!
Here we are at a view point! Madeline and Dad found a butterfly!

We stopped at a nice rest area for lunch. I showed the kids how to log roll down the hill. I remember doing the same thing when I was little. It sure is fun watching them do some of the same things I did growing up.

I have a great video of the kids rolling down the hill but it is taking forever to upload so if you want to see it you will have to come hang out with me when we get back. But be prepared to watch ALL the videos from this two weeks. :o)

After a long driving and getting in and out of the motor home, Jude fell asleep while listening to sisters Hannah Montana CD!!!

Sadly we can not have campfires any where we have been. :( So we compromised and roasted our marshmallows over the stove inside!